Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan things to see and do
Sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is blessed with gorgeous mountain scenery almost everywhere you look. The fact that the country is so little known is mostly down to its isolation and a lack of awareness of its very existence – Kyrgyzstan has only been a country in its own right for two decades or so.
Alcoholic drinks in Kyrgyzstan
Arak (Kyrgyz for Vodka) the most common and popular form of hard alcohol – watch out for Samagonka – home made vodka. When drinking vodka - watch your hosts – Russians tend to drain their glasses – “down in one” – and so do many Kyrgyz – but a lot of Kyrgyz only drink half the glass.
Kyrgyzstan holidays
Life amongst the nomadic Kyrgyz was extremely harsh and there was a high infant mortality rate. As a result birth and childhood were associated with many beliefs, superstitions and rituals - many with "shamanistic" overtones. Many of these have survived to the present day.