depressing??? lol I seriously love the brutalist soviet buildings architecture and memorabilia. ( I have a serious interest in the history of the former USSR, my plan of visiting all 15 former states still remains, 4 to do).

I was not alone, I hooked up with half a dozen strangers on a "package tour" of sorts, met up with them in Bishkek, and off we went, plenty of free time for me to do my own thing. But with transport and accommodation already sorted.