02:00 AM, the single-aisle plane touches down on the tarmac.
02:10, we set foot in the airport.
02:15, our passports are stamped.
02:17, our driver lets us know via WhatsApp that he’s arrived and asks what time we’ll be out. Good thing I bought an eSIM—he won’t be waiting for an answer in vain!
02:25, our suitcases are on the carousel.
02:30, we dive into the reserved sedan!
That was a quick entry into the country!
I guess it’s been a while since I’ve been in such an old and tiny airport...
El Hierro maybe, but that’s not the main airport of a country with around 7.5 million people.
The Toyota speeds toward downtown Bishkek, ignoring speed limits...
Except near the many speed cameras.
In 20 minutes, we’re done—we’re standing in front of our hotel’s receptionist at this hotel.
The credit card doesn’t work, we don’t have any cash yet, but no worries—we’ll pay tomorrow!
The room is spacious and modern. We collapse onto the bed and quickly drift off to dreamland.
---/---
What time did she say breakfast was?
Starting at 08:00, I think!
If you like early mornings and not leaving on an empty stomach, don’t plan this destination...
Kyrgyz hosts aren’t early risers, and 8 or 9 AM seems to be the perfect time for them to serve their omelets or porridge, along with a few cucumber slices, tomato wedges, some Gouda-like cheese slices, and something weird that looks like sausage.
The tea bags are waiting to be tortured in boiling water, and a bit of Nescafé is bored in its jar.
No fruit juice, no fruit, and rarely flavored yogurt—sweet things aren’t part of the routine here!
Only the jam lets you end on a sweet note, usually homemade with red berries or apricots.
And the bread?
A few slices are finishing their long life in the basket.
Here, it’s like wartime—nothing goes to waste!
Bread lasts for days, and stale bread is everywhere...
The upside of these Spartan meals is that they don’t encourage lingering at the table...
Finished? Let’s go find an ATM!
If we chose to stay two nights in Bishkek, it’s not for the city’s limited charms but to sort out some logistics, get a feel for the country, and give ourselves a buffer in case of flight delays.
MapsMe suggests a few ATMs, so we head to the nearest one.
Huh, there’s a 3 € fee!
Oh well, we need cash to pay for almost all our accommodations.
Maybe we’ll find a less greedy bank later—with the 15,000 soms we withdrew (the ATM’s limit), we won’t get far...
We should leave Bishkek with at least the equivalent of 500 €!
Next, we head to a grocery store recommended by AI.
I’d asked for a list of shops selling salami and cured ham.
Gastronom 101—sounded good, right?
What a letdown when we walked in...
So much for my dreams of tasty picnics—luckily, we packed some pâtés in our suitcase!
The second address has a promising name, and its website sells a bit of a dream—even if it’s not Pata Negra.
If you’re in the area, I’d recommend stopping by!
No pork, sure, but delicious products made from lamb, beef, horse, and yak.
There are even tempting vacuum-sealed steaks for anyone with a fridge in their vehicle.
We cave and buy some yak salami.
12 € for the whole thing—we’re clearly in a luxury shop.
Another try at a new bank—another commission, and 19,700 soms more in our wallet.
Islamic bank, huh? This religion bans usury but not profit!
All that’s left is to find water, fruit, and cheese, then drop it all off at the room before lunch.
A Spar provides what we need, and we head to the Faiza restaurant.
The waitress hands us two menus.
In Cyrillic...
I whip out Google Translate—phew, it works great!
Though it does take a bit longer...
The employee notices our struggle and eventually gives us an English menu.
Skewers, a Greek salad, fresh bread, fries, fermented milk, and water—should fill us up.
The lamb is delicious, the chicken much less convincing.
The bill barely tops 10 €—Kyrgyzstan won’t be topping my list of most expensive countries.
I’d even say it’s at the top of the opposite list...
