Almaty, December 1

The morning smells of fresh manty (dumplings filled with mutton or beef), samsas (other snacks filled with mutton, beef, cheese or anything within grasp of the cook) and laghman (noodle broth with beef). Yes, Central Asian cuisine has its limits. I'm definately looking forward to food paradise one: the unfulpraised Chinese people's cage, errr republic. Paradise two of course being the Indian subcontinent.

I travelled through Kyrgyzstan for 7 days, and my negative experience with the police was nothing compared to the positives (amazing people and landscapes I have met and seen) since. This travel needs some explanation. Going from one place to the next in this part of the world involves folding your body inside an "avtobus" or marshrutka (minivan). These things are usually carrying twice the amount of people they were built for. It's funny to see old German or Dutch machines navigating the streets in Kyrgyzstan (often still reading "Loewe Reisen nach Italien" or "Veenstra Koelwaren" ). These busses and vans get a second life here. Unfortunately, the safety readings inside are also in Dutch or German, languages that are not widely understood here. Except by the unlucky Dutch traveller, whom they give one more reason to be doubtful about the safety of his current journey.

Lake Issyk-Kol is amazing. The lake, itself at 1650 m above sea level, is on both sides flanked by high mountains. To the south the Terskey Alatow, 5500 m high; to the north the Kyungey Alatow, with peaks over 4000 m. Moreover, unlike the Alps, these mountain chains come in the form of continuous chains - walls of snow and ice. It was still possible to do some hiking and horse riding, but only short trails, not up to the higher places. It's definately a place to go back to in summer. Because the snow is everywhere, I just visited places near the lake's shores that I thought of interest. Like the grave and memorial of Nikolai Przhewalsky, the 19th century Russian explorer of Central Asia. A small museum nearby contained an exposition of this guy's amazing voyages. I also visited the petroglyphs of Cholpon-Ata: rock carvings depicting animals and hunting scenes, dating from anywhere between the 8th century BC and 1st century AD.

My second visit to Bishkek was also a better experience than the first. Not least because the sun shone and the brilliant Kyrgyz Alatow mountains were visible in the backdrop. Also, once you get to know a city (and its bus drivers begin to recognize you) you begin to feel more at home. I was searched again by the police, but this time I was wise enough to keep my finger on the lid of my wallet when they asked to see its content.

And now I am in Almaty, back in Kazakhstan. This city (also with towering mountains above it) is BIG. It is so modern, expensive and rich I almost have a culture shock, coming from Kyrgyzstan. Of course Kazakhstan has oil whereas Kyrgyzstan hasn't, yet it makes you wonder about the difference between the rich authoritarian state (Kazakhstan) and the poor democratic one (Kyrgyzstan). The Kyrgyz are very proud of their record of busting dictators though. Coming days I am going to explore Almaty and see its famous ice stadium.