The Travels of Snow

April 24, 2019April 24, 2019

Hong Kong

Note: I have been bad about posting. Ow well, it is my blog. I have some stuff written up from the last months, it just needs to be touched up.

But first, Hong Kong. Last month, I took a much-needed vacation. I spent a few days with friends in Taipei and then spent nearly two weeks on a whirlwind tour of Thailand. Everything was pretty swell of course, however I finished the trip with two days in Hong Kong and I feel like writing about it.

Both Taipei and Hong Kong were on my itinerary because of my favorite, exhausting travel trick, extended layovers. The main goal of this vacation was the sun and beaches of Thailand, but when traveling that far, you often have layovers in new places. With a little bit of effort, and help from budget sites like Momondo and Kiwi, you can often get two or three days at a new location for almost nothing. I see this as essentially free travel as I would have to pay the cost even if I skipped it.

I had enjoyed the trip so far, but I had a distinct sense of excitement for Hong Kong. I had always heard good things from all friends who had been and of course, it is a city laden with history and culture and FOOD. I was interested to compare the experience with Beijing and Taipei, as all three are Chinese cities with distinctly different geopolitical pasts and presents. And because I am as #basic as they come, I was very hyped to see Victoria Peak and not only for the Insta. I took an evening flight in from Chiang Mai on Hong Kong Express (easily the nicest budget airline I have ever flown), and as we approached, the lights from the city inspired that sense of awe that normally is reserved for landing at La Guardia at night while coming up the East River. It is incredibly cheesy I know, but I was struck with this feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to experience it. I even told my random seatmate that one of my desires for life was that I hope I still get that same child-like giddy feeling of wonder whenever I visit a new place, no matter what age I am.

Thoughts on Hong Kong’s Airport: Customs are very easy as an American (I think it is something like 90 days visa free) and while their airport is a long way from the main touristy parts of the city, it was super easy to navigate even at the middle of night. First, I highly suggest snagging a SIM card and Octopus card (Hong Kong’s all-everything reloadable public transit card that also works to buy things at stores like 7-11s). Next, taxis from the airport are very expensive. Enter my new favorite bus system anywhere in the world. Hong Kong has huge, comfortable buses with Wi-Fi that run to and from the airport from all over the city, 24-7. They cost ~$5. Both times, it took between 45 minutes to an hour to get from the airport to Hong Kong Island. Highly Recommended.

My goal when having limited time in a city while knowing you cannot see and do everything is to prioritize one or two big things a day and let the rest of it come as it will. For the first day, I set my sites on Victoria Peak and taking a boat across the harbor to check out the skyline. Decked out in Michigan gear to celebrate our early morning NCAA tourney victory over mighty Montana (Traveling in a big, international city during the first weekend of the NCAA tournament is hilarious. The uni polos are out and you are reminded just how deep people roll with their alma mater. And yes, I realize how weird the rest of the world finds Americans’ obsession with this), I set out early to combat what was sure to be long lines for the Peak. I considered going at night for the absurd light-show views, however I had friends to go out with that night and it was supposed to rain the next day, so I decided now was the time. The quicker option to get to the peak is probably to take public transport up the backside of the mountain; however, I was a tourist and hence opted to experience the tram ride up. I recommend it at least once as I found it kind of thrilling. The Peak itself did not disappoint, it was magnificent up there. The Hong Kong skyline is kind of mid blowing to be honest. I did not have perfect weather, but it was good enough. Basically, there is a reason every tourist goes and it is because it is worth it. Pro tip: I decided to crush a beer and pizza on a restaurant’s balcony afterward. Sure, it was overpriced, but I basically got a private view of the city. For me, it was totally worth it.

Next, I headed to the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood to meet with a fellow traveler from Couchsurfing Hangouts. (Not sure if I mentioned this before but Couchsurfing Hangouts is easily my favorite solo travel application. I have met so many fascinating people all over the world using it. Basically, in major travel areas, you are never alone, and if you do not vibe with the people or group, it is easy enough to excuse yourself.) Today, I was meeting up on the waterfront with Dina, a Kazakh girl in her 20s, who turned out to be cool af. We hit it off as we had similar travel goals and ended up spending the next day and a half exploring the city together. We wandered around the waterfront and eventually took a boat across the harbor for the #views. Cheap and highly recommended. That night, we met up with two of my American friends who were having a weekend in Hong Kong. We all went out in Lan Kwai Fong and it was as fun as advertised. It is a lit district near Central with different bars, restaurants, and clubs all in a row. I admit, it is key to have a normal, big city night when you live on a remote island full time. I highly suggest it.

Looking at Hong Kong Island over the waterfront

The following day, Dina and I settled on two goals: walk the Mid-Levels escalator system in the Central shopping district and to see if we could find one of Hong Kong’s beaches. Mid-Levels is a fun way to see the city as it is this long continuous elevated escalator system that takes maybe 20-30 minutes to complete in total. It is another thing that I am told is cooler at night with the lights, but was still neat during the day. I have never seen something quite like it. In the afternoon, I mapped out a route to the beaches on the south side of Hong Kong Island (only a 15-20 minute bus ride from the Causeway Bay neighborhood) and hence I spent the last afternoon of my vacation chilling in a bougie little beach bar and restaurant on Repulse Bay Beach. Honestly, it was a perfect way to end my trip.

Mid-Levels (3.23.2019)
Video Credit: Дина Тазабекова

Overall

Hong Kong was awesome and I have to go back again some time. It was probably my favorite place on a trip full of amazing places. One thing of note, the city is not cheap and space is super limited. I decided to stay in a hostel (it was very nice for a hostel) for the cost savings (still was not particularly cheap) even though my body has basically decided it can no longer sleep in beds that are maybe 175 cm long. I think this was a mistake and I think I may finally be too old for hostels because at this point, I barely sleep and my legs spend the day cramping from having to sleep like a pretzel. I stayed in the Wan Chai neighborhood on Hong Kong Island. I do suggest it as it is centrally located for getting all over the city. Furthermore, it has many chill little restaurants and bars of its own that I barely got to explore due to time limitations. I strongly recommend not skipping out on the beaches. They were a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Finally, the legacy of Hong Kong’s Imperial British past are everywhere and obvious.

My Couchsurfing Hangout friend, Dina, and I suggest checking out Repulse Bay Beach

Food

DIM SUM! My god, it is just amazing, I think I honestly had Dim Sum for three meals in two days. Good, cheap Dim Sum places are all over and are even open for breakfast. Everything I tried was amazing (Dumplings, Rolls, Buns, Stuffed peppers, etc.). I suggest just going with others and ordering a bunch of things and seeing what you like. Honestly, if I had a dim sum place of similar quality in Yuzhno, I would probably eat there two to three times a week. It was that good.

October 18, 2018

Sakhalin Philharmonic (Сахалинская филармония)

Two days ago, I took in one of the concerts of the Sakhalin Philharmonic. As part of Philharmonic’s celebration of the opening of its 71st season, it brought in the guest chamber orchestra of conductor Igor Lerman and multi-wind instrument soloist Arkady Shilkloper. Due to this fact, I cannot comment on the quality of their usual shows, however I would give this ensemble a solid B/B+. The group was made up of six to eight violins (the concertmaster had a wonderful solo), three violas, three cellos, a base, and a piano. Finally, Mr. Shilkloper, who has quite a musical resume to his name, joined for about half of the pieces. Most of the time, he performed on the alto horn. In my opinion, it was his strongest instrument and he was able to bring out the melancholy nature of the instrument. However, much to the enjoyment of the crowd, he also brought out his alphorn. I admit, I don’t believe I have ever witnessed someone play an alphorn. It is as massive as advertised. According to the conductor, he is one of the only, if not the only, jazz alphorn players in the world. As far as the venue, it was a nice, modern mid-sized concert hall and almost sold out. However, at times, I believe they over-amplified the musicians, particularly the bass player which led to a few moments of clashing and poor stereo quality. Song wise, they varied greatly in type of music from baroque to “Yesterday,” by the Beatles to some songs that I must assume are local Russian favorites that they had a nature video accompany. It was quite a jarring whirlwind, but in the end quite enjoyable. They managed to perform for about two and a half hours including a short intermission.

It is clear that part of their act is to be showmen and that it is a well-practiced routine. They joke with the crowd, make fun of each other, and even do call and response thing with the crowd. It is clear that some of this must be cultural, how much I cannot say as this is my first Russian philharmonic experience. No one seemed too concerned when a phone went off in the middle of a song and the crowd was rather raucous for classical music. I will admit, this made the upper Midwest boy in me rather uncomfortable. After all, back home, a polite round of applause is about the maximum crowd involvement you will see. They had about 10 encores and the crowd seemed to be enjoying this as a joke. I will admit, this act wore thin on me to the point that I thought it distracted from the excellence of their music.

Now for the funny, Andy makes a language error, part of the story. I admit that I literally discovered the Philharmonic by accident at noon on the day of this performance. I of course immediately decided I must go. Solid classical music plus an excuse to wear a suit made it an easy choice. I chose to attend alone because obviously anything worth doing is also worth doing alone (or I mass texted my friends here and none were able to attend due to my inability to ever plan social events ahead of time – one of these reasons). Regardless, I ran around, found the place to buy tickets, got dressed, and headed out to the address that was listed on both the website and ticket. Sure enough, it was the office of the Philharmonic and not the concert venue. Of course, because of this concert, no one was in the office to help guide me to the correct location. While trying to figure out how to rectify this issue, a Russian guy holding a ticket wandered up to the door. He immediately noticed it wasn’t the right location and it appears upon second inspection of the ticket, realized the actual location. He started talking quickly in a mix of Russian and English. I didn’t really understand the directions he gave, but he agreed to give me a ride to the location. Me being myself, I was totally down to get into a car with a random dude. This worked out perfectly because of course and was even a location I knew (it also hosted the film festival from a few weeks ago). I fortuitously walked in just in time to avoid missing the start.

In the end, it was absolutely wonderful to have the opportunity to spend a relaxing few hours listening to professionals play classical music. This music creates that nostalgia in me. Something about a symphony’s ability to tell a story, happy and sad, will always give me the chills like little else. That moment when a song crescendos and all of a sudden all the musicians are playing in unison bring such joy and power (I am sure there is a term for this but I am no expert). I will definitely go again.

Fast Facts:

Sakhalin Philharmonic (Сахалинская филармония)

Event:

http://sakhfilarmonia.ru/events/post/636/

Cost:

I was offered tickets for 800 and 1000 rubles (~$12/15)

Office:

693010, г. Южно‐Сахалинск, ул. Сахалинская, 25 (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalinskaya 25)

Telephone: +7 (4242) 72-84-98

E-mail: info@sakhfilarmonia.ru or administrator@sakhfilarmonia.ru

Where to Buy Tickets:

Telephone: +7 (4242) 304-104

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Lenina 182 A

Shopping center «Большая мода»

Hours: 10.00 to 19.00 (no holidays)

Concert Venue:

Октябрь (October)

Киноконцертный зал (Concert hall)

Коммунистический проспект, 45 (Communchesky Avenue)

2-й микрорайон, Южно-Сахалинск, 693000

September 11, 2018September 11, 2018

11 Months Later … Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Южно-Сахалинск)

Cathedral of the Nativity, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
(Кафедральный собор Рождества Христова)

I have obviously neglected this blog for a long time. Life got in the way, and I got out of the habit. My goal is to start posting again somewhat regularly, and, who knows, I may even get a guest post from some fellow travelers for my blog. As far as a life update, while I still have some old stuff I want to post about Kyrgyzstan from my Fulbright days, I have accepted an ex-pat posting in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, a small city in Far East Russia located north of Japan. It is actually located on a large, mostly mountainous island between the Japanese Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. The Okhotsk side continues into the Pacific Ocean.

Fireworks from my friend’s apartment celebrating Yuzhno’s birthday

I have been here for just over three weeks now and am starting to get a feel for the place. Unsurprisingly, there are some cool sites, statues, and the like. Chekhov is a huge deal here because he spent a period of time on the island and hence there are a bunch of monuments and various buildings named after him. Furthermore, there is a clear influence from the 50 years of Japanese rule of the southern half of the island, including my city.

My favorite feature is the ski hill (Горный воздух – Mountain Air) that literally is part of the town. Obviously, no snow right now, but you can still take the tram up for some absolutely beautiful views. I am pretty fired up for winter, as there appear to be some awesome lines available for ripping. I am going back home for a wedding in a couple weeks and will be bringing my skis back with me.

The food has been fine so far. I have found some cool restaurants that may eventually get their own post (Georgian, Indian, and Korean Fried Chicken!!!) and they have places that make an honest to god American style burger and pepperoni pizza. Finally, there are a lot of little joints that sell their own beer. Some of it is very good; some of it is interesting.

Sea of Okhotsk, Плаж “Солнечный” (Sunny Beach)

While I have been working hard during the week, the weekends have been fun so far. Yuzhno has a fairly large film festival that lasts between two weekends. The highlights for me were watching the band “Несчастный случай” (roughly translates to Accident/Misadventure etc.), whom I am told are moderately famous, and watching the 2018 Palme d’Or winner, Shoplifters, a wonderful, yet melancholy Japanese film (with Russian subtitles). The city also celebrated their birthday with a weekend long street festival (solid, very similar to festivals in the US). Furthermore, I took a trip to the beaches near Okhotskoye (Охотское) on the Sea of Okhotsk (no clue where the sea ends and the Pacific begins to be honest). The sea was beautiful, as were the beaches on the large freshwater lakes nearby. It featured a sunset to die for and my friend brought his golden retriever. Finally, I have found American ex-pats who like college football, which means unlike last year, I am not alone in watching Ann Arbor from afar. Bless up. Go Blue.

Sunset over Озеро Хволисекое (Lake Khvolisekoye)

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017

Tash Rabat

Myself, taking it all in, Кошой Коргон. I believe the photo credit goes to Abhi Goyal, a fellow Fulbrighter.

Two weekends ago, I decided to have a little weekend. I have a few American friends in Bishkek studying on Boren scholarships, they wanted to see Song Kul (a really cool lake at about 10,000 feet worthy of its own post) and I wanted to get into the mountains before it got too chilly. I have been to Song Kul before, but it is beautiful and I like sleeping in yurts, so I was very down to go again. One of my Boren friends, Katie, did a wonderful job organizing the trip (we used the Trekking Union in Bishkek, which I am now a member of. I highly recommend especially if you are going to live in Bishkek for any period of time). This post will roughly reflect the trip. Note: I uploaded over 100 pictures from this trip to Facebook and I thought I was limiting them. The views were that good.

Aisymbat, Моя самая лучшая подруга из Бишкека

I flew up to Bishkek on the Friday after work (I have now flown Air Kyrgyzstan and TezJet as I slowly try to fly all the Kyrgyz air companies) and had a wonderful Friday night in the city reconnecting with some of my local friends. The first cold spell of the city came through so I finally got to see snow in Bishkek, in September.

#teamPatagonia
Naryn Oblast with Boren Fellow, Katie Anderson

My group met at the Trekking Union at 6:45 AM (*insert facepalm emoji*). It was cold and there was still snow around (a theme for the weekend). Lucky, everyone was dressed appropriately and we took off. Like many drives in Kyrgyzstan, drive times are variable. However, Song Kul generally takes 5 to 5 ½ hours from Bishkek. 4 hours on the main road, and then about 1 ½ hours on a side road through a valley and up a pass. We were making good time (only a couple stops for pictures at some truly stunning vistas) and we were about 30 minutes up the valley road when ominously, a marshutka passed us going the other way and immediately stopped to talk with our driver. Our driver was a Russian without much Kyrgyz, however my friend Aisymbat, from the Thai food post this summer, was on the trip and took over as communicator extraordinaire. In all, the driver reported that the pass was blocked by snow and that we should try again tomorrow. This was only supposed to be a one night stay so this wasn’t a great option. After much discussion, we decided to try and go to Tash Rabat in Southern Kyrgyzstan, another 3 hours south near the Chinese border and ironically, closer to my home in Osh than Bishkek.

The beautiful of Кошой Коргон.
Photo: Anna Wolfs

This was a wonderful choice. We continued on our way, which included one pass over 3,000 meters and dropped into Naryn Oblast (Oblast – administrative districts in many ex- Soviet countries, bigger than an American county, smaller than most states). Our first stop was at Кошой Коргон (Koshoy Korgon/Qoshoy Qorgon). These amazing castle ruins are located near the village of Kara-Suu, and are dated sometime between the 10th and 13th century. Legend connects it to the Kyrgyz’s hero: Manas. I was absolutely blown away, not just by the ruins, but by their location. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, it was very surreal. I could have sat in peace there for days. Part of what makes the valley amazing is the sheer diversity of color of the different hills and mountains. Everywhere I turned, was something new and stunning. I strongly recommend visiting this location, even more so with a snowy mountain backdrop.

Our yurt camp in Tash Rabat
Photo: Anna Wolfs

Afterwards, we continued onto our destination main, Таш-Рабат (Tash Rabat). Historians disagree about its dating (anything from 10th to 15th century), but all agree that at one point it served as an important Silk Road outpost at around 10,500 ft . This no-frills stone building was very impressive. I cannot imagine how people were able to build it that high up. It must have been a monumental feat of strength and labor. The location was amazingly gorgeous as well. We stayed in a yurt camp near the structure, which included a wonderful, traditional Kyrgyz high mountain dinner. The food was excellent and endless and served as a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and general story telling. The night was frigid, and quite below zero, but the yurt provided a sufficient amount of warmth and comfort to rectify the situation. In the morning, most of the group went on a 4 hour hike or rode on horseback, however due to my aversion to horses (with these stout, but small Kyrgyz horses, it is mutal) and having a bum ankle, I decide to delegate the role of camera man to myself. I then wandered down to the river to reread the short story collection Hurramabad by Andrei Volos, which is a wonderful collection of short fictional stories that are based on reality inspired by the experience of the Russian community in Tajikistan in the 90s. It was a wonderful setting for such an activity.

Finally, we returned to Bishkek via Naryn, where we enjoyed a solid lunch. In Bishkek, I gave in and tried Chili Peppers, a Tex-Mex joint run by an American ex-pat that appears to be a godsend for those missing variety in their spices (note: they were out of avocado which *insert 2^nd facepalm emoji). On Monday, I ate lunch and quickly saw one more friend, before returning to Osh.

My Sunday Morning reading view at Tash Rabat

Riding Horses, Katie and Ellen Carpenter

Some of the crew at Кошой Коргон
Includes: Katie, Anna, AJ, myself, Matt, Rachel, Ellen, Abhi, and Rebecca

September 25, 2017

Life in Osh

A sunset over Sulayman Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the center of Osh.

Hey all, I am finally posting again. The end of my semester in Bishkek was hectic and busy. I was then concentrating on family when I was home and on getting a feel for my new city. I have now been in Osh for two weeks and going forward I am going to try my hardest to post one or two times a week—more as a forced reflection that I think I need to do on my Fulbright than for anything else. Some of these will be current and some of them will be from travels these past two summers, probably including my layovers in Poland and Israel. However, Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan particularly will be the focus, of course.

(Река Ак-Буура) The river Ak-Buura, which cuts through the center of Osh, at sundown. In the distance through the haze, you can just see the mountains to the south

My early reflections on Osh are that it is very different than Bishkek (not that this is a shocking statement to me or others who know the region). Beyond the slightly warmer temperature, the most obvious difference is language. Bishkek, from my experience the last two summers, is very much a Russian speaking city. You hear some Kyrgyz, but some of my college aged local friends admitted to not even being able to speak it. The language on the streets tends to be Russian (good for me because I understand it somewhat) and even in the bazaars Russian felt more useful to me. Osh is the opposite. The language on the streets is Krygyz (there may be Uzbek as well, but I struggle to differentiate the two, even having studied a little Uzbek in the past). Because of this, I am trying to use basic phrases in Kyrgyz like “рахмат” and “ассалом алейкум” (rahkmat, which is ‘thank you’ and assalom aleykum, “hello”) instead of “спасибо” and “привет” (spasibo and preevyet, which is ‘thank you and hello’ in Russian). This is not a huge deal because almost everyone I have interacted with in the city knows Russian and defaults to it before I even open my mouth. In stores and restaurants, some even try English if they know it. Overall, this mostly just means that I cannot eavesdrop on the conversations around me on marshrutkas (which are Mercedez Sprinter “buses” used for public transportation). It is actually nice in a way—it allows for a level of inner silence and relaxation on public transportation that occurs whenever you utterly do not understand the language of a place. The other big difference that you always hear about Osh when you’re in Bishkek is that it is much more conservative. While I guess this is true on some level, I think it is way overblown. It seems like everything just moves at a slower pace. There are not a lot of options for nightlife (Bishkek has a ton) but that’s ok. It is a very peaceful place and I feel very lucky to live here. Everyone has been tremendously friendly to me, my living situation is fantastic so far (basically a guest house of a nice Kyrgyz family), and the food has been excellent. However, Osh doesn’t seem to be drastically more religious to me than Bishkek. On the topic of religion, I love the Call to Prayer. It has this enchanting quality to it, I don’t really know how to describe it, but there is this beauty and deeper power behind it for me. I have often heard that Osh is “more authentically Central Asian” than Bishkek (the argument is that Bishkek is more of an ex-Soviet city). Honestly, I have not and continue not to understand this. Unless you’re talking age (Osh is probably 3000 years old compared to a couple hundred for Bishkek), I just don’t really get it. They both are important to the fabric of this wonderful Central Asian country.

Brunch isn’t huge here, but lagman and beer makes it work

It is really odd being in the classroom again. It is radically different teaching college students (mostly college-age, but I also have some high school students and some adult professionals as well) ESL than it was teaching all subjects to sixth graders in Detroit. This may sound obvious, but it really is a new adventure. Some techniques are the same, but the systems and challenges have many differences. I will leave it at that because I currently haven’t properly reflected enough to articulate further. However, I will say I am happy with my work situation, students, and administration. For myself, I have settled into Russian classes three time a week and may add some Kyrgyz/Uzbek if I have time. (Warning: Mushy-feely thought coming) My first day teaching here was on September 11^th. The symmetry/symbolism struck me as important, for 11 year old Andy really became aware of the outside world (and other religions – I’m from a small town, religious diversity was mostly limited to a Catholic/Protestant split) 16 years ago on that date. The chance to promote knowledge, peace, and understanding between two far away countries became a bit over-whelming on that day. I can’t quite describe it, but I just felt the weight of this incredible opportunity.

(Warning: This next section deals with staying connected to American Sports)

*Knock on wood* So far, I have been able to stream football pretty well here. I watch alone at home because I have literally only met one other person over here who is a college football diehard and he was (gross) a fan of that school in Columbus. The other ex-pats who live here seem less engaged in it. ESPN’s stream is far and away worse than the FOX/Big Ten stream so I appreciate non-ESPN Michigan games. The lag seems to be 2-4 minutes so I try to avoid texts and twitter while watching. Even at 2 in the morning, I am grateful to watch Michigan football. It is just part of my inner identity. I fully admit that I got a big dose of homesickness when I saw live shots of Ann Arbor on gameday. I have now missed more home games this year (2) than in the last 9 years combined. But, c’est la vie. I try and acclimate on most things, but sports have always been my escape. They will continue to be.

July 25, 2017

Baan Baan – Thai Restaurant in Bishkek

Through facebook (where else?), I found out about a new Thai restaurant, Baan Baan, which opened in Bishkek three days ago. As a professed lover of Pad Thai, I was excited to give it a shot. Furthermore, it was located next to Save the Ales (worthy of its own post), which I also needed to try. So after a long day of Russian classes and research, my friend/tutor/translator extraordinaire and I gave it a shot.

We showed up a bit early, but were allowed to have a drink in the courtyard while they opened up their restaurant. They only have two beers (none on tap), but again, they just opened. It appears to be a dual-ownership–the cook from Thailand and the main host. The host explained to us that the menu is still in flux as they figure out what customers want. As a whole, the service was excellent and the staff was friendly. It is very English friendly, if that matters to you. The restaurant itself is very cute (I think it would be an excellent date location). It has a nice patio, however, the heat was too much today, so we escaped inside for the air conditioning.

We got both the Chicken and the Shrimp Pad Thai, and picked their “so-so” spice. I normally like my food hot, however my worst food experience was death heat Thai food in East Lansing (another great reason why the only good moment in East Lansing is the moment that you leave to return to Ann Arbor), so I play it safe. The Pad Thai came out a little bit dry for my taste, but with a little soy and extra spice, it came out perfect. I will definitely be back and I do recommend.

Name: Baan Baan

Location: 193a Tynystanova (right next to save the Ales, between Московской и Токтогула)

Website: To my knowledge, not yet

Phone: +996 778 886 644

Transportation: It is downtown, so unlimited.

July 23, 2017July 23, 2017

Golf In Kyrgyzstan

Me putting on the 4th green. Photo taken by John Flott, 7.22.2017

The obvious choice for my first post would be to write about Issyk Kul. However, I need practice blogging (Feedback Welcome) and it’s Sunday of The Open Championship so: Golf in Kyrgyzstan.

Yesterday, two of my buddies (John and Blake) and I decided we had to check out the only golf course in Kyrgyzstan: Кленовый лист гольф клуб (Maple Leaf Golf Club). It is owned by a cordial Canadian named Ed, who was nice enough to introduce himself to us during our pre-round meal and give us the story of the club. To paraphrase: In the 90s, Ed was working long term in country and the idea was basically born out of being told it was impossible one joyful 4th of July night at a bar in Bishkek with some American expats. He took this to heart and has been running the course from that point on.

John and Blake walking the first fairway. 7.22.2017

The course itself is 9 holes (and a driving range), however each hole has 2 tee boxes to give it an 18 hole feel. Considering it is the middle of summer in Bishkek (can hit 40 C (104 F) without anyone thinking it’s odd, dry, and sunny) and I assume the access to golf course equipment is limited and expensive, the course was in good shape thanks to the fact they are watering the course at all times. All lies in the fairway were good and the rough close to the fairways was generally decent. The greens could use some work, but again the limitations make this more than understandable. Flat out, I have played on courses that were less maintained and in much worse condition in the States many times. The course is located in the foothills providing fresh air and wonderful views of the mountains.. We only played 9 holes due to the heat, but had a wonderful time. If you love golf, I certainly would recommend.

The view from the 7th fairway. The entire southern view of the course is mountains.

What really makes this place is the atmosphere and friendly service. Yes, it is an expat spot where you hear a lot of first-language English speakers, but it is clearly just a spot kept going by a small, loyal community, of expats and locals, who love the game. There were also plenty of people who seemed to come out just to eat and hang out, which speaks to the quality of both the atmosphere and food.

Looking at the clubhouse from the first tee.

The meal – Best Hamburger that I have had in Bishkek. It was cooked on an actual gas grill. They had a stocked bar with one beer on tap, but lots of options in bottles.. It appears they had other food options, including local favorites like shashlik. While I didn’t use the service, they advertise that they will bring beer out to you on the course if you call in. Finally, the patio is very comfortable and relaxing.

*Note: Plenty of posts won’t read like a travel blog, but if I am writing about about something I experienced, I see no reason not to pass on some details of the business.

Information:

Name: Кленовый лист гольф клуб
Location: Maybe 15-20 kilometers Southeast of Bishkek
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mapleleafgolfcoursekg
Phone: +996 559 777 766
Transportation: It seems many players drive but we took a taxi, 350-400 soms ($5-6). From an app, it does look like a marshrutka might get you close, but it would be an awfully long ride.

Cost:

9/18 holes – 1200/2000 som ($17/29)
Rentals – I think 400-500 som ($5-7) – My clubs were in very good condition.
Balls (Used) – 50 som a piece (a little under $1) – Note: Balls are valuable, if you hit it out of the course (easy to do on 1, 2, and 7), locals may try and sell your ball back to you. Some enterprising youngsters were doing this for 20 som when we were playing.
Caddie – 350 som ($5) – Caddies appeared to be popular, however I did not get one myself.
Range: I didn’t check the price, but it looks very nice.
Note: Everyone walks, it appears the club has one cart which is used by the owner.

(Note: This is an expensive outing in Bishkek, however it would be cheap golf in the States)

Restaurant:

Prices: Average
Service: Good
Food: Excellent

Recommendation: Absolutely. Food is very good, views are good, and you get to play golf.

July 23, 2017September 25, 2017

Blogging

Picture: Myself at Issyk-Kul sometime in the summer of 2016. I think it was taken by Garrett Farlow.

Hello! Здравствуйте!

I never really planned to get into the blogging game. However, I am lucky enough to be abroad for the next year as a Fulbright ETA and current Title VIII recipient (studying Russian) in Kyrgyzstan. I have decided that it is a good way to document my experience for myself. At its core, this blog is for me. I really don’t expect any other readers beyond possibly my wonderful mother, however all are welcome to read and maybe enjoy my pictures and experiences.

About myself: Guy in my 20s from Mid-Michigan. I am a two time Wolverine (done with classes but still finishing my master’s thesis) and was a TFA 2012 corps member in the wonderful city of Detroit. I love Central Asian history, which has guided my path to this part of the world. I am currently in Bishkek, but will soon be in Osh. I love the Cubs, skiing, golf, and a good brunch.

Blogging Topics: What ever I feel like. Mostly will be travel locations, cultural experiences, and general reflections on lifestyle. Some posts will speak of past experiences and some will be recent. I may post a little in Russian, who knows. Note: I will not touch on politics here or back home.

Comment Policy: I will try to read and reply, but life is busy. If I see something I find offensive or just don’t like, I may delete them. Comments do not reflect my views.

Disclaimer – This is the personal website of Andrew Snow, a Fulbright awardee for 2017-2018 in Kyrgyzstan. All views and information presented herein are my own and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. Furthermore, some posts discuss my time traveling on Title VIII and Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) scholarships. The same disclaimer applies for both and all the organizations that played a role in these awards. I am indebted to all of these organizations for these amazing opportunities.