Bandy. Yes, Live International Bandy!

I would like to suggest that there is not another Englishman with as much knowledge of Asian Women's Ice Hockey as me. After a visit to Medeu up in the mountains outside Almaty, I'd now like to put myself in at least the top 5 of UK based Englishmen who have some knowledge of Bandy. I would still be a long way behind Charlie Brougham who had to commentate on the sport along with former GB and Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey player Shannon Hope, but at least I can tell you that it's a football pitch sized ice pad, maybe a shade smaller, with field hockey sized goals and two teams on skates with slightly curved sticks playing with a ball rather than puck. I can tell you that Mongolia are much better than Kyrgyzstan, and that Kazakhstan are better than Mongolia. I am also now in a minority of people who know how to spell Kyrgyzstan, as are you...

The Medeu Arena is the most beautiful sports venue I have ever seen. In the mountains, beautiful air, if it had snowed a bit more it would have been even greater. There is a speed skating track around the side where many records have been set. there are mountains around three sides and fantastic views from all around.

View from the cable car

Kyrgyzstan fans go wild, inspite of team trailing 10-0 to Mongolia at half time

Mongolian National Bandy Squad Member

After the game (17-0 final score, I think) I went with some of the Canadian Crew even further up the mountains. This was amazing. Had a pretty good pizza, even though the horse meat sausage grill smelled and looked a bit more tasty. Further up is Chimbulak Ski Resort which is where the Giant Slalom took place, but not the day I was there....We chatted about 'Bucket Lists' which I found out was a list of things, in this case sporting events, you wanted to do before you died, maybe it comes from 'kicking the bucket', I don't know. This is because I mentioned I'd given up a trip to Dallas for The Superbowl for this trip, but that I didn't care because I'd done six Superbowls. The Superbowl was on the Bucket List of most of the guys, but all this made me realise that I have been to a lot of stuff and there are not too many things on my sporting Bucket List any more. A Stanley Cup Final would be nice, the French or US Open Tennis, going to a Cagliari Serie A match.... um, that's all I could think of. But then going up to the mountains and meeting nice people and watching Bandy and enjoying the view would have been on my bucket list if I had even knew you could do such a thing. 

Finish Line - Giant Slalom

Chimbulak

This was a really good day with some good chat with Jeff, the director, and the guys. To think, I was so tired through work and jet lag that I nearly slept in and missed all this. So glad I made the effort. Chatted with an interpreter from the Baluan Sholak called Aziza on the way down about Almaty and Aktau (which seems to be the rich bit of Kazakhstan, by the Caspian Sea, but she told me it was a three day train ride away!) then back into town and the hotel to do my game notes and grab a nap.  Back to the Hockey tomorrow. But I think I could get into Bandy.