It is so so cold

It is freezing in Istanbul and my next stop Sofia. Actually, worse than freezing due to the wind, but pretty bad all the same. The forecast says warm (8 degrees +) from Wednesday onwards. I am completely over the cold weather.

Istanbul Modern Art Museum

There is a wonderful modern art gallery in Istanbul, which

I visited for the first time on Friday. It is in a converted warehouse on the water, with views in every direction, including to Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. The works are all by Turkish artists and are ... interesting.

A full length mink coat

This is a shot of me and Galina, our interpreter, whose husband bought her a mink coat (pictured) for the cold days in Bishkek. Some people get treated well, don't they?

I, of course, tried it on (in private) and looked pretty bloody good. I think I was born for this artic weather.

And now for the weather in Siberia: cold

Perhaps I have a future career in presenting the weather.

Me and Suha, our economist from Turkey, looking very cold. Luckily, I have me new (second-hand) seal skin hat to keep out the cold.

Kyrgyz media grill me

They take no prisoners, particulary the George Negus of Kyrgyzstan in the front row. Note also the bohemian look of the camerman to the right.

Chilly in Bishkek

It is chilly here in Bishkek. The top temperature is about minus 5 degrees each day. The snow is fun but.

Just where is Kyrgyzstan again?

Okay, okay, no one has a clue where it is, but if you look carefully on the map on the right hand side, above India and Pakistan, there is a dark green country. That is it! Bishkek is the capital city, and we are 5 hours behind Australia.

Comrade Lambov

Bishkek is chilly, with "highs" of - 6 and lows of - 25 degrees Celcius, but it doesn't really feel that cold. It helps to have a trendy fur hat, as you can see in this photo of me standing next to one of the registration authority's cars.

Destination Bishkek

I am off to Bishkek from Istanbul on Tuesday evening. The weather is not looking pretty: overnight lows this week of - 20 to - 30, and tops of - 4 degrees(celcius). I should experience the - 20 degrees when I get off the plane early Wednesday morning. Bishkek is really not my favourite place.

Me and my gypsy brothers

I met up with some of my gypsy brothers on Saturday night at a restaurant outside Belgrade. They recognised me instantly as a gyspy, even though I was much taller, whiter and thinner than them. However, as this shot shows, there was an instant connection between us.

What does it all mean?

I really have no idea about the language here, but it looks dramatic (sometimes) and nice (other times). Very confusing how the Serbians use either western and cyrillic script depening on their mood.