Jan 20, 2012, Friday
I am writing this entry at one of Moscow’s airports, Shemeryetevo, having cappuccino at a new coffee bar in terminal E. My Aeroflot Airbus 330-300 landed at Terminal D and I have to make my way to the farthest terminal, of course. I am still trying to figure out why it is that when I fly my gates are always the furthest away from where I enter the airport, Domestic and international.
I left Houston just before noon on Thursday on board a Delta Connection flight to New York’s JFK. A small little Canada Regional Jet 9000 only about half full. Nice seats and good leg room even in Economy Class. No food service. Limited beverage service. But I had some cookies with me and was fine. I would recommend carrying a sandwich or salad aboard.
While lining up for the TSA security check one is always struck by how we seem to have lost the romance of flying. Now we are herded like sheep or cattle through lines and are forced into the indignity of taking of our shoes, our belts, exposing our cash holdings, and having people x-ray bags full of underwear and books. I am carrying two laptops, two pieces of hand luggage, a big coat to ward off the cold in NY, Moscow and Bishkek. It takes awhile to get it all in the bins and get through the magnetometer. But I head down toward my gate and find the Duncan Donuts shop. Apple fritter, black coffee help the process. I meet some people headed back to Kansas, we talk about grocery shopping. I mention that my friend Michael C. no longer goes to the grocery store. He orders everything online from Amazon Prime from Gain and Bounty Towels to soups and vegetables. Later I explain about Orozbay Fund and what we are doing in Kyrgyzstan. As one of the group leaves I receive a donation for the charity. Nice. I head to the gate and hear my name echoing. I was the last person to board my flight.
In NY we deplane down a set of narrow stairs on to the tarmac. Did I say something about the romance of flying? Thirty-two degrees F, a wind blowing in from Long Island Sound. I was glad to have the big coat. From the Delta Connection terminal it was quite a hike to get to the AirTrain to go to Terminal 1. From baggage claim pushing a SmartCart across a couple of streets out doors, up a long ramp, then another ¼ block to the hidden entrance to the elevators. Way-finding in this area of JFK could be improved. AirTrain comes every five minutes. One stop and I was at Terminal 1. A smallish slow elevator took me down to the departures level. Then the search for the Aeroflot Check-in counter began. It might as well be a hidden counter. No logo on the walls, no signage. Lift heavy bags on to the scales. Young man tags them and then gives them back to me to take to baggage drop-off to be scanned. And, of course, not the baggage drop-off closest to their counter but one in another area all together. Finally get rid of the two pieces. I head for TSA Security check which is back close to the Aeroflot counter.
I get to the front of a long line and a tough little Filipino TSA employee tells me I should go to a line where there are no bins. I need about five bins because I have two coats, two laptops, shoes, and three personal carry-ons. Then she tells me shoes have to go on the table not in a bin. Houston they had to go in a bin. Oakland they had to go in a bin. NY is making up its own rules? So I get everything headed through the machine and go through the magnetometer. Beep. Again. Beep. Then I am selected for a scan of my palms. My stuff meanwhile is creating a jam on the belt of the scanner. Finally they figure out that I am sweating because the airport is over heated for a Texan and I am worrying about the stuff on the belt, and that I am not a drug dealer or a dangerous 69 year old terrorist. I get to put my shoes and belt back on, pack up the laptops, put on one coat, rig up the two carry-on bags together, hang the big coat on my arm and head to my gate. Guess what? It’s the next to last gate on the terminal wing. I had to have food and something to drink. Found a bar close by with panini sandwiches and v&t. Time to board the flight comes relatively quickly and about 8 hours later here I am in Moscow at 1:00 pm on Friday. Waiting till 10:00 pm for my flight to Bishkek.
Jan 21, 2012-Friday
Slowly but surely I have seen in the years since 2008 a number of improvements in Shemeryetevo’s facilities and it actually not a bad place to spend a long lay-over, now. There are any number of good coffee shops, a few decent restaurants with food that is edible, if not haute cuisine. My favorite is the addition of TGI Friday’s. A pricey cheeseburger or other American style delights in the Moscow airport may be a way to forget all that anti-soviet rhetoric that lingers in the minds of most Americans of my cold-war generation. My bank card with the Master Card logo bought me a nice cup of cappuccino as I moved from Terminal F to Terminal D where my flight to Bishkek would be leaving from later. I stopped in a coffee shop in Terminal E, to break the up the trip. It is quite a hike and the expectation is that you will go on foot. It took me about 20 minutes, with about 20 for the coffee. I was flattered when given a Russian language menu, but an English one was available. The coffee was about $5.00 and was very well made. The barista and my waitress both spoke English. Refueled, I headed on down to Terminal D, to do some people watching and reading. I brought Lipstick Jihad in book form to finish since I had about a chapter to go in it, but I also had been reading a new James Lee Burke, Feast Day of Fools, which I had borrowed from the Montrose Branch of the Houston Public Library. Since I was only about half-way through it, I bought the Kindle edition before leaving Houston. I found it was great travel reading while waiting and flying.
I am really happy with the Kindle purchase, even though Amazon Whisper-net does not extend to the Kyrgyzstan sky, I think I will be able to download books from my internet and local wifi hubs which are numerous. I sat and read, watched groups of twenty something Central Asian boys tease and laugh with one another. Noticed the amazing variety of stylish boots women have to wear who live in Moscow and the Central Asian Republics. I met a Korean gentleman and his wife who were also traveling to Bishkek from NY. Paul Synn is getting ready to start another University in Kyrgyzstan, northeast of Bishkek in a village near Kant and Tokmok. We have made plans to call and meet to talk about what is happening later. I became a little sleepy, so I was able to nod off for a few winks. I had decided to use my Priority Pass at the Amber Lounge for only one 3 hour period this trip. So I broke up the wait with a visit to the lounge which is down a flight and a half of stairs. I have used the lounge in the past and know what to expect. There is good wifi, good coffee, Pepsi, little sandwiches, pastries, vodka, cognac, television, and comfortable club chairs and tables. I had downloaded last season’s episodes of Downton Abbey from i-Tunes so after handling the email and a Facebook post or two, I watched Episode 1. Then I got in another short nap. I left the lounge about 9:30 pm, found my gate which had finally been posted and read some more. We boarded about 10 of 10 pm. Again I somehow was in a full aisle, so I just moved to the aisle ahead which was the exit row and had the row to myself with exceptional leg room. We managed to go wheels-up about 10:30 pm and the final leg of the trip was underway.
Jan 21, 2012 Saturday
During the flight, I read and slept. Actually, I fell asleep right after take-off and was awakened later when the flight attendant began service. I wanted coffee but on Aeroflot coffee is only available after the meal. I was able to get a cup of hot water, though, and to make myself a cup of Starbucks Via instant. I was really glad I had brought some in my carry-on bag. After meal service, I read a little more then fell asleep again. I woke when I heard a strange vocal cry, like a yelp, from female passenger who was being reseated in the aisle seat of my row. Apparently ill in someway, her movement to my row by the attendants was followed by a recorded announcement asking for someone with medical training to come forward. A couple of people, one man and a woman showed up. The man took charge to take a blood pressure and try to communicate in Russian with the lady who was dressed in a traditional Central Asian headscarf worn by married women. The cabin crew broke out the medical kit. The doctor took her pulse, blood pressure, listened to her chest and heart with a stethoscope and then broke an ampule of ammonia to try to revive her since it appeared that she had had a fainting spell or a panic attack. Eventually, she was revived and returned to her own seat. I felt somewhat helpless in the situation. I was unable to help because of language issues. One of the flight crew advised me later that the woman was okay when I inquired about her.
Awake again, I read for a little while and was able to finish the James Lee Burke on the Kindle and as I did, the captain announced that we were beginning out descent into Bishkek and that we needed to turn off all the electronica. My watch said it was 4:25 am Moscow time, and therefore 5:25 am Bishkek time. I took my time getting off the aircraft since I knew it would be awhile before the baggage would be unloaded. Thanked the crew in Russian and headed down the jetway. The path to the baggage claim area leads you to a set of stairs that go to the first floor and along a solid glass wall that was very little protection from -25 degree Celsius on the runways outside. I was glad again to be wearing my big coat and wishing I had been smart enough to put my wool cap in the carry-on bag with my computer.
Passport control was a breeze thanks to my Business Visa with multiple entry note. I stopped before hand to use the toilet, so when I came out there were almost no people in line. As I arrived in baggage claim, I picked up a cart, then waited few minutes. One of the problem areas for me with people crowding in to be first to pickup anything is the jostling effect of those who fail to respect my space. So, I waited as the bags began to come out and people pushed and shoved. In a short time the area became a little less crowded, my bags were among those on the belt and easily identifiable thanks to some black and white tassels I bought at Michael’s before leaving Houston. I loaded them up and breezed through the exit to find Emil’s father, mother, and cousin waiting outside.
I was to go with Farouh. He was taking me and another woman to town. Emil’s mother and father were waiting for someone on a flight from Turkey due shortly after ours. Farouh took the cart and off we went passed the parking lot out across the street to new paid parking area. The two others moved much quicker on the icy roadway than I did. I walk very cautiously on ice and snow. But I caught up with them and loaded up into his Skoda diesel sedan. We head down the highway, only to lose power after a short while. We pull to the side of the road. Farouh explains that because it diesel powered, it is too cold. Soon another car stops, Farouh gets a tow-line out, hooks it to the front hook and we are underway again. Farouh pops the clutch and the car turns over. We disconnect from the tow and head down the road again for a distance and the engine stops again. Once more we get a tow from a passing car, we get the engine started again and off we go. But not far this time. We are stopped again.
Finally, we call Emil’s father. They have picked up their passenger and stop to help. We are transferred to the big Nissan with luggage. The Skoda is hooked up and towed into the city. It is now about 7:30 am. All passengers are dropped off and I am the last to get home. I get out of the car and realize that I don’t know where my house keys were packed. I thought they were in the laptop bag in a zippered pocket, but they were not there. After some low level panic, I remembered where we had put them and was able to get into the apartment. I was rather tired and spent most of the day reading and sleeping and drinking coffee. I had some beans in the cabinet, so I started the beans on boil and soak process, so that I could make a little three bean chili for dinner.
In the early evening, I had visitors. My landlord and her family came by. We settled up what was owed on the rent, she handed me the current pile of bills to pay, told me I was going to have someone come, if I was okay with it, to help keep the place clean for only about 2000 KGS, or $50 a month. I agreed to once a week on Sundays. It will be good to have some help. After they left, the brother of Emil’s wife came by to pick up a laptop I had brought for him. And then, visiting hours were over and I watched the second program of Downton Abbey from the first season. The bean chili was finally ready with the addition of some tomato sauce. I had bowl of it and I was then ready to call it a day. Nice to sleep in my own space again.
Jan 22, 2012 Sunday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
I had a fitful night of sleep. I assume it is just part of the jet-lag of a 12-hour time shift from Houston to Bishkek. I have been reading on my Kindle, a lot. One of my Kindle purchases was the new biography of Catherine, the Great by Robert Massie. I had read Nicholas and Alexandria many years ago and felt that this new book of his would help my understanding of the Russian soul and influence in Kyrgyzstan. It is a wonderful book. I do not want to put it down to do other things. But, I needed things in the kitchen, like food. So, I braved the -21 degree Celsius temperature and headed out in my big coat to the Vefa Center, where I could do a money exchange and visit the Turkish owned grocery store, Beta Store. I picked up some essentials. Some tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, a green pepper, potatoes, eggs, a 250 gram of ground beef, some salami and some nice cheese, Coca-Cola, Sprite, a loaf of bread, some sunflower cooking oil, some butter, a bottle of dish soap (yes, we wash dishes and pots by hand), and a box of mixed flavor juice. I like to use the Sprite and the juice to make a little non-alcoholic cocktail punch. I also carried my laptop, stopped in one of the coffee shops in the mall (there are two of them) that serves a locally roasted coffee. Had an Americano black and connected to the Vefa WiFi service. Checked email, looked at Facebook, read some news. I stopped by the MegaCom office at the center to get my phone turned back on. With a small payment they restored my service. That will help with communication. Then I packed up and headed back to the apartment by cab.
Before leaving Houston, I stopped by Whole Earth Provision on S. Shepherd to see if they had some cramp-on devices for walking on snow and ice. They did not have any, but the shoe sales person directed my attention to a sale table where there was a NorthFace Snow Boot that claimed its new technology of TNF Winter Grip® outsole with IcePick® lugs would help me keep my footing on ice and snow. At $60, I had to try them. So, wearing the new boots, I was able to walk safely on the icy walkways. I am really happy with the purchase and the way they are working out. I also had purchased a new wool overcoat from J.C. Penny which has provided spectacular warmth here. I wore it on a couple of cold days in Houston, but it has proved its worth here already.
With groceries, I was able to fix myself a cheese and salami sandwich for lunch. Then for dinner I made a lovely vegetable soup with potato, carrot, onion, green pepper and used a Knorr vegetable bullion cube as my stock. While it was cooking, I also took the potato, carrot, and onion peel to create more vegetable stock to use later. I realized then that I did not get any garlic and needed to make a list of other things I could get nearby on my foray out tomorrow. The soup, by the way, turned out to be very good and I have some left for another meal.
Jan 23, 2012 Monday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
The sun does not show it’s face to us until after 8 am in the morning during the winter in Bishkek. I find I am rising around 6 am and using the time until the sun makes an appearance for reading and writing. I need to restore the cable television and today I will have to solve the telephone problem. The problem is caused by the fact that I decided to sell my Samsung Galaxy Vibrant I to my landlord to satisfy part of my rent. Emil is going to get me a new smart phone in February, so in the meantime, I need something to use here. I also need a few more things that will take me out of the house today. I need mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, tomato paste, garlic and a few more herbs and spices. While it is possible for a Texan to live on chili as his only spice on the rack, there are some things that might benefit from a bay leaf, some basil, ground pepper, and other things that were used up in my pantry while I was gone.
I managed to get out of the house around 10 am. Took a taxi to the TZUM, where the entire first floor is full of vendors of various stripes selling mobile phones. After looking around some, I found a little Nokia Model 101 with the ability to have dual SIM cards that was at a price I was willing to pay, 1500 Kyrgyz Soms or about $32 at current exchange rate. I also added a micro memory card that was another $5.00. So, I have phone service and can give the Samsung to my landlord. I went upstairs in the TZUM to look at some Kyrgyz house slippers and some things for the kitchen. Some of the items I had here have disappeared in my absence, so I am going to need to buy another little tea pot, and I really need some better pots and pans. I know there are sets I can buy, so I am shopping first doing some pricing. Probably, I will need to go to Osh Bazaar to get the best price on that sort of stuff.
After looking around, I left with only my new phone purchase. Caught a taxi again and went to the Moscova Street Bazaar. There I visited Stolichnaya shop where they sell cookies and other things. And I learned that they were now carrying the Bishkek roasted coffees from Sierra Coffee. I picked up some almond biscotti, some oatmeal and raisin cookies, some more cheese and was on my way again. I walked home the four blocks to my apartment slowly and carefully.
Spent the afternoon reading and sleeping. Created a kind of ground beef stew with potatoes, onions, green pepper, turnip, and tomato for dinner. Went to bed early as darkness fell around 7 pm.
Jan 24, 2012 Tuesday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
This morning I located the bag with the connectors and wires that would allow me to reconnect my Apple MacBook Air to the internet. I managed to get everything hooked-up properly, but needed to make a payment to get the connection working. So, I went to the nearest payment terminal, made a payment sufficient to keep me running for awhile. The terminal is located about a block away in a small store, so I was able to pickup some mayonnaise and some Earl Grey tea bags, as well. I came back to the mini-Bazaar closest to my apartment to pick up some ground pepper, rice, garlic, a little head of cabbage, some napkins and toilet paper, then came back to the apartment.
I worked with the FastNet tech types to get the internet working and was successful after a few minutes getting the connection to work. It is nice to be back in touch with the rest of the world. About 2 pm I had some more of the vegetable soup for lunch. Then felt really sleepy, so I took a nap. During the day my apartment is very quite. I live on the second floor of the building. My windows look toward the rear of the building. There is some noise when people are going up and down the stairs, but mostly it is quite. Except for my upstairs neighbor who apparently works evenings and comes home between two and three a.m. She has the heaviest footsteps and it often sounds as if they are moving furniture at that time of night. So, most nights I am awakened around 2 or 3 when she returns. My sleep is beginning to return to normal, but I still seem to be needing to resolve the jet lag.
Jan 25, 2012 Wednesday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
I got up this morning, caught up with my email and took a look at Facebook to see what is happening among my friends around the world. I am always amazed at how social media allows me to stay in touch with people in such far flung places and allows my friends to be aware of my circumstances.
I rearranged some of the kitchen cabinets to suit my use of them. Am still looking for some items that seem to have disappeared in my absence, like plates, the little stainless steel pot from Germany that I cooked in most often, etc. I will pull out a chair and see if they have been stored up in some cubbies that are above the doorway tomorrow.
I managed today to get to AlaTv to get the cable television reinstalled and to the pharmacy to pick up an anti-histamine and some anti-itch cream. I developed a little rash on my lower legs that is probably a food allergy. Now I have to figure out what it was that created the problem. But the cream and the anti-histamine have helped. Ala TV will come in the morning. It will be nice to have some television news.
I also discovered that the Islamic bank that moved in last September next to my post office is doing currency exchange, so I was able to change some more dollars into Kyrgyz Soms. I picked up some more Coca-Cola and returned home to read more of Catherine on my Kindle. I am really enjoying reading about this period of Russian history in the Robert Massie biography.
In the evening my young friend Marat dropped by and we had dinner together. I created a cabbage, carrot, onion and ground beef stew for him which I served over rice. We talked and worked on his English together and worked a little on my Kyrgyz and Russian. Later we both used the computer to check on the internet. I finally called for bedtime at about 10 p.m. Marat spent the night here since it was late. I have a little extra room for guests since I do not sleep in the bedroom, but in the living room.
Tomorrow will mark one week since I left to return to Bishkek. I find I am quite content to be back. There are still resettlement issues that need to be dealt with, but overall I am happy to be in my apartment here in the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic with snow on the ground and a prediction for more for tomorrow and Friday.
