Oct. 29, 2024

Horowitz Travel Oct. 29, 2024 No surgery…yet. She put David in a boot and will X-ray in a week to see if the break is stable. If it is, he’ll wear the boot for 6 weeks. It gives him more mobility in that he can put minimal weight on the boot when transferring to car, chair, etc., and can remove it for a shower. We’ve been using wipes for “sponge” bathing and washed his hair in the sink. Still, there’s nothing like a real shower with that hot water pouring down. Here’s hoping the teen-age healing kicks in and he’s boot free for our granddaughter Talia’s college graduation in Dec. Always good to have a goal. Toby

Horowitz Travel October 25, 2024- We’re waiting for the results of the CAT scan done this afternoon. Meanwhile, I was remembering the words of a guide we had in India. He said that it was easy to be caught up in the filth, poverty, and illness you see there when touring. But we have to keep looking for the lotus in the mud. With all the problems we are facing now, I looked out a window in our building and saw the lotus. We are having a spectacular autumn. Toby

Horowitz Travel Oct. 24, 2024-othopedic surgeon I love David’s orthopedic surgeon. She’s not fast to operate, yet cautious. Her office staff is kind and caring. Bottom line is that with the X-rays from DC and one more she took today, there may be a horizontal fracture as well as the one we knew of. If so, surgery may be a consideration. She ordered at CAT scan for tomorrow and will let us know. She has 4 femur surgeries tomorrow and the staff said they had 6 broken ankles this week. I’ll report as soon as we know. Toby

Oct. 23, 2024

Horowitz Travel Oct. 23, 2024 How is it going? We’ll, yesterday morning while getting ready to leave Judi’s, I brushed my teeth with hydro-cortisone cream. BTW they don’t itch. We did get to an urgent care clinic after landing yesterday. They splinted the foot after X-rays. It’s definitely broken at the end of the tibia where it joins the ankle. It’s a displaced fracture of the lateral malleous. They wouldn’t discharge him without him signing an AMA unless we promised to go immediately to a hospital to see if there was a blood clot. We agreed and ended up at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda. I really loved driving after dark in a strange area. The hospital is affiliated with John’s Hopkins but the ER was more like a cross between a MASH unit and an Israeli triage center. It was so crowded I had to find and push the wheelchair. When David was called I wasn’t allowed to go with him. He ended up sitting in a back hall with the rest of the “non life threatening” cases. There was no clot. We got to bed at 2AM. I was surprised and pleased I was able to drive the entire 6 hours it took to get home. David offered to spell me but he was in great pain and I thought better of it. We were greeted at our building by people I refer to as “my village.” A friend and neighbor secured a wheelchair and knee walker from the building’s “gimp supply closet.” The doorman met us in the garage with the wheelchair while others helped move the luggage. We had texted Daniel from the road and invited him to treat us to a Chinese dinner when we arrived. He showed up with all the fixings. It was Tuesday, after all, our family dinner night. Today we’re trying to figure out how David can maneuver using knee and regular walker. There are some things that can’t be done from his recliner. It’s stressful on him and his pain level is high. I can’t wait to see the doctor tomorrow. Hopefully she has a device to stabilize it more. We’re bringing an orthopedic boot from a former ankle break to the appointment. Maybe it will be useful. Still don’t know if surgery will be needed. I managed to get to the grocery store. There too, people asked about David. I guess we’re weekly fixtures. Since retirement he helps shop and pack. I’ll let you know Toby

Oct. 21, 2024-Potomac, MD

Horowitz Travel Oct. 21, 2024-Potomac, MD We landed at Dulles airport and were met by a driver that Judi uses. He took us to her condo and helped get our luggage upstairs. We went to an urgent care nearby at about 6pm. In 24 hours, the foot went from slightly swollen to bruised, very swollen with swelling going up the lower leg. The clinic took X-rays, pronounced the end of the tibula broken (acute displaced lateral malleolar fracture), splinted it, and told us to go to a nearby ER to be certain there wasn’t a blood clot. The ER had to cut his jeans up the seam so they could do the ultra sound. There was no clot. They left the splint on, gave him a walker, and sent him out. We were home but midnight. SIGH. David messaged the doctor at home who treated him for the cracked patella on the other leg. We like her a lot but this is ridiculous. We will drive home to Akron tomorrow. David will not share driving so it will be a slow trip as I’ll need several breaks. Picture is of Business class pods. Toby

Oct. 21, 2024-to DC

Horowitz Travel Oct. 21, 2024-to DC Was that 12 hours we spent in the Istanbul Business Lounge? Yes. Did we survive? Yes. Were we happy about it? No. We couldn’t get a bed but managed to doze and graze our time away. We watched young parents be outsmarted by their infant. Every time they thought he was asleep and tried to put him in his stroller, he woke up screaming. This went on for hours. The other pastime was observing Mediterranean and Middle Eastern noses. The varieties are endless. It’s like there’s a design competition for variety in length, bumps, and humps. I can say that as I belong to a group of folks whose Eastern European noses rival the best of today’s survey. Then there were the shoes. Sneakers galore paced by in a parade of wedged, zippered, gilt, and neon. It was an international diversity of brands worn by people from all corners of the world. It would have been wonderful if we could have locked the doors and refused to open them until those within agreed on a plan for world peace. Cleaning never stopped. Floors were constantly being swept and mopped. Swarms of workers dusted continuously. Food service areas were wiped and polished incessantly, and the player piano never quieted. NEVER. Boarding time finally arrived and we were wheeled right past the secondary bag search for US passengers and on to the plane. Our accommodations are more like a first class mini-room. We have a sliding panel between us, much like a confessional, and a door to afford more privacy. There’s a shallow closet, drawers, and cupboard We kept falling asleep before dinner was served, barely staying awake to eat our sea bass and lamb chops. Managed to sleep 6 hours and were awakened by the not so subtle breakfast preparations . I guess breakfast is going to be chicken salad and mousse. Don’t know what the real time is and don’t care. We have a couple of .hours before landing. We’ll try to make the clinic today but may have to wait overnight. I’ll stay in touch. Toby

October 19, 2024- forever Thessaloniki

Horowitz Travel October 19, 2024- forever Thessaloniki The hotel informed us that we can stay in our room until tomorrow. They are extending checkout until our airport transportation arrives. The bar is supplying us with bags of ice and David is in bed with his leg elevated. He has plenty of pain pills from the pain clinic at home so at least there’s that. Thank goodness for Netflix. I’m watching The Hours. It’s not exactly uplifting but it fills time. I may be forced to partake of the cannabis vending machines I saw as I cruised the streets foraging for lunch. Tourist that I am, I took a photo. A man explained in broken English that it only has cbd products. We have new thoughts for our arrival. We will probably go to an urgent care near Judi’s instead of waiting to drive home. At least they’ll X-ray and perhaps immobilize the foot for the drive to Akron. Can’t wait to get this return trip started Toby

Oct. 18, 2024-still Thessaloniki

Horowitz Travel Oct. 18, 2024-still Thessaloniki It has been a long day but a lot has been accomplished. We will be flying out of Thessaloniki to Istanbul on Oct. 20, at night, and from Istanbul to Dulles Oct. 21. With time changes and all, it’s hard to describe the layovers, but we’ll be spending overnight in the Bussiness lounge of the Instabul airport. Our son, Daniel, once joked that since I like flying business class so much, he might gift me a round trip to Europe with a quick turnaround. I guess that’s what this turned out to be. I never handle foreign currency when we travel overseas, so it’s ironic that I’m the one shopping now. I just put on my big girl pants that I’ve been wearing the last 3 days and did it. As I made my way down the street I realized Greeks haven’t gotten the memo about not smoking, although indoor venues don’t allow it. Retailers stand in their doorways puffing along with pedestrians. It’s kind of nostalgic. David’s instep is swollen. The ankle is not. He can wiggle his toes, and yes, we’re keeping it elevated and iced. In any case, it’s painful. He hobbled to breakfast then back to bed. I hit the streets to get lunch and dinner and made a new friend at a sandwich shop. I bought bottles of water there yesterday and I think he remembered me. I ordered sandwiches today and saw bananas in a bowl. I asked for them then realized they were fake. He understood what I wanted and pullled a shopping bag out of his refigerator and showed me his bananas. He then put them in my bag and said, “No charge.” For sure he’ll get my business tomorrow. Arranging an extension at our hotel was a challenge. The Greek economy has rebounded, and they’re full as was their sister hotel. I told the clerk that my husband broke his ankle (maybe) and I must have looked like I was going to cry. He rummaged around in his computer and asked if we would mind an “economy” room with a double bed. It’s better than the street, so I took it. We’re wait listed for a larger room. The company is arranging transportation to the airport and all that’s left is to check in. And yes, wheelchairs were ordered. We’re arranged ground transportation in DC to take us to Judi’s. When we’re fit to drive home we’ll head for the ER in Stow. It’s never busy. We’ll have them send the images to David’s foot surgeon and get a diagnosis. No pictures today. I have one of David’s foot, but you don’t need to see that. Toby

Oct. 17, 2024-Thessaloniki

Horowitz Travel Oct. 17, 2024-Thessaloniki I’ll get right to it. David took a spill today. He’s ok but embarrassed. His good leg gave out on him while he was trying to keep up with the group. He has a sore ankle that we’re icing. Since there was a rigorous climb down steps coming up, the guide, Angelos, suggested we go back to the hotel in a cab. We agreed. Ended up walking to a nearby restaurant for lunch and resting until dinner. And the day started out so well! We met our fellow travelers who now number 14. Six of them were scheduled on a trip to Ethiopia that was cancelled so they ended up choosing this trip. David is no longer the only man. We have a 40 passenger bus which is always nice. Our first stop was the Statue of Alexander the Great on his beloved horse, Bucephalus. We have a photo of it from when we were here years ago. We then drove to the Byzantine Museum to gaze at original remnants of that era which ended when the Ottoman Empire came to power. Northern Greece is still considered Macedonia. Northern Macedonia is an entirely different country. The main timeline of the area is that after Philip was murdered, Alexander became king at age 20. Unlike his father, Alexander was a formidable warrior and tactician. He completed his father’s dream of conquering the Persian Empire but died at age 33, His 4 generals divided the kingdom among themselves until the Romans rained on their parade. Ptolemy was the most noted of the generals. He ended up with Egypt and the Ptolemaic Empire lasted through Cleopatra. After the Romans came the Byzantines, Ottomans, and the Greek royals in 1912. Jews started coming in great numbers during the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. At its height, the Jewish community numbered 68,000. There are now a thousand and two synagogues. The verdict is in. We’re making arrangements through the tour company to come home. We met with the guide to discuss our options. We thought David could stay on the bus or in a cafe while we toured but even getting to some hotels is a challenge. One in particular has a 20 minute walk from the bus parking lot uphill to the hotel then up 20 steps into the hotel. We don’t know if his ankle is broken and decided not to go to the hospital to find out. We wouldn’t have it treated here anyway. He’ll get an X-ray when we get home. Toby

Horowitz Travel N. Greece, Albania, N. Macedonia Oct. 16, 2024

From now on I will refer to our destinations as GAM. From Dulles to Istanbul airport was all about wheels. Wheelchairs, that is. We had reserved a wheelchair for David in advance, and it went like clockwork. He was transported to the Business Lounge by Speedy Gonzales with me trotting behind pulling our two rolling carry-ons. All I remember is long hallways and 3 elevators. When boarding time came, there was a chair waiting for us, although the gate wasn’t far. The lineup of chairs at the gate numbered 15. The configuration of our seating area on the plane was different as it was an Air Bus. We’d previously flown Boeings on Turkish Air, which I prefer. Once again OAT messed up and we were not seated next to each other, but across the aisle. It turned out not to be a big deal since we ate, slept, & watched movies most of the time. I finally got to see Killers of the Flower Moon. Thoroughly enjoyed it despite its 3+ hour length. What else did I have to do? I’ve had a problem with an irritated ear lobe. It was particularly itchy even though I’d stopped wearing earrings, but my rubbing alcohol was in packed luggage and the hydrocortisone cream wasn’t doing its thing. I decided that the closest I could get to rubbing alcohol was vodka, so ordered a glass…no ice. I dipped my lobe in the stuff periodically and it did provide relief. David, on the other hand, enjoyed his Glenfiddich Scotch in the traditional way. True to their word, Turkish Airlines was ready with a wheelchair when we landed. They rolled us onto what was a re-furbished lift that could have doubled for food delivery and we rode to ground level. We then transferred to a motorized chair steered from behind by the attendant. I got my own chair because there was no way I could keep up with them on foot. Mr. Toad’s wild ride commenced weaving around inert and human obstacles until it stopped at what was a way-station/storage area for chairs (motorized and manual) and trams. We scored a tram and with only a brief gate detour to off-load, we were whisked to the Bussiness Lounge where we ate, drank, and waited for Judi. I’ve described this Lounge in previous emails, but for those new to the blog, I’ll go through it again. There is a baby grand piano spewing automated soothing diddys. There are at least 3 food buffets including a carvery. All drinks are included whether alcoholic or not. More personal services include dry cleaning, massage, alterations, showers, prayer rooms, playground, ironing, and laundry service. Judi arrived in the lounge as scheduled and we had an uneventful flight to Thessaloniki, Greece. Our hotel is small but updated. The only glitch was that the receptionist insisted that David and I had separate rooms. Our guide straightened that out quickly, and we collapsed in our beds. I’ll skip the part about trying to figure out how to turn off the room lights but leave the one in the bathroom on. Toby

Horowitz Travel Northern Greece, Albania, N. Macedonia-Oct. 15, 2024

We’re at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC waiting for our flight to Istanbul then our connection to Thessaloniki,Greece. Let me start at the beginning. I read Mitch Albom’s book, The Little Liar, and was intrigued with the vibrancy of the 60,000 members of the Jewish community of Thessaloniki pre WWII. We watched a documentary about Alexander the Great and were fascinated by the man-god. Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) with whom we frequently venture, had a trip including all those new-found interests. We booked it over a year ago. We spoke with Judi Cope, a long-time friend and frequent traveling companion, about the trip and she decided to join us. We planned to drive to Judi’s in Potomac, Md and fly over together. OAT hand other ideas. Through incompetence and negligence, we ended up on different flights to Istanbul, but will meet up there for the flight to Thessaloniki. That was the least of the glitches we had to contend with. On Aug. 9, David took a bad fall and broke his nose and kneecap. The race was on through doctors, physical therapy, and an assortment of braces to get him into traveling condition. Fortunately, he didn’t need surgery and was declared good to go a week ago. As usual I will keep you apprised of our trip: the good, bad, ugly, and humorous. Remember, what I write is my opinion unless otherwise stated. Toby

Nukus Art and Commerce

Oct. 23, 2023-Nukus Art and Commerce I was unprepared for the experience that was the Savitsky Museum. We rode by bus four hours through desert, rain, and corduroy roads to spend equal time at a museum. Our docent spoke five languages. Her English was stellar. Of the 100,000 works in the collection, Savitsky saved 80,000. We must have seen 60,000. I couldn’t stop taking photos of the obscure works by tortured and imprisoned artists who never knew the notoriety their life’s work achieved. Along with paintings and sculpture, Savitsky saved ethnographic art such as weaving, embroidery, and jewelry. One wedding robe was made of a familiar looking fabric. On close examination, it was denim. Three hundred years ago, Karakalpak people were making what old Levi Strauss turned into an unparalleled fashion mania. This is a small city. Everything is walkable. With recovery almost complete our group now had pep in their step. I’m pleased to say David is not and hasn’t been the slowest. We walked to lunch and had one of the best yet. The usual salads of roasted eggplant and veggies appeared as well as cheese flatbread and lentil soup. We were spared another stew. We had various kabobs. They’re not served on skewers but are piled on a platter. There was lamb kofta, beef cubes, chicken, lamb cubes, tomatoes, and flatbread with spicy paprika and ground beef. Dessert was pistachio baklava. We rolled out of there and on to the city market. What I like about Yura is that he takes us to different specialty areas of each market, so we’re not always looking and produce or fish. This time we went to the gold section. It’s set up like a pawn shop where jewelry brought by sellers is weighed by the buyers. Prices are based purely on weight. Women working there wanted to know how old we were and were amazed that we were so spry. They then asked if we had our real teeth and showed off their gold ones. Off we marched to the tobacco sellers. This wasn’t cigarettes, but loose tobacco combined with chicken and camel poo. It’s placed under the tongue or between the lips and teeth, is extremely addictive, and carcinogenic. The smell is primarily of poo. Yura is a man of many talents. Although he comes from a wealthy family, still owns and runs his father’s factory with 150 employees, and works as a guide, his father wouldn’t let him be spoiled. He learned to do manual labor and was skilled enough to build his own house. That came in handy last night when he fixed the A/C in one of our rooms. DInner was at the home of a family that is in the restaurant business. They also cater dinners in their home for tourists. The house had oversized rooms decorated in brocade wallpaper and gilt. Food was sumptuous with literally soup to nuts spread on the table when we began. The main course was besh barmak, a noodle dish with turkey cubes. It is indigenous and served once a year at special occasions. Happy early Thanksgiving. WIne and local vodka was freely poured as was Coke and Fanta. David pronounced the vodka “very smooth.” A professional trio played local instruments and did throat singing. If I had to describe the sound the singer made, I’d say gargling while trying to speak. We had special packing instructions for our internal flight. We don’t have to take off our shoes, all liquids and aerosols must be in checked luggage, computers must be in carry-ons, and there are two x-ray checkpoints. Tomorrow, we fly back to Tashkent for a day before our flight to Kazakhstan. Toby

Home

Nov. 2, 2023-Home We’re home. It’s been a long road. Don’t know how many steps, but I’d venture to say we did at least the goal of 10,000 a day. We managed to wear all the clothing we brought, and I have the laundry to prove it. We have a long weekend to get caught up with that. I’ll try not to do it all today. One of the guilty pleasures of being back is getting to flush toilet paper and not have to place it in a receptacle. The other is not having to hoard bottled water and being able to drink tap water. One of our friends said it would be good to sleep in our own bed. Not so. Hotel mattresses have been more comfortable. I think that means we’re in the market for a new one at home. I slept 11 hours last night without ambien. I know I’ll need a nap today. We’re grateful for the people who have helped us on our trip. Besides fellow travelers. guides and drivers, there were many people who grabbed our bags and carried them down steps at airports when there were no elevators or escalators. I was even able to pay it forward a few times. Airport personnel who saw looks of confusion on our haggard faces jumped in to direct us….especially at JFK. And thanks to DHL, the rug one of our group bought in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, was delivered to her home safely by way of Dubai, New York, Cincinnati, and Phoenix. It’s better traveled than some of us. Thank you all for your comments and for joining us on this odyssey. I always appreciate your willingness to go along on our crazy adventures. We’re actually talking about “where next.” Oregon may be put on the back burner again. Toby

Homeward Bound

Nov. 1, 2023-Homeward Bound Luggage out at midnight. Yura was there to see us off and Sayeed escorted us. On the van at 12:30AM Not eating most of a lame boxed breakfast at 1:30AM No elevators at the Bishkek airport; flights of steps On the plane at 3:45AM A better breakfast followed by three hours of passing out; cookies and coffee Forty minutes to landing. Surprise!! Sandwich and cake. Landed after six hours Walked forever from Concourse B to F. Got to our gate in time for boarding Went through two more security checks They wanted me to take my IPad out of its case. Didn’t now how. Neither did they. I turned it on, smiled, gave a little bow, and put it back in my carry-on Recognized two flight attendants when we boarded. Flying Turkish Air too much I slept 5 hours , thank you ambien. Ate a total of about 6 meals. We’re in New York now and will be home tomorrow. Best investment was our Global Entry Pass. There was a two hour line-up at passport control. We breezed through with just a retina scan. Slept three more hours. Oy! Home tomorrow Toby

Bishkek City Tour

Oct. 30, 2023- Bishkek City Tour Miracles happen. Our gimpy group member is much better. It was a knee sprain and not dislocation. Yura wouldn’t let her join us today as there was a lot of walking. Not taking chances. Perhaps the miracle was inspired by the reading material and directional aid in the nightstands. Clearly, the Gideons haven’t been here. The city tour started with a stroll through several lovely parks. We took photos of old Soviet office buildings still in use and monuments. When I look at the pictures, I won’t remember which is which. Yura told us to send him our photos and he’ll ID them for us. He will also download pictures of what we’ve seen and of us as we traveled. Such a nice service. The overall impression is that Bishkek is an historically young city with lots of young people. It’s vibrant, clean, and safe. It is a planned city with boulevards, floral plantings and shaded parks. A sweet custom is that when you double park your car, you leave a note with your phone number under the windshield wipers of the car you blocked. We vanned over to the outskirts to American University of Central Asia. The Soros Foundation is the largest donor with minor ones listed, like the USA in third place. Bard College is a partner. AUCA is a liberal arts university attracting international students. The entrance exam includes English proficiency as 80% of classes are taught in English. The 1200 students share the one building housing classes, library, gym, cafeteria, auditoriums, etc. Tuition is $7000/year and housing is $140/month. Grants are available. Students graduate with an American and local diploma in BA and MA programs. Most Americans come to study Central Asian culture and Russian. Our guide was from here. He has a BA in law and is studying remotely in English for a MA in international law from a university in Italy. He wore a sweatshirt saying “Way of Wade.” He was well aware of the link to LeBron and Akron. I asked him about any LGBTQ+ organizations on campus. He was a bit flustered and said it was uncomfortable to talk about. I told him why I was interested, and he opened up a bit. Homosexuality is severely frowned upon and coming out is dangerous. There are “underground” groups but nothing official. There’s no jail penalty, but physical safety is compromised. After he explained, I said, “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He smiled. Recently, Indian medical students have been attracted to Bishkek attending the public university. It costs less for them to study here than in the US. Then they can move to the US and become our doctors. Their presence has added welcome options for Indian cuisine. All I can say about lunch is lava cake. We walked from our hotel to a new multi-level mall. Wow! It was crowded with families on this Monday afternoon. It’s really stunning with all the designer shops you know and some you don’t. Babies were in snow suits. We were in t-shirts and sweltering. We didn’t stay long. We snagged chilled Pepsi Zeros at a convenience store and returned to our heated hotel room. The window is wide open and we’re peeled down to our skivvies. Our farewell dinner was in a yurt. I thought we’d never get there. Rush hour is gridlock. It took 1 1/2 hours to get to the restaurant and 32 minutes to return to the hotel. Yes, we timed it. The food was a glorious gourmet rendition of the Kyrgyz fare we’ve been eating. The entertainment was a group of professional traditional musicians who play with the philharmonic here. One of the men recited a chapter of the Manas. Manas is a mythical figure much like a Superman. The poem is a 600,000 line detailed epic history of culture, dress, food, rites, rituals, and battles. The epic is a compilation of oral histories from nomadic people that was compiled and finally written down in Soviet times. After the collapse of the USSR, it was used as a roadmap for reconnection to their past. Last night we listened to Mayim Bialek’s talk on Facebook. I’m sure it’s on You Tube. It’s scary, poignant, and her message is emotional. After listening, I asked David if we should change our return ticket and go to Israel. I’d feel safer there even now. I won’t give you details because I want you to hear it. Tomorrow, we go to new heights. Then it’s time to prepare for our flights home. Toby

To Bishkek

Oct. 29, 2023-To Bishkek What a start to the day. The woman who is constantly late and scattered hurt her knee while asleep. Her knee replacement slipped and she’s really in pain. They carried her down the steps on a chair and to the van. They brought breakfast and lunch to her in the van and she didn’t get off until late afternoon when we arrived at the hotel. They had a wheelchair waiting and she’s confined to her room. She doesn’t want to go to a hospital. At day’s end her knee was feeling somewhat improved. In the interest of fairness, I must tell you I learned that her food particularity stems from radiation treatment for thyroid cancer. Her taste buds were compromised. We had a long day, but not a lot of driving. Our first stop was an outdoor museum of petroglyphs. Boulders carved by nomads were strewn over the landscape. The art was translatable to what we’ve seen in the American southwest, France, Bulgaria, etc. Art, the universal language. There were what looked like miniature Easter Island statues called bal bal that were tombstones. They were used later than other graves that were marked solely by a pile of rocks. On a modern note, China is perpetrating a quiet neo-colonial takeover of the world. As of now 120 countries have been sucked in. Here’s the deal: China lends money for infrastructure with an unrealistic repayment schedule and terms. When a country is unable to meet those terms, China takes over mineral rights, power production, etc. as compensation. It can be seen as far away as Italy, Cuba, Sri Lanka where they’ve built modern ports they now own. Their goal is to build up political influence and edge out Russia. Back in time, in 751 AD, Chinese and Arab armies clashed in Central Asia. Muslims won. Is China trying to get it back now? Lunch was in a home set up to cater to tourists. The food rewarded the expectations built up by Yura. There were dishes we’d eaten before and a new dessert; pieces of fried dough sprinkled with honey and cream. Luckily it wasn’t made from a favorite nomadic drink: horse milk. It comes in regular and fermented. The visual of milking a horse is now stuck in my brain. Put me on a plane for home. My reason for coming here was to see the horseback competition typical of the area and I just did. But first we saw demonstrations of two lesser games. One was horsemen riding at top speed trying to grab a rock from the ground. The second was two men on horseback “wrestling” each other and trying to unseat each other. Kok-Boru started as a rite of passage for young men. They teamed up and rode their horses until one team grabbed a live wolf by hand. The game has evolved to Ulak Tartysh which is what we watched today. The translation is “pulling the goat.” We called it goat polo. Yes folks, a goat was sacrificed today according to halal law. Its head and feet were removed and its body was fought over. The game was frenzied and aggressive as each team tried to grab the goat from the ground and race to a cauldron/goal. There are rules, but it’s hard to discern them with such fast action. Two horses and riders fell with no injury. One rider’s tactic was to have his horse rear close to another horse and try to destabilize the other rider. By the end of the competition, the goat is well tenderized and the winning team eats it for dinner. There are professional competitions with prizes worth the battle: Mercedes and cash. An archaeological find in the area is a UNESCO site waiting for excavation. Bakun Tower is the most visible remains. It was the minaret of the mosque of a prosperous former capital of the area during the 10th to 12th centuries. It was a natural destination for Chinese coming down from the mountains on their journey along the Silk Road. We walked around the staged collection of bal bals and headed to tonight’s destination, the Ramada Hotel. Yura took us on a familiarization walk around our hotel neighborhood. He pointed out restaurants, drugstores, groceries, etc. And then there was Nathan’s Hot Dogs. It’s a natural fit here. Nathan’s is kosher in the US. It’s halal here. We all caved and ate there. It was a pleasant change from “stan” food. Tomorrow, we have a city tour of Bishkek. Toby

Karakol Birds and Brides

Oct. 28, 2023- Karakol Birds and Brides This morning our welcoming party was a trio of friendly dogs. One was a puppy who was still young enough to be mouthy. He loved my jacket sleeve. Such joy. To distract us from our relentlessly bumpy ride this morning, Sayeed challenged us with a history quiz. What happened here in the 14th century which affected Western Europe? The Bubonic plague of the 14th century has been traced to the gerboa, a Gobi Desert rat. The plague jumped to this area and spread West. What did nomadic tribes contribute to civilization starting in 4000 BCE? Making and use of felt, domestication of then breeding of horses, chariots with spoked wheels, geometrical collapsible portable yurts, trousers,belt buckles, boots with heels, stirrups. Our ride was worth it. We arrived in Karakola at a field where we met a champion competitor who hunted with golden eagles. He is one of 50 licensed in the country. Hunters go in teams to steal eaglets from the nest. Females are preferred. The team distracts the parents as one man climbs down a rope to the nest. Birds start to train three months later and are handled with affection and consistency. You really don’t want to be on the wrong side of that beak or talons. They have elephantine memories and know who’s trustworthy. They hunt small animals ( fox, rabbits, jackal, etc) and are allowed to eat the meat of their kill. Hunters get the pelts. Adult golden eagles weigh 12 lbs. and have a wingspan of six feet. We learned how heavy that was when we were allowed to hold her on our arm. They live 50-60 years, but are only used to hunt for 20. They are then released back into the wild to live out their lives. Our 5 year old eagle was very vocal as she knew food was in the offing. One of the hunter’s sons ( 5th generation hunters) took the bird up a hill. The other son dragged a coyote pelt. As soon as the hood is removed, and the signal given, she was off. The bird quickly pounced. She was rewarded with raw meat from the trainer. The next demonstration was unnerving. A live bunny was set in the field and the eagle was released from the hill. We all rooted for the rabbit. It didn’t run and the eagle quickly caught it. The bird won’t eat or release the catch until the trainer gives a signal. In this case, the rabbit was alive and walked away. But it’s fate was not as we imagined. Because of the damage done to it in the take down, the rabbit had to be killed. It will be dinner. That is their way. Happy bird, happy family, sad tourists. We stopped briefly at a museum honoring Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky. You remember him from history class, right? He was an explorer/spy for Russian military from 1867, until he died of typhus at age 49. Sayeed said he travelled with an entourage of young men and there was never mention of any women in his life. Duh. Just say he was gay and stop pussyfooting around. The museum was unheated and I was cold. I returned to the bus before the walk to the grave. If you got upset about the dead bunny, wait until I tell you about kidnapped brides. Lunch was at the home of a Uyghur widow who told us her story. First, some background. It’s an ancient tradition of nomadic tribes of Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia for young men to kidnap their brides. Not a surprise given the historical status of women. It continued until 1941, when Soviets put a stop to it. Now there’s a penalty of jail time, but police would rather have the families work it out before prosecuting, Today, kidnapping may be consentual and pre- arranged. In that case, it’s only done for “tradition” with the bride making a big show of protesting. Sayeed said it’s more like a public elopement. In a true modern kidnapping, the bride is held at the home of her kidnapper’s family until her father finds her. Negotiations are entered and famiies try to convince the bride to stay. Upon agreement, a white scarf is placed on the girl’s head and a 30 day betrothal period starts. The wedding is simple. If she insists, she may refuse, but it taints her father’s name for a short time. Our hostess, age 59, was kidnapped at age 18 as she left her university class. Her contemporaries were experiencing the same thing. When her father came to get her, the families agreed she would stay. She never agreed. Her husband wouldn’t let her continue her education. She became a servant for his parents and siblings. After some months she realized he was a kind but firm man and fell in love with him. They were married 33 years before he died. They had three daughters and a son who drowned at a young age. She explained to her husband that her main regret was not getting an education. He vowed that he would rescue any daughter who was kidnapped before she finished university. The eldest daughter married a man of her choice , but the middle daughter was kidnapped at 17 by someone she didn’t know. Her father stormed into where she was being kept and made it clear he wasn’t leaving without his daughter. She is now married to a man of heir choice and is a college graduate. The last girl is still in school. In the end, pretend kidnappings are still popular since it saves having huge expensive wedding. Tomorrow we move on to Bishkek, our final destination. Toby

Kyrgyzstan?

Oct. 27, 2023- Kyrgyzstan? The van goes over the mountains and what do you think it finds. Another van to go over other mountains. We navigated the border crossing from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan faster than estimated. Yura hired porters to carry our bags, which certainly facilitated everything. For some reason understandable only to bureaucrats, luggage on dollies pulled by porters don’t have to be x-rayed. The crossing was muddy, congested, dirty, but new pavement covered the path we took. Border control on both sides examined us as closely as they did our passports. I’ve never seen officials turn documents sideways and upside down to be sure they’re genuine. Some dilemma was caused by women whose passports photos were pre-Covid and had recently let their hair go gray. Our new local guide, Sayeed, met us with a lovely Mercedes van. He took us to a money exchange then launched into history. Kyrgyz people were nomads. They didn’t wander hither and yon. They had fixed summer and winter camps. Today many are semi-nomadic. They work in cities in winter, but yurts dot the hillsides as they tend flocks in summer. They were first mentioned as an ethnic group in China, migrated to Siberia and showed up in this area in the 14th century. The official language is Kyrgysh with Russian being the second. English is compulsory starting in 5th grade and is mostly used by younger people. The country is secular by Constitution. The largest religious group is Suni Muslim, then Russian Orthodox, then Jewish. There are two synagogues in the capital, Bishkek, but I doubt we’ll see either one. Writing is predominantly in Kyrgysh using Cyrillic letters, then Russian. Sayeed thinks it will be a long time before the Latin alphabet is adopted There were so many horses grazing in the fields that I wondered what they do with them all. Sorry I asked. They’re used as meat for special festivities and kept as we do money in the bank. If a family needs to cover a large expense, a horse is sold. Cattle is also valuable, but not as much as horses. Sayeed is a Uyghur. There are also Dungan Chinese Muslims who live here. He’s adamant about the world not only seeing Uyghurs as oppressed and in concentration camps in China. He wants people to know there are 25 million in the world and they’re very successful. The Uyghur capital of the US is Chicago. Central Asia politically does not recognize their persecution in China. I guess trade is more important. We’re back in the land of good food. Lunch was at a resort/party center that adopted a Hawaiian theme and decor. I’m certain none of the designers had been there, as they feature statues of tigers and crocodiles, oh my. We were served lagman, a Uyghur dish of thick homemade noodles with beef and veggies. We ate with chopsticks. Cuisine is definitely moving in the right direction. The woman who was late to the bus by 20 minutes the first day has been a trial, She misplaces things (Yura now holds her money), broke her camera (Yura loaned her one of his and she broke that), and is particular about what she eats and always requests substitutions (which have been provided). This morning she came late to breakfast and said she just woke up. She hadn’t set an alarm and told Yura not to leave a wake-up call, because she always wakes early. She got a big eye roll from me and I left the table. Yura went out of his way and found her a Pepsi Zero (Coke wouldn’t do). She then stated she’d only drink it with ice. Ice is rare and has to be made from purified water. Everyone has been solicitous and polite and I know we can hang on a few more days, but I’d hate to be on another trip with her. We’re staying at the mile high Kapriz Issyk-Kul Resort on a lake the size of Erie in Cholpin Alta. The views are stunning, The town population quadruples in summer. Lest you think we’re at Canyon Ranch, think more Grossingers. Rooms are adequate although there’s no A/C and heat is controlled by plugging and unplugging electric wall heaters. Our windows are open now. Luckily, it’s in the 50’s. I spoke too soon. Dinner here was lame and we eat here tomorrow night too. The only thing I ate was greasy, soggy fries. Hoping for a decent breakfast. Tomorrow, we fly with eagles and lunch with Uyghurs.

Almaty Unlimited

Oct. 26, 2023- Almaty Unlimited It’s a good thing I read the sign over the toilet this morning. It said to run the water in the shower five minutes if you wanted it to be hot. There isn’t a corner of Almaty we haven’t seen. If there is, it’s unremarkable.. Svetlana had much to say in ther fast, heavily accented English as we went from museum to monument to museum. If possible local architects were sure to limit access by using marble steps, and no handrails. We passed our members hand to hand and didn’t lose a one to a fall. I did Almaty injustice yesterday. There are some lovely modern districts where people live who shop in the Max Mara and Fendi stores. How did they make their millions? Oil and gas. It was easier than raiding the Golden Room at the first museum. Nomadic tribes of 1,000 BCE were well acquainted with crafting gold. Discoveries of their work have been unearthed to reveal art featuring animalistic depictions. Of course, there’s an Independence Square and monuments and memorials to WWII. It was refreshing to walk through pine laced paths and smell their freshness instead of the fumes of Uzbekistan. At the end of one pine alley was a wooden Russian Orthodox Church that survived the earthquake (about 9.0) of 1911. It was a pleasure seeing its multi-colored and gilt interior after all those blue and turquoise mosques and madrassahs. The ethnographic museum of musical instruments was so overly heated that I chose to sit outside. I was rewarded with a concert of Kazak music blasting from a souvenir shop. I had private time and got to wiggle my toes to the beat. We rode a gondola up the mountain for photo ops. It was quite the challenge maneuvering our group onto and off the moving car, but we managed. I took off on my own to explore the amusement park and scope out new vistas. There was supposed to be a zoo there, but I missed it. There was a sculpture of the Beatles where people were lined up for selfies. Evidently, they were so popular here, they were immortalized. The visit to a chocolate factory was a let down. There were no tours of the factory and no free samples. Yura eased my disappointment by buying a large candy bar and handing out tastes. Nothing remarkable. Another bazaar just down the block was in our future. The Green Bazaar was small by usual standards and a convenient place to buy our bananas. David asked for and paid for 4, but when he handed the man the money, instead of change, we got a 5th banana. At lunch, David asked Svetlana about the Jewish community. There is a Sephardic synagogue with a rabbi in Almaty as well as in the capital, Astana. She has several Jewish friends many of whom live in Israel. She’s in almost daily contact with them and has visited Israel and the W. Bank three times. For those who complained that portions were too large, they should be relieved. Meals sizes have dramatically shrunk. Today’s lunch was potatoes and mushrooms. I ate David’s mushrooms and he ate my potatoes. We were both satisfied. Dinner was interesting. The main was brisket Stroganoff with mashed potatoes. I scraped the white stuff off the meat and left the tasteless potatoes. I’m not a fan of Kazakhstan food if that’s what we’ve been eating. The best part was when a professional Kazack band played for us. The four perform internationally including Carnegie Hall. The leader was a hoot. He involved us by playing guessing games and paid off in chocolate. As if that wasn’t enough, the servers did a folk dance to “wake up the customers.” Very festive and unexpected. It certainly made up for the food. We’ve been in Central Asia long enough for Facebook to think we want to see posts in Russian. Nope. Tomorrow we have a long ride to the border of Kyrgyzstan where we will hopefully cross without incident. Toby

Onward to Kazakhstan

Oct. 25, 2023- Onward to Kazakhstan You can take the man out of Russia, but you can’t take Russia out of the man. This was the hardest airport transfer yet. One carry-on bag was 1 kilo overweight. I took my iPad out of it and put it in a bag that was underweight. That satisfied them. I later put the iPad back in its original place. They decided the formerly overweight bag was oversized. Yura put it in the sizing form and it hung over maybe an inch. He convinced them it was ok. I didn’t see money change hands, just lots of talking. That bag has literally been all over the world with no problem. We had to go through three passport checks and two X-rays. One passport check was delayed for those who had Uzbek visas. Although not required for visitors over 50, OAT strongly encouraged us to get them. The only time anyone here cared, it took longer to exit the country. One of the enjoyments of the trip has been that no one talked of their health history in detail. Some issues were mentioned when pertinent to an activity but never brought it up again. Most of my relief was I didn’t know these people and would never see them again. I care about those at home: these folks, not so much. I did learn that several of the group wore hearing aids. My hearing is diminishing and I’ve been avoiding a hearing aid. My reasoning was validated. They don’t help much. People with them were the ones always asking for repetition of directions or misunderstanding explanations. They’ve declared it to be winter in Uzbekistan. Children are in winter coats, hats, and scarves. The heat is turned on. I’ve stripped down to a tank top. Compared to 145, I guess the 70’s feels chilly. The last newest airline we’ve flown is Air Astana. Luck continued. We managed to arrive on Republican Day. Before leaving home, we registered with the US embassy in every city. They sent us an alert about holiday demonstrations and advised us to avoid the crowds. That was easy.The flight was only 1 1/2 hours, but it took all day to get here. No time to get into trouble. We were met by Svetlana, our tall, blond, Russian local guide. On the drive to the hotel she gave us a quick rundown on Kazakhstan. Although no longer the capital, Almaty is the largest city in the country with a population of 2.1 million. The predominant language is Russian, but young folks are preferring and learning Kazakh. Kazakhstan is in the process of changing from the Cyrillic to Latin alphabet. Ethnicity (there are at least 120+ varieties) is printed on passports which are used for general identification. Jewish is considered an ethnic group. My first impression is that this is very different topographically. There is green. The Khan Tenerife Mountains, some 23 thousand feet high, surround the city. Trees are changing color. They have four distinct seasons. Their collection of old Soviet buildings is untouched and unmaintained snice 1991. All meals are included here. Tonight’s dinner was orzo con pollo (chicken and rice). Yura assured us it’s not traditional. Kazaks make a version of plov he says is far inferior to Uzbeks. We ate our first mixed green salad, fruit and cake. Very pedestrian, but we won’t starve. Tomorrow our city tour will be fast moving. We’ll cover lots of territory including a chocolate factory store. Not the factory, mind you. Just the store. Toby