The fragrance of freshly baked Kyrgyz nan (bread) and red hot spices fills the air as I wander through the labyrinth of Osh Bazaar, the most famous market in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
I snake my way between the mountains of bread and heaps of fresh vegetables, smiling and greeting friendly vendors with a soft “salaam”. Women with floral scarves wrapped around their heads are dishing up cups of kymyz (fermented mare’s milk) while men wearing white woolen kalpak hats are hawking their ware. Rows upon rows of stalls are jam-packed into the sprawling market, selling items that range from locally-produced food to colorful textiles and electrical products.
The explosion of colors and cacophony of sounds makes it such an senses-assaulting experience. I’m glad to have made it here on my second day in Bishkek — it’s an excellent place to take a peek into the Kyrgyz daily life and get to know more about their culture. Here’s a collection of photos that I shot at Osh Bazaar; hope they paint a better picture than words.
Selling stacks of freshly baked nan
A happy vendor
Dishing up plates of plov (pilau rice cooked with meat)
Baking samsas (pastry with meat inside) using a charcoal oven
All types of Kyrgyz nan
Fresh salads piled up in heaps
Mountains of dried fruit and nuts
Jars of pickled food
A young Kyrgyz and his spice stall
Kyrgyz signs in cyrillic
Shopping for vegetables
A woman selling kymyz (fermented mare’s milk)
All types of products on sale
Horse sausages and cured meat
The meat section
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