Arslenbob is a village - more like a small town - spread down a valley of a river draining one of the 4,500m+ peaks in the area. It has embraced 'community tourism', where a local body encourages individuals and families to provide facilities suitable for western tourists. Is pretty remote and as a result is well off the beaten track, but with this tour and similar ones getting more and more popular, it will see more. Its main claim to fame s that it is surrounded by the world's largest remaining walnut forest - over 600,000 acres.
It is also our first homestay and turned out to be the place with the most basic facilities of the trip. Our group of 18 (including the 'western' guide and the country guide) were spread over two adjacent places. Our place had basic rooms and a shared eastern and a shared western toilet ('drop' types, a bit smelly) and a shared shower, which had to get fixed before we used it the first time. I think the other place was a bit better fitted out.
The owner's house in front and the garden (growing lots of fresh veges) and the rooms, over 2 levels, on the right.
Place to relax and enjoy the vodka / beers we brought with us! We were here for 2 nights and 'borrowed' some fridge space in their store room. Our hosting families here and later on were all Muslim, and we always checked whether it was OK to consume alcohol on site - it always was, but we were careful not to leave empties about.
Dinner was provided by the hosting families both nights. First night it was plov (pilaf rice with lamb and veges), plus bread, salad, watermelon, biscuits etc.
Most of the group had beer or (very cheap) vodka, but JohnM and i invested in some Kyrgyz wine - which in this case was handily sold with its own plastic corkscrew! Here, we began to get the impression that the local wine wasn't too good (the impression would persevere!!). One bottle we had here tasted more of cherry juice than wine; the other was a passable Merlot, but only passable.
Salad (tomato and cucumber - like every other time!)
The plov.