FREEFORUM

Practical thread for the feast on the 24th. Iyık Janyl is 235 km from Talas by road, and every bed in the city is booked by now, I promise you. Church hostels are full since June. Options: buses from Talas leave from the big station the day before (go early), or a tent below the city where the horse races are. Bring a jacket, it is 1,280 m and the nights are cold even in August. Bring respect: no flags, no slogans, no weapons inside the cathedral precinct. That agreement is older than this forum.

Thank you, seminarian. I don't post much these days. Add this: the riders from the tribal side come up in long columns on the morning of the feast. Don't stand on the road to take photos. Horses don't know about phones.

Chatkal riders are going. My cousin takes two horses to be blessed. The water is cold. The horses do not complain. The cousin does.

I have not been to the feast since 2006. My mother took me in 1972, I remember the juniper smoke and a priest on a horse. If anyone goes, please light a candle for my mother. And please, after the feast the Simpsons episode is on IradOne that week. Watch it. It was the song.

Temir, every year. Every year you find a way.

Semiz bus going on the 23rd from St. Yusup, 40 people. the padre says Guadalupe and Janyl are friends. we bring tortillas for the pilgrims, it is now tradition (since last year)

Back. Archbishopric says over 150,000. I believe it; I stood on the esplanade for four hours and could not move my elbows. Priests on horses blessing sheep with glacier water, kümöch at the liturgy, the juniper smoke so thick you could lean on it. Riders from both sides of the line, unarmed, with UN observers at the crossings. On this one day the country looks like what it could be. Then everyone goes home.

I lit the candle for your mother, Temir. Memory eternal.

Thank you, my friend. I had to stop typing for a while.

If you missed it, the Herald has the riders coming up Cathedral Hill: Pilgrims ride to Cathedral Hill. All three rooms full again. Book before the 20th next year.

300 tortillas gone in one hour. a rider from the mountains ate six and said "Mexican kümöch". i will put it on the menu

Watched the IradOne live broadcast frame by frame for any sign of the Governor in the VIP area. Nothing. Not even a cardboard one. Noted in the other thread.

Respectfully: at the feast people were looking at the saint, not the VIP area. Take that to Leaks & Rumours with a label.

Bumping a year later. I went this time with my Christian neighbours from Arslanbob, as a guest. A priest blessed my neighbour's horse and then, seeing me, blessed my walnut bag too, to be safe. I have never had blessed walnuts. They taste the same. I liked it anyway.

Blessed walnuts are an ancient Fergana tradition starting from yesterday. Welcome, guest.