Comments on: Kyrgyzstan: Best Tourist Sights and Landscapes http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kyrgyzstan-best-sights-landscapes/ measuring the Earth with our feet... Fri, 24 May 2013 08:49:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Daniel Noll http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kyrgyzstan-best-sights-landscapes/comment-page-1/#comment-467827 Daniel Noll Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:40:20 +0000 http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/?p=6497#comment-467827 @Chris: Good question! While in Kyrgyzstan, we spoke in Russian (at various levels of ability :). The mixing bowl effect, particularly in Osh, was more a result of deliberate conflict-prone borders drawn through the area by Stalin during the days of the U.S.S.R. The idea was to stir enough conflict among various ethnic groups so they wouldn't have time to make trouble for the mother state. As for Kyrgyz ethnicity, it is technically a blend of Siberian and Turkic influences. Having said that, the traditional way of living - nomadic, in yurts, shepherding, etc. -- is more Mongolian, I suppose, which is probably a remnant of Mongolian conquest in the 13th century. Russian influence was a function of the occupation of the 20th century. @Chris: Good question!

While in Kyrgyzstan, we spoke in Russian (at various levels of ability :) .

The mixing bowl effect, particularly in Osh, was more a result of deliberate conflict-prone borders drawn through the area by Stalin during the days of the U.S.S.R. The idea was to stir enough conflict among various ethnic groups so they wouldn’t have time to make trouble for the mother state. As for Kyrgyz ethnicity, it is technically a blend of Siberian and Turkic influences. Having said that, the traditional way of living – nomadic, in yurts, shepherding, etc. — is more Mongolian, I suppose, which is probably a remnant of Mongolian conquest in the 13th century. Russian influence was a function of the occupation of the 20th century.

]]> By: Chris Pearrow http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kyrgyzstan-best-sights-landscapes/comment-page-1/#comment-462183 Chris Pearrow Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:30:02 +0000 http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/?p=6497#comment-462183 This is awesome. What a destination! You mention Osh was a mixing bowl, which is interesting as I´d also been curious where Central Asian cultures were unqiue in and of themselves or whether they leaned in certain directions (more russian, more east asian, more near-eastern, etc.) what would you say? Also, did you have a guide or take lessons in Krygyz? How did you communicate? This is awesome. What a destination! You mention Osh was a mixing bowl, which is interesting as I´d also been curious where Central Asian cultures were unqiue in and of themselves or whether they leaned in certain directions (more russian, more east asian, more near-eastern, etc.) what would you say? Also, did you have a guide or take lessons in Krygyz? How did you communicate?

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