While it isn't an absolute must, if you do spend a few days in Bishkek, be sure to visit this immense bazaar built entirely out of shipping containers. The reason for their presence is simple: the containers are able to withstand the numerous earthquakes that rock the country. The bazaar itself is a hub of wholesale trade between China and Russia. Even though it has been suffering from the effects of the crisis for the last ten years, it is still a gigantic machine that functions like a city unto itself. An astonishing discovery!