Una mirada a Kirguizistán

El lago Grigoriev es un pequeño lago alpino en las montañas al norte del lago Issyk-Kul. Montañas cubren la mayoría de Kirguizistán - hasta los 90% - y por eso no sorpriende que se encuentran aquí paisajes muy variadas (p. ej. este panorama se parece a las Montañas Rocosas de Canadá, pero alrededor al lago Son-Kul la paisaje se parece más a los Alpes). Nos encontramos aquí a un hombre que cruzaba el valle a caballo. Hay muchas manadas de caballos, ovejas y vacas en las montañas, siempre guardadas por pastores a caballo. En verano, durante las vacaciones, hasta chicos que tienen no más de 6 o 7 años les ayudan guardar los animales. Mucha de la gente aquí todavía es nómada, pero se encuentran casas solitarias aquí y allí.

Algunas yurtas cerca del lago Son-Kul. Con una altitud de 3016 m, el aire aquí es fresco y limpio todo el año, hasta en el pleno verano. La gente aquí ha guardado la vida nómada. Dependen de los caballos para el sustento, aunque la mayoría también hospeda a turistas. Cuando los caballos agotan el césped en un lugar, los nómadas simplemente desmontan las yurtas y las remontan unos kilómetros más allá. Las yurtas se semejan a los tipis de los indios americanos: ambos consisten de pieles de animales que cubren una estructura de madera plegable. Aislan bien el calor, son muy durables y son fáciles de montar y desmontar.

Un corto viaje en Kirguizistán probará que existe una gran variedad de montañas. Los restos del glaciar que probablemente formó estas montañas todavía se puede encontrar al lado del camino un poco más elevado. Aunque los asentamientos son escasos a esta altitud, existen no obstante algunas aldeas, como demuestran los tenidos eléctricos en el primer plano de esta foto. Los habitantes de estas aldeas se ganan la vida principalmente por medio de sus animales, pero también hay muchos que trabajan como mecánicos, maestras, o en la hostelería.  

El lago Issyk-Kul ("Issyk-Kul" significa "lago caliente") cerca de la ciudad de Tamga. La costa sur del Issyk-Kul es menos desarrollada que la costa norte y es uno de los destinos principales para los amantes de la naturaleza. Aquí se puede caminar, montar a caballo, ir de campamento, hacer picnic... Explorar todas las atracciones más importantes, como el Cañón de las maravillas que se describe a continuación, puede tomar 2 o 3 días. Para el senderista, sólo esta pequeña parte de Kirguizistán ofrece una semana de gozo. Para los que, como yo, no saben que sus zapatos no son apropiados para caminar en las montañas, también ofrecen ampollas y dolor.

El Cañón de las maravillas, costa sur, Issyk-Kul. El cañón toma su nombre de formaciones rocosas fantásticas como éstas (las murallas de un castillo... ¿o quizás los dientes de un dragón?). Hacer un paseo por el cañón toma una hora y sin duda vale la pena. Una piedra mágica está escondida en uno de los valles del cañón. Se dice que si tocas esta piedra y crees firmemente en su poder, tu mayor deseo se cumplirá. Probablemente puse cara de escepticismo, porque agregaron que no funcionará si no creo firmemente.

Cholpon-Ata, la costa norte, Issyk-Kul. El balneario Cholpon-Ata es hasta cierto punto comparable con los lugares de vacaciones más conocidos en América del Norte, como México y Hawái. Debido a la altitud, la temporada es corta: de mayo a septiembre la temperatura del agua permite nadar, pero es ocupado sólo de julio a agosto. No hay deportes acuáticos, pero dicen que la pesca aquí se queda en nada. Un viaje a Cholpon-Ata se vale en cualquier caso. Lugares donde se puede descansar en la playa y tomar el sol mientras mirar sobre el azul agua a las montañas en el horizonte son bastante raros.

Una pequeña barca de pesca en la playa cerca de Cholpon-Ata. La pesca es una fuente primaria de alimentación y relajación por el lago Issyk-Kul. Particularmente a lo largo de la costa norte se encuentran puestos donde se venden pescados frescos o ahumados, y cafés o restaurantes que se especializan en pescados locales, principalmente fritos.

Взгляд на Кыргызстан

Григорьевское озеро - маленькое высокогорное озеро на севере Иссык-Куля. Кыргызстан является горной страной, а в горах находится много разных видов пейзажа (т.е. тут, горы похожи на Скалистые горы в Канаде, а на других местах, например на юге, у озера Сон-Куль, горы напоминают Альпы). Мы здесь встретили мужчину катающегося на лошади через впадину. На горных пастбищах пасутся стада лошадей, овец и коров, которых стерегут пастухи на лошади. Летом даже мальчики в возрасте не больше семьи лет им помогают пасти. Много из этих людей все еще ведут кочевой образ жизни, хотя маленькие дома в горах везде можно найти.      

Несколько юрт возле озера Сон-Куль. Здесь, 3016 м над уровнем моря, воздух даже в разгар лета чистый и свежий. Эту чистую природу хранит национальный парк. Люди живущие в юртах все еще ведут кочевой образ жизни. Они занимаются скотоводством, а когда заканчивается трава, кочевники просто разбирают юрты и опять их ставят на несколько километров подальше. Кыргызкая юрта очень похожа на северо-американский типи: обоих каркас собирается с дерева и накрывается войлоком. Она хорошо держит жару, является стойкой и ее можно быстро собрать и разобрать.

В Кыргызстане очевидно, как горы отличаются. По дороге, приблизительно 3300 м над уровнем море, все еще находятся остатки ледника пожалуй формировавшего эти горы. Хотя населенных пунктов мало, цивилизация везде простирается, как доказывают кабели телекома и электричества. Жители этих сел зарабатывают себе на жизнь традиционными образами, как раньше описано, но много из них тоже работают учителями, механиками или занимаются гостиничным делом.

Озеро Иссык-Куль возле Тамгы. Южный берег Иссык-Куля – более пересеченный и менее развитый чем северный берег. Он привлекает тех, которые любят природу. Здесь можно совершать прогулку, кататься на лошади, остановиться в юртах, делать пикник на пляже... Осмотр всех главных достопримечательностей южного берега, в том числе каньон «Сказка», описано внизу, может длиться 2 - 3 дня. Тем, которые очень любят прогулки по горам (т.е. «треккинг») только эта маленькая часть Кыргызстана дает неделю блаженства. Тем, которые как я не знают, что их обувь не подходят для экскурсий в горах, она дает крайний дискомфорт. 

Каньон «Сказка», южный берег, Иссык-Куль. Эта полукруглая стена островерхих каменей (стена замка? зубы дракона?) – одна из сказочных формаций, от которых каньон получил свое название. Прогулка через каньон длится в общем около часа, а несомненно этого стоит. На дне одой из маленьких впадин каньона находится волшебный камень. Говорят, что если притрагиваешься к камню и очень сильно думаешь о твоем самом искреннем желании, оно наверняка будет исполняться. (Но предупреждали меня, что обязательно очень сильно верить.)

Иссык-кульское озеро северного берега, г. Чолпон-Ата. Курорт Чолпон-Ата может до некоторой степени конкурировать с любимыми туристическими направлениями Северной Америки, как Мексико или Гавайи. Вода конечно холоднее - с мая до сентября можно в озере купаться, а очень занятым бывает только в июле и в августе. Водных видов спорта гораздо меньше, чем например в Гавайи, но говорят, что рыбалка отличная. Кроме того, места, где можно лежать на пляже, загорать и купаться, и все время смотреть в горы, покрытые снегом... такие места очень редко найдешь.

Рыбацкая шлюпка на пляже возле Чолпон-Аты. Рыбалка – важный источник питания и отдыха. Особенно на северном береге находятся по дороге киоски продающие пачки свежих или копченных рыб. Здесь в кафе и в ресторанах готовят все виды блюд с рыбой, а всегда за выгодные цены. 

Ein Blick auf Kirgisien

Der Grigorjew See ist ein kleiner Alpensee etwas nördlich vom Yssykköl See. Kirgisien ist zum größten Teil von Bergen bedeckt - die meisten Quellen setzten die Zahl um die 90% fest. Bei so vielen Bergen sollte die Vielfalt an Berglandschaften auch nicht verwundern; dieser See würde z.B. gut in Kanadas Rockies hineinpassen, aber die Landschaft um den Songköl See erinnert eher an die Alpen. Wir trafen hier einen kirgisischen Mann, der auf seinem Pferd das Tal durchkreuzte. Auf den Auen weiden Herden von Pferden, Schafen und Kühen ohne Ende die von Männern zu Pferd gehütet werden. Im Sommer, wenn von der Schule gerade Ferien sind, sieht man hier auch 6- oder 7-jährige Jungens mithelfen. Besonders in abgelegeneren Orten scheinen die Jungens das Reiten so jung wie das Gehen zu lernen; man sieht nicht selten so einen kleinen Knirps zu Pferd durch die Gegend rasen.

Einige Jurten nicht weit vom Songköl See. Mit über 3000 m. Höhe über dem Meeresspiegel ist die Luft hier das Jahr herum frisch, klar und kühl. Der See und die umliegende Gegend stehen unter Naturschutz; so ist und bleibt Songköl eine der Lieblingsdestinationen Naturliebhaber in Kirgisien. Hier findet man noch so zu sagen ,,echte“ Nomaden vor: sie sind für den Lebensunterhalt von ihren Pferden beinahe vollkommen abhängig. Das Einzige, das sie von ihren Vorfahren unterscheidet, ist das sie nebenbei auch Touristen Unterkunft und frischgekochte Mahlzeiten anbieten. Die Nomaden bleiben an einer Stelle, solange für die Pferde noch genug Gras ist. Sobald es knapp wird, klappen sie die Jurten zusammen und ziehen ein paar Kilometer die sog. Straße entlang. Dann wird alles wieder aufgestellt, und das Leben geht weiter. Diese Jurten ähneln sehr stark den Tipis der nordamerikanischen Indianer: beide bestehen aus Fellen die über Holzgerüste gezogen und dann festgebunden werden. Sie isolieren die Hitze gut, halten sich lang, und sind sehr leicht auf- und abzubauen. 

Das sich nicht alle Berge ähnlich sehen sieht man in Kirgisien sofort. Überreste des Gletschers der höchstwahrscheinlich diesen Bergen ihre Form verlieh findet man noch etwas höher in den Bergen an der Straße entlang. Obwohl das Land hier nicht dicht besiedelt ist, gibt es hier und da doch Dörfer, wie man auch an den Telefon- und Elektrokabeln sieht. Die Dorfbewohner verdienen ihren Lebensunterhalt größtenteils von traditionellen Quellen, z.B. von der Tierzucht, aber viele arbeiten auch als Lehrer, als Mechaniker, oder in der Hotel- oder Restaurantindustrie. 

Der Yssykköl (Yssykköl heißt ,,Heißer See") bei Tamga. Die Südküste des Ysskköl ist weniger entwickelt als die Nordküste. Der Süden zieht deswegen auch Naturliebhaber aller Art an: hier kann man wandern, Pferde reiten, in Jurten schlafen, am Strand Picknick machen... Die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten der Südküste, wie z.B. die Märchenschlucht, zu besichtigen kann 2 oder 3 Tage dauern. Für den hardcore Trekker kann nur dieses kleine Teil Kirgisiens eine Woche von Wonne bieten. Für den, der wie ich nicht weiß, das seine Schuhe zum langen Wandern in den Bergen nicht geeignet sind, bietet es auch Blasen und extreme Unbequemlichkeit.

Die Märchenschlucht, südlich vom Yssykköl. Dieser Halbring spitzer Felsen (eine Burgmauer? oder vielleicht gar Drachenzähne?) ist eines der fabelhaften Steinformationen die der Märchenschlucht ihren Nahmen verleiht. Ein Rundgang durch die Schlucht dauert im Ganzen eine Stunde und lohnt sich ohne Frage. In einem kleinen Tal versteckt liegt der Märchenstein der, so sagt man, Wünsche erfüllen kann. Mann muss ihn nur anfassen, die Augen schließen, und ganz doll wünschen. Der Wunsch kommt ganz bestimmt in Erfüllung - aber nur, so wurde ich gewarnt, wenn man auch wirklich dran glaubt.

Der Yssykköl See mal anders gesehen. Nordküste, um Tscholpon-Ata. Der Kurort Tscholpon-Ata ist in mancher Hinsicht mit nordamerikanischen Urlaubsorten wie Mexiko und Hawaii zu vergleichen (wusstet ihr übrigens, dass das Wort ,,Kurort“ auch im Russischen gebraucht wird? Auf den Straßenschildern ließt man, wenn man in die Stadt fährt ,,Курорт Чолпон-Ата“, d.h. ,,Kurort Tscholpon-Ata“).  Hier ist die Saison wegen der Höhe natürlich kürzer: vom Mai bis zum September ist das Wasser warm genug zum Schwimmen, und nur im Juli und August wird es hier richtig beschäftigt. Wassersport gibt es natürlich auch weniger, aber das Fischen soll ausgezeichnet sein. Immerhin ist Tscholpon-Ata hoch zu empfehlen. Es kommt ja letztendlich nicht allzu oft vor, dass man sich auf dem Strand sonnen und dabei übers klare, blaue Wasser die schneebedeckten Berge bewundern kann.

Ein kleines hölzernes Fischerboot am Strand bei Tscholpon-Ata. Das Fischen ist in dieser Gegend eine der wichtigsten Quellen der Nahrung und Entspannung. Besonders an der Nordküste des Sees findet man an der Straßenseite kleine Buden die Bündel frischer oder geräucherter Fische verkaufen vor. Auch in den vielen Cafés und Restaurants gibt es allerlei Fischgerichte, und immer zu günstigen Preisen.

Snapshots

Grigoriev Lake - a small alpine lake in the mountains just north of Lake Issyk-Kyl. A largely mountainous country (I've seen numbers ranging from 75% to 90%), Kyrgyzstan boasts all sorts of different high-altitude scenery, the above area looking much like the Rocky Mountains. Here, we met a Kyrgyz man riding his horse through the small valley surrounding the lake. There are many horse, sheep and cow herds grazing on the mountain pastures, invariably watched and guided by mounted Kyrgyz men and boys, some looking no older than 6 or 7 years old. Many of these people still live a (semi-)nomadic lifestyle, although there are smaller permanent houses scattered throughout the mountains.

A cluster of yurts near the shore of Son-Kul Lake. At 3016 m above sea level, the air remains crisp, clear and cool even in the hight of summer. The lake's breathtaking beauty has been preserved through the creation of a natural park focused on Lake Son-Kul. Here, people still live a completely nomadic life, relying on their horse herds for their livelihood, although they supplement that income by accommodating tourists overnight. When the horses have exhausted the local pastures, they simply take down their yurts and set them up again a few kilometres away. Much like the tepees of the nomadic Native Americans, yurts are constructed by stretching animal hides over a collapsible wooden structure. They insulate heat well, are extremely durable and take little time to set up or take down.

Not all mountains look alike, and that quickly becomes obvious in Kyrgyzstan. Remnants of the glacier that most likely shaped these mountains still line the mountain road at an altitude approaching 3300 m above sea level. While settlements are sparse, there are still villages scattered all over the countryside, as evidenced by the telephone and electrical cables. People living in these villages mostly earn their living from traditional sources, as described earlier, but the service industry - teachers, mechanics and workers in the restaurant and hotel industries - plays an important role too.

Lake Issyk-Kul near Tamga. More rugged and less developed than the northern shore, Issyk-Kul's south attracts those who love the outdoors: hiking, horse-back riding, camping, picnics on the beach - it's all there. Exploring all the major sights of Issyk-Kul's south shore, such as Fairtale Canyon, below, can take 2 or 3 days. For the hardcore trekker, just this small part of Kyrgyzstan can provide a week of bliss (and blisters, if you're like me and didn't know that your shoes aren't suited for hiking in the mountains).  

Fairytale Canyon, south shore, Issyk-Kul. This semi-circular wall of jagged rocks (a castle wall? a dragon's teeth?) is one of the fantastic formations that give Fairytale Canyon its name. Perhaps an hour's hike all together, a tour through Fairytale Canyon is definitely worth the while. Hidden away at the bottom of one of the little valleys (out of frame) is the wishing stone - touch your hand to it, and make your wish. It's guaranteed to come true! (But only, I was cautioned, if you really really believe in it.)  

Lake Issyk-Kul from a different angle: north shore, Cholpon-Ata. The resort town of Cholpon-Ata can in some ways rival North American standards such as Mexico and Hawaii. Of course, the season is much shorter: for those used to cooler ocean water, it might run May through August, but it is only really busy in July and August. There is less water sport, but the fishing is supposed to be excellent. The entire package is, of course, wrapped in mountains; it's not too often that you can relax on the beach while gazing across the clear blue water at snow-capped mountains fading into the horizon.

A small wooden fishing boat pulled up on the beach near Cholpon-Ata. Fishing is a primary source of food and relaxation around Lake Issyk-Kul. In particular along the north shore, you will encounter road-side stands offering bundles of freshly-caught or smoked fish and cafés specializing in local fish, primarily fried.  

Samsa — Самса

A piping-hot chicken samsa, fresh out of the tandoor oven.
At Osh Bazar, Bishkek.
Photo: Robert Henschel

As the name suggests, the Kyrgyz samsa is closely related to the Indian samosa, and is traditionally baked in a tandoor oven. Samsy (plural of 'samsa') are either triangular or circular, often made with flaky pastry (i.e. Blätterteig or слоеное тесто) and generally filled with a mixture of potatoes, onions, and either chicken or meat (i.e. lamb/beef/horse). A vegetarian option with significantly more potatoes in the place of meat is sometimes offered, and occasionally you will also see samsy with cheese – a grilled cheese sandwich taken to the next level. My absolute favourite is the chicken and cheese samsa I've found in two places in Bishkek; unfortunately, like most exceptional things, it is otherwise quite hard to find. A samsa is a cheap and filling meal, which, thanks to plentiful meat and onions, is quite nutritious as well. A good samsa off the street will generally cost 35 som (about 75 cents), which is quite reasonable by any standard.

One personal complaint is that the meat samsy are sometimes also filled with tripe; par for the course, as far as Kyrgyz beef dishes go, but not something I personally enjoy. Also inconvenient is that the cooks often seem to see no need to remove the bones from the chicken samsy, so take some care when biting into one.

A meat samsa from a stand near the
 intersection of Sovietskaya and
Gorky in Bishkek.
Photo: Robert Henschel

Variations of the samsa are found all throughout Central Asia and, like plov, are most likely originally from India or Persia. As with many other dishes, however, the Kyrgyz have made the samsa their own: a meat samsa, for example, tastes very much like Beshbermak, the Kyrgyz national dish (noodles, meat, fat, onions, spices, tripe optional). In this way, the samsa fits both the traditional and modern needs of the Kyrgyz. The ingredients are readily available: meat and fat from the nomads' animals, and potatoes, onions and flour for the dough from one of the many small villages scattered throughout the countryside or from trade at a local bazar. The meat and onions give nutritional value, the potatoes, dough and fat are filling and can keep you going for some time, whether on a long journey or a hard work day.

Samsy are my go-to food when I don't feel like making something for myself, but don't want to spend the time or money to go to a restaurant. A good samsa baked in a tandoor oven is hard to beat.

Plov — Плов

An excellent plov from restaurant
 Bukhara on Gorkii Street in Bishkek.
Photo: Savanna Willerton

Plov, also known as pilaw and pilaf, is ubiquitous throughout Central Asia, Russia, across the Middle East and in South Asia. While ingredients vary from place to place, plov is always rice-based, usually contains meat, some sort of vegetable and animal fat. Uzbek-style plov, also prominent in Kyrgyzstan, can be made by simmering rice in lamb fat and spices and then adding shredded carrots, raisins or pine nuts, and sometimes sautéed onions. Half of the lamb meat is then cut into cubes and mixed in, and the other half is served in strips on top of the rice; the plov depicted to the right also included a boiled egg. It is worth noting that there are dozens upon dozens of distinct types of plov. I recently came across a recipe book dedicated exclusively to plov of all sorts: it listed over 150 distinct recipes, as well as detailed instructions on what sort of rice to choose for which sorts of spices, which tea to serve, etc.

Plov is fervently claimed by many of the cultures in which it is represented, and with right, since each has a legitimate claim to their own version. In Kyrgyzstan, it is generally acknowledged to be an Uzbek dish, but it is often said that best plov comes from Osh, a Kyrgyz city, approximately half of whose population is ethnically Uzbek. While Kyrgyz and Uzbek people have long co-existed in places like Osh, there is tension simmering below the surface that occasionally erupts, as it did in 2010, when between 400 and 500 people were killed and between 70,000 and 90,000 were displaced, many permanently, almost all ethnically Uzbek.

Osh's bustling central market. Business is conducted
primarily in Kyrgyz and Uzbek. While still considered
Central Asia's largest market, it has never quite
recovered from the violence of 2010.
Photo: Robert Henschel 2013

Plov most likely came to Central Asia via the Persians, who passed on aspects of their culinary tradition to the sedentary Turkic peoples, like the Uzbek. It then spread north, east and west, initially to agricultural cultures which had the opportunity to cultivate rice. In the era of urbanization and international commerce, plov went on to become an important dish even in the formerly nomadic cultures, such as the Kyrgyz one. In this way, Kyrgyz plov is representative both of the cultural interaction with the Uzbek and the relatively recent urbanization and shift away from a nomadic economy and lifestyle.

You can buy plov at any restaurant or stolovaia (basically a cafeteria for everyone, i.e. a cheap restaurant with no waiters). It is one of the cheapest meal options on the menu, and while an excellent plov in Bishkek can be hard to find, it is difficult to go very wrong with plov.

Introduction

As far as I am concerned, food is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of any trip. The cuisine of any given culture can say a lot about its past and present. Where did these dishes come from? Were they adapted from a different culture, and if so, how did they change? If they are native to the culture in question, what influenced their development? How do they look today, and how have they evolved over time? The answers to these questions reveal small parts a culture's fascinating whole.

As the blog's title suggests, I am spending time in Kyrgyzstan and Spain this summer (plov is an iconic Central Asian dish; paella an equally iconic Spanish one). While the focus of this blog is on local traditional food and what it has to say about culture, it is not limited to food. I will also comment on other aspects of local life and culture as they present themselves. Look forward to a new post every week! I discussed a number of aspects of life and culture in Kyrgyzstan in last summer's blog as well, available here.

A giant Kyrgyz flag painted on a hillside not far from Lake
Issyk-Kul. The writing underneath spells out "Кыргызстан",
the Cyrillic Kyrgyz spelling of "Kyrgyzstan".
Photo credit: Bente Lea Omdal 2013

Kyrgyzstan, officially known as the Kyrgyz Republic, lies in Central Asia, bordering Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. Formerly a part of the USSR, it gained its independence in 1991, and has a reasonably stable democratic government as of the time of writing. Unlike most other Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan enjoys considerable freedom of press and a not-entirely-corrupt police service. Official languages are Kyrgyz and Russian. Kyrgyz is a Turkic language, related to languages such as Turkish, Uzbek, Kazakh and Uyghur. Russian is spoken extensively in the north, especially in the country's capital, Bishkek, but becomes rarer the farther you go from Bishkek. Kyrgyz is spoken by the vast majority of the country as a whole, and Uzbek represents an important minority language in the south-east of Kyrgyzstan. I plan to divide my time in Kyrgyzstan between Bishkek and Karakol, a city just north of Yssyk-köl, the world's second-largest alpine lake, focusing mainly on improving my Russian. I also intend to spend some time improving my very limited Kyrgyz, which at times has come in very useful.

In Spain, I will be based in Sevilla (Seville), the capital of Andalucía and one of Europe's historically and culturally richest cities. Approximately 2,200 years old, Sevilla has been ruled by the Romans, the Moors and the Castilian kings, each of whom has left an imprint on the city, forming a rich tapestry of legacies. I plan to study Spanish intensively for about 2 months, making weekend trips out to the surrounding areas and finishing up with a more extensive tour of the rest of the country.