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Last year Bishkek celebrated its 125th
anniversary. A young capital in an ancient land. Bishkek is the soul
and the heart of the Kyrgyz Republic, its political, economic
scientific and cultural center, the main transport hub.
Weather wise, expect warm summers with 40% humidity and continental
winters Modern urban development is the city's distinguished feature,
streets criss cross at a 90% angle. Shady boulevards, tree lined
streets, the city is very green and in Bishkek alone you'll, find over
150 different kinds of trees and shrubbery.
THE AIRPORT
Make sure you have a window
seat because as you descend towards Bishkek Airport, your can take in
the entire essence of Kyrgyz natural beautify in one sweep. White
mountain tops, green valleys and the capital just below you. As you
taxi to the dock, you
are most likely to catch a glimps of modern US army planes. No, this is
not a US airbase, should the questionarise, but the US is a good
friendandalley.
TRANSPORT
The airport is about a 40 min. Drive from the center of Bishkek and
it's best to catch a taxi. The fair is US$10. Better still, organize
airport pick up with your Travel Agent or hotel. That's the smooth way
to your destination. There are regular minibus shuttles to bus stops in
town as well.
HOTELS
The choice of hotels covers every need. You have an option to stay in
luxury at the «HAYATTREGENCY» (****) or at Hotel
«AK KEME-BISHKEK» (****) the SILK ROAD
LODGE"(****), orata B&B such as the «Asia
Mountains» Hotel.
SHOPPING
With the rich tradition of arts
and crafts, beautiful give aways and souvenirs can be bought and
there's a good choice. Throughout the year, crafts fairs offer an ideal
opportunity to shop for handmade items from Kyrgyzstan. Designers
create stunning accessories and pret a porter with a very modern edge
and are staring to make a name for themselves also abroad.
SIGHTS
Bishkek is where tourists leave from to see the sites and sights all
over the country, and trust us, there are plenty, but the city itself
also has something to offer in terms of sight seeing. Museums,
galleries, shops, parks, squares, restaurants and cafes are
concentrated around the city center.
Sitting in the cool and shady oak park is ideal for people watching.
It's an open air sculpture museum too, made from stone, metal, wood,
there are sculptures displayed all over the park. Right by, the
Erkindik gallery holds regula exhibitions of local artists. Drop by to
see who's the upcoming raising star of the arts scene. Ala-Too, the
main square lays right behind the gallery. The seat of the government
is here, with its white marble facade, quite impressive on the backdrop
of white mountain peaks. Ala Too also holds fountains and a stage,
where concerts, disco evenings and cultural events are hosted. This is
where the population congregates for State celebrations and on public
holidays.
Still up to the present day a Lenin statue towers over the square. Note
that Bishkek is the only capital in Central Asia where the street names
of the Soviet epoch are retained till nowadays.
EATING OUT
There
is no shortage of cafes, snack food places for something on the go. Or
you may opt for Fine Dining at the Hyatt or Italian Cuisine. For those
interested to taste some of the many national dishes, Kyrgyz, Uyghur,
Dzungan cuisine, we recommend a tasty Laghman or Ashlyafa served with
koumiss and shoro beverages.
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