As the North American Hockey teams wind up their season with the Stanley Cup play-offs I feel like this is a good time to update those of you reading my blog just for the hockey on the outcome of the Kazakhstan hockey championship. As you may (or may not - which is also fine) recall, Almaty was knocked out of the play-offs sometime ago (just as the snow was beginning to melt on the Almaty streets). Ultimately it was the Atyrau team "Beybarys" who took home the Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Championship at the end of April. They won last year as well. This year they had to beat Pavlodar's "Ertis-Pavlodar" for the honor. The Beybarys won the series four games to two and won the last game 2-0. A friend of mine who saw the Beybarys play earlier in the season described the team as "big, fast, and smart." It is no wonder they keep winning. Any Kazakhstan Hockey fans out there feel free to add video and photos if you were at one of the championship games.
If you are looking for more information about Ice Hockey in Kazakhstan, go to http://www.icehockey.kz/
All spring Almaty has been a parade of blooming plants. When the Tulips stopped
blooming, the bushes and trees began, now those blooms have turned to
thick green foliage and the roses have burst forth. It makes sense that Almaty would have a festival dedicated to plants and flowers.
This morning, a colleague and I set off to "Astana Square" (commonly called the "Old Square" or "Old Republic Square" by locals) to see what was going on at the local flower festival. We found the streets adjacent to the park blocked off and lined with tents containing exhibits and plants. A large stage featuring singing and dancing (standard fare at any such celebration) was set up in front of the old government buildings. There was also fun to be had in the form of a large labyrinth, horse drawn cart rides, and crafting tables in the park. Here are some pictures from the event.
Today's photo is of an establishment I first noticed back in August. At first glance it look like a place some people in the United states might call a "liquor store" or if you are from Pennsylvania, a "state store" (don't ask why PA is different, it's a bit of a long story).
I noticed this place all year, but never really ventured in because there are many places closer to home for me to purchase "adult beverages" (I think I might be wearing out my """ key with this one). A couple of weeks ago, though, a friend and colleague of mine ventured inside this place on a whim and discovered what this establishment REALLY is. Have you guessed it yet?
How about now?
Take another look (and yes, that is Vodka in the window):
Give up?
It's a plain, ordinary, nothing special here grocery store. The kind that sells bread, sugar, rice, and canned goods. While an entire isle of vodka is fairly common here, the store where I buy most of my groceries puts it's vodka isle away from the windows and consequently it seems less "exotic" (if vodka can be considered "exotic" in a place where it is almost as cheap as water). Happy Friday everyone!
Yesterday I went with friends on a day trip to Steppe just north of Almaty. My friends were looking for some of the wild poppy fields which bloom around this time and for some kind of monument. I was simply looking for an excursion out of the city.
Our route took us north on the road to Astana for about one hundred kilometers before turning on a road that followed the Kurty river. As we drove we saw herds of horses, herds of camels, herds of sheep, and even a llama or two. The road we were following gradually transformed from a road to a pothole riddled obstacle course before finally disintegrating entirely into dirt track. I have heard that this is true of many roads in Kazakhstan, that as you get farther from the city, they deteriorate until there is barely anything left.
A herd of Camels for Steph
We drove and drove but failed to find the poppies or the monument. Eventually my friends decided to turn around and we found a spot by a bridge in the village of Akshiy to eat lunch. Fifteen minutes later we were forced to flee our lunch spot just before it was overrun by a large herd of sheep. So we continued on our way back to Almaty.
A herd of sheep near Akshiy
Our outing turned to adventure when our car wouldn't start after a brief stop by a picturesque bend in the river. After a few minutes of trying every trick we knew to start a car, we began walking toward a farmhouse that we had seen a few hundred meters down the road.
As we approached the farmhouse two big sheep dogs greeted us with menacing sounding barks. Two men and a young boy were outside the house. I asked if the older one spoke Russian and to my relief, he said he did. I explained that our car wouldn't start and asked if they knew a mechanic nearby. He said that there wasn't but then asked where the car was. and I said that it wasn't far. He went inside for a few minutes and then came back out with the younger man and indicated that we were all to get into his car.
A picturesque bend in the Kurty River
Working on the car
I attempted to make small talk as we drove back along the river to our car. After fiddling around under the hood, they decided to tow the car to a start. It worked and the man told me that the starter didn't work and so to make sure to park the car pointing down a hill. We thanked the two farmers profusely and then resumed our journey back to Almaty with no poppies or monuments to show but with our very tiny adventure ending happily thanks to two helpful Kazakh sheep farmers.
If you ever attend an event with mixed expat and local company, people inevitably ask you which of Almaty's attractions you have been to see. Have you been to Medeu? Have you been to the Green Bazaar and Panfilov Park? The one place I had not been (until today) was Kok Tobe.
My reason for delaying my visit to the enormous television tower on the green hill overlooking downtown was purely aesthetic. I really wanted to go up there on a clear day, and we have not had many clear days here since last October. This morning, though, I woke up to a brilliant blue sky and wonderful fresh air that still smelled like last night's rain. So I took the metro down to the end of Abay, bought my 2000 tg round trip ticket for the gondola, and went up to see the view. Here is a short video of the trip. Enjoy.
This is probably my favorite piece of public art in the city. It is located near TSUM (not far from the green bazaar). I have always admired it because it raises so many questions. Every time I walk by I wonder what these people are doing. Are they looking at something? Are they waiting for something? Are they praying? Perhaps they are keeping warm around a fire or discussing the train schedule. Maybe they are straining to hear the outcome of a sports event on the radio. What are they doing?
p.s. I know I haven't posted in a while. I have a couple of stories in the works and am really just waiting on some pictures to go with them. I also have had neither time nor energy to do much romping about town...a circumstance I hope will change in the near future.
Happy Movie Monday on Tuesday! It doesn't happen often, so savor it!
Sunday was Easter as celebrated by the Russian Orthodox churches here in Kazakhstan. If you are wondering why the orthodox church celebrated the resurrection of Christ on a different day than western churches this year, it is explained quite well at factmonster.com (click here).
Since all of the Christian holidays are celebrated best at Zenkov's Cathedral in Panfilov Park, I took a trip down town yesterday morning to see what was going on. I arrived at the church just as the bells were ringing to mark the beginning of the service. Here is a little video to give you an idea of the experience. The sound (except the bells) was all recorded inside.
Happy Easter!
I have heard that the Midnight services on major holidays are not to be missed. Unfortunately, I am still feeling a little under the weather from a mishap I had a couple of weeks ago so I wasn't able to make the midnight service last night. I'll save that for next year.
I found this fantastic monument on my wanderings during spring break. It is about one block west of the last metro stop on Raimbek. The inscription below this truck reads something like: Automobile GAZ-AA, symbolof labor andglory ofthe automobile veterans. I am not entirely sure who these veterans are, but I thought the truck was pretty fantastic so it won a spot on photo Friday.
Happy movie Monday. Last week I took the night train from Almaty to Astana, here is a little video I made of the trip:
****Bonus: ASTANA pictures****
Astana is a bit of an odd city. Unlike other cities in Kazakhstan, there are only a few of the Soviet era buildings in town. The rest of the city is made of new shining glass buildings. When looking at the architecture around town, you can find echoes of architecture from almost every city in the world. There are buildings that echo New York City, Beijing, Paris, and many others. For me, this lent the city a certain feeling of insincerity. On the other hand, there was public art everywhere which makes the city feel pleasant and livable.
one of several shopping malls
Yup, there are people ice fishing on
the frozen river.
The Palace of Peace and Accord
Palace of Peace and Accord
I think my favorite place in Astana is the Palace of Peace and Accord. Even though it is a pyramid (and the obvious cultural reference there), somehow the design feels natural and balanced. While unimposing from the outside, the pyramid is quite large. Inside you will find the opera house, a winter garden (just below "the cradle" at the top of the pyramid), and an amazing interior design that is filled with symbolism. Natural light from the top of the pyramid (which is tinted to look like a yellow sun in a blue sky - symbols you will find on the Kazakh flag) penetrates through all of the levels, even into the rays of the sun on the concert hall's ceiling (pictured bottom left).
Everything in the facility is beautiful - the one exception being the finishings of the opera hall where, for some reason, you find frayed carpet, uneven steps, and a mesh ceiling that looks not quite finished. It is also a little unfortunate that no effort is made to make the park outside of the palace usable in the winter months. Snow hasn't been removed from any of the paths and on a foggy morning, I was left with the distinct impression of being isolated from everything and everyone in a windy, snowy, wasteland.
A short list of things to do in Astana:
Walk the river trail. It was clear of snow and quite busy when I was there, and very, very beautiful.
Palace of Peace and Accord - entrance costs 500 tg and includes a tour. Tours are also available in English.
Baiterek Tower
Palace of Independence (across from the Palace of Peace and Accord).
The Duman Aquarium (across from the mega shopping mall) the aquarium features a fish tunnel, a 5D theater and a large play area.
City Park. In the summer there are carnival style rides, a water park, and miles of walking paths.
Shop. I have never seen so many malls located so close to each other. There are 4 major shopping centers within a mile of each other on one street.
Visit the "Map of Kazakhstan- Atameken" ethnopark.
Ride the buses. There is no better way to get to know a town. A bus ride in Astana costs 60 tenge and the conductor will collect the fair from you. Here is a link to Astana Bus route maps: http://www.astana.kz/en/bus-routes
Circus (you will find it next to the mega shopping center)
Nauryz, is the second longest holiday in the Kazakh Calendar (New Year being the longest) with a full three days off from work. It is an ancient Persian holiday that celebrates the rebirth and renewal of spring and, according to Guek-Cheng Pang in his book "Kazakhstan", the symbolic victory of good over evil . The primary symbol of this holiday is a young woman who is often (but not always) dressed in a white dress with a cone hat.
The photo this week is of a poster that is commonly found around town, and of the giant Nauryz sign and lady outside of the Mega Mall in Almaty. For more reading on the Nauryz celebration, click HERE.
P.S. You might also notice the instrument at the top of the poster. This is a kind of Kobyz (see earlier post on musical instruments). It is also a similar shape to the dipper used to serve the traditional drink.
