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Kirmis is fermented mare's milk. We bought some from 2 boys who rode past us in a gorge near Issyl Kul. It tastes like very strong sour buttermilk, with extremely generous hints of salami. Glad to have tried it, but glad the bottle disappeared!
In case you are planning to travel to Uzbekistan from Osh and you are short of suitable clothes for more conservative Central Asian states then stop at the bazaar in Osh, you'll find plenty of beautiful and colorful gowns and scarves...for a pittance.Whan in the bazaar remember that Uzbek women (this city has a large Uzbek population) do not like to be photographed, sometimes older women can be a little rude, better not to mind to avoid problems.I found the look of Uzbek women really original, it is the only population that considers thick and hairy eyebrows a mark of extreme beauty, they even trace a line that joints the two eyebrows...imagine the shape of a flying seagull seen from far and you get the picture..unfortunately I was unable to take a pictures of this amazing look (compared to the west where thick eyebrows now are an extreme no-no) because as said above Uzbek women do not...
Altyn Kol cooperative shop in Kochkor, just around the corner from the the local CBT agency Rugs, called "Shyrdak" in Kyrghyz, they are lovely, come in all colours and sizes...they are made of felt, they are not so expensive, a big one would cost around 150 dollars, and it would give a lot of color and warmth to your house. Altyn Kol can also ship abroad...Other beautiful things to buy would be the national Kyrghyz hat "Ak Kalpak" shaped like a mountain covered by snow, other hats made of felt, great for hiking, keep really warm, felt slippers, wallets, bags. For those who love silver I can recommend the Osh style bracelets which have a chain that connects the bangle to three finger rings, they look rather important, occupy a lot of soace on your hand and wrist but they really original!! Sold in Osh and at Tsum department store in Bishkek.
In the city center you'll find a department store called TSUM. It's a good place to wonder around and get a good idea of the products that are available in the capital. There really isn't a lot to buy in TSUM - I found it more exciting to just look around. However, if you are looking for souvenirs or other traditional Kyrgyz *stuff*, you can find a lot of that on the top floor. The sourvenirs in TSUM are slightly more expensive than what you can find in other, smaller stores throughout the city.
Kyrgyz handicraft shops are found mostly in the bazars and stores of towns and big cities. Felt made traditional hats, models of yurts, leather goods, jewellary, carpets, rugs etc. etc. 1$ to 100$
When you visit Tash Rabat local women will just show up to sell shyrdaks, hats(Kulpaks) , etc High quality Shyrdaks Depends on the size. Spending $50 for a large shyrdak is not hard to do at all
Paintings are just piled on top of tables. Most of the fun is sorting through them looking for the perfect one. Paintings, wood cut prints, dolls Varries alot, $5-$25 all depends on your taste
Hand carved masks, woven shaws, art, interesting stuff Check out the hand knotted shaws, make good gifts and amazingly intracate Things can get expensive here $15-20
Tumar is beleived to a protector from bad things. National hat - kalpak, felt carpets, tumar, chess, etc.
Hyatt Regency Bishkek Bishkek
6 Reviews and 54 Opinions Very nice hotel, but very expensive. Its location is best in the city. They don't have metal room...
The Castle Hotel Cholpon-Ata
2 Reviews and 1 Opinions Not exactly cheap compared to homestay or 'local accommodation", but if you enjoy your creature...
Hotel Jannat Bishkek
1 Review and 9 Opinions Jannat is located far from the city center. They claim to be a "5 star" hotel, but by the western...
Reviews and photos of Kyrgyzstan attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Kyrgyzstan sightseeing.
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Q: The 7 Ones... This is Jeff from Texas. I'm coming to Kyrgyzstan the first and second weeks of July and one thing I always try...
A: My knowledge on Kyrgyiztan is very limited, but I can help you on your first question - find one on Tshengiz Aitmatov´s books! He is dead now, but was called "the voice...
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