Almaty. Kazakstan (Qazaqstan) Day 15 May 14th 2019
After our day of wandering Almaty city it is time to explore further afield. A day visiting spots in Almaty Kazakstan and surrounds. Such a brief stay and we loved it. We vow to return – as we do with so many places visited!
After being met at our Hotel Otrar by Ensor and Ramil we head off around town to learn more. Beginning in the park opposite the hotel. The park has had several iterations from its first as Cemetery Gardens built on an old cemetery to the current Panilov memorial park.
First, stop the Ascencion cathedral designed by Andrei Zenkov and built in 1906. We had passed the brightly lit cathedral in the night. Here it is looking like a decorated gingerbread cake with its colourful paintwork. A Russian orthodox church built entirely of wood designed to survive earthquakes. It survived a severe quake in the 19th century. As we entered there was a service with haunting chanting and older woman heads covered with traditional scarfs, entering past us, making it a special visit.
On past the cathedral and into a square commemorating the Russian victory in WWII. The dominating sculpture is based on a myth however the sculpture is heroic in its dimensions. The faces on the soldiers are meant to represent all the republics of the USSR. See more about this story at HERE “The Panilov Statue story”. Memorials and the Eternal flame commemorate other Russian wars including Afghanistan.
We then headed to the Green market, a two storied shopping market catering to local shoppers. The meat section captured our attention – rows and rows of meat laid out on long benches with sections for the meat varieties including – Pork, Beef, Poultry, Horse. Offal was a major feature.
Elsewhere the market highlighted the various nationalities and ethnicities living in Kazakhstan with each specialising in certain commodities eg Turkish sellers selling fruit and vegetables. Georgian sellers with sweets, a Korean section reflecting a large Korean population living in Almaty today.
After the market, we headed to the Central Mosque a huge building, one of the largest Mosques in Kazakstan capable of accepting 7,000 people. While completed in recent times (1999) it has a traditional appearance – including a large gold dome and calligraphy panels.
The Folk Music Museum was next on our quick tour list. Great collection of instruments including drums made of hooves and the very unusual Orteke (Kazakh for goat).See a performance of playing the oteke: the drum’s vibration moves the figures.
Time to head out to the mountains – firstly Medeo a winter sports complex a seemingly massive (and incongruous) stadium which has a site for speed skating. It is also known as the “Factory of Records” as over two hundred speed ice-skating records have been set here.
All this sightseeing lead to hungry travellers. Back to town for a huge lunch at the Paradise Restaurant with Ensor only as Ramil was observing Ramadan. Even with a large Muslim population Kazakstan does not require all travellers to observe Ramadan – we had thought to do so but ………..
Our meal consisted of Lagaman (traditional noodles and meat), Borsur (little hollow bread pillows), Manti (large Uzbek steamed dumpling), Plov (a pilaf style rice and meat) and a favourite which was a baked (or fried) pastry-like dumpling. The ensuing feast was a series of local and Central Asian dishes that left us all satisifed to immovability and wishing for a nap. Or a walk instead …
A walk it was. Out to the Big Almaty Lake which although only 25 km from the city sits at 2500 meters above sea level with beautiful turquiose-green water. A draw card for visitors and Instagrammers including the young woman perched on a rock modelling a wedding dress, and a young guy in a wheelchair posing, as many were, perilously close to the rock edge.
On the way home we stopped into a Sunkar Birds of Prey – a nursery that also provides a show of the birds of prey. The Kazakhs traditionally use falcons for hunting and there was a variety of birds showing their skills.
Back to the hotel, farewell to Ensor a terrific young man, who speaks four languages. He has a big year ahead with a move to the Netherlands for work, and his marriage.
We had the remnants of lunch in our room and then strolled down the pedestrian plaza – the Arbat. Lots of happy people, giggling children running around with buskers playing in the background.
