Larry Memmott's Blog

Ala Archa National Park is our closest escape from Bishkek. Only about 25 miles from Bishkek, we can be there in just over half an hour from the house. And it is an incredible place. The photos from below are from two hikes I have taken up there. If I could, I’d be there every day.

(Click on the thumbnails to see larger versions.)

We got our jeep and immediately had to get out of town and see a bit more of the country. The first weekend we were going to drive up to Ala Archa, a mountainous national park just 25 miles south of the city. However, as we were leaving town we were passed by a motorcycle. The rider was someone Tatyana and I had met just two nights before at the Korean National Day reception. He is American and working for one of the international organizations here in town. He had been telling us about his adventures exploring the country by motorcycle, and particularly about a road close by Bishkek.

Well, as it turns out, he was headed for that road, and he offered to show us the way. So we left the trip to Ala Archa for another day and followed him up the road. We found a beautiful area on the side of the mountain and went for a walk (our guide had continued on ahead of us). If you want to see where we were on the map, you can look here (you can zoom in close enough to see the individual trees).

Natasha, Sevara and Tatyana

The area was forested with weathered old junipers

There was a family there picking barberries. They are a sour berry used to flavor plov (and other things). We picked a few ourselves, but the bushes are filled with thorns, so you really need gloves to pick the berries.

Aliciya and her cousin, Sevara, had a little picnic

Looking cool

A few days later we went up to the Manas Transit Center for “Family Day.” We were up there for work (to accompany visiting Kyrgyz officials) but had a great time. Colonel Holt, the Transit Center Director, took us out to visit one of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers that fly out of the center to provide aerial refueling for coalition aircraft over Afghanistan.

At the airfield

Just one more cute photo of Aliciya and Sevara

Here are a few photos from around Bishkek.

For starters, in Ala Too Square on Independence day, these kids were having a great time with the fountains.

At Panfilova Park, in Central Bishkek

One of the shopping centers in town

Playing in front of the store

Out for pizza!

Playing in the yard. Need to get some pics of the house and yard.

I really enjoyed the Kok-boru. So much that when I put up the entry on it, I got carried away, I guess, putting up so many photos. And I entirely forgot the photos of spectators I shot. They are just as interesting, I think. Here they are:

The old men here are fascinating.

Their hats are fantastic.

Just a coupla guys out at the ball game - well, the goat carcass game, anyway.

Concentrating on the action.

The men in uniform are in the stands, too.

In fact, all ages were well represented.

Kok-boru is the national sport of Kyrgyzstan. On September 1, Independence Day for Kyrgyzstan, top diplomats were invited to watch the finals of the President’s Cup, the national championship. Here are some photos I got and a bit of explanation.

For starters, maybe a bit of an explanation of the game. Here is what Wikipedia says: “Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis is a traditional Central Asian team sport played on horseback. The steppes’ people were skilled riders who could grab a goat or calf from the ground while riding a horse at full gallop. The goal of a player is to grab the carcass of a headless goat or calf and then get it clear of the other players and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle or vat.”

The Face Off #1

So, I don’t know much about the game yet, but they set these two guys against each other, clearly with the idea that one of them should grab that goat up off of the ground. They had a hard time of it, though.

You can hardly even see the carcass of the goat in the dust on the ground, but look at how the horsemen use their horses almost as weapons against each other.

The guy in red is keeping his opponent as far from the goat as possible.

Look at the manes on those horses! Our friend in the maroon is pushing through!

But even though he’s moving his opponent, he can’t get the goat himself.

He may be getting frustrated – lifting that whip in anger. It’s not clear to me that much of anything is considered foul play in kok-boru.

I’m not sure how the determination was made, but somebody decided that this match was a stalemate, and the rest of the players were let loose to create havoc and see if the goat could be shaken loose.

This is looking like he’s going to get it.

But no, he lost it again and now the maroon team is going for it!

The red shirts are right on him, trying to stop him.

One of them has muscled his way in, again.

And they are off!!! Now racing toward the goal, and still fighting for control of the goat!

All the players converging on the one with the goat . . .

He’s pulling ahead, though, defended by his teammates.

But look at this guy coming in . . .

Now we’re on our way!

He seems to have the goat well in hand . . .

He actually failed to make the goal on that run, but let’s switch to one of his teammates, just a few minutes later, who is more successful.

This guy is definitely bringing it home. And look at his horse. That animal knows what it is doing. In fact, specially bred and trained kok-boru horses sell for as much as $15,000!

And here the goat goes into the goal!!!!!

I may have a new favorite sport! Definitely, I need to attend some more matches!

We had a nice visit to Utah. We went up to Park City for a couple of days and got to spend some time with family.

We left Washington at the end of July and took the kids to Orlando — six Disney parks in six days. It was a lot of fun, even if it was pretty tiring. With so much to do and see, we didn’t get a lot of photos.

We were in Washington for most of June and July this year for training and consultations before coming out to Bishkek (where I am now, waiting for Aliciya and Tatyana to join me). We spent all our weekends together with William, Christina and Alexandra and had a great time. Here are a few pics from those weeks.

Since I\’ve been Acting Deputy Chief of Mission for the past weeks, we\’ve been invited to lots of receptions. Tatyana looks so good dressed up to go out. I shot this one just before leaving for a party.

For Memorial Day we always have a really nice event at the American Cemetery. As we were leaving after the event, I noticed the two flags lifted by the wind over the cemetery.

The Ambassador loves Basketball, so when the Harlem Globetrotters came to town, she had them to her residence for a reception. This is Skyscraper Alleyne, together with Tanya and I, and two friends from the embassy. At 7’2″ Skyscraper is the tallest player on the team.

and standing next to Tanya, Skyscraper looks like he’s 8’2″ tall.