ALMATY

The main reason for including Kazakhstan in our schedule was to catch up with Christopher and Mandy, friends from university days who are on a British Council posting here. It has been marvellous to see them again, to enjoy their hospitality (not least the Saturday lunch with a bottle of vodka and Russian-style toasts) and learn something of their experiences in Kazakhstan and Russia. Chris is still a keen photographer and we had a lovely day together in the mountains above the city.

Almaty has a fantastic setting, rather similar to Santiago, backed by a wall of mountains to the south. These rise to nearly 5000m (from under 1000) in less than 20 km, to form the border with Kirghizstan.

The city climbs south from the centre with its splendid cathedral. Orthodox religion is a bit less formal than in Russia, for example the women are not expected to wear headress in church, although many of the older ones do. The muslim rules are also more relaxed – plenty of mini-skirts in the streets! There are a number of mosques and there is a concerted attempt to recover the country’s pre-soviet, muslim, Kazakh-speaking identity. The language is of the Turcik group, part of the language chain which stretches from the Mongolian border to the Aegean. The languages are as close as the romance languages of western Europe, and there are a number of Turks in business here who can use their own language to communicate.

Other impressions of Almaty, more or less haphazard: seeing a legendary bluebird (about the size of a collared dove and deep blue) flashing across a stream; the crowded and colourful “Green bazaar” (the central market) where you can buy just about anything; the iron-wheeled soviet tractor in the museum, possessed of neither tyres nor springs; the massively ugly soviet war memorial (600,000 Kazakhs died fighting in WWII); drinking real Pimms at the Queen’s birthday party, courtesy of HM ambassador; Mandy’s beautiful flower-garden.

Magda writes: This has been the most multi-culti, multi-ethnic, multi-social place we have seen. There are so many unknown codes; people may speak Russian or Kazakh, the cars may have left or right hand drive, there are not many traffic-lights but pedestrians always – or almost – have right of way, especially at marked crossings. This is real adventure tourism! The information is not always complete or correct, you have to reconfirm everything and even so you are not sure about what you are getting. Perhaps because of the weather or their history – or both – people tend to look grumpy and introverted, almost unhappy, although if you can establish contact in whatever language, including the use of gestures and intuition which seldom fails, they are very friendly. We are strange animals and clearly identifiable. Where we are staying there are two beautiful cats (of course), and they together with Mandy and Chris make this place an oasis of calm with unforgetable after-dinner sessions!

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El motivo principal de nuestra visita a Kazakhstan era de ver a Christopher and Mandy, amigos mios de la universidad quienes estan aqui por el British Council. Ha sido maravilloso estar con ellos nuevamente, disfrutar de su hospitalidad y aprender algo de sus experiencias en Kazakhstan y Russia. Hubo un almuerzo el dia sabado con una botella de vodka y con brindis al estilo Ruso... Chris sigue siendo fotografo entusiasta y pasamos un dia hermoso juntos en los cerros arriba de la ciudad.

Almaty tiene una ubicacion fantastica, parecida a la de Santiago, con una muralla de montanas atras. Suben hasta casi 5000m (desde menos de 1000) en menos de 20 km, para formar la frontera con Kirghizstan.

La ciudad sube hacia el sur desde el centro con su esplendida catedral. La religion ortodoja es menos formal que en Rusia, por ejemplo las mujeres no estan obligadas a llevar un panuelo en la cabeza en la iglesia, aunque muchas lo hacen. Las reglas musulmanes tambien son mas relajadas – muchas minifaldas en las calles! Hay varias mezquitas y se esta haciendo un esfuerzo concentrado para recuperar la identidad pre-sovietica del pais – musulman y de habla Kazakh. El idioma es del grupo Turcico, una cadena de idiomas desde la frontera con Mongolia hasta Turquia. Son tan parecidos com el castellano con el italiano.

Otras impresiones de Almaty, sin orden especial: ver el legendario “Pajaro azul” – del porte de un zorzal (o un poco mas) y de un azul oscuro e intenso; el mercado central, lleno de gente y de colores; un tractor sovietico en un museo, con ruedas de acero, sin neumaticos ni resortes; el enorme y feo monumento a los caidos de la Segunda guerra mundial (murieron 600,000 Kazakh); la fiesta de cumpleanos de la reina!

Magda escribe: Hasta aqui ha sido lo mas multiculti, multietnico, multisocial que hemos visto. Hay tantos codigos desconocidos, hablan ruso o Kazakh, los autos tienen manurios a la derecha como la izquieda, no hay muchos semaforos pero los peatones siempre o casi siempre tienen la preferencia, sobretodo si esta marcado en la calle. Hacer turismo es toda una aventura, la informacion no siempre es la correcta o esta descontinuada, hay que reconfirmarlo todo y ni asi se esta seguro de lo que se obtiene. Por el clima o la historia o ambas dos, la gente en general se ve hosca, introvertida casi descontenta, si bien cuando uno puede contactarse con ellos, en el idioma que sea, sin descontar las manos, gestos varios y la intuicion que pocas veces falla, son muy agradables y atenciosos. Uno es un bicho raro plenamente identificable. En la casa donde estamos hay dos lindos gatos, como no, entre ellos, Mandy y Chris hacen de este lugar un oasis e tranquilidad y sobremesas inolvidables.