New Day in Kyrgyzstan

Our first day in Kyrgyzstan flew by. Rysbek, Babur, and Anara took us first to the Kyrgyz History Museum in Bishkek. The most interesting items to me were contained in the basement level - small, gold items found in Kyrgyzstan from ancient times. These items have been on public display only since 2008. Inside this museum I learned for the first time about "Manas", a Kyrgyzstan epic that, for them, rivals The Iliad.

We shopped for a bit at a local crafts area, containing many felt items, woolens, hats. We didn't take full advantage, as we were still in a sleep-deprived stupor. We tried a local drink for which Coca-Cola has recently bought rights to the recipe. Here's Leon's reaction..

The absolute best part of the day were the meals when we sat together and got to know more about each others' families and countries. Our dinner was at a park where permanent "picnic sites" (i.e. raised platforms) are available for dining. We sit together in a beautiful evening, and are served a wonderfully spiced rice dish. We are serenaded with traditional Kyrgyz folk songs.

We talk about Kyrgyzstan and its hopes for a peaceful future. The April 7th revolution is still fresh; one of Anara's college professors was killed during the skirmish. There are many hopes for the new president - and the soon to be elected new parliament. If all goes well, Kyrgyzstan would lead the "stans" in being its first democracy. Rysbek comments that the most important aspect will be whether their work is "transparent" and whether it re-invests income in the country (rather than their own pockets).

The country is poor, with a GNP of $1.5 billion. But, it's population is hard-working and highly educated. Kyrgyzstan pays for education through college, if a young person is interested and bright. Many of its educated people, however, today live outside of the country. (Kyrgyzstan has a population of 5 million, counting 1 million living abroad.)

We give many toasts - for our countries' futures, for our own. My favorite toast comes from Anara, "May we continue to stay in touch, and may our grandchildren be friends."