Second stop on "Stan" tour, a couple days in and around Bishkek
Ala-Too Square, Bishkek. This was the first test run that confirmed, as our guide told us, that nobody cares about you flying a drone here.
Ala-Too Square, Bishkek. You really don't appreciate the symmetry of the planters in this square at ground level.
Ala-Too Square, Bishkek
Ala-Too Square, Bishkek. These guys didn't even blink with a drone buzzing overhead.
Pobeda Square, Bishkek. WWII memorial. There was a wedding party there as we visited. It's common for couples to bring flowers here on their wedding day. These small countries, as part of the Soviet Union, had casualties of at least 25% the total American casualties, while having populations of 1-2% the size of USA. The sacrifice is still very prominently honored throughout this region.
Pobeda Square, Bishkek
Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Bishkek
Lenin statue, Bishkek
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels statue, Bishkek
Aerial view showing Ala-Too Square & Kyrgyzstan White House. Several minutes in, I realized I had been flying directly above the White House (Presidential quarters).
Bullets fired from White House rooftop snipers during 2010 revolution. Estimates of ~2000 deaths over 8 months.
Memorial for 2010 revolution
Food trucks, Kyrgyzstan style
Bishkek Opera House
Manaschi (Kyrgyzstan epic poem)
Socialist realist sculptures @ National Arts Museum
Panfilov Park, Bishkek
Panfilov Park... Soviet-era park shaped like a pentagram
The bottom right of pentagram has a Ferris wheel called "Satan's Wheel", in case you think the park's shape is an accident. This shot is from ~850 ft elevation.
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge, ~1300 ft elevation.
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Ala Archa Gorge
Osh Bazaar
Osh Bazaar, The meat section is divided by animals like the Green Market in Almaty, sections for Cow, Sheep, Horse, etc. Pigs are in a completely different area. This place was quite the house of horrors, probably enough to turn a kid vegan. This pic is from the Horse section. The areas for cows and sheep have a familiar butcher type smell. The horse area.... there is just something very unsettling there. A sickly sweet and unfamiliar smell.
Osh Bazaar... all manner of dried fruits and grains. The sheer volume and variety was impressive.
Beet & apple salad at Arzu... this place had a menu that seemed like 50 pages long.
Arzu: Kebabs, Manti, Pilaf, Borsch, Boorsoq
Navat: Shish kebabs
Pilaf at Navat restaurant