Celebrating the new year in Almaty Part 1: Ded Moroz and Snegurochka

To the best of my knowledge, Christmas is not a holiday in Kazakhstan.  While there may be some families that celebrate something on December 25th, the big holiday here is the new year.  In celebrating the new year, many familiar symbols arise.  One example is the tradition of gift giving at the new year by Ded Moroz (father frost) and his grand daughter Snegurochka.  As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, they fly in a troika (a sleigh pulled by three horses) and you can see a yolka in the back.  Families and schools will sometimes hire a company to provide a Ded Moroz and Snegurochka.  Snegurochka will lead a good time with games and dancing which eventually culminates in the arrival of Ded Moroz and the dissemination of gifts (purchased by the family, of course).  I have to say that, from what I've seen, this culture has the party-games thing down.  Everyone (from toddlers to grown-ups) participates and everyone has a good time.

Another similarity is the Yolka - a fir tree decorated to celebrate the new year which strongly resembles our Christmas Tree:  "In Russia they only started decorating fir trees in 1700. Back then it symbolized New Year, not Christmas. Czar Peter the Great imported the tradition of from Europe and also moved New Year celebrations from September 1 to January 1.  Meaning that in 1700 we Russians celebrated New Year twice and both times with fir trees!" click here for more about this tradition.

Friday Photo: Snow Removal

I came across this scene last week and thought I would share:

If you can't quite make out what is happening, a crew of 8 is loosening the snow at the side of the road.  This big machine slowly follows them scooping up the loose snow and loading it conveyor belt style into the back of the huge dump truck.

That is how it is done.

Weather Report: December 2011

I was just outside and discovered it to be the third REALLY cold day in a row, so I was curious as to exactly how cold it is.  Here is the report as recorded by timeanddate.com

December 16: around 20F, -7C
December 17: around 21F, -6C
December 18: around 20F, -7C
December 19 (right now): 1F, -17C

Luckily, it looks like we are going to thaw out a bit:

December 20: High of 14F,  -10C
December 21: High of 17F, -8C
December 22: High of 24F, -4C

By Friday it will be above freezing and sunny.  I can't wait to see the mountains!!!!

Independence Day

On December 16th, 1986 there was a large protest near what is now the new republic square.  The protest was about the appointment of a Russian instead of a Kazakh to the post of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.  Needless to say, the authorities did not look kindly on the protesters (they never do) and many people were killed and injured in the confrontation that resulted.  It is in honor of this event that Kazakhstan celebrates its independence on December 16th.

To celebrate the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence, I bring you pictures of the monument at the new square and a brief retelling of Kazakhstan's historic relationship with Russia as I understand, or perhaps more accurately, fail to understand it.

Legal disclaimer: I do not make any claims on the following information being fact.

Once upon a time (in the 17th century to be slightly more precise) there were a group of people living in the seven rivers region of central Asia (what is now south east Kazakhstan).  This was actually three groups of people ruled by separate leaders called Khans, but every once in a while they would agree on something and be one group of people ruled by one person - also called a Khan.

To the east of these people, were some other people (the Zunghars) who were gradually moving West. To the west and north of these people were some more people (the Russian Cossacks) who were gradually moving south and east.  If you have ever played risk, you understand the predicament the three Khanates found themselves in.  Ultimately, one by one, the three Khanates sought protection from the Russian Cossacks, and histories of the two states have been intertwined ever since.

Now,  I could try and explain the complicated politics that lead to Kazakhstan's independence in 1991, but honestly it reads like a Dostoevsky novel with dozens of players and hundreds incomprehensible plot twists.  The short version is that there was a demonstration in Almaty which was followed by some political posturing.  Then a few years later there were a couple of attempted coups on other leaders in other countries.  I'm not sure how that part relates to Kazakhstan's independence, but apparently it does.  Then, apparently, everything in Moscow fell apart and so Kazakhstan became independent.

While the events leading to Independence are apparently only comprehensible to political scientists and secret agencies, today people in Kazakhstan are proud of their independence.  Flags, flowers, and festive greetings are the rule on this four-day weekend.  So hey, bring on the party and с днем конституции!

Movie Monday: The NEW Almaty Metro

First of all, I am aware that it is, in fact, Friday (not Monday), but since we had "Photo Friday" on Monday a while back, I feel that it is only fitting that we have "Movie Monday" on Friday.  Besides, this was way too cool to not post right away.  Also, just because this post is about the NEW Almaty Metro does not mean that there was ever an OLD Almaty Metro.  The NEW is capitalized for emphasis because it is THAT cool!!!!!

Now down to business.  The Almaty Metro opened just a few weeks ago and today was the first chance I had to go down and take a ride.  The price for a ride is 80 Tenge.  You can purchase a yellow plastic token at the Kacca (ticket window) or, you can go to a kiosk and invest in a smart card to wave in front of the machine. During the day, trains run at 10 - 13 minute intervals.  There are no benches in the stations, so be prepared to stand while you wait.

Each station has a different theme relating to it's name and the interiors are worth seeing.  Happy Friday everyone, enjoy the video!

Almaty Weather

Before I came, many of my friends asked me what kind of weather I was expecting in Almaty.  Since it is mostly just my friends who read this blog (hi guys)  I thought that perhaps it was time for an update.  Since about the 2nd half of October I have come to expect some snow about once a week.  Usually it is only an inch or two a accumulation - enough to make the sidewalks icy.  It is cold, but not unbearable.  Most days I don't feel like I need gloves or a scarf, but I can feel that changing.

The last couple of weeks have been very foggy.  I  don't often get to see the mountains any more (this is wreaking havoc on the mountain time lapse I am working on), just a sea of white.

So that's the weather report.  Not much else to report except that photos of the new years decorations will be coming soon.

Friday Photo: Abai

I live one block up from one of the main east-west avenues through town.  This street is called Abai after the famous late nineteenth century Kazakh poet and philosopher (same guy the opera house is named after).  At the end of Abai (up the hill from Panfilov Park and the green market) you can find this statue of the revered folk hero.  The statues here are all impressive. This one is rather huge.  What you cant see is a seven foot construction fence below the bottom of the picture.  I rather like that Abai looks down the street named after him.

Movie Monday: Baraholka Bazaar

The Baraholka is the largest bazaar in Almaty.  Located north of the main part of the city on Rozibakieva street, it spans what feels like a square mile once you are inside.  With dozens of rows of stalls selling everything in its season, this is the place to buy furs, coats, shoes, Christmas decorations, wedding dresses, carpets, lights...actually it is the place to buy just about anything you want.  The narrow walkways are crowded with shoppers, suppliers shouting 'kesh kesh kesh' as they race towering stacks of boxes to one stall or another, and old ladies selling Chai (tea) and coffee to hungry shoppers and vendors.  The merchandise towers high above the tiny isles giving one the impression that even if the item you were looking for was right in front of you, you might never see it.

The typical Baraholka experience takes hours, and I highly recommend a guide if you are looking for something specific.  Plan on walking through miles and miles of shops - oh and dress warm if shopping in the winter - it might be covered, but it isn't heated.

Movie Monday: Yermek Serkebayev (Ермек Серкебаев)

“Yermek Serkebayev was and remains the king of the Kazakh opera.” - Minister of Culture Mukhtar Kul-Muhammed

Back in September I attended a performance at the Opera House that was a tribute to the Baritone singer Yermek Serkebayev.  While I had no idea who he was, I could tell that the elderly gentleman on stage crooning folk songs in his gravely voice at the opening of the performance was beloved by the audience.  At the end of the concert, a video played of Yermek Serkebayev singing in his younger years.  I was hooked and had to find out more.

So I present clips of Yermek Serkebayev.  I hope you enjoy.

Really Useful Stuff: Interactive Bus Map

For those public transit users out there:  A colleague of mine shared this link:  http://zaproezd.kz/  This is a map of Almaty that allows you to select your transit type and route number and it will show you where that bus goes.  This site is easy to use and extremely useful.

If you are using Google Chrome, you can translate the page to English.  The Russian words for the different kinds of transit are:

Автобус = bus
Троллейбус = trolley-bus, or buses with electric wires
and Трамбай = trams (on tracks)

Friday Photo: Mega Camel

"and now for something completely different:"

This suave beast has to be among my favorite of the camel likenesses around the city.  He stands ever so cooly at the entrance to the mega shopping center as if to say: 'don't you wish you looked as cool as me?  But guess what you'll never be as cool as me.  Know why?  huh? know why (you silly English Kniggets - he doesn't say that, but you can tell he is thinking it).  Cause you're not a Camel.'

Or maybe he's just saying 'hey guys, check out the tie!" Who knows...

Actually, since he is fiberglass, it is extremely unlikely that he is thinking at all - and if he is, we are all in a lot of trouble.

So happy Friday one and all!

Movie Monday: Speed Skating at Medeo ice Rink

The Rink at Medeo finally has ice.  When I was up there last week, I caught part of the kazakh speed skating team at an early morning practice:

Sunday Snippet: First Snow

On a weekend where it seems like a good portion of the northern hemisphere was hit by snow, Almaty also got a taste of not-so-rare late October cold weather.  It began spitting snowflakes on Friday night (and actually snowed big fluffy flakes in parts of the city with slightly higher elevations) and Saturday evening the entire city received its first winter coat.  Here are some pictures from around my building.

Thursday Thrill: (just this once) Medeo Gondola Ride

Don't get used to Thursday Thrill posts, you will only get them when I am on holiday.  Also I am canceling Friday Photo this week because I am running out of things to say.  That feature will return next week with a picture of something really spectacular (or not).  At any rate, enjoy the thrills:

Gondola Ride from Medeo to Shymbulak Resort

Since my first visit to Medeo I have been planning to take the Gondola cable car that runs from a station just below the ice rink up to Shymbulak Ski resort.  I set out on my adventure early because I wanted to get to the resort before the haze set in over the city or before it clouded up (the forcasted weather did not look good).  So I set out from my apartment, walked down to Abay Avenue, and squeezed myself onto the first down-town bound, overcrowded, rush hour bus that looked like it it might be able to hold another passenger.

At the end of Abay, I walked down the hill to the first bus stop.  That is where the No. 6 bus to Medeo originates.  I was surprised that the bus was almost empty (given the cramped nature of my last ride on that bus) and that the fare was only 50 tg (on weekdays - weekends are 70tg).  When I reached Medeo I discovered why:  The Ice rink was closed for speed skating practice, and the Gondola doesn't open until noon Monday through Thursday.  So I wandered around a bit trying to decide whether to wait a couple of hours for the Gondola to open or to hope for good weather next weekend.  I decided to wait.  Your reward for my patience is a video of the experience:

Incidentally, It costs 2000 tg to take the gondola from Medeo to Shymbulak.  The ride lasts around 15-20 minutes.

Children between 5-10 years old cost 1500 tg and I believe that children under 5 are free - I don't actually know that Russian word yet, so don't quote me on that one.  There is also a discount for seniors with ID.

Oh and the hours of operation seem to be Monday-Thursday 12:00 - 5:00 pm (one sign said 6:30, but I saw 5:00 more frequently) and Friday through Sunday 9:00am - sometime after dark - (I think 10:00 pm).

There are restaurants at the top with appropriately marked up prices, but there are also picnic areas so bring a thermos with something warm and a picnic lunch.

Tuesday Tale: Tamgaly Petroglyphs

Short preface:  today's entry is a bit longer than a tidbit, so Tidbit Tuesday seemed an inapropriate title.  If you are heartbroken about this one-time change to the order of things, you'll survive:  there are lots of pictures to distract you.  Besides, the world is filled with change and we will be back to normal next week.

Petroglyphs are a form of ancient rock-art.  They are images scratched onto the surface of large rock faces (kind of like cave paintings, except without the caves...or the paint).  Apparently there are more than fifty sites with ancient petroglyphs in Southeastern Kazakhstan (where I live).  Today I visted the Tamgaly Petroglyphs which are located in a small gully about  two hours to the northwest of Almaty.

The Story...

The main highway west was in excellent condition and we managed to make great time in spite of the heavy fog that blanketed the region.  About 80 km outside of Almaty we turned northward onto a road that was, once upon a time, paved.  Whether by neglect or heavy animal traffic (we had to wait for a large heard of sheep and their horseback shepherds to cross the bridge over the train tracks) the road is now strewn with massive potholes. Entire sections of pavement have simply vanished.  Our driver expertly weaved and bobbed his way through the maze created by the pavement for another 80 km until we reached a small welcome station that consisted of a deserted parking lot, two portapotties, and an official guide with his two very cute dogs.

The official guide led us down the path toward the hills that hide these ancient treasures.  When we reached the valley he began to point out rock faces that were covered in etchings.  There were hundreds of images of horses, bulls, shamen, the sun, women with children, and even a couple of camels.   There was even one image that the guide said was of a female alien.  Apparently several cultures in this region around that time used similar shapes to represent alien life (according to our guide, anyways).  Most images on these rocks were created between three and four thousand years ago, and it is somewhat humbling to be among the expressions of people who lived so long ago.

A burial mound

After stopping briefly for a picnic lunch at a small, covered pagoda, we hiked through the hills ultimately touring three of the seven petroglyph sites and a burial site before returning to the buses.


We then settled in for the long trip back to Almaty, a trip that was punctuated by the sighting of a wild fox, and chasing herds of stray horses off the road in what turned out to be beautiful clear weather.

Tidbit Tuesday:  The Modern Kazakh Cowboy

If you've read this far, you must really like me.  As a reward (because I buy my friends), here is a picture from the back window of our bus (sorry it is so blurry) of a moderd kazakh cowboy and his pony "mercedes".  As the saying goes, there is more than one way to catch a cow.

Movie Monday: I must live on the most interesting corner in the city!

What I saw on my way home from work Friday:

Friday Photo: Fall Colors

Leaves are turning yellow and the weather is rapidly cooling.  Sunny days have a chilly bite to them and the nights are downright cold.  The weather changes in the mountains much sooner than in the city.  I saw my first yellow leaf up by Medeo weeks ago.  Now most of the trees in Almaty have turned a beautiful gold.

I catch the bus in the dark both directions now, and sometimes I don't see the mountains at all until I get to work and the sun comes up.  The street lights turn off at the earliest moment of morning twilight and I often catch their fade as I sit on the morning bus.

The heaters are on (thank goodness - or the city planners) and I almost got out my winter coat this morning.  At the last minute I traded it for a warm sweater and my fleece jacket when the thought of a heavy winter jacket in the middle of October proved too depressing.

This is Autumn in Almaty.

Friday Photo: Weddings

Last Saturday there was a wedding in my apartment building.  That isn't quite accurate.  Someone on the 16th floor of my apartment building got married last Saturday.  My first clue came in the form of four gentlemen in nice suits carrying large buoquets.  Flowers here can mean anything from a birthday to a funeral, but a decked out stretch limo can only mean wedding.

All day, the elevators went up and down and up and down always to the 16th floor as wave after wave of revelors came and went from the building.

After whatever ceremony takes place, the revelors will typically take a photo tour of the city that includes the Cathedral of the Holy Ascension, President's park, and even Medeo.

Friday Photo: One of my favorite spots

One thing that I have heard numerous people praise about Almaty is the green space.  There are trees lining almost every street.  Even the medians are converted into parks with paths, trees, shrubbery, and benches.

One of my favorite spots in the city is really nothing more than a median about as wide as a four lane street that has been converted into a park.  This place is peaceful and quiet, and very pretty.  It serves as a place for people to play basketball and table tennis, to jog or watch their kids play on one of the numerous playgrounds.  On Sundays, there is some sort of record exchange that takes place on one of these park benches.  This usually features two or three cardboard boxes filled with LPs (The Beatles seem to figure prominently in the collections) and a perpetual crowd of 10-15 men ranging in age from 19 to 79.  It is a kind of quiet gathering place for the community - a public space that is truly used by the public.

Tidbit Tuesday: Swine Moat

Ok, not technically a moat but, "swine run-off ditch beside the road" just doesn't have the same ring.  It also suffers the disadvantage merely being a reference to, rather than a quote of, a very funny movie.

Nearly every street is lined with such moats.  The streets that don't have these amenities are a muddy mess when it rains (I know, because I have spent two unpleasant mornings trying desperately not to get a mud shower from passing cars on my way to work).  There are always bridges, some pretty, some plain, to cross.  This was a particularly pretty bridge that I found one morning in the older part of the city.  There are also some very nice bridges crossing the really large moat (think four times wider and three times deeper than this one) on Abai.

Friday Photo: Almaty Fountain No. 4...I think...I seem to have lost count

Hey, cut me some slack I am a musician and rarely have to count higher than four.

This set of fountains has to be one of my favorites.  You will find them in the small park just east of the Opera and Ballet house behind the statue of Auezov.

 

Soon to come:  A post about moats 

Movie Monday: Yesterday's trip to Medeo

I know I have posted about Medeo before (and you know I will post again when there is ice in the rink), but here is a short movie made on my trip up the mountain yesterday and some random facts to keep you entertained.

Random Facts:
The Medeo Dam was built to protect Almaty from mud slides.
The Ice Rink was the site for more than 100 world records in skating.
The rink is open 8 months out of the year.
The rink sits at 1700 meters elevation (that is close to 5000 feet).

There are almost 800 steps to reach the top of the dam (yes I counted them).
I definitely plan to go skating there this fall.
If you want more facts This website seems to be pretty good.

P.S.  Happy, Quiet and Safe Revolution day Yemen.

Sunday Story: an evening at the opera

The balcony level lobby

Last night I took my first trip to see an event at the Abay State Opera and Ballet theater.  A colleague and I went down to see Rigoletto since her former roommate at the conservatory was singing Gilda.  We arrived early so we purchased our tickets 400 Tenge each (about three dollars) for the cheap seats and then spent our remaining time talking on a bench in the park across the street.


The theater is spectacular both inside and out.   The details are done in traditional Kazakh design employing different Kazakh symbols.

Each week they run a different opera, and once a work is rehearsed and performed it can return in that form up to three times a year for several years.  While the show seemed stiff and some of the singers seemed to have a difficult time projecting over the orchestra, the singers who played Rigoletto and Gilda, were quite amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

This fixture represents the opening at the top of a yurt

When the performance was over my colleague and I went back stage to meet the woman who played Gilda.  We found her still on stage talking with her cast-mates and director.  I have to say, it was super exciting to be on that stage as it is about 3 times larger than you get to see as an audience. We hung out in Gilda's dressing room for a while and then went out for coffee.  It was a fantastic evening that I hope to repeat in a couple of weeks with La Traviata.

Friday Photo: We could all use a little change

One of the most perplexing aspects of everyday existence in Almaty is the constant need for change.  No, not the need for something new and different, but rather the need for money in denominations smaller than 500 Tenge.  In Almaty, change is almost a commodity in it's own right notes and coins under 200 Tenge are both extremely useful, and in high demand.   

Allow me to explain:  to get to work, I usually ride the bus. The bus costs 50 Tenge.  If I take a bus with a ticket machine, I must have the fare in change.  If I take a bus with a conductor, it is unlikely that this person will have the change to break anything over a 200 note.  So, if I do not have any denomination smaller than 200 but greater than 50kt, then I must be sure to stop at the grocery store on my way home to buy a bottle of water for 125 tenge with a 5,000 kt note.  The teller at the grocery store will glare, then ask if I have 5 kt to make the change even, and which point I shove my hands in my pockets to at least appear to look for the change, shake my head mournfully and accept the next day's bus fair with a friendly "thank you."

Many places require exact change: vendors at the Bazaar, Gypsy cabs, buses, the neighborhood veggie stand guy, restaurants.  Everyone will ask you for change knowing perfectly well that you need it as much as they do.  

Tidbit Tuesday: The power to change convention

I intend to do two posts about change, and today's post is about the power of nature to change something in a way that defies logic, convention, and training.

There is little in this world that cannot be changed given the presence of a source powerful enough to change it.  I present as evidence the Tien Shan mountains of which you have already seen numerous pictures.  These mountains lie to the south of Almaty.  If you were to ask me (or anyone else in the city to point south, we would all point at the mountains.  One can see them from almost every corner and landmark in the city.  When we wake up, we see the mountains, as we go to work, we see the mountains.  In fact, the only time you don't see these mountains is if you are facing due north.  They are the basis for all directions (go up, or go down), and they are the backdrop against which we all frame our internal maps.

 This natural focal point only becomes a problem when it is pitted against the conventions of map making.  When I think of the streets and landmarks of Almaty, in my mind I am looking towards the mountains.  I cannot even imagine the city without the mountains.  If you hand me a map with south at the bottom, however, you demand that I attempt to picture the city with my back to the mountains.  If you saw these mountains you would understand why this is so difficult to imagine your back to them.   The result is that most standard maps are almost incomprehensible.   So how to read a map?  Some of us resort to turning the map upside down.  but recently I have spotted several maps printed with the mountains (actual pictures of the range) at the top.  Some are at bus stops and one was even in a store.

So while defying the convention of placing North at the top of a map may seem silly to those who have not experienced this geographic phenomena.  It makes perfect sense to those of us whose perspectives have been changed by the power of the Tien Shan.

Photo Friday: Another Almaty Fountain

...Just kidding, but I will post more of those.

Seeing as I am not adding too much to my apartment anytime soon, I guess I should post pics:

Living room looking toward my front door 

Bedroom: 

(like the hats?) oh and that door where the curtains are open leads to the balcony.

 

Kitchen: 

Sorry, no pics of the big red bathroom...maybe as a part of the bathroom series I'll run (lol).

Tidbit Tuesday: The Hike

Saturday I went on a really fun hike with a small group of teachers.  We were planning to go to Big Almaty Lake, but the road was closed so we went hiking in a nearby gorge instead:

 

 If you ever want to take this hike yourself, simply catch the 28 bus near roundabout at the presidential park.  You will need to pay 60 tenge as the fare includes admission to the national park.   Ride the bus until the bus turnaround (the end of the route) and then walk up the right branch of the fork in the road until you come to the trail head:

 

 Most of the trail follows the river.  You will often have to scramble over boulders, rocks and stepping stones in shallow places of the river, so wear good shoes.

 

 The trail crosses the river in two places on small bridges constructed of steel pipe.  There are several rungs missing in these ladder like bridges and the metal can get a little slippery so be careful!

 At one point on the trail there is a staircase that is missing most of the steps (as you can see).  Don't turn back, simply hold on to the railings and use the braces that used to support the steps to climb the staircase (This was my favorite part of the trail).

If you take the trail to the left at the top of the staircase, you will climb to a small pagoda which is an excellent place for a breather and a snack.

If you wish to hike deeper into the canyon from the pagoda, go back to the top of the staircase and continue on the higher trail into the canyon.  You will come across several extremely steep climbs...

 

 but the view from the trail high above the river is definitely worth it.

The trail goes on and on into the canyon.  Simple turn around when you are ready to head back to the city.

Sunday Story: Couch surfing and mistaken intent

Unfortunately this story has no pictures.   So as a little incentive, if you actually manage to read to the end I have a bonus pic for you that I took on a little trip yesterday.

Part I - Couchsurfing 

I have had an eventful weekend.  It began Friday evening when a colleague and I jumped in a gypsy taxi after work to attend a couch surfing event.  couchsurfing.org is an online community that hooks up travelers with hosts and couches to sleep on.  Different cities have different 'chapters' and members sometimes meet up to go on hikes or to throw a party for a departing (or arriving) surfer.  We were attending a party for a young woman from San Fransisco who has been traveling and couch surfing for just under a year.  My colleague said she has never attended one of these events so neither of us were really sure what to expect.

We were among the first to arrive at the 11th floor flat in old town Almaty.  To get to the flat we squeezed into a very small elevator with four other people who were also going to the couch surfers event.  On entering we all introduced ourselves, removed shoes, presented gifts of food and drink to the host, and then began to make small talk.  The flat quickly filled up with people from all over the world.  There was an Australian, an Egyptian, a young Kazakh man who has lived in Canada, the US and London, and many locals who had visited almost every continent.  I was not even close to being the most well traveled person in the room and I often found myself searching into my memory for names of countries I knew I visited briefly as a child to pad my list a little.

Over the course of the evening I debated the merits the Flyers vs. the merits of the Maple Leafs with a Maple Leafs fan.  I learned about environmental activism in Kazakhstan from a man from Astana who happens to be an environmental activist.  At one point, a young man from Turkey spent ten minutes trying to convince my colleague of the miracle bracelet that increased your strength.  Needless to say, there was plenty of hilarity involved.

Part II - mistaken intent 

Around midnight (as the party games were just beginning) my colleague and I decided that perhaps we should begin making our way home.  We spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries with the hostess before finding our shoes and descending to the street in the tiny elevator.  Most buses here stop running shortly before midnight so we stood on the street to try and get a gypsy taxi.

The first couple of cars to pull over were not interested (whether it was the price or the location, I'm not sure), but finally a white Niva pulled over and we crawled in.  I sat in the front on a bucket seat that bounced wildly at every dip in the road.

The driver was of Russian descent and remarkably friendly.  We spoke (with my colleague translating) for a few minutes when the driver suddenly said in English "what is your name?"  My colleague and I lauged briefly before I told him that my name was "Leeza"  (the name bestowed on me at the party).
Apparently confused by our laughter, he then asked "what is the polite way to ask your name in English?" I was confused for a moment but realized that he was referring to the formal and informal pronouns present in so many languages (including Russian).  I replied (again with my colleague translating) that in English all are equal - there are no ti's and vi's.  The driver then proceeded to tell this story:

He owns a coal delivery business and one day he was delivering coal to a woman in the country.  When  he arrived at her house, only her daughter was home.  His efforts to communicate with the daughter in a formal manner went wrong when he attempted to ask "What is your mother's name?"  Unfortunately that same combination of sounds can also mean something quite rude (which my translator did not share with me).  Unfortunately even the best intentions of civility can go awry.

As promised, here is your random picture reward for actually reading all of this.  Next time:  "the hike" (and it will be filled with pictures).

 Yes, they are loose, just meandering down the road. 

Friday Photo: Three guesses

You got it!!!!!  From the Almaty fountain collection, I give you fountain number 3.  This fountain is on zhibek-zholi street in the section by Tsoom that has been blocked off for pedestrians.  I have passed it a number of times and seem to always stop to admire, so I thought I would share.

 

Next time on khaki-sandy girl:  an evening couch-surfing, and a gypsy taxi driver's story of mistaken intent.  I think you will enjoy. 

Movie Monday (is finally back): Stopping Traffic

 The most courageous people I have met in Almaty are the traffic police.  I am not referring to the ones who zip around in their little cars pulling people over for crossing the double white line or for failing to stop for a pedestrian - yes, drivers here frequently destroy their tires as they screech to a halt at a "zebra cross" (named that because of the stripes, not because any zebras actually cross the street there), but to the guys who stand in the middle of a rush hour intersection with a whistle and a red flashing stick and try to restore flow to the gridlock.

The intersection my apartment building is on is one of the craziest in the city.  It is odd, because in daylight it seems only moderately busy, but during the evening rush hours (between 5pm and 9pm) it turns into a complete zoo.  Most evenings there is a traffic policeman with his radio and his flashing neon night stick directing traffic.  As he works to restore flow to a given street, the cars on the cross street become increasingly, well...cross.  A chorus of horn honking crescendos until the traffic cop finally screeches on his whistle and holds the blinking stick high above his head much like a warrior with a gleaming sword signaling the start of some epic battle.  All traffic comes to a stop and with an expert twirl of the nightstick, he restarts a new line of cars through the intersection.

And so for "Movie Monday"  I bring you two minutes of horn honking and whistle blowing captured from my balcony.  Enjoy.

Sunday Story: The photo scavenger hunt

Tuesday was Constitution day in Kazakhstan.  As you can imagine (with a name like constitution day) it was a national holiday that we had off from school.  Everyone else had both Monday and Tuesday off because late last week the president announced that Saturday would be a work day and the holiday would extend from Sunday through Tuesday.  Yay for presidential decrees!  At any rate, the school I work for usually does not observe those sorts of last minute changes, so we had school Monday and took only Tuesday off.

One of the 2nd year teachers organized a photo scavenger hunt for constitution day.  We all met at Mars (Mapc), a little restaurant a couple of K (about a mile) up the hill from me.  Formed into teams, and used public transit to get to various landmarks around the city to collect twenty three pictures.

My team, Team Croûtons (Diane, Naomi, Anne, and I), began by catching the 32 bus down town and walking through Panfilov park where we got pictures of the Cathedral of the Holy Ascension and the War Heroes Monument. 

After that, we headed down a couple of blocks to the Green Bazaar where we goofed off with sunglasses, and bought bananas, tea, and umbrellas (even though there was no chance of rain that day).









Then we headed over to Tsoom (zoom if you're American) which is this crazy three story "everything" store that is really a collection of vendors...like a three story Bazaar.  It may be hard to tell from the picture, but that is a store behind us under that giant billboard.










We took an afternoon coffee break around the corner at the "American coffee shop" where, when you walk in, they remind you that this is an "American coffee shop" and then headed east to Almaty Central Park (formerly, and still called, Gorky Park).







Gorky Park is home to nice walking paths, a small amusement park, a pretty impressive water park, and the Almaty Zoo. We wandered through the park collecting pictures on the Ferris wheel (outstanding view from the top, by the way), by the octopus, and of various zoo creatures.























The day ended with a trip through Interfoods (a magical German Supermarket near the green bazaar) and a Gypsy cab ride back to Mapc were we had dinner.  The day was good fun with good company.


Oh, I almost forgot:  Here is a picture of a camel at the zoo for Stephanie.  It is the first camel I've seen here.