After such a great trekking in Karakol valley I had three weeks to have a full relaxation before the new coming working year. Here, in Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan, I had a lot of possibilities to spend my rest-time full of joy, meetings, wimming and sunburning. Issyk-Kul Lake, good summer weather, fresh vegetables and fruits, friends and relatives meetings, fishing and many other things and activities accompanied us this time.

My girls, wife Zhanna and daughter Lyuba, came to Kyrgyzstan in the middle of June and lived in the house of my mother-in-law just near the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake ('SMU' settlement, about 10km from Karakol town). I joined them after my mountains' trip and lived with them until the end of my annual leave.

During these three weeks we met many people. A lot of my friends, classmates and relatives still live in Kyrgyzstan and I was more than happy to meet them again. Below is the list of most valuable meetings of this summer:

• Azatbek Dushembiev and Ruslan Akunov (classmates of mine in the school No.1 of Karakol town) became a very brave fishermen and we went for fishing a few times this year. Most beautiful and productive fishing was on the Lake Issyk-Kul near Tamga village where we were catching a fantastic fish called "Issyk-Kul dace (chebachok)" (Leuciscus bergi - the young and smaller brother of Leuciscus schmidti). Below you can see the photos of this wonderful and delicious fish.

• Askhat Shakurov, my classmate in the school No.11 of Karakol town. He married and became a happy father twice already! We met each other at his dacha near Mikhailovka village where we (me, Zhanna, Askhat's family, Azat and Ruslan) spent one evening having a perfect banya (sauna in russian style) drinking local beer and talking about our life.

• Anna and Jury, my good friends, owners of good computer shop "T&U" in Karakol". Many good rememberances I have about them. This year we had a chance to visit a perfect beach of Issyk-Kul Lake near Mayak ("Lighthouse" in English) village together. Day was very sunny and we spent a wonderful day swimming in the lake Issyk-Kul, sunburning, eating water-melon and talking about all.

• And of course meeting of my mom, younger sister and grandfather. That was and will be the most important reason of visiting Kyrgyzstan. My mother and grandpa live in the village Pristan-Karakol (former Pristan-Przhevalsk) near Lake Issyk-Kul too. We visited them very often and were very happy to talk. My grandfather is long-liver - next year 2008 he is 90 years old!

Below you can find the photos of Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan and also the pictures:
- fishing at Issyk-Kul Lake and ponds
- Karakol town, SMU, Pristan-Karakol
- rest at Issyk-Kul Lake
- Boom canyon
- beaches of Issyk-Kul Lake