The Five Stans of the Silk Road - Kazakhstan - 2019
10th August 2019 - To Almaty, Kazakhstan
Another easy border crossing and we were into Kazakhstan early morning. From the border it was 4 hours into the former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. We did a tour of the city before going to the hotel. Almaty sits below snow capped mountains and is a completely different place in summer and winter. Today the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the temperature is a lovely 32. In the middle of winter it would be -20 or -30.
Almaty is a big city, maybe 2.8m people but it feels much smaller, there are no big sky scrappers and the streets feel quiet. In fact it feels like an old Central European city like maybe Vienna or Budapest. Wide streets, lots of parks and greenery. One of the most famous sights is Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilovets’ Park. I do like a good Russian Orthodox Cathedral, they look like something from a fairy tale and this one doesn't disappoint.
Next to this is the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, named after the 28 soldiers of an Almaty infantry unit who died while fighting against Germans outside of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War as Russians called the Second World War. The park contains an eternal flame and lots of big, patriotic statues. I do like the mix of patriotism and authoritarianism you get from Communist art.
The monument of Independence in Almaty is a tall tower topped by the Saka warrior with a leopard by his feet. The Saka warrior was a body found 5km west of Almaty in 1969. It is nicknamed the Golden Warrior because of all the golden finery that was buried with it, the reconstructed warrior is now in a museum in the capital and has become the symbol of Independence of Kazakhstan.
In the evening we headed out for our last meal as a group. It's been a good trip and a big part of that has been down to having a good group. Travelling as 18 people isn't easy but this trip, health problems excepted went really smoothly and has been a lot of fun.
11th August 2019 - Almaty
The first post tour day and I took it very, very easy. We've had three weeks or non-stop travel and sight-seeing with very little down time. So today I walked a bit, lazed a lot, went to Shakespeare's an English pub for a Chicken Madras.
After lunch I walked down to the Green Bazaar. It had the usual, fruit and veg and clothes and household wares; there was also a big meat section. Pork and lamb and beef and chicken and some fantastic deep red horsemeat you can see below. So lean and tasty a real pity the UK has such a squeamishness about it.
12th August 2019 - Almaty
The plan was for me to have an extra day and a half to relax before flying back to Bangkok. The trip has been great but I'm really looking forward to getting back home. Unfortunately things haven't gone to plan. My flight was cancelled and as Air Astana only fly every two days I'm now stuck in Almaty for way too long.
13th August 2019 - I should be at home now
A nothing day today. Had to go to the airport to talk to the airline so that I could come back into town again to be put in a pretty basic communist era hotel for the next two nights. You'd think when an airline strands me in Almaty for two nights they would at least compensate me with a decent hotel and food budget. I'm in a hotel far worse than the one they put their air crew in and I can only have the set meals in the hotel, no choices at all. I will not be eating in the hotel.
In the evening I went out for a bite to eat and took my camera for a couple of night shots.
The eternal flame was glowing and the cathedral was partly lit up, it would've looked a lot better if all the lights were on though.
Almaty comes alive at night when the temperature drops, people everywhere, carts selling food and drinks and restaurant tables spill out onto the street. I guess they only have a few months when it is possible so they really make the most of it.
14th August 2019 - Still in Almaty
Today should be my last day in Almaty but I won't believe it until I'm on the plane. Decided as I'm here for another day I might as well get out and have another big walk around.
First up I walked across to the cable car up to Kok Tobe a hill over looking Almaty. This morning it was a bit cooler and a little overcast which made walking around much more comfortable but detracted from the views a little.
For some reason at the top amongst the fun fair and food and drink is the Beatles Bench. I've no idea why, but I got my photo taken all the same.
At the top I was a little closer to the snow topped mountains that lie beyond.
15th August 2019 - Finally back in Bangkok
6 hour flight sat next to a young child who thankfully was quiet but lay across her seat and kept tossing and turning and kicking me with every movement, so I didn't get a lot of sleep. But who cares by 9am I was back in Bangkok. I'm home.