Well, finally I’m able to get out of town. I’ve said more then I thought I would tell about the town of Oskemen, yet there are still a lot of things left out. But it would be unfair to have a lot of info of the town and people, when the most precious wonder of Easter Kazakhstan is – Nature…We’ve only spent about one third of our holiday time in a dusty, heated, concreted place. Most of the time we were out in the countryside, having a time of our life, walking on the clouds and swimming in the lakes framed into mountains…
Imagine low mountains, piled by granites covered with sparse pine wood and fescue and feather grass…imagine 5 beautiful lakes confined within this geological break. Like gigantic stone bowls filled with the pure fresh water, blue like the eyes of heaven, splendid in their simplicity…the system of five lakes called Sibinski.
They are about 80 km away from Oskemen , a popular destination for the weekend gateway… A nameless stream, influent into Sibinka River, flows through all the lakes… Hollows of lakes are closed on three sides, open on one, gently uplifted by the slopes of stone ridges… Nearly all accessible lakesides have been bought out and built up with recreation centers and owner-occupied dwellings. But of course, when we decided it is time to pay a visit, we wisely chose Monday and enjoyed the whole lakeside to ourselves. We went there by two cars – a small related crowd. Spent there a day. The weather was absolutely perfect, gentle breeze, warm kisses of sun, just - Us and The Lake. And of course there was unavoidable adventure waiting. Day was peaceful and wonderful, we were as we were - a rather big crowd, we had a barbeque , we tanned, we swim, we tried almost every water-side activity…and then The Big Swimming Challenge began. It all started so innocently – my son was sitting there, watching the waves goes by…when suddenly he says: “what if we'd swim across to another shore of the lake …” the distance didn’t seem to be frightening…But in the end it was only me and my cousin who found themselves in the middle of a lake, wondering how the hell did they managed to talk us into it?!
I always thought that I can swim reasonably. In a way that I wouldn’t sink. Somewhere in the middle of a swimming distance I realised that this was the wrong assumption. So I had to decide very quickly whether to go ahead or to swim back or to drown….either one of the distances wasn’t particular attractive and it was incredibly difficult to breath underwater - there is no air in there! Duh! I’ve decided to save a face and take a heroic route which was - the forward route. I still don’t know how come I’m still alive and dried off, but I must make a note to myself never get needlessly agitated by the innocent question of your own child.
Imagine low mountains, piled by granites covered with sparse pine wood and fescue and feather grass…imagine 5 beautiful lakes confined within this geological break. Like gigantic stone bowls filled with the pure fresh water, blue like the eyes of heaven, splendid in their simplicity…the system of five lakes called Sibinski.
They are about 80 km away from Oskemen , a popular destination for the weekend gateway… A nameless stream, influent into Sibinka River, flows through all the lakes… Hollows of lakes are closed on three sides, open on one, gently uplifted by the slopes of stone ridges… Nearly all accessible lakesides have been bought out and built up with recreation centers and owner-occupied dwellings. But of course, when we decided it is time to pay a visit, we wisely chose Monday and enjoyed the whole lakeside to ourselves. We went there by two cars – a small related crowd. Spent there a day. The weather was absolutely perfect, gentle breeze, warm kisses of sun, just - Us and The Lake. And of course there was unavoidable adventure waiting. Day was peaceful and wonderful, we were as we were - a rather big crowd, we had a barbeque , we tanned, we swim, we tried almost every water-side activity…and then The Big Swimming Challenge began. It all started so innocently – my son was sitting there, watching the waves goes by…when suddenly he says: “what if we'd swim across to another shore of the lake …” the distance didn’t seem to be frightening…But in the end it was only me and my cousin who found themselves in the middle of a lake, wondering how the hell did they managed to talk us into it?!
I always thought that I can swim reasonably. In a way that I wouldn’t sink. Somewhere in the middle of a swimming distance I realised that this was the wrong assumption. So I had to decide very quickly whether to go ahead or to swim back or to drown….either one of the distances wasn’t particular attractive and it was incredibly difficult to breath underwater - there is no air in there! Duh! I’ve decided to save a face and take a heroic route which was - the forward route. I still don’t know how come I’m still alive and dried off, but I must make a note to myself never get needlessly agitated by the innocent question of your own child.
