Kyrgyzstan > Plov with salad

Kyrgyzstan - The snowy mountain pass on the north side of Son Kul Lake

Although it is cold at night around Lake Son Kul, it was cozy in the yurt, in the sleeping bag, and with a thick blanket. When I step outside, a cold wind is still blowing. The sun has little strength yet. After breakfast, which includes pancakes and pudding, we continue our drive. We follow the unpaved road around the lake, carefully avoiding the potholes. Children wave from the yurts. On the northern side, we leave Lake Son Kul again. The pass is snowy, with snow remnants on both sides. It has probably snowed here recently. The road itself is passable, with only some snow on the highest section. We drive carefully over it. Then the descent begins. A winding road leads us down into the valley. The road comes out onto the main road from Naryn to Bishkek. From here, we follow a good asphalt road to Kochkor, where we have lunch at a small restaurant by the market. There is a lot of activity on the streets. It is touch-and-go whether we stay dry—dark clouds pass by, and occasionally a thunderclap sounds. Apart from a few drops, it stays dry. After lunch, we drive to Lake Issyk-Kul, a large lake over 200 kilometers long. The clear blue water contrasts beautifully with the surrounding mountains. At the village of Tosor on the southern side of the lake, we find a cozy hotel with excellent rooms and, most importantly, a proper shower. We were all ready for that. Several tourists are staying here as well: Israelis, Czechs, Kazakhs, and Russians. Together, we have dinner: plov with salad. It tastes excellent while the sun slowly sets over Lake Issyk-Kul.