Out and about around Issyk Kul

Excursion day today, busy but a lot of fun. The group I was with went to Przhevalsky Museum (he was a Russian geographer and explorer who died in Karakol in 1888, where he was hoping to start another expedition, this one to Lhasa in Tibet. He's the one the wild horses are named after.), then into the city of Karakol to Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, then we ate some Ashlyamfu, a Karakol speciality of spicy cold noodle soup. After our early lunch we went up the Jeti Oguz Gorge, to see the Jeti Oguz (Seven Bulls) rock formation and the Broken Heart rock formation (the first 2 bulls from the back) then upriver and into the mountains to the Devichi Kosy waterfall (including a short horse ride, couldn't leave Kyrgyzstan without riding a horse at least once). Next it was back down to the river for a picnic round a traditional low table by some yurts, and a chance to sample Beshbarmak (nice, but I preferred the Ashlyanfu). We then headed back to Karakol to visit the Dungan (Chinese) Mosque and then to the hot springs. Fantastic day with a fun tour group and a wonderful tour guide who told us so much about the legends and history of the area.
See the extra shots for a few more shots from a great day. (Holy Trinity, Jeti Oguz River, Devichi Kosy Waterfall, side of the Broken Heart rock formation, yurts in context, Dungan Mosque, the mountains as a storm closes in)
Location approximate.