Felt making in Kochkor

A couple of hours in the truck today. The landscape wasn't as impressive as the other days and it was cloudy and a bit hazy so we all had a nap in the truck. Stopped at a mountain pass where there were a few old carts functioning as cafes for the locals. This is also the place where you would take a turn to go to the beautiful Song Kul Lake but since it's early spring it's too cold to go there. Cold as in the road is blocked with snow. It can get down to minus 20 during the winters so it is really a place where spring comes late and the summers are very short.

Our homestay for the night is in Kochkor and before arriving we spent a couple of hours in the town

getting lunch and buying snacks etc. and we went to a felt making place. A nice woman showed us how to make a little felt blanket which we had to help out with as well. Cleaning the wool, making the pattern, rolling it up inside a bamboo mat, hot water on it and then stepping and dancing on it before the women opened the mat and rinsed it. It looked super professional ;-) Of course there was a souvenir shop with lots of felt products. Some people bought hats and Malene bought two bracelets and a felt ring.

Our homestay is a huge house with a brand new first floor. Still smelling very new.

Ripped pants.  Mikkel taped and sewed them.

Leave shoes outside the homestays

Cafes for the local truck drivers

Seems like some Danes have been here - or export of Danish cars to Kyrgyzstan?

We really understand now why food pics are a great help

Yummy Lakman

Carl

Very normal supermarket - half of it is vodka

Bread man

Felt making step 1

Felt making step 2

Felt making step 3

Felt making step 4

Felt making step 5

Local hat - and Mikkel

Emma with local hat and a felt ring

Homestay