So one thing we were discussing this morning was how quiet the Kazakh people are, they seem to just go about their day they don't argue or yell, they're very reserved from what we have seen so far.
Yesterday we went for a walk to Panfilov park a few streets from us and it was stunning manicured beautifully and so green with flower accents lighting it with colour. We walked to the centre which is the Cathedral of Holy Ascension an inspirational building built of wood though with not one single nail. Pastel colours from top to bottom and all the way around it was truly beautiful. We did not go in though as we were not really appropriately dressed.
We followed the path to the WW2 war memorial a gigantic sculpture of some soldiers in action, some 600,000 or more Kazakhs died in the 2nd world war and this structure and the eternal flame behind was to commemorate their lives lost.
We then continued onto Kok-Tobe much more of a tourist destination here in Almaty. A rickety cable car took on it's sardines and up we went. The view from the top breathtaking, it's one of those places that you stop and realise where you are in that moment. A city surrounded by snowcapped mountains, we could also see where the city ended and the steppe begins......
Wandering around Kok-Tobe was interesting, almost like a carnival setting there were people selling little arcade games like test your strength and guess your weight, there was also a little zoo.
Now two very notable things about Kok-Tobe was the Apple fountain and the completely random Beatles memorial, bronzed statues that were frequented by many travellers.....just try getting a photo of it on it's own without people climbing all over it or getting a photo just on your own with it.....but with patience I succeeded and was quite please with myself. The statues were worn on Ringo's knee, John lennon's guitar and Paul's shoulder from constant hands and bottoms posing with them.
Lunchtime- we found a restaurant on the top of the mountain a bit pricey but we decided we would splurge and this would be my birthday lunch...first thing on the menu....cold horse meat platter....well I knew exactly what that was, sliced horse member.....I'm all for trying but no thanks.
We had some of the most delicious breads and some assorted traditional Kazakh soups of mini doughnuts, potato and the most gorgeous lamb (still on the bone) YUM!!!!! and some schazlychs and chicken.
We all attempted fermented mares milk which was just awful cold with floaties and stayed in your throat like a fizzy off yoghurt.........we were shocked by the waitress's truly shocked reaction to us leaving it with three sips missing, she couldn't understand why we didn't like it....certainly an aquired taste.
Bec's final hurrah was taking the taboggan ride down the bottom of the hill following the no one's left alone rule I stayed with Aimee and waited at the top while Bec flogged it down at ludicrous speed.
We tired tootsies we trekked back to the hotel miraculously finding an actual supermarket on the way back......noodles for dinner that night, we tended to our shoe related wounds and readied ourselves for the next days adventure....Charyn Canyon.
Yesterday we went for a walk to Panfilov park a few streets from us and it was stunning manicured beautifully and so green with flower accents lighting it with colour. We walked to the centre which is the Cathedral of Holy Ascension an inspirational building built of wood though with not one single nail. Pastel colours from top to bottom and all the way around it was truly beautiful. We did not go in though as we were not really appropriately dressed.
We followed the path to the WW2 war memorial a gigantic sculpture of some soldiers in action, some 600,000 or more Kazakhs died in the 2nd world war and this structure and the eternal flame behind was to commemorate their lives lost.
We then continued onto Kok-Tobe much more of a tourist destination here in Almaty. A rickety cable car took on it's sardines and up we went. The view from the top breathtaking, it's one of those places that you stop and realise where you are in that moment. A city surrounded by snowcapped mountains, we could also see where the city ended and the steppe begins......
Wandering around Kok-Tobe was interesting, almost like a carnival setting there were people selling little arcade games like test your strength and guess your weight, there was also a little zoo.
Now two very notable things about Kok-Tobe was the Apple fountain and the completely random Beatles memorial, bronzed statues that were frequented by many travellers.....just try getting a photo of it on it's own without people climbing all over it or getting a photo just on your own with it.....but with patience I succeeded and was quite please with myself. The statues were worn on Ringo's knee, John lennon's guitar and Paul's shoulder from constant hands and bottoms posing with them.
Lunchtime- we found a restaurant on the top of the mountain a bit pricey but we decided we would splurge and this would be my birthday lunch...first thing on the menu....cold horse meat platter....well I knew exactly what that was, sliced horse member.....I'm all for trying but no thanks.
We had some of the most delicious breads and some assorted traditional Kazakh soups of mini doughnuts, potato and the most gorgeous lamb (still on the bone) YUM!!!!! and some schazlychs and chicken.
We all attempted fermented mares milk which was just awful cold with floaties and stayed in your throat like a fizzy off yoghurt.........we were shocked by the waitress's truly shocked reaction to us leaving it with three sips missing, she couldn't understand why we didn't like it....certainly an aquired taste.
Bec's final hurrah was taking the taboggan ride down the bottom of the hill following the no one's left alone rule I stayed with Aimee and waited at the top while Bec flogged it down at ludicrous speed.
We tired tootsies we trekked back to the hotel miraculously finding an actual supermarket on the way back......noodles for dinner that night, we tended to our shoe related wounds and readied ourselves for the next days adventure....Charyn Canyon.
No comments:
Post a Comment