Kyrgyzstan, like Tajikistan, is more than 80% mountains, many of them over 3000 meters high and the highest reaching over 7000m (within the Tian Shen range, near the Chinese border). Some of the hikes are easily accessible from the capital Bishkek – such as Ala Archa, where I went with Shamil the guide. (A great recommendation from the Tourist Office within the Bishkek History museum.) I only had just over a half a day available (had a ticket for the ballet that night) so we couldn’t go too far. An hour’s drive and we were in the foothills. The path was well used, if frozen and slippery, and Shamil produced a pair of chains to attach to my boots. A few yards into the walk we were welcomed by a red squirrel and a flock of very friendly tits. Shamil had brought some sunflower seeds for them and there was a feast.

On the way up we met (well, were overtaken by) a number of climbers with enormous rucksacks on their backs. They were going up to Uchitel’, one of the peaks, and were going to spend a fortnight trekking. Shamil was planning on climbing up the next day to spend some time with them.

The trip to the two waterfalls and to lake Issyk-Kul (south side) , the second highest above-sea- level inland water after lake Titicaca, was an all day trip that started at 6 am, in the dark, and snow falling. The two waterfalls were both frozen and the walk to them was a bit of a challenge through knee-high snow (and falling). Good fun though.

The Fairy Canyon is a pretty area of erosion and water shaped forms. One could easily spend hours wondering around. The Issyk-Kul lake changes colour with the weather. The beach felt muddy and cold but one could see why it was so popular with the Kyrgyz – after all, theirs is a landlocked country and Issyk-Kul the closest to what a sea offers.

The Bishkek Art Museum has been given a “starter” stock by the Soviet authorities in the 80’s – the Bradt Guide wryly comments that the St Petersburg museums were hardly going to miss any of these works. But I found I liked a few of them.

The ballet I went to see was in two parts, classical and modern, both with references to spring. Not many tickets had been sold, so a group of soldiers on national service was brought in. They clapped very enthusiastically.