Kyrgyzstan

 We arrived in Bishkek at 5 a.m. this morning. The locals seemed to want to get off the plane very quickly  and were pushing their way to the front of the queue. Negotiating our way through customs was painless. As we entered the arrivals hall our driver was directly in front waiting for us. He led us out to the carpark  where we waited until he brought the car around. The drive into town was interesting with very little traffic on the ride. On arrival at B Hotel we were greeted at the front counter and taken to a lavishly appointed room.
After a much-needed hot shower we made our way to the restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast choices  consisted of a choice of hot and Continental Foods. Coffee is made for you and was strong and well received. After breakfast we returned to our room to unpack and rest.
After couple of hours sleep we ventured  into the city centre to find a Bank and by a buy a towel that we forgot  to pack. After asking a policeman, we got directions to a bank. Aling the way we found a fantastic little eatery called  Gloria coffee Lounge. The food here was fantastic along with the drinks and the prices. For a three-course lunch with a fruit and lemonade drink and a strong coffee the cost was $26 Australian.

The remnants of the soviet-era is still evident. This city has several monuments relating to Wars and conflicts but a lot of Western influence is making its way in. The parks are clean and green end very well maintained. One pocket that we ventured into was showing a very artistic influence with Lamppost sculptures and wrought iron work in abundance.

We finally managed to get some local currency from an ATM with an English option. The exchange rate is 49 Som to $1 Australian.

The people here are friendly and willing to help despite the language barrier.