Alpine Fund

Here's some quick info on the Alpine Fund.

"The Alpine Fund is a small, locally based, non-profit, non-governmental, secular organization that uses the incredible mountain resources of Kyrgyzstan to help the country’s most vulnerable youth challenge themselves for future success." Off their website alpinefund.org

AF has a small office in Bishkek, managed by Arriana, Kyrgyz interns and international volunteers. They set up outings to Ala-Archa for kids from the local orphanages, using a hut they have at the park entrance as a base. It's amazing that the mountains are only 40 minutes from the city and visible from almost anywhere in town, but for many of the kids this is thier first time experiencing the mountains. A typical outing costs the AF about $20-$30, covering food, fuel, and misc. expenses. Not much, considering how powerful the experience must be for theses kids.

AF also have internships for some of the older kids. They help run the organization, writing grants, fundraising, keeping track of gear, cleaning the hut and the office. Below is a letter written by one of the interns, thanking the folks who donated laptops that I brought to AF. I found it touching, so I wanted to share it here:

Hello everyone,

How have you been lately?

I hope you have been well!!!

My name is Ulanbek, friends call Uli.

It has three meanings.

First”A strong wind”

Second”Always improving”

Third”Never stopping”

It’s good right?

I am 19 years old and currently I study at Kyrgyz State University in Bishkek.

I remember back when I was 13 years, my older brother and I hat to wake up at 3am to got to the market(bazaar)to work earning some money just to support my family.

I was winter and was so cold. I felt myself like in a fridge. When the sun was about to raising, we just stayed between huge containers, shivering like a dog after heart rain. Before having been involved to the Alpine Fund I had live through many troubles that hurt me every time. My family was getting a apart. My parents wanted to get divorced. My old man had problems had problems with alcoholic drinks. My mom could not support us alone, so this is why we had to live a so called street live.

After USSR collapsed it was very hard for everybody in Kyrgyzstan. Maybe this cost my father to drink. When my brother and I lived in CPC (Center for Protection of Children), we went up to the mountains with the Alpine Fund. I was hyper and outgoing so I quickly found general language with everyone there.

Since then I am in Alpine Fund.

Volunteers have been teaching me English. They helped me, they found me a sponsor for paying my tuition. I am so thankful. You know Alpine Fund is based on such kind, generous and thoughtful people like you. If good people like you didn’t helped me, I think I’d definitively

have contaminated my live. There are a lot of children with an unhappy background like me, who get your help.
I think it’s worth respect. I really want to thank you from deep heart for your help.

I wish you all the best! Please don’t forget about your parents! If someone wants to be respected, when he will get old and weak, than he should respect his parents.

Sincerely,

Uli

As mentioned in the letter, AF also has a scholarship set up to help pay for students' university tuition.

AF is fully funded by private donations, making it truly a non-governmental organization. While this is great because they are not beholden to any special interests, it is also problematic because there is not guarantee of funding. So, if you're looking to get rid of a few bucks to a good cause, get on their website and donate online.

Thanks for reading

Dan

Bishkek 3: Ala Archa Park

After parting ways with Devin and Sara in Osh, I did one of the scariest things of my life: I took a plane ride in Kyrgyzstan. It seemed worth an extra $20 to take a 1 hour plane ride, rather than a 10 hour taxi ride up to Bishkek. Then I saw the plane. It was an old Yak 40 or similar Soviet model from the 70's or earlier that fit about 40-50 people. Before takeof, I decided I should base my level of concern on the people around me. The old couple across the aisle were tranquil and relaxed, in fact I think the guy was sleeping already. This made eased my mind until we started down the runway and as we picked up speed and the plane began to shake and the guy next to me (who, judging by his elbow in my ribs, apparently had no concept of personal space) sat bolt upright and grabbed the armrest with the intensity of someone who senses imminent death. "Shit" I thought "at least it's a cool story for the obits."
The flight went well and I obviously didn't die. We got into Bishkek late and I took a taxi to the only hotel I knew of, the Alpinist. The cost of the room was more than I'd spent on rooms for the whole trip... but it had a real shower and a soft queen sized bed, so I couldn't resist.
The next was rainy, so I got a hold of Frieder, my German buddy, and planned to meet him at his place. Then I wandered around Bishkek for a few hours. It's actually a very small city and there is not much to do.
Later I met Arriana, the office manager of the Alpine Fund, and she showed me their gear garage. I was heading to Ala Archa Park the next day for two nights and we made a plan for someone from the AF to pick me up when I got back down.
Ala Archa is a 40 minute drive from Bishkek and an alpine wonderland. It has been a national park since the seventies and was used as a training and competion venue for Soviet alpinists long before that. A 3-4 hour hike, 5 kilometers, takes you up through snow to the Ratzek Hut, 3200m. It's a a surprisingly large hut with several bunk rooms. Out back are some smaller huts for members of the Kyrgyz Alpine Club. The hut host invited me in to share tea and a smoke. His English was slightly better than my Russian, meaning he knew 20 words to my 10. We pointed out questions in his phrase book and would try to communicate and answer. It was fun. Later I retired to my bunk to read some Herman Hesse and sleep. The next day I followed a boot pack up the snow covered moraine into the most amazing alpine cirque I've seen. 14,000'-15,000' granite peaks with endless rock, ice and mixed routes. And that was just one of the cirques... and I didn't even go into the heart of it. This place blew my mind. At this point my kne was getting tired and hyperextending in a painful way, so headed back down to the hut. It was a beautiful day, clear and cool. I forgot my sunglasses and woke up the next morning with sunburned eyelids... and I call myself an outdoor professional, ha. The next morning I headed back down and caught my ride to Bishkek.
I had two days left but nothing to do, so I just wandered the streets of Bishkek and stopped ny the Alpine Club to say hi.
I finally got hassled by cops in the Osh bazzaar. Everyone had been warning of the police, saying they would ask for you passport and then require that you pay to get it back. Armed with this knowlege I made sure to give them a copy of my passport. Only thing was, I didn't have a copy of my visa. They didn't like this, or rather they used it as an excuse to search me. But they didn't find my passport or my money that I had hidden in me and eventually they just let me go. I guess it wouldn't have been real Kyrgyz travel experience if I didn't get hassled at least once.
I caught my flight at 6:30 the next morning, laid over in Moscow for 8 hours, then landed in NYC where my buddy Tim picked me up. We had a few beers and a pizza... I love America. Then I met up with my step-brother Adley for a couple more rounds and it was off to bed.
Caught my plane at 7 am and landed in Seattle at noon.
Trip's done and I'm back to reality, if you call living out of your car while searching for an apartment in Bellingham reality.
Hope you enjoyed the reports. Thanks for reading.
I'm out.

Dan

Cultural Observations

I hope you find these amusing.

1) Red lights are run early, meaning drivers start going when the other people's lights turn yellow. If you were to run a yellow light the way we do in the States, you'd get hit.
2)Kyrgyz (ethnically Kyrgyz, not Russian) walk with thier toes out (pigeon-toed) and bowlegged. Maybe a result of their heritage of horse riding?
3) All men smoke and spit a lot.
4) They have figures out that Soviet roads are built too wide and that you can fit three cars into three lanes.
5) Kyrgyz are very trusting when it comes to public transport. You pay the driver at some point during your ride, often handing money up through several people and getting your change the same way.
6) It seem irrelevant whether you walk on the right or left side of the sidewalk when peop0le are coming towards you. As often as not, people will go leftwhen you are in that head on, which way are you gonna go? situation.
7) Women love high heel, like really high, and men like long toed, black pleather slipper/shoes.
8) Gold is the dental repair material of choice. BLING!
9) In Bishkek, you can't walk two minutes without seeing a photocopy/ passport picture place, internet cafe, money exchange, and pharmacy. They're everywhere!
10) Men shake hands with everyone they greet, but don't make eye contact.
11) It doesn't matter if you're car has it's steering wheel on the right or left side.
12) Everyone who has a car in Osh is a taxi driver.
13) Seatbelts are only worn when police are near. Even then, it is prefered to simply pull the belt over, without buckling it, until the po-po are out of site.

Osh-Arslanbob-Osh

Saturday the 18th, we took a ten hour taxi ride to Osh, in the southwest. It's an entirely diffent culture down here, heavily influenced and populated by Uzbeks, the border is only 10 km away. Osh is a nice city, the second largest in KGZ but much smaller than Bishkek. The main attraction is Solomon's Throne, a mass of rock rising up directly west of town. It is a popular poilgramage site for Uzbek Muslims, and we were told it was up there with Mecca and Medina on the 'holy scale'. I have yet to confirm this. Ther is also a bazaar, one of the oldest in Central Asia. I've found that asking to take people's pictures is a great way to engage them and strike up a 'converstaion', which consits of them aking where I from, I say America, they say something, I tell them I don't understand, some nervous laughter, a hand shake, thank you and good-bye. It's fun and about as close to a genuine interaction I can get, since most other interactions involve taxi fares and bickering about a few cents.
A couple days in Osh is about all you need, so we set off for Arslanbob, which we thought was nearby, but is actually about 2.5 hours by taxi. It's a good idea to read the ENTIRE description of the 'Getting There" section in your guidebook, before trying to bargain with taxi drivers. I told Devin it should be about 40 som (42 som = $1) per person, at which the cabbies scoffed. They wanted 1000 som for the trip from Jalal-Abad to Aslanbob. Devin drives a hard bargain, but he couldn't get them below 700. I then realized that 40 som was the price for the first stretch, which wasn't even a third of the way. All of a sudden 700 som was a good price for all of us.
Arslanbob is a large village, 13,00 people, but feels much smaller. It is set high up in the foothills of the Babash -Ata range, at about 2,000m. We got into town and were immediatly shown the Community Based Tourism office.
Let me talk about CBT for a moment. It is an organization started around 2000-2003 with the help of Helvetas, the Swiss Association for international Cooperation. CBT helps families open thier homes for homestays and serves as a central information source for tourists. There are over 17 regional centers around Kyrgyzstan and they can help set up horse treks, yurt stays, falcon hunting, and all the other things tourists want to do and see while there in Kyrgyzstan. The great thing about CBt is that it is truly based in the community, with most profits going to the families, guides, etc, and 15% or so going towards funding the organization. This is a great resource for independant travellers and a responsible way to travel, as opposed to booking through a large tourist company in Bishkek or Kazakstan, where little of the money is actually going to the communities of the areas you will be exploring.
The CBT coordinator in Arslanbob, Hyat, is very motivated to expand the CBT in Arslanbob and is really trying to encourage winter tourism in the area. It looks like a great place for ski touring!
We stayed with a German teacher named Ibrahim, House #6, who speak English and German and takes very good care of his guests. If you're in the area, check him out.
Arlslanbob is surrounded by an ancient walnut forest, pre-dating the 11th century. Much of the local ecomony comes from the walnut harvest in the Fall, as well as other agriculture sucha s potatos. Yet, we were told, there is about a 75-80% unemployment rate for the area, which makes tourism such an important industry for the area.
It truly feels like you've taken a step back in time here... sort of. Many of the houses are simple constuctions of poplar logs and cob bricks. Most houses have a cob oven out back. It is funny how cob constuctions are becoming popular again in the States, though it often seems like a novelty or hobby, not necessity, as it is here. And right next to the cob oven and the three sided cellar that serves and a 'cow-garage' is a big old satalite dish and the owner talking loudly on thier cell phones. Old Soviet cars conserve gas by not starting their engines as they roll down the hills towards the town center.
Speaking of cell phones, how is it that everyone here gets service, even in the mountains, and I can't get service anywhere I live in the States?
Walking around town, we are constantly gretted by childen yelling "Hello, Goodbye! Watisyurnaym?!" We are a spectacle here and for some reason it feels more comfortable thanbeing in the city, where people don't take as much notice.
Oh yeah, Arslanbob is a fully Uzbek community. So, the little Russian I picked up in Bishkek was of no help, and had I picked up any Kyrgyz, it wouldn't have helped either. We were reduced to drawing numbers on car windows and "Hello!" "Bye-bye" "Mynaymeez...".
This has been my favorite city/ village in Kyrgyzstan so far and it is worth the travel to get here if you ever come to the area.
Alas, we could only spent one full day in Arslanbob. We went for a horseback ride around the town to see the Big Waterfall, the walnut forest, and the Panorama view. This seems like the standard tour. Devin and Sara have a strong horse riding background, so I was the only novice. I was nervous, but I figured I would just trust the horse (which was wheezing a lot, that was slightly worrying) and act like I knew what I was doing. Well my faith was misplaced, as my horse tripped and I, not knowing what to do, jupmed out of the stir-ups and off the horse, landing with a slap on my right side. It was pretty embarassing, especially since I would have been fine if I had just stayed on the damn thing. But, I got back in the saddle, as they say, and continued my ride, watching every move my beast made.
We Sunday morning, Devin and Sara had a bud to Kashgar, China to catch and I... I didn't really know what I was doing. We parted ways last night as they continue on through China, Nepal, Tibet, and India. Part of me wishes I could keep traveling with them, it's been a fun few weeks.
I sit now in Osh, awaiting a plane that will take me back to Bishkek, where I'll do a few hikes, hang out around the Alpine Fund, and catch my flight home on the 27th.
I need to vent breifly about USBank/ Visa. First of all, don't use traveler's checks here, there are nearly immpossible to cash. Secondly, make sure your debit card works before you actually need it. According to USBank, by card is active, etc., but it hasn't worked at any of the 10 ATM's around town I've tried. I'm going out on a limb here, but I think the issue is with the card, not the ATMs. So, bye-bye UsBank! That was the last straw, fuckers! (We've had previous issues).
On a positive note, I'm excited to be headed back to the States soon and get my knee fixed.


That is all

Dan

Bishkek: Round 2

Friday the 10th I took a Marshrutka (mini-bus) from Karakol back to Bishkek. There I met up with Dan and Anders, two Americans who have been living in Bishkek and volunteering with the Alpine Fund. We had dinner, then met up with Frieder, a German AF volunteer. Fireder had a place for me to crash at his 'flat'. I was amazed at the hospitality I was shown by this tight-knit group of foriegners. The next day we went to check out the Alpine Fund's office, where I met Noemi and Gaeten, Swiss and Dutch respectively, both volunteering at AF. (More on AF in a seperate post). Gaeten and I made plans for the evening to go see the the Vagina Monologues, of course. We arrived about an hour late, which was fine because a half hour of Russian monologues was plenty for me.
This was the first time the VM's had been put on in Kyrgyzstan, (actually the second, once in English 2 weeks ago) which is amazing giving the untra-conservative culture and traditions surrounding sex and marriage. The most striking example is the tradition of bride kidknapping. This is when a "groom's" family kidnapps a young (like teens young) woman and guards her through a night. If she does not manage to escape and spends the night in the house, it is assumed she is no longer a virgin and therefore no longer desireable for marriage to anyone else. Her best option then, is to marry this man, who she may have never even met. I admitt I laughed when I first read about this, assuming it was out-dated and no longer applicable except maybe in communities in some far off valley forgotten by time. Imagine my shock when I learned that the practice is alive and well in Bishkek and it happens to females in who are studying at university, independant women who are on a carreer path. The fact that the Vagina Monologues took place in this society steeped in, dare I say, antiquated traditions, is a huge step for womens' rights. I felt that this was, to some degree, a historic event and I was excited to be able to witness it.
The next couple days were spent checking out the sights of Bishkek. The highlights are without a doubt the bazaars. Dordoi Bazaar is situated outside of town and is literally a small city built of shipping containers. You can buy anything here... if you can find it. I spent a good 45 minutes wandering, not daring to stop lesst someone started talking to me. I was completely overwhelmed. I finally made a circle, recognized where I had entered, and promptly fled back to the relative tranquility of the city. In Bishkek there is the Osh Bazaar, smaller than Dordoi but with a reputation for pickpockets and crime. I didn't experience any of that, just colorful displays of foods as far as the eye could see, unlimited pirated DVDs, and just about any piece of hardware you might ever need.
It struck me that these bazaars are like E-Bay, but in real life. They are both market places, right. I was then bothered by the fact I had just my reality consists of virtual, sterile, artificial E-bay and the real feeling, breathing, moving market place of Bishkek was a foriegn spectacle to me. Eh, I guess that's how it is.
Sunday night was Easter. I shared it with a jovial international group, foriegners and locals who were somehow connected to each other here in Bishkek. At the flat lived 4 Poles and Gaeten, from Brussels. Countries represented included Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Russian, and the ol' US of A by yours truly. It was a wonderful amalgum of languges, most of which I didn't undertstand, but the universal language of flowing vodka made for a memorable evening.
I'm still amazed and touched at the kindness and hospitality I have been shown by the community of foriegners here in Bishkek. I suppose that what binds us is that we are different, and I was therefore one of them.
Monday Sara, Devein and Cam arrived in Bishkek and Tuesday we took a ten hour taxi ride to Osh, a city in the southwest, 10km from the border of Uzbekistan.
More to come.

-Dan

Altyn Arashan

Wednesday:

Devin, Sara and I hiked up to Altyn Arashan, "Golden Springs", 2,800m. We walked four hours up a rough road which people apparently drive in the summer. It is impassable by car at this point because there are 30'+ deep avalanche debris piles covering the road. There are some BIG paths on the opposite side of the valley that slide across the river and up the other side. Some of the debris looked like D4 potential.

The hot spring "resort" consists of a few buildings that offer lodging and some indoor concrete soaking pools filled with clear, hot water, just the right temperature to hang out in after a nice walk.

This was my fist semblance of excercise since I blew out my knee and it took a while for my legs to wake back up. I had on my bionic-man brace and my knee didn't give me any trouble, though my left calf is still sore.

From the springs we were treated to a view of Paltaka Pik, the original ski objective Devin and I had picked out. It was a bit of a tease to be so close to it and not have any gear. I was conflicted because my knee felt so good coming up. "Maybe I could have done it. Did I make a mistake by calling off the ski mission?" I had to remind myself that skiing is different from hiking and that I made the responsible decision... for once.

The scenery was beautiful, though full Spring had not arrived yet at that elevation. Pictures we had seen showed the valley a lush green, but had a slighty browner version to enjoy. The passes to adjoining valleys were too snowy for us to do a loop, so we just stayed at the springs for a night and hiked back down the next day.

I had some pictures uploaded, but somehow I deleted them and I can find the Cyrillic command for "Undo". Sorry.

-Dan

Karakol

We arrived in Karakol on Saturday night. The drive was one of the most frightening taxi rides I've ever taken. When I wasn't slamming on my backseat brake, I did have a chance to enjoy the view of Lake Issyk-Kul, a 185 Km long lake (I think). It is slightly saline and doesn't freeze in the winters. It also creates a more moderate climate for Karakol in the winters. The south side of the lake is flanked by the Tien Shan mountains, which were beautiful and immpressive, though only foothils of the actual range. The view was also partially obsured by a heavy smog which reeked of burt palstic and garbage. Turns out Saturdays are trash days, which entails, you guessed it, burning trash. Now that the snow is melting, there is a lot of spring cleaning to be done, so we experienced the brunt of it on our ride.
We are staying at Cameron's apartment. He has been an invaluable guide and a very gracious host to us. He has been living here a few months, along with several other PeaceCorps volunteers. Sunday night we were invited to a PeaceCorps potluck, where we ate well and got to share the company of some of the other volunteers. Kyrgyzstan can wear on a person it seems, as many of the volunteers had mixed feelings obout the area and the country. This is understandable, though. The poverty here is obvious, everything is dirty and it smells perpetually of burning trash. But at the same time, the people are friendly, you are surrounded by beautiful mountains and the volunteers seem to be doing some very valuable work in the community.
We have spent the last few days walking around town. Cam went to work yeaterday and Devin Sara and I were left to explore on our own. It is easy to become dependant on a guide when available and it was nice to be forced to fend for ourselves. Today I even bought a phone card and placed a call from a cell phone all by myself!
I've been spending a lot of time at an internet "cafe" (they don't serve coffee) that doubles as the base of the "Issykul Guide and Porter Association". The owner, Aigulu, is a very friendly woman and speaks English. I was able to talk to her and a couple of the guides who have gone through the local climbing school about trekking and climbing in the area. Thursday I hope to meet with a few more guides, along with Brian, a PeaceCorps volly, and go over some belay commands and techniques. I am looking forward to meeting soem of the local guides and learning about their education and standards.
Tomorrow Devin, Sara and I will head up to Atyn Arashan, a hot spring "resort" up a valley of the same name. This is the area that we had our ski trip planned for (then I blew out my ACL). The snow level is still pretty low and we are not equipped for snow or winter camping, so we will just head up, hike around, soak in the hot springs and enjoy the mountains from a distance.
That is all for now. I hope everyone is enjoying Spring back in the States!

-Dan