As everywhere in the world, weddings tend to be big and joyous affairs.
Arak (Kyrgyz for Vodka) the most common and popular form of hard alcohol – watch out for Samagonka – home made vodka. When drinking vodka - watch your hosts – Russians tend to drain their glasses – “down in one” – and so do many Kyrgyz – but a lot of Kyrgyz only drink half the glass.
Bishkek, the capital of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 1 million, located in the Chui valley at the northern foot of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too on an inclined plain, at an altitude of 700-900 meters above sea level.