May bank holiday

I always knew this bank holiday away would be a little weird but it is weirder than expected. Booking for Issky kul the most popular tourist destination in the country out of season, I couldn't decide what was best a proper lakeside hotel in the main tourist spot or the CBT community tourism in a village. . I probably should have done the latter , as the villages are full of apple blossom, but in the end decided it would be safer to come to the main tourist spot as at least there would be restaurants something to do in bad weather and it would be easier to work out where to get off the bus.  But the first problem was getting on the bus.  My original plan had been to catch the 8 am bus but when I was invited to join the guy from seminar group for breakfast I decided to risk getting the 9 o clock bus, which was nice as The Ashu was full of people I vaguely knew and it was bright and sunny and lovely having a relaxing breakfast on the terrace.   I almost regretted having booked to go away but as there was no room for me almost had no choice and I wanted to see Issky kul again.  Apparently the hotel staff had booked for me to stay with my head, but I only got to know of this when they rang to apologise to say I would now have to stay with her two nights, instead of one. At which point I was able to tell them not to worry as I was going away. As I missed  a call from her whilst I was at the beach, I am guessing they did not bother to tell her that I was not staying with her after all.    I got to Kemin where I had to pick up the bus here about 9.45 and then it was a question of trying to spot the right number bus and flag them down.  Several people were also trying to go to Karakol judging from the conversations they were having with the cars that were also stopping to offer lifts (you just pay towards the petrol)  and we all commiserated with each other as one bus after another failed to stop. I was so busy listening to car conversations that I almost missed the fact that a bus had stopped and had to rush to catch it.  So that was the most important thing achieved,  the thing I was most worried about, and it had only taken an hour, but working out where the hotel was once I got to Cholpan Ata was slightly more difficult than expected.  When I came through town in November there were huge signs up announcing Cholpon Ata, but I did not spot anything this time to say where I was, Luckily I had met a nice English speaking Kyrgyz women, when we stopped for coffee en route,  who, informed me that my sister school in Kant has a bad reputation except for my English colleague! (the one who has left) She also told me where to get off the bus, but then finding someone who knew the hotel was a bit more problematic.  I stopped for coffee and something to eat to get my bearings. Much to my embarrassment after almost 9 months here I still could only work out what two things were on the menu but did not fancy either of them, luckily they had samsa which is a perfect snack, but the staff then sent me in the wrong direction for the hotel. As it is a major tourist spot I thought that like Karakol ther emight be a tourist information bureau, or English spoken, but nothing so I asked at the museum, who found out the information and sent me off in the right direction. I walked most of the way, but then gave up and got a taxi here.  Once here, that was when it got weird, no reception area, no one asking my name or speaking English, at first I could not even see the hotel. There were what looked like lots of holiday apartments. In the end I found a building right at the end of the route, but no sign of a reception, just a cleaner who rang someone who said she was here.  I said I was here but where was she?  Bishkek,! She confirmed when dinner was and then I was just shown into this room, with its broken blinds and cigarette butts. No tea, coffee or anything but they put the heating on despite it being boiling today.  But once I got down to the beach, all to myself I decided it was just about manageable because there is something magic about the Lake even in a hotel with no facilities.  It was a bit too cold for swimming but lovely for paddling. I sat for several hours, writing up my report for how the year has gone.

After that  I did try walking back into town to see if there was a tea room anywhere but gave up as it was too far. By the time 7 o clock came I was really hungry, but the cafe was locked,and none of the other people I had seen wandering around were in sight, so in the end I knocked and knocked and the door was eventually unlocked and I was seated at a table with two salads. When I asked why for two when I was one, one apple was removed so I guess it was my table, but I felt like I was in some weird movie.   About 10 people eventually came in but it was all very separate not like at The Ashu where most people at least say Good Evening.

Anyway I am now watching an old black and white Russian film, no idea what it is about, but it is nicer than the news from Ukrained which gets worse and worse.