jj's travels

Sleeping bag accommodation

2009-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

When I travel overseas, I enjoy finding unique hotel arrangements that make the lodging arrangement more convenient for the traveler and still profitable for the innkeeper. One of my favorites is the 24 hour stay in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia, where for the price of one night’s lodging, a guest is allowed to stay for 24 hours from the time they check in. I think the hotel industry in the United States could do a lot to break out of the standard mold and offer services that are more valuable to travelers.

I came across another good idea here in Iceland. It’s called sleeping bag accommodation. When you book a room, you ask for either a prepared bed or sleeping bag accommodation. A prepared bed is what you get in a standard hotel room. In sleeping bed accommodation, the room is the same as usual, but without bed-linens. The guest is expected to bring their own sleeping bag. As a result of not having to clean and replace the linens, the innkeeper charges the guest less.

Sleeping bag accommodations can come in two types – either a dorm room shared with other guests, or standard singles and doubles, identical to typical hotel stays but without linens.

We booked our first sleeping bag accommodation last night at the Hotel Framtid in Djupivogur. We had the option of a prepared room for 10,100 kroners, or a two-person sleeping bag accommodation for 6,800 kroners. Both had shared bath. For the 3,300kr savings (about $28), we were ready to ditch the sheets. We ended up with a cozy room with a nice heater and a view of the harbor. I’m a new fan of Icelandic sleeping bag accommodation.

Real Icelandic Weather

2009-08-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Before coming to Iceland, I read that I should be prepared to protect myself from the rains – a windjacket and rain pants were on the packing list. Until today, we had only occasional light showers. We experienced bouts of cold and some light wind, but nothing like what hit us today – almost an entire day of downpours and screeching, powerful winds.

In this kind of weather, in which you are wet and feel almost powerless against the strength of the wind, the temperature doesn’t matter too much. It’s cold no matter what.

As a result, we spent much of the day driving. At times, the wind was so strong we could barely keep our little Suzuki on the road. Our back window vibrated so hard I worried it would implode. Giant mountain ranges disappeared under a layer of fog.

We were lucky to have a clear patch for long enough to take a one hour hike in Skaftafell National Park. We ventured out for a short walk across moss covered lava blobs in a drizzle and I wished for mittens, my wool hat and long underwear when we went out on an amphibious boat to see icebergs fallen from a glacier. Most of the time we just drove, happy to have a warm vehicle to shelter us, even as we lamented the views we missed due to the obstructed scenery.

Worst off were the poor bikers. Just yesterday, I envied the cyclists I saw traveling the Ring Road. It’s a beautiful road for biking, flat, endless scenery, not too much traffic, easy to follow, plenty of space to camp. It reminded me of the wonderful experience of cycling Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan and I wished I could join them. However, today I saw the downside – bikers hiding between rocks to seek shelter from the wind, bikers pedaling slowly, or walking their bikes in winds so fierce they could barely stand up, bikers soaked to the skin, with no signs of civilization for miles and miles in either direction. For anyone thinking of biking the Ring Road, you should know that it offers great possibilities. However, when the weather gets bad, it’s really, really bad and changes occur quickly. I’d advise bikers to either have some kind of back-up plan or be prepared to endure potentially miserable conditions for many hours.

In the evening, we reached the pretty and welcoming harbor village of Djupivogur. The Framtid hotel is warm and inviting, with beautiful views of the harbor and it has a nice restaurant. There, we were told that with the exception of a break in the weather yesterday, it has been raining for the last week. Rain is forecast here for the next nine days.

Due to how quickly the weather patterns change, it’s hard to make plans based upon the weather. We had been hoping to go horseback riding tomorrow, perhaps a boat trip, perhaps some hiking. Now we’ve learned to play it by ear. At the very least, we are experiencing real, Icelandic weather.

The video is from a roadside stop. The mangled metal is a former bridge that was ruined by the weather.

The Faces of Icelanders

2009-08-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have a deep respect for people who live their lives in Iceland. This respect is ever greater for those who lived in decades and centuries past.

We’re enjoying our visit to Iceland very much and I’m spoiled daily by so many striking sites and interesting things to learn about. However, Iceland is one of those places that is great to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live here. Why? It’s cold. Even now, at the height of summer, with beautiful sunny days and little rain, I dress in three layers and carry around a wool hat. Also, the winters are dark. And the land is far from other places.

Reading books, such as the recent novel, The Tricking of Freya, and the opus by Nobel Prize winning Icelandic author Haldor Laxness, Independent People, gives me further understanding of what life was life in earlier decades and centuries. They had to contend with volcanic eruptions, with limited diets and high infant mortality.

Those who endured the hardships to build their life and their families here strike me as noble and courageous. Today I visited the Skogar Folk Museum, where I was able to take a closer look at how life was lived. This is a top-notch folk museum, with extensive collections of implements and excellent creations of dwellings and other buildings, including sod houses. For those who visit the southeastern part of Iceland, this is well-worth seeing. A bonus is that it’s located right next to a stunning waterfall.

More than anything else, the faces that peered out from the old photographs struck me. Here are a few of them, faces of Icelanders:

The Golden Circle

2009-08-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Golden Circle refers to the circle that takes in the three highlights near Reykjavik – Thingvellir – the site of the world’s first Parlimanet, the magnificent Gulfoss waterfall, comparable to Niagara, and the Geysir geyser.

We took the Golden Circle classic tour offered by Iceland Excursions. This tour stopped first at the geothermal power station. I had expected that we’d go into the power station and see how it worked. Instead, it was just a view from afar. But it was still worth seeing. The surrounding landscape was stunning and filled with hiking trails. The sight of steam rising up from amidst mountains and the long tube that follows the road, carrying warm water to the city, is worth seeing.

The tour included only transportation and the guide in the 60 euro charge. There were plenty of opportunities to buy food along the way. I think if I had it to do over again, I would have brought a picnic and eaten besides the Gulfoss waterfall. The best food was at the cafeteria on the site of the Catholic church headquarters. The final stop, supposedly a religion museum but really just a big gift shop, is best used to try the creamy Icelandic soft serve, at a very reasonable 100 kroners per cone.

Initial Impressions of Iceland

2009-07-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

I’ve been in Iceland for two days now and like it a lot so far. There is much to explore and our days are full. Some of my first impressions are:

It’s cold. Even in late July, one can wear a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater and a jacket. The temperature varies throughout the day, so layering is a must.

It’s cheaper than it used to be, but still expensive. Many of the prices, especially for tourist-related services, have been raised accordingly to pre-devaluation of the kroner levels. Nevertheless, it’s still cheaper for tourists than it was a year or two ago and will probably remain that way for a while

It’s spacious. The land is vast and the population small.

I like the people. Not only are they beautiful, they are proud, individualistic and quite egalitarian. Sixty percent of Parliamentarians are female and they have the world’s first openly gay prime minister.

Reykjavik is a very walkable city. I’m putting on well over 10,000 steps per day without a problem.

Reykjavik is surprisingly loud. Frequent airplanes plus traffic, harbor noises, skateboarders and blaring music make one suspect that there aren’t many noise ordinances here.

It’s light in summer. It’s hard to feel as though as it’s late at 10 p.m. when the sky is still fully light. This takes some adjustment.

Climbing Mount Esja

2009-07-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to get out into nature, get a bit of exercise, and not spend a lot of money, climbing Mount Esja, just outside of Reykjavik is a good option.

It’s an easy drive from the capital. Or you can go by bus, taking bus 15 from the main bus station and transferring to bus 57. Check the schedule ahead of time though because there can be a delay of an hour or two between buses.

The trail goes up from the parking lot where the bus drops you off. It’s at a consistent incline. Dress in layers and bring water, a snack and a hat. Walking sticks are helpful if you have them.

The trail is well-mapped and there are six points along the trail, followed by a rocky peak that is a difficult climb. Each point offers increasingly wide views over the capital, the water and the harbors.

Enjoy the panaromic views, the sound of mountain waters rushing down the rocks, the various wildflowers growing amidst the rocks and the long-haired sheep grazing nearby.

At the base of the mountain, a small café offers delicious health shakes, as well as snacks and modern toilets. There are port-o-pottys in the parking lot. When waiting for the bus, stand out at the road so that the bus driver can see to make a stop. She will then pull into the stop in the parking lot.

Local Minnesota

2009-07-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be in the Twin Cities and want to experience some real Minnesota culture, Captain Black’s Bar and Grill, in the southern bounds of the metropolitan area, is a place where you are unlikely to see a tourist, or non-local, in sight. If you like cars, you can take in a race at the Elko Speedway (9660 Main Street in Elko, Tel: 952-461-3090) while you are there. Or, you could just stop by for the buck burgers (yep, $1 a piece) on Thursday nights.

Service is excellent, despite the bar atmosphere, it’s very kid friendly, and the menu (most of which is fried) has almost nothing over $5.

Fancy, no. But a good deal? You betcha.

Chita

2009-02-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Every time I come through Chita (this is at least my fourth time) I try to give it another chance. I hoped that this time would be different, that the wealth from the last six years would result in changes to the city and to people’s attitudes. Unfortunately, the city has remained locked in time. I still don’t like it.

A nice American acquaintance (who has lived here an unbelievable 13 years) met me at the airport and after getting me settled at a nice and reasonably priced hotel, dropped me off at the central market. This used to be my favorite place, where Central Asian traders smiled over stacks of bright fruit and vegetables. The market had changed, with booths for clothing and goods replacing much of the vast open market space. The Central Asians were still there, although in smaller numbers, and they were still the most friendly.

Only at the central market in Chita can someone ask me, “Are you from the Ukraine? Mongolia?” and expect an affirmative reply.

I hoped to walk through town, back towards my hotel, while picking up some groceries, getting something to eat, and seeing how the city has changed.

Instead, what I found is that, with the exception of a few new buildings – a hotel, a couple of apartment blocks, a couple of shopping centers - the city has remained frozen in time. The exact same restaurants and shops stood in the exact same places and in the exact same condition, plus six years of wear. There was very little in the way of renovation, improvement, the flourishing of new businesses. The highlight of the town is the ice palace and slide, located in front of the giant Lenin statue (still standing) and built annually by the Chinese.

Shortly after leaving the market, I realized I’d forgotten my mittens. I wrapped my hands in my scarf and continued on. I was quickly reminded of the power of the Siberian cold. First, the nose hairs stand to attention as they begin to freeze. The hands become uncomfortable cold, and with time, become stiff and lose dexterity. The nose begins to drip and that, plus the frozen nose hairs makes for a cold mess. Then the face begins to stiffen from the cold, making it difficult to speak. The cold seems in through the jeans into the legs and through the collar into the upper chest. The cold air enters the esophagus and the lungs like a thick, chilled drink. I looked for the buses I was told go to the hotel, but couldn’t find nay of them. Nor did I find an easy taxi. So I kept walking.

I moved from the main street, Babushkina, down Chkalova, through the center of town, and up Lenin Street, the main throughway. I hoped that I’d find the buses there, and if nothing else, I could find a café where I could stop to warm up and have something warm to eat. No luck on any counts. I saw one café, Vesta, that I recognized from before. When I went in, I found the tables in disarray, soggy pirozhki in the front case, and no service staff. A few blocks later, I passed Tsyplata Tabaka, a café I remembered that serves nothing but chicken, but the chicken is really good. With some excitement, I approached the front door. But it was locked and there were no hours posted.

I was so cold at this point I could barely move. I went into a shop to warm up and asked the saleswomen where I could find something to eat. This was the main street in the center of town. They named the two places I’d just tried and couldn’t come up with any others.

Finally, near my hotel, I found a little stand selling grilled chicken and shaurma (made with tiny chunks of chicken and lots of mayonnaise and cabbage in a flour wrap). That was enough exploring for the day. I happily entered my warm hotel, made two cups of hot tea and luxuriated in a steaming shower.

In the evening, I visited Lukas and his family. When I told him and his wife Natalia about my difficulties finding anything to eat and my surprise at the lack of cafes or restaurants, Natalia, a Chitan said, “We have a Subway. And a Baskin Robbins!” They mentioned two other cafes, but they are hidden away. Lukas said that one positive change has been that many of the roads have been repaved, saving drivers the cost of replacing their shock absorbers each year. However, even he is considering sending his son to study overseas in order to expose him to a greater variety of people and professions. He said here, the youth want only to study business and law. They don’t see a way to make a living in any other profession.

I’m enjoying the hot water, since I don’t know whether or not I’ll have any in Aginsk. But I’m not at all disappointed to be leaving Chita tomorrow.

getting from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo to Domodedovo airport

2009-02-20T15:02:00.000-08:00

If you are flying into Moscow and want to avoid spending time in the capitol city, you may be able to transfer to Domodedovo and catch a flight to your destination the same day. You have three ways of doing this.

1. Take a taxi from one airport to the other. This is likely to cost you several hundred dollars and the traffic can be brutal.

2. Travel by train, which requires three connections – first to Rechnoi Vokzal metro, then Rechnoi Vokzal to Paveletsky, and Paveletsky to Domodedovo. This is the cheapest option, but you’ll need to lug your bags around (and probably can’t avoid stairs entirely). It also takes several hours.

3. Take a taxi to Paveletsky, then take the train to Domodedovo. The taxi to Paveletsky costs 1600 rubles now if you call a taxi to meet you at the airport. This is a good option if you’d have to wait a while at Sheremetyevo for the first train.

At Paveletsky station, for about 300 rubles you can check in for your flight and check in your luggage, allowing you to travel baggage-free to the airport or to spend some time around town.

A few tips to make the transfer easier are:

Choose a flight that arrives in Moscow in the morning to maximize your time.
The taxis at the airport are great extortionists. To receive a normal price, call a taxi (232 company (telephone 7 495 232 1111 is reputable) and have it meet you outside customs.
Pack in a way that allows you to carry your luggage easily.

Arrival at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport

2009-02-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

Upon arrival at Sheremetyevo, you’ll go through immigration, pick up your baggage, then pass through customs. There is an area for people to meet you upon exiting customs. If you order a taxi in advance, this is where you will find the driver.

There are two places to change money in the airport, as well as an ATM machine. The first is just to the right of customs, beyond a door that says Crew Check in. The other is all the way down the hall to the right, just past the bright yellow Evrosite telephone kiosk. The exchange rate is reasonable, currently 34 point something to the dollar, compared to 35 point something you’ll get in the city.

You can buy a local SIM card for your cell phone, or purchase a phone at the bright yellow Evrosite booth. The staff will ask where you plan to call and recommend the cheapest option.

There is a café and several newsstands in the airport.

To get to the city, you can:
1. Take the train.
2. If your luggage is light, you can take a marshrutka (mini-van bus) to Planernaya or Rechnoi Vokzal Metro stations. This the cheapest option. Go out to where the taxis are. Just beyond the taxis, in the third lane from the exit door, the marshrutkas wait.
3. Call a taxi ahead of time, or from the airport, to come meet you. It’s significantly cheaper to do this than to use the airport taxis. One reliable company is 232 (Telephone: 7 495 232 1111).
4. Take a licensed airport taxi. Be prepared to pay a lot.

Things I'm Learning About Planning a Trip to Russia

2009-02-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

I’m off to Russia next week. Here are a few things I’ve learned in the process of planning for my trip.

· It is no easier to get a visa to Russia than it was when I last visited several years ago. If anything, it’s more expensive and complicated. Russia has not yet shown signs of wanting to encourage tourism.

· The cheapest tourist visa for Americans will cost you $181 (for two week processing and an invitation).

· The Way to Russia boards have the most comprehensive and helpful information on visa registration I’ve found. Having been through the process of registration in the Russian hinterlands before, I wonder if they are overly optimistic in their thoughts that local landlords can help register you. My guess is that this would take a substantial amount of time on the part of the landlord and probably some type of bribe. If you are going to ask a landlord to do this, make sure you are paying them enough to compensate them adequately for the hassle.

· For invitation processing, I used a company called Russian American Consulting, which is staffed by former employees of the Russian Foreign Service. What I like about this company is that you send your passport directly to them and they handle all interactions with the embassy. No need for contact with the Russian embassy on your part. They also followed through with what they promised and were professional and courteous. If you will be staying primarily in the Moscow area, they can register the visa for you for 1500 rubles. Otherwise, you have to register with the local authorities, which is a whole adventure in itself. Another, slightly cheaper, option that people recommended to me is Way to Russia.

· The tourist visa application, apparently modeled after the application the U.S. embassy makes Russians fill out, asks questions I’ve never seen on another visa application – such as all the countries you have visited in the last ten years and the dates of visit, full information on your last two places of work, including your supervisor, all educational institutions ever attended after high school, and all professional, civil and charitable organizations you have ever been a member of, contributed to or worked with. I understand they want to make a point that the U.S. visa procedures are cumbersome, expensive and condescending. However, I think they need to keep in mind the numbers of Americans (very few, I imagine) who stay illegally to live and work in Russia. Conversely, the number of Russians who stay in the U.S. illegally is significant and there is a whole network set up to assist them in New York.

· S7 airlines, now the largest domestic airline in Russia, sells tickets online. The customer service is excellent. But watch out for your bank charging you a foreign transaction fee of 2% or more. I was surprised when my debit card, issued by ING Direct (a bank I loved until that moment) added another 2% to my already expensive Moscow to Siberia flight. Capital One credit card doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees. Also, if you purchase your domestic flight separately from your international flight, you’ll be subject to the 20 kilo free luggage limit.

The Magic of Mullica Hill

2009-02-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

I’ve been exploring tearooms around New Jersey lately. This weekend, I stopped by one in Mullica Hill, Amelia’s Tea and Holly. It was wonderful – Victorian décor, relaxing classical music, friendly service and delicious food, homemade on the premises. It felt like walking into a home, where I could sit for hours (unfortunately, I had only an hour) and take my time, sipping on my oolong and enjoying dainty bites from my three tiers of scone, quiche, sandwiches, fresh fruit and desserts. This is a place I would definitely visit again.

Another highlight in town was the Amish market, where we stocked up cheeses, hormone-free milk, canned peaches and three-bean salad and deli meats. Unlike our usual Amish market, this one had a doughnut counter, where you can see the dough being cut, and a counter selling kettle soups with delicate scents. The prepared food section is excellent, with pretzel dogs, roasted duck, fresh fries, sweet potatoes with marshmallows and many other items glistening in the case.
I came across this helpful blog post, which describes the culinary highlights of Mullica Hill and suggests it as an alternate to food courts when traveling between DC and New York. After visiting the above two places, I’d say that’s a very good idea.

Super Russian film

2009-02-04T18:54:00.000-08:00

In preparation for my trip to Russia, just over two weeks from now, I’m burning through all the Russian-language films at my local library, trying to get my mind back into Russian mode. Some have been mediocre, others unimpressive. Today I was lucky enough to find a gem.

Ostrov (The Island) is about a man who commits a terrible sin during the war, then spends the rest of his life in guilt. He lives in a monastic community on a remote island. While I’ve never been to Solovetsky Islands, the movie brought to mind all I’d imagined of this remote northern spiritual community.

The cinematography is stunning, with widescreen panoramas of snow, water and remote isolation captured with a deep sense of beauty. The acting is good, the topic of guilt and repentance thought provoking and the story line unique. An all around excellent film, worth the time spent watching it.

Good info on airline food

2009-01-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

Want a preview of what you might be served onboard (if you get anything at all) so you know how many snacks to pack? If so, take a look at airlinemeals.net, where you can scroll through photos and reviews of meals served on all your favorite airlines. Better yet, contribute your own photos and reviews. There is nothing like making the photos public to put a little pressure on the airlines to ramp up standards a bit.

If you are in the mood for a great example of customer feedback to an airline regarding food, take a look at this humorous letter, written by an anonymous passenger of Virgin Atlantic.

Learning about Kyrgyzstan

2009-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan and you’d like to know more about the country and the culture. Here are some suggestions:

Non-fiction books
Kyrgyzstan: central asia’s island of democracy? By John Anderson is overdue for an updated edition, covering the period only up to 1997. Despite this, it provides a very useful and readable overview of Kyrgyz history, political and economic development and security issues within a compact 100 pages. Filled with lots of useful facts, it’s a good primer for visitors who want to understand the country context.

Kyrgyzstan (Lerner Geography Dept., 1993) This book is intended for middle-school readers, but it's a useful introduction to anyone looking for a short overview to the people, land and industry of Kyrgyzstan. Chapters include The Land and People of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan's Story, Making a Living in Kyrgyzstan and What's Next for Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan by Claudia Antipina, Temirbek Musakeev and Roland Paivo presents a nice collection of photographs, focusing on Kyrgyz textiles and costumes.

The Tulip Revolution: Kyrgyzstan One Year After by Erica Marat presents, in the form of a timeline, a chronology of the 2005-2006 events in Kyrgyzstan and an analysis of the country one year after President Akayev’s ouster. This book offers a useful opportunity to understand recent Kyrgyz history.

Kyrgyz Leadership and Ethnopolitics: Before and After the Tulip Revolution: The Changed Position of Ethnic Russians and Uzbeks by Munara Omuralieva. I haven’t had a chance to take a look at this new book yet, but some Russians and Uzbeks found the Kyrgyz nationalism associated with the tulip revolution to be threatened. It would be interesting to read this analysis.

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron takes readers on a modern day trip through the Silk Road territories.

Over the Edge: A True Story of Kidnap and Escape in the Mountains of Central Asia by Greg Child tells the story of four American rock climbers kidnapped near the border with Afghanistan.

Calming the Ferghana Valley: Development and Dialogue in the Heart of Central Asia by Nancy Lubin is a bit outdated, but still useful as an introduction to some of the social, political and economic issues of the south of Kyrgyzstan.

So Many Enemies, So Little Time: An American Woman in All the Wrong Places by Elinor Burkett is a memoir of an American woman’s time teaching at a university in Bishkek.

Better a Hundred Friends than a Hundred Rubles? Social Networks in Transition – The Kyrgyz Republic, a World Bank Working Paper by Kathleen Kuehnast and Nora Dudwick provides insight into local culture and relations.

The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron recounts a journey to Central Asia in the early 1990s.

The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia by Peter Hopkirk is a highly engaging account of the battle between the great powers for the territory of Central Asia.

Turkestan Solo by Ella Maillart is the travel journal of an adventurous female traveler in the 1930s, who crossed Kyrgyzstan and explored many of the major Central Asian cities.

Guidebooks
Roaming Kyrgyzstan: Beyond the Tourist Track is my book, based on research from the 2.5 years I lived there.

Kyrgyz Republic by Rowan Stewart has beautiful pictures and top-notch narrative information about Kyrgyzstan.

Lonely Planet Central Asia has a short section on Kyrgyzstan but includes the necessary basics. This book is most useful for those planning to visit several countries in the region.

Kyrgyzstan (The Bradt Guide) is one of the newer additions to the guidebook collection.

Community Based Tourism has published a guidebook to CBT services. The guide to Bishkek in the appendix is especially useful. Buy a copy for 170 som at CBT offices or download a draft of the 2006 version at: http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg/images/stories/files/Guidebook_2006.pdf.

Maps available in the West include Kyrgyzstan: A Climber’s Map and Guide by Garth Willis and Martin Gamache and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Map by GiziMap.

Fiction books
Any novels by Kyrgyzstan’s most famous author, Chingis Aitmatov, will provide a good sense of the local culture and life. Those available in English translation include: The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years, Jamilia, The Place of the Skull, Cranes Fly Early and Short Novels.

This is Not Civilization by Robert Rosenberg is a novel set largely in Kyrgyzstan, written by a former Peace Corps volunteer.

Films:
Beshkempir: The Adopted Son tells the story of a young boy growing up in the typical local manner, until his best friend, in a burst of anger, reveals that Beshkempir is adopted. The film progresses with little dialogue, moving viewers through the days and weeks of typical village life. Most of the movie is in black and white, with occasional vibrant bursts of color. The relations between individuals, the land and animals are wonderfully conveyed, as is the typical life and cultural practices of Kyrgyz villagers. The movie frankly portrays issues such as early sexual exploration and spousal abuse.

Wedding Chest (Tsunduk Predkov) is about a couple, a French woman and a Kyrgyz man, coming back from Paris to Krygyzstan in order to announce their marriage. Some of the scenes are overdone but the scenery is excellent, some cultural traditions and beliefs are illuminated and the reaction of the parents to the foreign bride is indicative of Kyrgyz desire for children to marry within their ethnicity.

Birds of Paradise (Zumak kystary): This Kyrgyz-Kazhak film by Kyrgyz filmmaker Talgat Asyrankulov is about a young, female journalism student who goes to the border to document the issues there and falls in with a comic gang of smugglers. The film feels roughly strung together and the acting is sometimes weak. But the highlight is the famous ostrich farm, located just outside Bishkek, featured in the film.

The PBS documentary on bride stealing by Petr Lom shows three bride kidnappings as they happen. It is a moving and important documentation of this ancient practice that still claims many victims. Watch it online at: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/kyrgyzstan/thestory.html

Other movies filmed in Kyrgyzstan, many of them shorts, include:
Pure Coolness (Boz Salkyn) (2007)
Lullaby (2006)
Down from the Seventh Floor (2005) – About the Tulip Revolution.
Saratan (2005)
Altyn Kyrghol (2001)
The Fly Up (Ergii) (2001)
The Chimp (Maimil) (2001)
Sanzhyra (2001)
The White Pony (1999)
Hassan Hussen (1997)
Bus Stop (Beket) (1995)
Taranci (1995)
Jamila (1994) – Based on the Chingis Aitmatov novel.
Sel’kincek (1993)
Where’s Your Home, Snail? (Gde tvoy dom, ulitka?) (1992)

If you know of other resources on Kyrgyzstan, please post them in the comments.

Exploring tearooms

2009-01-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

While most Americans drink coffee, I have avoided ever having a cup. Instead, I’m a tea fan, taught during my student years while living with an English host family. I start off every morning with a cup of black tea, and wind down in the evenings with a soothing herbal.

I enjoyed high tea in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, as well as in the tea mecca of London. However, I never realized that New Jersey is full of tearooms, as are many other states in the U.S.

I’m now exploring some of these tea oases in my background. The first one I tried was the Harmony tearoom in Westwood, New Jersey. It’s a small, intimate and welcoming place, with soups, salads and scones that are to die for. It’s such a treat to tuck into a warm and relaxing environment, with no corporate logo and no hurry to move. It’s a lot of fun to try different teas, such a rooibos with an almond flavor, a fruity pear black tea or a lightly sweet chamomile. It’s a chance to step back from the hectic world and take a breather.

To find tearooms in your neighborhood, look at Teamap.com.

More violence against human rights activists in Russia

2009-01-19T19:25:00.001-08:00

This news makes me sad.

Some more good foreign films

2009-01-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

When I’m not able to be on the road, I like to watch foreign films to get a glimpse of faraway places. I try to note the worthwhile ones I come across here. Below are two more to add to the list.

Since Otar Left is a film from contemporary Georgia. It does a great job of portraying the details of daily life in a post-Communist society – so much so that I missed the minivan buses, the thick doors with peeling paint, even the electrical and water outages. Three generations of women live together in a Tbilisi apartment, awaiting letters and phone calls from Otar, their son/brother/uncle, who has gone to France to work illegally in construction. When something happens to Otar, the younger two women decide to lie to Otar’s mother.

I think it’s most worth watching for the images of Georgia and for the insight it provides into a family dependent on foreign remittances and longing for better opportunities. Esther Gorintin’s performance as Otar’s mother is also amazing for a 90-year-old actress (who was a former dental assistant). I’ve been seeing some inspiring examples of older actresses lately. One is 81-year-old Estelle Parsons, starring as an evil matriach in Broadway’s August: Osage County. Another is Gorintin.

A Soldier’s Ballad is a 1959 movie from the Soviet Union. This might make you expect patriotic fervor and a chaste, lovely view of life. Surprisingly, that’s not what you’ll find at all and it makes this film unique.

The main character is allowed a six-day leaving from fighting at the front after he (somewhat unrealistically) destroys two tanks. He has two days to travel home, two days to fix his mother’s leaking roof, and two days to return. The trip home ends up taking longer than two days though, as he travels across Russia and meets up with people affected in various ways by the war. I watched it twice, once with the English subtitles and once without. It’s a rare film I enjoy repeating, but this one is touching and very nicely done.

The interview that accompanies the DVD is not as well done, but is interesting only to hear the nationalist jingoism in the exchange, especially from the American side.

Best travel gadgets of 2008

2009-01-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

I’m blogging over at Matador Travel today on the best travel gadgets of 2008.

Kyrgyzstan makes list of top 10 countries to visit

2009-01-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

Kyrgyzstan is number six on Lonely Planet’s list of the top 10 countries to visit in 2009. I couldn’t agree more that Kyrgyzstan is one of the best undiscovered destinations. For the full scoop on what to see and do, take a look at my newly published guidebook: Roaming Kyrgyzstan: Beyond the Tourist Track. And enjoy the beautiful country and friendly people!

Good experience with ABC

2008-12-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

We picked up our car last night from ABC airport parking and we were very satisfied with the experience. It cost us $82 for the week, using a coupon we found on longtermparking.com. When we dropped off the car, a shuttle took us directly to the airport. When we arrived back at the airport, we called ABC to notify them of our arrival. We had to walk down one level from baggage claim and outside to a pick-up point. A van came by within a few minutes and took us back to the lot, where our car was waiting for us at the entrance, which meant we didn’t have to carry the luggage far.

We’d had to leave our keys, but the car was in good condition. Due to the ease of use, the convenience, the competitive price and the polite staff, we’ll be using them again.

Flying with a one year old

2008-12-28T17:52:00.000-08:00

I was afraid of the four flights that made up our holiday itinerary. In the end, the travel wasn’t easy, but neither was it horrible. Here are some ideas I collected and tips I learned.

If at all possible, travel with someone else. Having my husband there made it very manageable, if at times challenging. Doing it alone would have been exhausting.

Pack a lot of diapers, drinks (milk) and snacks. Those are things you don’t want to run out of. If using cloth diapers, airport travel might be a good time to make a disposable exception, unless you have extra room for soiled diapers in your carry on.

Taking a carseat is a pain that is best avoided. However, if you must take one, as we needed to, it has a few benefits. One, if you can get an open seat on the plane, it’s easier to strap baby into a carseat with hopes that he’ll stay there than it is to strap her into an airline seat. You might get more hands-free time on the plane. Two, the Go-go kidz travel device is really as cool as I’d heard. It converts a carseat into a rolling piece of luggage, basically like a stroller. It’s lightweight and easy to roll through the airport and River was quite content being pulled in it. When you have to board shuttle buses and the like, you don’t have to disassemble a stroller, but instead just push down the handle, pick up the child in the carseat and carry it on board.

Waiting areas offer great entertainment. The space and the interesting people around were enough to captivate River for a long term, with little need for extra toys. Another benefit of traveling with another adult is that one adult can sit with the luggage while the second follows the child’s wanderings.

Do whatever you need to do to get that open seat available on the flight for baby. Two adults plus baby plus stranger in a row of three narrow seats = hell. Avoid it however possible. Also keep in mind that carseats generally are only allowed to be put in window seats.

To increase the odds of getting an extra seat, head for the back. If traveling with another, book a window and an aisle in a row of three and leave the middle open. Someone stuck in the middle is generally willing to trade. If you feel annoyed by the extra time or hassle it takes to head back and to get off last, remember that the survival rates in crashes are highest in back.

Try to board when they offer boarding to people who need special assistance if you feel you need it. If you don’t, board last and let baby run around as long as possible before having to be constrained.

Minnesota snowmobiling

2008-12-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my father, who organized the trip, we were able to spend a whole day snowmobiling, MN-style, the way I did during my childhood. There are a lot of snowmobile fanatics in my family, including my father, brother, uncle and cousin. During my childhood, my father would go up to twice a month and he often took us with him. At one point, I even had my own snowmobile.

By the age of 13 or so, I wasn’t interesting in spending the weekend in the cold with my family and I stopped going. I hadn’t been on a real snowmobile trip since.

We traveled about 25 miles, from Faribault in southern Minnesota (known as the place of manufacture of the Tilt a Whirl rides) west to Madison Lake, then 25 miles back. The trail was straight and easy. Part of it went through the attractive Sakatah State Park, where we crossed many wooden bridges and drove along a tree-lined path.

The noise and gas-guzzling nature of snowmobiling goes against my generally eco-friendly nature. It’s not something I’ll engage in regularly. However, for an occasional event, it was fun. The roar of the snowmobile makes it almost impossible to talk, even if sharing a vehicle. So I fell into a meditative-like state, left alone with my thoughts as the scenery passed by.

My prior memories of snowmobiling center on the way that my snot would freeze to the facemask. This time, it wasn’t so cold which made the ride much more comfortable. My long underwear, snowmobile gear and facemask did their job, with the heated handlebars an added bonus. My dad said that the freezing snot is still a problem though.

“My glove can only take so much,” he joked. He’s thinking of using an antihistime before going in the future to reduce the drippage.

Part of the Minnesota snowmobile culture is frequent stops at the bars and restaurants along the route. We stopped three times, which was at least one more than I needed. Our first stop was my favorite. Tucker’s Tavern is a small café decorated with bright wood and with a clear dog theme. The burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads were consistently good and the service friendly. The quaint little town of Elysian was also a sight to see.

Snowmobiling itself it easy. It’s more exercise for the fingers than anything else. The most difficult part is navigating narrow trails, taking sharp turns and getting out of a snowbank. It’s good to have an experienced person in your group if possible, or at least a couple of people strong enough to tug a snowmobile back into place.

If you want to try it, here are a few tips:

The best snowmobiling is up north, where the trails run through the forest and you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.

Plan your trip for winter, at the time that maximizes the chances of cold and snow.

Be cautious at night, especially of other snowmobilers, who may have been drinking or may be speed demons. Also, be cautious crossing water, especially if temperatures have warmed up in recent days.

The Department of Natural Resources website has helpful information about trails and services along or near the trails.

These sites provide information about snowmobiling in their region (these are all in the north) as well as contacts for snowmobile rentals.
Brainerd
The north shore
Ely (this is a mecca for snowmobilers)

Remember that the speed limit is 50 miles/hour in state parks. Also, that driving a snowmobile while intoxicated is illegal and can get you an DUI just like driving a car drunk.

Riding out my elite membership in style

2008-12-24T19:29:00.000-08:00

Today was my second to the last flight of my elite frequent flier status on two airlines. At the end of the year, my membership expires and I failed to rack up enough miles this year to qualify for next year’s membership. I will return to flying like every other average Jane out there. I admit I’m dreading it.

The short lines for check in are a real bonus, as are the occasional shorter security lines. Special number to call for assistance can be helpful, especially when, like this week, airlines just don’t answer their toll free number because of “heavy volume.” Most valuable of all, in my opinion, was Northwest’s policy of upgrading elite members to first class when there are extra seats available.

I LOVE that perk! Unlike American Airlines’ lame policy of a couple of vouchers to maybe be able to pay a supplement to upgrade, if Northwest has first class seats available, they will give them to elite members in order of ranked membership. This seems to me to be a real acknowledgement of appreciation for frequent fliers. The price of the meal or wine served isn’t all that much but it’s inspired a lot of loyalty in me. I’ve often flown Northwest over other airlines, despite service issues, despite a higher price, just for the chance of being upgraded. The fact that Continental also honored that policy was a double bonus. The experience is vastly different from being on the cramped American planes and seeing wide open spaces up front, but not even being offered a blanket, much less a larger seat.

Tonight, even though I was traveling on miles, Northwest upgraded me to first class due to a full flight. I had a seat and so did my infant son, who sat in his carseat. It was a short flight, but he enjoyed the milk refills and free bananas. I appreciated the Twix and the white wine. We both enjoyed the space.

I suppose we’ll see what happens to Northwest’s plans and services upon the merger with Delta. I hope the upgrade policy isn’t lost though. Even though I won’t qualify for it anytime soon, it’s enough to make me try to qualify again.

Whether or not I will depends on my employment status. If I find a job this year that involves a lot of travel, I’ll probably return to elite status by the following year. If not, I’ll have to learn to deal with long lines and poor seats.

Saving money on airport parking

2008-12-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

After I saw the last charge from our stay at the economy airport parking lot ($15 a day adds up quickly) I decided to spend more time looking into the options for our next trip.

We considered public transport – but with a baby, bags, a late return flight and snowy, sleety weather, it’s possible, but not easy.

Then I looked into the shuttle buses. They are fairly convenient, but the price for two adults makes them less of a good deal than when a single person is traveling.

A taxi is easy, but the priciest of the options.

Finally, I googled “cheapest long term parking” and the airport. I found this cool site where several options near my airport were listed, as well as coupons with the best deals. These cost about 1/3 less than the airport economy parking.

I then googled the cheapeast options. The cheapest choice near Newark was EZ Way parking, but I found some pretty horrible reports from customers. On to the next ones: ABC Parking (which will cost $10.50/day including taxes) and AirPark (costs a bit more than ABC). Both came up pretty good after a Google search.

So we’ll try ABC Parking this time, which offers a free shuttle to the airport. The total cost of driving and parking in this lot will be cheaper than taking a taxi or the shuttle. While it’s less environmentally friendly than using public transport, it’s more convenient and we’re not at risk of being left out in the snow if our flight is delayed and public transport is slowed down.

This is one of those times when I want to say yay for internet research!