valerie

July 31, 2025 - Ferris wheel at the amusement park in Arslanbob. My friend and I wanted to ride it, but it wasn’t on :( we were able to do bumper cars and another ride, though

Ferris wheel at night

July 30, 2025 - view of Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan, from the Jalal-Abad sign (not pictured here, but I posted it a few days ago)

city with trees. a brown small mountain/large hill in the background

July 29, 2025 - Arslanbob is basically a village on a giant hill, which makes it a little tiring to walk around. There are a lot of cars like this there that people use to get around more easily. My friend and I rode one once from our guesthouse to the center before we left

truck with open and covered back, and benches on the left and right sides for passengers to sit on

July 28, 2025 - Arslanbob has a big waterfall and a small waterfall that tourists can visit. This is the small waterfall, which is closer to the village center, and easier for tourists without vehicles to get to

waterfall

July 27, 2025 - Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan. Famous for its large walnut forest, and the village’s primary industry

green forest

July 26, 2025 - Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan. A tourist village with mostly Uzbek residents

view of mountains with trees in front

July 25, 2025 - Jalal-Abad sign in Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan

tall Cyrillic letters spelling out Jalal-Abad

July 24, 2025 - near Ala-Too Square with relatively new fountains at night

fountains at a square lit-up with purple lights at night

July 23, 2025 - taken at the end of May, at dawn

sunrise behind mountains

July 22, 2025 - small field in the central Kochkor park that is turned into an ice rink in winter

grassy field bordered by tall trees with green leaves. small, closed abandoned-looking building on the right that is used for skate rentals in the winter

July 21, 2025 - from last month when I walked to another village

small canal running through a green field; mountains in the background

July 20, 2025 - I’m glad BiLi is loved
Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan

brown wooden bench with 'I love BiLi' written on the backrest

July 19, 2025 - for sale! This “child’s partner” could be yours! but I don’t remember the price..
maybe the actual doll looks better, but this box art creeps me out

box with a close-up picture of a baby doll's face

July 18, 2025 - there is a soccer ball on the neighbor’s roof (left side)

house with a brown foal in the yard in front; soccer ball on the left side of the roof; green field (of potatoes?) to the left and back from the house. picture taken from a second floor room looking down at their house (is that creepy? :) )

July 17, 2025 - I knew these cookies were suspiciously cheap, but wow, they are bad!! They taste like paper 😧

paper package of lemon cookies, with a price tag on them (25 Kyrgyz som)

July 16, 2025 - need to go to the outhouse but not able to (or don’t want to) squat? Get yourself a portable toilet seat!
(I don’t really know if anyone uses it other than my sister. I think my family had it out for guests, but sometimes it disappears)

outhouse with a plastic, white portable toilet seat stored in the corner

July 15, 2025 - two and a half bottles of kumyz on the wall, two and a half bottles of kumyz..
(kumyz = fermented horse milk)

two and half bottles of kumyz on a kitchen windowsill

July 14, 2025 - a few days ago. 5:30 AM

mountains in a blue dawn sky with a full moon above

July 13, 2025 - “watch out for children”, in Russian
Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan

old blue sign within some tall, green plants with the Russian text внимание дети (watch out for children) next to a road

July 12, 2025 - why did the cow cross the canal?
to get to the other side 🙃

brown cow crossing a canal at sunset

July 11, 2025 - Mr. Chicken dozing off

rooster with eyes closed, sitting on grass

July 10, 2025 - on Tuesday was stuck at a teacher’s house because of rain. She showed me the shyrdak (colorful patterned Kyrgyz felt carpet) she had in progress (bottom and top left; top right is finished). She said these will become cushions for chairs rather than carpets for the ground

three felt cushions on a carpet; top left and bottom unfinished; top right finished

July 9, 2025 - it was so hot here last week, in the 80s F, about 30 C (which feels really hot when you’re up in the mountains!). Finally back down to the 60s F and 17-20 C because of passing rain. I don’t like hot weather, but I also don’t like rain…but if I had to choose one, I’d rather have rain

mountains in the distance on a cloudy day, with some low clouds passing in front of the mountains

July 8, 2025 - ever wanted to spray 15+ things into your hair, but worried you would inevitably forget something? Well, now there’s hope!

July 7, 2025 - yurt camp at Kol-Ukok

about ten yurts and some vehicles close to a bright blue lake