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22 Comments

  1. Although the town itself is depressing, the surrounding mountains are beautiful. The church is also very pretty. I love seeing the older style Russian artwork (and how it contrasts with the rest of the modern world’s art from that time.)

    1. It is a grey, rather depressing town in the middle of beautiful scenery. But despite that, I really loved it and am hopeful for the place.

  2. Halfway through the post, I was also reminded of some economically depressed towns in the US.
    I am reading your posts from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with great interest – one day I’d like to do a road trip from central Europe to these countries, and end the trip in Mongolia.
    Thanks for sharing!

    1. Yes! It really is reminiscent of some depressed areas of the United States (eastern Ohio comes to mind as I was born there and have a lot of family there). Sometimes we forget that places like this exist even in economically rich regions.

  3. If I didn’t know what place you’re writing about I’d guess this is Karakol. Some pictures are almost exactly the same as mine from there!

    1. I feel so bad I never properly explored Karakol. I had so much fun atop the mountains there that I never gave the city below much of a chance. Always next time!

  4. Great pictures and lovely description of a fallen place. I immediately thought of all the American cities that mirror Balykchy’s current state. I wonder if the hope they have is well-founded.

    1. Yes! It definitely reminded me of certain cities in eastern Ohio where I was born that fell into depression at the decline of the US steel industry and have not completely found their way out.