Very Holman Hunt and Biskek.

If I had written this yesterday as planned I would have sounded very enthusiastic because yesterday was a good day, but in truth today has been good too, just a bit too tired now to express it.

I know I have already made some entries for yesterday but it was an interesting day. I set off a bit late for work yesterday as I had been chatting to two guests from Australia.  Like before they were in their 70's.  So pretty impressive. Then walking along the road I realised the music teacher was ahead of me. I had only just caught up with him when the bus stopped by us and I hopped on with him.  No charge.   It just dropped us half way, but maybe this is an option for winter time.  Anyway we wondered up to the school singing yesterday and arrived in fine spirits.  So the gloomy face of our head stopped our smiles.  But I know her well enough now to know that if she is like that something is going on. So it was not a surprise when the man who set up our school turned up for the second time this week with some dignitaries  Just like in the UK one always has to demonstrate success, organisation and planning and miracles   The dignitary was introduced as a governor and I thought that they meant school governor, so was surprised when told it was unusual for a governor to attend the school However, in the end it turned out he was the Governor or something similar for our area and this was his first visit to the school and the good news he was impressed, and his support is important, which explained the tension earlier.  Once he left her good spirits returned and we were able to relax with a tea.  However, I actually just wanted to continue sorting out my scheme of work.

About 4 I realised that the art teacher was working on his design so I popped out and joined him for a bit, and on the way home was struck by the Holman Hunt like quality of the scene and got side tracked to take some photos.

 For reasons I do not fully understand although I like where I live, I have not been blown away by it.  However, I have to say going and getting these pictures felt good and I do like seeing how the light shifts over the mountains.  By the time I got home I was desperate to crash out, but the manager of the guest house, stopped me en route to my room to say, a) that there was a group having a meeting in the lounge area next to my room so I would not be able to go through and b) the guest house was full up on Saturday so I would not be able to stay.  Ugh.  Well I was able to give him the news I would be away Saturday night so could move everything out of my room and rather than crash out I went and finished the sow in the dinning area.  Every now and then I tried the internet: nothing.   I could have got a lift to Biskek Friday night but I had stupidly booked to do some online work at 9.30.so relaxing was difficult.  By the time I had cleared up my room it looked most dejected.  But at dinner was really impressed with the slap up meal that the ASHU had prepared for the group of economists who have been working away all week in the place. I had hoped that I could speak with them about developing the apple market or doing something economically sensible with the rubbish that dots the landscape, but although they were always friendly, saying hello, I did not get the chance and now they were able to have speeches, and celebrations so the opportunity had gone.  But looking at their meal was like seeing a Christmas scene, three roast chickens (unusual here)salad, bread, drinks etc.  It looked brilliant.  Me and the other guests gradually departed and left them to it. But sadly still no internet, which is why I did not write this yesterday. But with 10 minutes to spare I suddenly got the connection so was able to work.

This morning I was up at 6.30 to finished tidying out my room and to catch the bus to Biskek and yippee it worked, no problem. By 10 I was here.  However, working out which way up the town was and how to get to my hostel heaven knows.   Having consulted the map at the bus station, I set off and was about to turn left, when I realised that the sign said Almaty to left which I knew must be wrong way.  Over the next couple of hours, I asked several people but no one could quite tell me how to get here ( I am sat in the kitchen writing this) but each person I asked the nearer I was.

To my surprise Biskek looked very downbeat, just huge restaurants and little hairdressers and car shops, I was sure I was going in the wrong direction and nowhere had name labels.  When I came on a bigger road and realised it was Chuy and on my makeshift map. A quick bus trip brought me to another road on my map and to my delight there was - no not the youth hostel, but the opticians I was advised might be able to help me with my glasses.  I am pleased to say, they were not phased by my need for English or for a solution to the broken specs and by 11.30 I had arranged for a new frame to be fitted onto my old lenses. After that I walked and walked and though sometimes I would see something that I thought looked like something on my map, everything was further than I had expected  However, it was all a lot posher than before..  Suddenly the sight of a very nice looking coffee shop was too much and before I knew what was happening I had gone in ordered coffee and cheese cake!  what can I say, a million miles from England but my old habits back immediately I am in an urban environment.    Half an hour later, I was finally at the location given for the hostel, but I still could not see it.  So I had to phone the people connected to it. Moments later a young woman, with two lovely kids, welcomed me, took me down the road, through a gate and up 5 flights of stairs to this flat.  It is not very nice, and the bathroom is shared, but it will suffice for tonight.  But boy does it make me realise how lovely having en suite is at the ASHU.  It is so different here to Chong Kemin. Smelly on the outskirts with petrol fumes, but nicer in the centre. Lots of little shops but also some more modern and western shops.  I actually enjoyed window shopping and was able to find some things for school and spotted the cafe where I am meeting one of the Americans I met last week,  so all in all very successful.  Some of the women are stunning and incredibly tiny, it seems a young city.    I will be hard pressed to find shoes big enough for me here. People are quite fashionable too.  After I had picked up my new frames I finally found all the tourist spots that I had somehow missed on the way before.  In the sun it all seemed very gentle.  See if you can spot the super large hats on the guards, I was not sure if they were real people at first, and thought I better be discrete taking their photos, but some aspects of power are hilarious. (perhaps Busbies seem just as daft).  Anyway I have now come back to the flat and I am writing this. My legs are killing me, but tomorrow I look forward to American Breakfast and a good chat before catching the bus back to the quiet of the countryside.