4Stans2026

Day 4

Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

Livestock Market

Started the day at the livestock market. In the 1970s-1980s Kyrgyzstan held more sheep than people. Sheep are an investment for a nomadic family. There is no insurance if lightning strikes. Cows have ear tags to identify the owner, who is at fault should there be an accident.

Enjoy this smattering of photos with karakul sheep (referred to jokingly as the Kim Kardashian sheep), cows, horses, and local folk.

Goodbye

Taken for a test drive

We were told this cow was for sale for $125,000 – yes, in USD

Flea Market

Well, first we had to get from one location to the other. We are told the reason you see so much blue and green on older homes is because that was what the USSR provided. Options were limited! You will also always see the floor in an older home painted red. Stopped at a store with lovely things for sale. It was my first, but certainly not my last, encounter with seabuckthorn. On coming home I now notice it at my local Russian market.

D Y I N G !!! 100% would have purchased if I had a granddaughter

Craftsmanship to be proud of

That’s coal

That high heel sticker is to warn others there is a woman driver behind the wheel

Wheat

Next we headed to a flea market. Had been told to expect old Soviet electronics. My son sent me this photo to show around. Kinda one of those expectation versus reality situations.

The hoped-for flea market find

The koala was a gift from a gentleman in our group

Dried apricot

The reality

A church and a special mosque

Onward to Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church (no photos inside) and the Ibrahim Aji Dungan Mosque. I didn’t write down the wonderful wacky story about the architects bewildered by the request to build a holy building for which they had no reference point, but I think it’s pretty clear what the result was here.

Ate the national dish for lunch – Besh Barmak – the round chuckuk sausage is made from horse meat, then there is lamb, spring onion, and egg noodles

Vaping is illegal here, but who is carrying a hookah into a restaurant?

The Old Mill

Don’t you love a sleigh?

Weeping willows EVERYWHERE!

Hot Springs

The hottest temperature pool was too hot for ANYBODY to take. The rushing river was a cold plunge opportunity. It was a fun experience.

Dinner with a Uyghur family

The evening started with a concert in the courtyard. They introduced the different instruments and played and sang and let us ask questions. I loved the father:daughter duet. We even got a snippet from a Manas reciter (see intro to Day 4)!