Bishkek Park is not a park

"Have you been to Bishkek Park?" one of my co-workers asked me.

"No, but now that the weather's warmer, some time in a park sounds nice," I replied.

My co-worker laughed and informed me that Bishkek Park is actually a mall and was surprised that I was oblivious to its existence as it is situated only two blocks from my apartment.  I had no idea it was even there--evidently I had been auditioning for a role on The Walking Dead, every time I had passed by previously.

So, I entered Bishkek Park the next time I walked down Kiev Street.  I think one of the very few things common to the 30 or so countries I have visited is that they all have malls.  And they draw lots of people.  And the malls in every country seem to all look about the same.  You could plunk Bishkek Park down in the center of Managua and it would resemble the other malls I've seen in Nicaragua.  And if you took the malls I've visited in Central America and plunked them down in the middle of Bishkek you would think you were simply visiting another version of Bishkek Park--as long as you just switched the language on the signage your deception might go unnoticed.  And they all have lots of stuff you really don't need.  And almost all of this stuff is all the same stuff you can find at all the other malls.  And much of it is priced beyond the reach of average folks. And most everyone in these malls is madly in love with their cell phones.  And after wandering through these pretend parks designed to create never-ending wants, I have come to the conclusion that malls, no matter the locale, could possibly be the least spiritual places on our planet.

Ice skating in Bishkek Park 

Shoppers crowd around the special deals set out on the walkways of Bishkek Park to celebrate Women's Day