The Osh Bazaar

The lively Jayma Bazar in Osh, Kyrgyzstan is supposed to be one of Central Asia's most diverse. Situated at near the borders of three countries (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) along the historic Silk Road, has been a central trading area for people of all three nationalities for centuries.

The produce section was full of colorful and healthy-looking vegetables and fruits, all displayed in either large plastic bowls or woven grain sacks with the tops rolled down. The spices were fragrants and huge varieties were for sale in smaller woven bags, all in seed form to be mixed and then crushed into powder. We bought a delicious smelling mix, which the man wrapped up for us expertly in newspaper so that none could spill out. Steaming warm bread was for sale in one area, displayed on bright red table cloths, which mobile hawkers sold the same out of steel carts. Outside a small teahouse, men churned out samsas from a deep clay oven and outside others, cooks fanned the long barbeques where shasslick is grilled atop coals. In the meat section, all types of cuts and meats were hanging on display and the fattiest cuts were most expensive. Among the more exotic items on sale were sheep and cow heads and horse feet! In one area, heaps of nuts and dried fruit were for sale out of plastic-lined cardboard boxes and nearby were heaps of cookies, all for sale by weight.

The usual array of designer jeans, sweaters and footwear were displayed aisle after aisle beneath colorful tarps and the electroics and housewards sections ere stocked with cheap chinese goods - radios, flashlights, plastic buckets, large thermoses, and teapots.

We grazed on our favorite local snacks - fried dough stuffed with potato and samsas- and tried some things that we'd never seen before.

Since we need to be self-sufficient on our bikes and carry all of our own food, we get to do more than just browse through these exciting bazaars. It usually takes us several hours to track down everything on our shopping list, but we always enjoy it. It's wonderful to buy things straight from the producer and a great chance to interact with locals in each town we pass through.

Christine