Soaking in a hot stone bath in Paro

Slipping into the soothing water at the hot stone bath felt like yet another blessing after returning from the hike to the Tiger’s Nest.

On the way back to Paro, we stopped for a hot stone bath. Our guide had called in advanced and booked the time. This is essential, as it takes more than 5 hours to heat the stones on the wooden fire.

The hot stone baths can be found in farmhouses and hotels, and it is tradition to go as a family or a group of friends before special occasions. At this particular hot stone bath, there were several rooms in a wooden shed out in the courtyard. Our room had two wooden tubs, and looked a little bit like open coffins…

Filled with cold water, the burning hot river stones were dropped in at the far end. The water sizzled, and some of the rocks were so hot that they crack when meeting the cold water, and released the minerals inside.

Indulged in the heated water, the muscles instantly felt relaxed. When you feel it is time to get the temperature up, you simply shout out “Aue Dho gobay Dho” or “Dho Dho” which literally means “need some more stone”, or “stone stone”. The strong farmwoman quickly found her fire tongs, opened the chute at the end of the wooden room, and exchanged some of the chilled rocks with smoking hot ones. On the second round, I could clearly feel the strong heat spread from my feet and up.

I am normally too restless to even stand 10 minutes laying still in a bathtub, but I found my peace here and soaked for 45 minutes! I only wish I had known about this amazing tradition earlier, so we could have pampered our bodies several times during our tour. Oh well, just another reason to return….

Bringing the hot stones from the fire to the hot stone bath.

Hiking to Tiger’s Nest

The clouds were hanging low over the valley, and considering the heavy rainfall during the night, I was not quite sure how the hike to Tiger’s Nest would be.

As I have grown up with the saying “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”, we dressed accordingly, and brought extra clothes in waterproof bags.

Stepping out of the car at the starting point of the hike to Tiger’s Nest (or Paro Taktsang, as it is officially called), it was quite obvious that this is the main attraction in Bhutan. We were quite overwhelmed by the amount of other tourists. Not that it was that many, as the tourism in Bhutan is limited and it never felt crowded, but it was for sure a lot more than we were used to. Then again, the other days we had only met a few every now and then…

It was still early morning, and the few souvenir sellers that were already there, had not yet finished unpacking their goods. Even the sad-looking horses had not started their tough day carrying lazy tourists to the cafe with the viewpoint. Needless to say, we depended on our own feet…

Passing the three houses with prayer wheels rotated by the running stream, the assent started for real. I could feel the height making it harder to breathe and my feet felt heavier, so we went nice and slow. The rain had luckily stayed away, but the clouds and mist were blocking most of the view.

Three houses with prayer wheels rotated by the running stream.

As the cafe about half way up is the only place along the route with a bathroom, we went the short detour there before continuing the last part. The grey wall of clouds was right in front of me, but all of a sudden the wind swept by making a hole in it, letting us sneak a peak of the Tiger’s Nest high up on the steep cliff.

A sneak peak of Tiger’s Nest.

While waiting for the grey clouds to go away, a colorful bird suddenly appeared.

The magical moment was short, and as fast as it appeared, it was concealed by the clouds again. Back on the track again, the peace and quiet was interrupted by some other tourists playing music from the loudspeakers on the phone. They had passed us earlier riding the horses, but luckily, we were faster than them by feet and quickly passed them. Soon we could hear the calming sounds of the breeze in the trees and the billowing prayer flags again. And my pounding heart and short breath…

His Holiness Je Khenpo named Gendün Rinchen was born here.

Reaching the highest point right opposite the Tiger’s Nest, the grey wall we had become quite aquatint with was still there. We had a short break and some sips of water, and just as we were about to give up and continue, the grey was yet again swept away. The view was absolutely breathtaking (ok, I might have already been out of breath…) and after standing motionless for a little while, I got my camera out.

The grey wall of cloud hiding the Tiger’s Nest.

A lot of photos later (I would not risk it to disappear behind the big grey curtain again), we started descending the steep stairs. Going down again?? – you might ask. Yes, we had to go down the gorge to cross the bridge with the waterfall backdrop to get back up at the other side. And mark my words – this is the steepest part of the track, and you have to get back the same way.

Entering the temple, you have to leave your phones and cameras at the gate, as it is strictly forbidden to take any photos. It also allows you to have full focus of actually being present at this fascinating place, not worrying how to make the best pictures.

Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, the one that introduced Buddhism to Bhutan, flew from Tibet to the cliff high up in the mountain on the back of a tigeress in the 8th Century. Once he arrived, he sat down in a cave meditating for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours. Many centuries later, in 1692, the first part of the Tiger’s nest was built around this cave. The complex has been built in several stages, including the rebuilding after the devastating fire in 1998, and now consist of nine temples.

Walking around the temple caves, we climbed the rocky stairs and listened to the stories about the temples, statues and the paintings. As this was at the end of our tour in Bhutan, we had learned plenty about the Buddhism from our knowledgeable guide, and could recognize quite a few of the Buddha’s, paintings and other symbols. It kind of felt like a final exam, but in a good way, making many of the pieces of the puzzle of what we had learned along our journey fall into place.

I must admit – I had pictured myself experiencing the Tiger’s Nest in sunshine under the bright blue sky. And I was a bit disappointed that the only grey day we had, was the day of what I thought would be the highlight of the trip. In hindsight, I was actually happy it ended that way. Not only did the clouds protect us from the burning sun, but the clouds also made the scenery look even more dramatic.

Long rows of prayer flags all along the track to Tiger’s Nest.

 

Museum of Broken Relationships

The Museum of Broken Relationships was on my must see list before going to Zagreb. People from all over the world send in their contribution as therapy or simply just to share their stories of their break up.

“….Every time we would see each other we would tear off one leg. When we ran out of legs to tear, that would be the time to start a life together……”

The axe used to chop the furniture’s of the ex in small pieces. Read the full story; http://bit.ly/2i1vQMj.

However, broken relationships are more than two (or more often, one) lovers deciding not to stay together anymore. Broken relationships can also be a parent leaving their child and not return, someone dying of disease or natural causes, and also betrayal. The exhibition also had a collection of items from refugees.

The betrayals are obviously many, with numerous examples of infidelity, but also the betrayal of trust for the girl that was raped by the summer camp teacher.. The latter represented by the police report.

The police report filed 24 years after the rape happened. “…I loved to sit on his knees. I used to call him my big teddy bear…. The last night of my stay, he woke me up and took me out of the dormitory. I walked holding his hand under the sky full of stars after a hot summer day. I was happy. He took me to his room, tickled me, it made me laugh. Then he raped me. It was hell. He made me promise not to say anything otherwise I would die. I didn’t say anything. I was nine years old…..”

I found myself walking around among the items for hours, reading every single story. I sure have had my share of bad stories with men, but most of these top them all…

So many items, and so many sad stories at The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb.

Then for some cute details after all the sadness; the museum shop has “bad memories eraser”, and the WiFi password in the cafe is “just friends”.

Do you have a story or an object from a former relationship you want to share? The Museum of Broken Relationships can help you get them of your chest.

Experiencing Isfjord Radio and Barentsburg

Isfjord Radio and Barentsburg are popular places to visit at Svalbard. I had actually been to both by snowmobile on my first visit to Svalbard a few years ago, but wanted to experience them in the summer as well.

Basecamp Explorer offer two day trips by boat to Isjord Radio and Barentsburg during the summer season, including accommodation at the former radio station at Cape Linné.

Dressed in woolen layers and the water and wind proof suit, we all found a seat in the open rib boat. Leaving the sheltered harbor in Longyearbyen, the wind picked up. Even though the waves did not look big, we were in for a bumpy ride. My previous rib boat trips came in handy, by knowing to ride the seat like a horse in the waves.

The fog was hanging heavily down the mountainside, while the sunbeams managed to break through the clouds further out in the ocean. Birds were speeding alongside the boat, and the peaceful puffins escaped under the surface when we approached. By the time we reached the tip of the peninsular near Barentsburg, I wished I had put on an extra layer of clothes. Luckily, we only had 30 more minutes until we docked at Isfjord Radio.

Being greeted with hot mulled wine with cava sure helped. Along with the struggle to get out of the large survival suit. “Welcome to Isfjord Radio! Your room is upstairs in the main building. And do you see the white spot over there?», the guide asked, pointing a finger to the shore on the other side of the house. “That is a polar bear”. We had heard rumors that polar bears had been observed in the area, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that we would be able to see one right away, with the naked eye! Just as a white dot in the distance, but still!

Armed with rifles, the guides walked us the short distance from the quay to the house. Safe inside, we took turns in using the binoculars to get a closer look at the large male polar bear, resting by the ocean. At the same time, one of the others spotted a female polar bear with her two cubs!

Hand-held binoculars flourished and exchanged hands so everyone could see. And through the telescope, patient souls could get mobile images of the mighty animals. The polar bears moved slowly along the shoreline. Towards us. The binoculars were rapidly exchanged, and the clicks from the shooting SLR cameras were increasing. Thrilled, we watched the baby bears play. Rolling over and play fighting, while the mother waited patiently.

At the closest, they were only 300 meters away from the house, before they disappeared behind a cliff.

The polar bear show was over for a while, but from the large windows, both from our room and downstairs in the living room, we could witness plenty of other wildlife. Birds flying around, reindeer grassing outside, and a fox that suddenly appeared running around. And the sleeping polar bear we had spotted in the beginning, was still enjoying his peace.

Dinner was served, a delicious 3-course meal mixing local ingredients both from the land and the ocean. I was just about to have a bite of the reindeer, when the polar bear and the cute cubs made their appearance for a second time. Everybody gathered by the windows to watch them as they walked along the beach, before sitting down again, enjoying the food with a polar bear view.

Delicious reindeer for dinner.

Satisfied by both food and impressions, I sat down in the windowsill, silently looking out. A rain shower passed, leaving behind a rainbow. Yet another magic moment before the time hit midnight.

Papa bear is waking up!

Rainbow at midnight at Isfjord Radio.

A new day, new adventures

My planned morning swim was called off, as the polar bears were last spotted close to the beach (some would call that luck…). After a delicious breakfast, we packed our bags and did our morning gymnastics battling the survival suits.

Heading towards Barentsburg, a few Minke Whales all of a sudden appeared from the surface of the ocean. We stopped for a while to watch the majestic mammals as they graciously slid up and down in the water.

Arriving at the quay in Barentsburg, we again fought the survival suits to avoid walking around like penguins.

Climbing up the stairs felt like stepping back in time. Many of the houses looked quite abandoned, while others had gone through massive changes since I visited 5 years ago. Some houses had been demolished, while the two large apartment buildings had been modernized. Lenin was still watching over the community.

The Lenin statue outside the apartment buildings in Barentsburg. With the sign – Communism is the way of life.

Lenin’s view in Barentsburg.

Walking through town felt like walking around in a ghost city. It was completely silent, and we did not see a single person. Unlike the abandoned settlement Pyramiden, this Russian settlement houses 3-400 persons, including 50 children. Non of the children were out playing. Not even the cat was out. Eh, sorry, the arctic fox. One of many fun facts about Svalbard is that as cats are not allowed on the archipelago, so the one they have in Barentsburg is registered as an arctic fox!

While the parents work in the mines underground, the children attend school in a colorful decorated building. Paintings of wildlife, Russian sailing vessel and a Norwegian Viking ship stands side by side with iconic buildings as the Empire state building in NY, Kreml in Moscow and Bryggen in Bergen.

Barentsburg rely only on themselves and Russia. The heating and electricity comes from the coal in the mines, drinking water from the lake at the other side of the fjord, and the food and other goods are imported from Murmansk.

The food at the hotel is typical Russian and the drinks in the bar as well. I of course had to taste it all; the pickled vegetables, the cured meat, the salty white fish mixed with potatoes and peas, the cabbage soup with sour cream, and last but not least – chunks of potato and meat mixed with vegetables and baked in the oven inside small ceramic bowls. The meat was so tender, and the potatoes and vegetables were soaked in the meaty sauce. Even though I was quite stuffed, I just could not stop eating. Good thing they had strong liquor to help digest afterwards. I did not go for the strongest one, though. The Russians apparently have a tradition to consume drinks with the same level of alcohol as the present latitude. Barentsburg is situated 78° N…

Walking back towards the harbor, I stopped by the characteristic wooden church. The Orthodox Church was built in 1996, after the fatal air crash that left 141 Russians and Ukrainians dead.

Our time in Barentsburg was up, but on our way back to Longyearbyen we stopped shortly by Grumant. This former Russian settlement was abandoned in 1960’s. At its peak it had 1200 inhabitants, but as they worked shift, the settlement only had beds for half of the population.

The two day trip to Isjord Radio and Barentsburg was an amazing combination of majestic nature, interesting settlements and history, tasty food, and lots of wildlife. It was absolutely a great way to experience some of what Svalbard has to offer, and I highly recommend it.

What to pack for Svalbard in summer:
Even if you visit Svalbard in the summer, keep in mind that it is far north, and the temperature is low. Dressing in woolen layers is the key to success, and if you are uncertain, it is always better to bring a little bit too much clothes, than to end up being cold. On the boat trip to Isfjord Radio, I was wearing a woolen singlet, a thin woolen sweater, another thin woolen sweater (but more loose to allow air between the layers) and a thick woolen sweater (instead of jacket). On my legs, I wore woolen johns and normal hiking trousers. A slightly loose pant is an advantage. Two pairs of woolen socks, the second being the large (and loose) kind that my grandmother knitted. I finished off with a hat, gloves and scarf. All in wool, of course. In addition, you get a survival suit to wear on top. This is windproof, but other than that, it does not give much isolation.

Booking:
The two day trip to Isjord Radio and Barentsburg can be booked directly with Basecamp Explorer.
Are you visiting Svalbard in the winter? Do not despair; they have two-day trips to Isfjord Radio and Barentsburg by snowmobile as well.

See more information about Svalbard, and additional things to explore.

Fun facts about Svalbard

Svalbard seen from the air while flying in around midnight in July.

The Svalbard archipelago, situated between the mainland on Norway and the North Pole, is a very fascinating place. In many ways. There are more polar bears than people, and four months a year, you experience 24 hours daylight.

The Svalbard Treaty from 1920 recognized Norwegian sovereignty in 1925, but there are more than 40 nationalities living there, including larger Russian communities.

The nature and wildlife is stunning, and no matter what season you visit, there are many nice experiences.

Here are some fun facts about Svalbard:

1. Nobody is allowed to be born here. Pregnant women are send to the mainland to give birth.
2. On the other hand, nobody is allowed to die here either. If you are seriously ill, or simply getting old, you have to move back to the mainland.
3. People do not wear shoes inside, including at restaurants. This rule was made after having problems with workers dragging in dust from the coal mines.
4. There are more polar bears in Svalbard than people.
5. Due to the risk of meeting polar bears, nobody are allowed to walk around outside the settlement of Longyearbyen without being able to scare them away. It is also advised to bring firearms. You can therefore see people wandering around with riffles. But, when they go inside for example the grocery shop or a restaurant, they have to put them in designated lockers.
6. From around 19 April to around 26 August you will experience the Midnight Sun, meaning that the sun will never set below the horizon in that period.
7. From around 26 October to around 14 February, on the other hand, they have polar nights, meaning that the sun will never rise above the horizon, leaving it to be pitch dark all day and night. But, the good thing is that you will have much more chance to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), as it can be visible any time of day.
8. For beer lovers, Svalbard is home to the northernmost brewery in the world, Svalbard Bryggeri.
9. And the northernmost bar, post office, university, grocery shop, museum, ATM and Lenin statue, to name a few.
10. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located in an abandoned coal mine, contains seeds from all over the world in order to preserve them. The countries can get back seeds to regrow after for example crises.
11. You are not allowed to pick flowers.
12. There are only four Icelandic horses in Svalbard. One of them is 33 years and retired.
13. Cats are not allowed. There is however a cat in the Russian settlement Barentsburg, but it is registered as an Arctic fox…
14. The hotel in Barentsburg offer free parking. The problem is that there are no roads connecting Barentsburg with other settlements.
15. The Russians apparently have a tradition to consume alcoholic drinks containing the same level of alcohol content as the latitude they are at. The former Russian settlement Pyramiden, is situated at 79°…

Have you been to Svalbard, and know some other fun facts?

Food tour in Bratislava

When visiting different countries, I always check if there is a food tour available. This is a great way to taste many dishes, and get to know the food culture.

Visiting Bratislava was no exception. I signed up for the Traditional Food Tour offered by Taste Bratislava, and set off on what would be a heavy lunch including a little bit of tipsiness…

Meeting by the Opera house, we had a short walk to our first stop; Café Škodovka. The cute cafe is named after the car, and the interior include half of an old Skoda. The furniture’s are vintage style from the 70s, and the guide could remember having the exact same in their living room when growing up, as there very limited choices during the Soviet era.

The food also had its offspring from that period, and soon three different dishes stood before us, accompanied with white bread.

Treska v majonéze is a cod fish salad with mayo, made to make fish more attractive so more people would eat it as it was important as nutrition.
Parižsky šalát, or Paris salad, is sausage mixed with mayo, peas and gherkin.
Oškvarková pomazánka is a spread made of crushed crispy bacon with mustard, onion, herbs and spices.

The first one was my favorite, and the latter took a bit of time to get used to.
For drinks we were introduced to the Slovak red wine Dunaj.

During the Communist times, farms owned by private persons were also part of the nationalization program introduced by the Communist party. Collectivization of farms meant small, independent farmers were forced to become part of agricultural mass production based on cooperative principles. The cooperative agricultural system was perceived as an aggressive measure which interfered with the traditional way of life of people in rural Slovakia. Quantity was more important than quality, including when it came to wine. After the fall of the Communist Regime, the people had to prove their rights to get back the land that was previously theirs.

Nowadays, many small winemakers make high quality wine, winning international prices. The production is still low though, and as the local consumption is higher than the production, nothing is exported. Yet another reason to visit Slovakia, to get to try the local wines that are not found outside the country. For me, it was unfortunately limited to this one glass, but they also offer more specific wine tasting tours as well, or paired with food.
Some local varieties are the result of crossbreeding popular grape varieties. A nice curiosity is that all new white crossbreeds are named after Slovak castles, while the few new red wines are named after Slovak rivers.

Moving on, we had a quick stop outside the old market hall. In addition to the Saturday market, events and concerts are also held here. This interesting building from 1910 was inspired by the Eiffel tower, and was used as a TV studio during the Communist times.

Our next dishes were served at Flagship Bratislavská reštauracia. I actually had my dinner here the day before, but had absolutely no problem with returning, as it was a great experience. I had already tried the Bryndzové halušky, sheep-cheese dumplings, that is also the national dish, but the Kapustnica (sauerkraut soup) was new to me.

Bryndzové halušky, sheep-cheese dumplings with bacon, that is also the Slovak national dish. Flagship Bratislavská reštauracia.

Kapustnica (sauerkraut soup) at Flagship Bratislavská reštauracia.

The soup is a very popular dish, especially in winter and for Christmas and New Years. It is often eaten as a starter on Christmas Eve, before the carp is served as the common main dish. This is where it becomes interesting… Apparently, it is Christmas tradition to buy a live carp, bring it home, and let it swim around in the bathtub for a few days! The kids even name it and play with it! I must admit I found it hard to believe, but I had no reason not to trust what the guide told us. It is however a reason for the tradition; carp is a freshwater fish and a bottom feeder, so it is believed that by swimming around in clean water, the mud will be cleansed out, and it will taste better. I have only tasted carp once in my life, and that had certainly not ended its days swimming in a bathtub… But as I strive to eat whatever food is common where I am travelling, I would be willing to give it another try. Especially if it had gone through the second traditional treatment, being soaked in milk overnight to make it taste even softer.

Enough about the food. For drinks we enjoyed a local lager craft beer, brewed in the micro brewery at the ground floor. While lager still is the most popular beer, more and more micro breweries has popped up, introducing the Slovakian people to other types of beer. And the locals sure love their brew; the average consumption is 75 liter beer per person yearly!
Do you think that sounds a lot? Their neighbours in Czech Republic has the worlds highest yearly consumption of beer, and drink 120 liter per person…

The bar at Meštiansky pivovar, a popular micro brewery.

We only had half a liter beer, though, before moving on. This time we were served the non-alcoholic Kofola, the local version of cola. During the communist era, they could not import Coca Cola, so all the former Soviet bloc has made their own variety. The Kofola is made by 20 different herbs and spices, and can be found on tap basically in every bar.

Kofola, the local version of cola.

Roast duck is a very popular dish, especially in fall when it is the main season. It is traditionally served with red cabbage and potato pancake. In general you will find a lot of potatoes in the Slovak diet, but it was not introduced to the country until the 1700s, and made popular by the Austro-Hungarian Queen Maria Theresia.

Pečená kačica s lokšami a dusenou červenou kapustou – roast duck served with potato pancakes and steamed red cabbage.

Sviečková na smotane – beef with steamed bread-dumpling and carrot-parsnip sauce.

I was getting quite stuffed, so after just tasting a bit of the Sviečková na smotane, beef with steamed bread-dumpling and carrot-parsnip sauce, we got going to walk off a little of the food.
Heading to the old town, we went through the north gate of the once fortified city.

By the Michael’s gate, the north entrance to the once fortified old town of Bratislava.

After learning a bit of history along the way, we entered Obchod v múzeu, a combination of a small shop formed as an old general store with a museum in the back with old shop artifacts. Among them was also a bottle of sparkling wine from back in the days when wine was still exported. This particular wine, Palugyay, was actually to be found on the wine list on board Titanic.

We were soon taken back to present time, and the Bratislava rolls (Bratislavské rožky) filled with either poppy seeds or walnut paste was up next. Surprisingly, I found space for them as well, with the walnut flavored being my favorite.

Bratislavské rožky – Bratislava rolls – traditional pastry filled with poppy seeds or wallnuts.

With sweets, came also the bitter-sweet black currant wine – Ríbezlové víno. And salty and smoked sheep cheese. By then I had for real reached my limit for solid food, and only had a taste of it. Personally I figured it would match better with beer anyway, so good thing I was planning to continue to a beer festival after the tour, since they would not allow me to leave without the rest of the cheese. The hand made chocolate with sour cherry liqueur also found its way to my purse and was saved for later.

Ovčie nite – sheep cheese.

Handmade sour cherry soaked in in sour cherry liqueur for at least half a year and then dipped in chocolate.

Just a stone’s throw away, we entered a honey shop to taste the products made from their own beehives. I found myself amazed that it was at least 20 different flavours available, and tried a few of them. The combination of honey and ginger would do magic for sore throats!

They of course also produce honey wine, also known as mead. Good thing a small amount of fluid easily can fit in a stuffed stomach.

Medovina – honey wine (mead).

In a back alley in the old town, we found “The white mouse”, a shop selling wine and liquor, including the local tea-herbal liquor. There are several varieties of the Tatratea, ranging from 72 % down to much lower % with more fruity flavor. We tried the original with 52 % alcohol and I must say, I much prefer that one to the more known equivalent Jägermeister and Fernet Branca.

Tatranský čaj – TatraTea – local tea-herbal liquer 52 %.

Stuffed, happy, and a little bit tipsy, I thanked the guide for her knowledge about the food and the city, and ventured off to explore more on my own.

PS: I only had a light snack for dinner in the evening. And the smoked sheep cheese sticks with the festival beer….

Practical information:
The Traditional Food Tour can be booked through Taste Bratislava. Booking in advance is essential.
Price: 59 € per person
Duration: 3-4 hours
Meeting place: Depends on the group, but in a central location downtown. Please ask when you book.

Three day horse-riding trip to Song Kul

The horse stood outside the house ready for me. I was a bit unsure if I was ready for him, it had after all been 10 years since last time I sat on a horse. I was happy though to see that my saddle was patched with a pillow, to ease the pain a bit.

I must admit that I struggled a bit getting myself up in the saddle at the first try. My guide Kalybek just smiled and made me try again, this time with greater success. Starting slow, the village houses were replaced by lush green fields, and I could see why Kyrgyzstan has a reputation of having beautiful nature. Crossing a river and resting in the shade, with Kalybek’s dog loyally followed our every move.

I rode through the fields on a horse with no name. At least Kalybek did not know it at that time. Maybe that is why it decided not to obey me, since we were not acquainted. And yes, I got that song stuck in my head, even though I rode through green plains rather than a desert.

Starting slowly uphill in the valley, the nature reigns. The sun was shining from the clear blue sky, and the only thing I heard was the rhythmic sound of hooves against the ground, and insects singing. Getting further, the sound of the stream took over.

As you probably figured, my horse was not too keen on moving fast, but at least it was slowly, but steadily moving towards the goal.

We rounded the ridge and a small yurt camp appeared on the green plain, bathing in sunlight. After 3.5 hours, both my horse and my butt were happy to get a break… As an attempt to reduce the risk of stiffness, I stretched a little before walking around the camp. The lighting was beautiful, and it all looked like an idyllic postcard from the time I was crazy about horses as a little girl. The herd of horses grazed with the beautiful mountains as backdrop, in harmony with the cows.

My first yurt camp. What a picture perfect place to spend the night!

The two ladies living in my small yurt camp started making dinner. While the food was boiling, they grabbed two buckets and walked towards the horses. I sensed what was in store, and followed them. The horses with foals were milked one by one, and within no time, the bucket was full of mare’s milk. Back in the dining yurt, the milk was mixed in a barrel with mare’s milk that was already fermented.

Dinner was served, starting with bread and many kinds of jam on the table, followed by a stew of potatoes, cabbage, carrots and some sheep meat. And tea. Lots of it. And eventually the kumis – fermented mare’s milk. Wondering what it tasted? My first thought was smoked cheese.

A tea bowl filled with kumis.

Rise and shine
The night on the thin mattress was surprisingly comfortable. I will not lie, I did not sleep like a princess, but it could have been worse. My biggest worry was that I thought I would be cold, but I actually woke up sweating! The good thing about waking up several times, was that I could enjoy the simulated stars by the light coming through the tiny holes in the yurt roof. First by the bright light of the almost full moon, then by the sunlight.

After breakfast, it was time to get back in the saddle. Though in a different one. Since the-horse-with-no-name and I never became best friends, Kalybek asked me to ride his horse, Buurul, instead. It worked like a charm, and we headed up the mountain with the dog as a loyal companion.

Along the way we met a man with two extra saddled-up horses, and tagged along with him for a while. When we at a later stage met some hikers and he offered them to rent the horses, I understood why. It was a match made in heaven for them after a steep hike in the hot sun.

Digital detox
Arriving at the top of the mountain, we could see the blue lake Song-Kul ahead of us, completely still, reflecting the mountains at the far end. Then I heard the beeps. Kalybek’s phone receiving messages, meaning mobile reception. My phone had been in flight mode since we left the village, and I was originally planning to leave it like that until we were back in the civilization. But I cracked. So much for digital detox… The mountain top was later named Wifi-Mountain…

View of Song Kul from the top of the mountain.

Kalybek had told me we would meet up with a friend of him, and it turned out that he was the guide of a nice Dutch couple, Tess and Julian, that I had met earlier in Bishkek! Teaming up with them, my horse found a new best friend, and followed Julian’s horse’s every move.

Arriving at our yurt camp close by Song-Kul, we had lunch, before the water of the lake was luring us to go swim. Being up at 3000 m, the water was refreshing. While laying on the pebbles drying in the intense sun, a flock of horses came to drink along the shore.

The beach and our yurt camp.

Second round of kumis
Kalybek’s family stayed in another camp nearby, so we got back on the horses to go visit them. We found them at the beach enjoying the sun. And kumis. The fermented mare’s milk is to be found everywhere in the yurt camps, and is very popular. I of course had to have a few sips of the sun-heated milk while looking out on the beautiful scenery by the cold lake.

Following them back to their yurt camp, I also tagged along to witness the milking process again. And to help mixing the milk with the bishkek afterwards.

Mares milk.

Back at our camp, we walked up the hill to watch the sunset after dinner. When the darkness came, most of the others went to bed, while I sat outside for a long time, just enjoying the silence, watching the full moon reflecting in the water, listening to the flag blazing in the wind, with the head of the dog laying on my lap demanding to be petted.

Waking up in paradise 

Morning mood by Song Kul lake.

Kalybek and his horse. And the loyal dog Laika.

What goes up, must go down… It does not look steep, but I can promise you it was…

I went through different stages of enthusiasm during the trip. About an hour in on the ride the first day, I was wondering how I would be able to make it through the rest. The second day I believed I could do anything, and that a few extra days would be a piece of cake, even riding an extra leg to visit Kalybek’s family. The last day started good, even galloping a bit through the plains and up the mountain. Then it was only downhill from there. Literally. I must admit going steep downhill was not my favorite, but luckily, I got used to it quickly, and Kalybek and his friend made sure we got down all right. Riding through the village, I was looking forward to having my feet back on solid ground again. Don’t get me wrong, it was just the perfect amount of time to enjoy myself, but not feeling that I should have gone on for an extra day.

And even if you do not have any skills with horses, I absolutely recommend this experience, fully enjoying the beautiful nature in Kyrgyzstan.

Booking:
I booked the horse trip one day in advance, through Apple Hostel. As I was alone, I paid 11.600 som for the three days. This included the horse, guide, 2 nights’ accommodation in yurt, 3x lunch, 2x dinner and 2x breakfast. If you are two or more people, the price goes down per person.

How to get there:
Apple Hostel is conveniently right next to the West bus station. Take bus number 514 to Kyzart from the far end of the bus station, on the side of the station building. Buy the ticket from the ticket office, price per person is 300 som. The first bus start to fill up at 7 in the morning, and leaves when it is full. When the bus leaves, you ask the driver to call the guide that will pick you up before you reach Kyzart, both to let him know approximate arrival time, and what intersection to drop you off. As I had bought a local sim-card (it is super cheap!), I used my own phone to call.

What to bring:
This of course depends on the season and weather. If it is sunny, the days are quite warm, so I wore shorts and t-shirt. I did however put on pants after the first day, as my leg got sore after rubbing against the straps for the stirrups. Evenings and nights get cold as it is quite high altitude. Based on my experience, here is my suggestion what to bring:
– Fully changed camera and phone for taking lots of pictures
– Extra power bank to charge your phone to take more pictures
– Headlight for the dark nights
– Wet wipes
– Sunscreen
– Full water bottle(s)
– Thermal underwear
– Woolen sweater
– Warm light down jacket
– Trousers with zip on/off legs so it can also be used as shorts
– One extra t-shirt
– Swimwear for the refreshing lake Song Kul and a sarong as towel
– Flip-flops
– Woolen hat and woolen gloves
– Waterproof poncho (you never know…)
– Underwear
– Toiletries
– And last but not least; a medium size backpack to pack the things above.

You can leave the rest of your luggage at the guesthouse where you start your trip.
I did not need to use the rain poncho or the hat and gloves, but I would absolutely bring them just in case. In the night I was sleeping in my thermal underwear, but it ended up being too hot, so I took my blanket away for a while to cool down.
Again, this is only based on my experience. Check with the guide about the current conditions for your trip, and pack accordingly.

Food tour in Bishkek

Local food is an important aspect of my travels, so whenever I find a food tour, I am in! Apple Hostel in Bishkek had just put together a food tour for their guests, and I was the first to sign up.

The main part of the tour took place at Osh Bazaar. The market is one of the largest in Bishkek, and you can find everything you need, from food to clothing, or maybe an extra key to your house.

Main entrance at Osh Bazaar.

Lepeshka is the traditional round bread, and a natural first stop on our tour, as bread is a very important part of a Kyrgyz meal. It is actually seen as sacred, and it is considered impolite to leave bread behind after a meal. Either you finish it, or you take it with you. Two other good things to know regarding the bread, is that it should not be left upside down, and if a local see a piece of bread on the ground outside, they pick it up and put it somewhere higher, so that birds or other animals easier can spot it.

Lepeshka – traditional bread.

Another very important part of the Kyrgyz culture, is the Kumis – fermented mare’s milk. It is widely found, especially in the yurts in the mountains, and of course also at the Osh Bazaar. It is actually so important, that the capital is named after the wooden stick used to mix the milk – the bishkek.

Our guide Aigul took us determined past the stalls selling cheese and honey, and ended up in front of a woman selling different kinds of homemade fermented drinks out of buckets. We started easy, with one made of corn, continuing with the wheat-based, and last, the fermented mare’s milk was presented. The first sip was interesting. The second went better, but I do not think it will ever be my favorite drink…

Bozo – drink made from fermented corn.

Kumis – fermented mare’s milk.

Byshtak – similar to cottage cheese.

Moving on to the large hall with food, we had lots of interesting things to try.

Small balls were lined up in large bags, with slightly different colours. The base for all of them were the same; yogurt and salt. Some were added spices for different taste, while others were smoked. Mutual for all of them was that they were left outside to dry in the sun. The longer they dried, the harder they got. Most of them were quite salty, and are often enjoyed as a beer snack. The fried and salted beans felt more like a suitable beer snack to me than the dried yogurt balls though.

Kurut – dried balls of yogurt with salt.

Too burchak – fried beans.

Another stall had a pile of what looked like rocks. And it turned out it was just that. Dried clay is an important source for minerals, so it is quite common to suck on them, especially for pregnant women.

Gulboton – when you crave minerals.

Next up was trying the local tobacco. It was not for smoking, but tiny black balls to put under the lower lip. Kind of like the Scandinavian “snus” for those familiar to that concept. I have never been a smoker, but as I try to taste the local things when travelling, I decided to give it a go.

Nasvai – Kyrgyz tobacco.

The locals usually have it in for two minutes, but we were advised to take it out after one. I believe it took me about 10 seconds to feel the effect. 5 seconds later, I felt really drunk! I kept it in for a little longer, but it did not last the full minute. Luckily, the sensation did not last very long.

The taste was not the best either, but small strawberries soon filled my mouth with its sweet taste, bringing back childhood memories from picking tiny wild strawberries in the woods.

Continuing on the sweet note, the colourful and super sweet “hvorost” was our last dessert at the market. I think it is safe to say that you can find something for every taste at the Osh Bazaar.

Hvorost.

The restaurant for our sit-down lunch was about 10 min walk away from the market. Aigul ordered three different dishes to share. With the food, we also got tea. According to Aigul, there are dissimilar traditions in the different regions how to pour the tea. She is from the north-west, where they pour just enough for a few mouthfuls. It is considered lazy if you pour more, meaning you think it is too much a hassle to pour several times. Especially the elderly can get offended. However, they are aware that there are different traditions all over the country, so I guess you will be off the hook as a visitor not knowing better.

Ganfan.

Lazdzhi.

Balyk sai.

The food tour in Bishkek left me with a little more knowledge about the food traditions in Kyrgyzstan, and many new tastes, and I am very glad I did this as an introduction at the beginning of my visit.

 

The food tour is mainly accessible for the guests staying at Apple Hostel, but if you stay somewhere else, it is possible to contact them for an offer; applehostelkg@gmail.com.

 

Day trip to Pyramiden

Visiting the ghost town Pyramiden was high on the list for my visit to Svalbard. Exploring these kinds of unusual sights are intriguing, and the guide gave insight to the way of life in this former Russian settlement.

After a nice lunch in Longyearbyen, I was ready for my afternoon trip to Pyramiden. Heading north with the mountains on one side, and the partly snow-caped mountains and glacier at the other side of the fjord, I was excited for this trip combining nature and the mystic ghost town.

Skansbukta, a bay in the outer part of Billefjorden, is known for the rich bird life and the former gypsum mine, and we could easily witness both from the boat. The mining for gypsum was not a success, so after two attempts, the mine was abandoned. We could still see the traces of the mining and the trappers hut at the beach, but the main attraction now is the birds. My personal favorite among them are the cute puffins!

A cute little puffin!

Heading on, I could see the massive glacier Nordenskiöldbreen in the distance. I ignored the fact that I was quite cold, and stayed out on the deck to enjoy the beautiful, yet grey, scenery. As the boat approached the majestic glacier, the wind silenced and the sun came out, warming up my frozen butt… I did bring more warm clothes, and they even have some thermic overall suites on board, but I was just too lazy to put them on. And I actually did not realize how cold I was until I felt the heat.

The grey clouds that had followed us all day cracked up, and gave way for the blue sky. This combined with the white clouds, and the white and blue glacier, made it picture perfect! Everyone on board came out to enjoy this powerful natural sight, and it felt like time stood still for a moment.

 

But Pyramiden (and the guide) was waiting, so we had to continue our journey.

Due to the risk of polar bears in the area, you are not allowed to walk around on your own without a gun or rifle, so we had to stay close to the guide at all times.

The Pyramiden area was originally Swedish territory, but they sold it to the Russians in 1927. They built the settlement at the foot of the Pyramiden mountain, hence the name of the town, and started mining for coal in 1956. It was considered a very lucrative job, both being very well paid, and also included free housing, food and entertainment. At the glory days, there were about 1800 people living in Pyramiden. Some workers came with their family, others came alone. In one of the apartment buildings, the top floor was for single women and the bottom floor was for single men. The floors between were for couples and families. Very few left Pyramiden still single…

An apartment building in Pyramiden.

The workers were not allowed to stay for more than two years, both to prevent depression during polar nights, but also to give the opportunity to others to work and save money to start a new life back at the mainland.

The houses in the town were modern, the culture center had a concert hall and a sports room, they had a nice swimming pool, a large cantina and a hotel. And even imported grass from the Soviet Union!

The decline started with the fall of the Soviet Union, and combined with the tragic plane crash in 1996, where most of the deceased were workers at Pyramiden, it was the beginning of the end for the settlement. In 1998 most of the workers left the town, and left everything behind. Maybe they thought things would get better and they would move back some day, or maybe it was just too expensive to move everything. The theories are many.

After being deserted for 10 years, some Russians started to inhabit Pyramiden again in 2008 to attract tourists. Today there are only two buildings that has electricity, and most of the houses are locked up. No one are allowed to enter the buildings without permission, but the guided tour takes you inside some of them to witness the grandness of the glory days. Today there are 3-4 persons living in Pyramiden all year around to maintain the buildings, while there are about 10 extra people during the season.

It is a very special experience walking around a ghost town like Pyramiden. It seemed dead quiet, but all of a sudden a fox came sneaking around a corner, curiously following the group at safe distance.

Arriving at the cultural center, we were allowed to walk freely inside. The house is pretty run down, but if you look closely, you can still see some of the fine details; such as the engraved polar bear on the floor downstairs.

 

A polar bear engraved in the floor.

Several music instruments were scattered around in different rooms, once used to play music in the concert hall. Pyramiden was a haven where they could listen to music that was banned elsewhere in the Soviet Union, like for instance jazz.

The sports hall had a thick layer of dust on the floor, and reminded me of the sports room in another former Soviet area; the cultural center in Pripyat in Chernobyl. 

Standing at the porch of the cultural center, you can look out at the whole city of Pyramiden, with the glacier and the mountains as a beautiful backdrop. And the back head of the northernmost statue of Lenin, that enjoy the same view.

Lenin looking out over Pyramiden and Nordenskiöldbreen.

The large cantina looked like a nice ballroom, with wooden floor, large windows, flowery wallpaper, and a large mosaic art piece above the staircase. Back at the kitchen the relics of the state-of-the-art equipment from that time remains.

Care for some ice cream?

  

Our last stop was at the hotel. Originally built in 1989, it still has the Soviet style even though part has been renovated to be more modern. The room where the bar is situated still has the original walls and ceilings, but the bar is new. And rich. Not in the sense of money, as the prices are quite cheap, but the selection is wide. They have their own beer and vodka as well. I of course had to try them both. Apparently, Russians have a tradition to drink alcoholic beverages containing the same % of alcohol as the latitude they are at, so if you feel adventurous, you can get a strong shot. Being at 79°, I did not feel the need to act like a local. Regular vodka was enough.

Leaving Pyramiden, I wish I had more time and could stay overnight. You are not allowed to walk freely around without a gun or rifle though, but if you are licensed you can go for hikes up the mountain. Or just enjoy the scenery. And send a postcard from this unusual outpost.

As the boat headed back towards Longyearbyen, I caught a last glimpse of the white and blue glacier, while puffins were flying by the window.

Practical information: 
Book online in advance. 
The catamaran leaves at 13.30, but pickup at the hotels are earlier.
Bring warm woolen clothes, including scarf, gloves and a hat, so you can stay outdoor and enjoy the scenery.
You can only pay by cash at Pyramiden, as they do not have signal for the card machines to be online.

 

Day trip from Kiev to Chernobyl

Chernobyl. The word alone evoke fear among the people born in the 80’s and earlier, that can remember this horrible April night in 1986. The iron curtain over the Soviet Union prevented the information about the accident to reach the rest of the world for several days. Even the inhabitants of the nearby town Pripyat knew nothing about the danger.

The model town Pripyat was built in 1970, at the same time as the nuclear power plant Chernobyl. The town was constructed to house the workers at the power plant, and their families. The building went fast, and as the city mainly consisted of high-rise apartment buildings, the area in itself was not very large. With a large supermarket, the school, swimming pools, sports arena and the culture center with cinema and sports hall, the inhabitants had what they needed. In addition, they had places for leisure along the river. The day before the accident, the amusement park with the large Ferris wheel – that later became the symbol of the ghost town for many- was finished. The plan was to open it for the celebration of May 1^st.

Then the unforeseen happened. The frightening accident that characterized the worldview ever since. On the night of April 26, 1986, the nuclear engineers prepared a system test to find out how the reactor responded to maximum power and how long the turbines would work after the power had been cut off. The security system was disconnected, so before they reacted and did something about the situation, the disaster was already a fact.

Overheating caused reactor 4 to explode and a cloud of radioactivity was shot high into the air. A combination of panic and paralysis followed. The Soviet Union tried to hide the accident, but the cloud was spread by the wind, and researchers in other countries, including Sweden, recorded radioactive deposition. At first, they wondered if it could be due to accidents at their own power plants, but as there were no accidents reported, it had to come from elsewhere. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, they discussed what they should do.

In lack of a decision on evacuation, the amusement park was opened to entertain the still unaware residents. Not until the day after the evacuation buses had arrived, residents were transported away from the city, announcing that it would be a short-term evacuation. For most of them, this was the very last time they set foot in Pripyat.

On the way to Pripyat, we passed a village totally covered by trees. Ironically, the original name of the village, Zalissya, is translated to “behind the trees”. Little did they know how true that would be…

The kindergarten in Kopachi village. Most of the houses in the village itself has been torn down and the remains has been buried.

One of the self settlers that moved back and are now living within the 10 km zone.

Monument for the fire fighters.

Fast forward, 30 years
A little more than 30 years later, I get off the mini bus from SoloEast Travel and set my foot at the broken asphalt close to the supermarket. In my hand I have a Geiger counter. It releases regular beeps and shows stable levels, not higher than for example in Kiev. Grass and small bushes grow fast in the asphalt cracks, and tall trees have long ago started the covering operation around the rest of the city. There is a powerful silence, only interrupted by the wind in the trees, and the beeps from the Geiger counter. We are all aware of the seriousness of the incidence bringing us here. The comments and laughter after the absurd music video and movie trailer we were shown on the bus on our way from Kiev (cannot be described, must be experienced. Or, preferably not ….) has stopped.

Around us, behind lush green trees, we see the typical grey Soviet brick buildings. Most of the facades are still intact, but the decay from the time, ravages and looting is clearly visible when we get closer. Glass and wooden pieces lay around everywhere. The only thing that is more or less intact in the supermarket, are signs hanging from the roof to indicate the shelf placements. The checkouts and carts are scattered around.

Despite the bad condition of the buildings, we can wander around quite freely. Shards of glass crunch under my shoes as I walk around in the cultural center.  Water from the rain the day before is dripping at my head when I peak into the room that used to be the cinema. Little resembles that now, other than the three lonely cinema chairs at row three. The football and basketball goals in the next-door room are quite intact, and the broken glass from the large windows still crunch under my feet. The windows that once gave view overlooking the amusement park with the majestic Ferris wheel.

Down the stairs, and out the backdoor. Fading colored bumper cars are randomly scattered around. The ticket booth does not exactly invite you to buy a ticket for a ride. I can almost hear the false music from the horror movies from other abandoned amusement parks.

The swimming pool was one of three in Pripyat, and it was actually in use until 1996 by workers that are still in the area. It was open two hours a day, and since there was no radiation inside the building, they had to wash the shoes every time they entered. Now the lush green trees grow through the broken windows, and leaves and trash fill the bottom. It is strange to see the contrast to how lively swimming pools usually are.

Arriving at the school building, we received strict orders not to go out in the backyard. The vegetation has taken over completely, and the soil has high radiation. Otherwise, we could move freely inside the building, through the hallways and into the classrooms where the desks stood lined up, with papers fluttering around the floor. In one room, posters with historical photos were hanging side by side the woodwork instructions. In another room, many gas masks were piled up. On a chair in the middle of the room sat a doll with a gas mask on, obviously placed there as a powerful motive for photography. I continue the expedition. Up the stairs, all the way to the roof, where I looked out over the overgrown area. The silence was broken by birds singing. After the people left the area and nature took over, it has become a bustling wildlife with species from all over northern Ukraine.

To end the visit in Pripyat, we took a walk around the recreation area by the water. Overlooking the water from a patio, it seemed very peaceful.

Recreation area down by the water.

Walking further, that was when the Geiger counter went crazy.

 

On our way back from the past, we got a closer look at the future. Reactor 4 that exploded in 1986 was later covered by a sarcophagus in concrete as a temporary solution. Over time, this has become more and more disintegrate, and a new steel sarcophagus has been built to be rolled straight over the reactor. This also makes it the world’s largest mobile steel construction.

Reactor 4.

Before leaving the area, everyone has to be checked for radiation on the clothes.

Visiting a ghost town like this make a big impression. The first thought is, of course, the tragedy that occurred and everyone affected. Both then and afterwards. I admit I had mixed feelings going there; I felt I stepped on the history of those who were hit hardest, while it is important to learn more about the history and consequences. Many thoughts were spinning in the minds of the group, as we sat in silence in the bus going back to Kiev.