The Chinese electric taxis.
Out of the desert steppes and into the mountains.
The Museum of Musical Instruments.
Sunday, May 4th.
After breakfast John and I updated our journals for the last couple of days. Then we went for another swim before going back to the breakfast buffet to have an omelette with Jordan for our lunch. Then we packed up and checked out and waited in the lobby for our transfer to the airport. We went for a little walk down the big street our hotel was on just watching and looking around. The only western food company we have seen has been KFC and only a few of them. The taxis here are all electric and made by China company who apparently are the leaders in electric vehicles. Then we met the group and boarded the vans for the drive to the airport and our flight to our fourth Stan, Kazakhstan. The airport was easy, the security seemed lax compared to what we’re used to back home: we could carry water, keep our shoes on and the screening was less intrusive. Our two hour flight took us to Almaty, which we’re told is the vibrant cultural capital of Kazakhstan. We met our new local guide Sasha who will be with us for the next two countries. Our first stop was to the Museum of Musical Instruments which is housed in a Russian styled wooden building. This fascinating museum showcases a diverse collection of musical instruments from around the world, offering a glimpse into the rich musical heritage of Kazakhstan and beyond. Inside we saw hundreds of instruments of varying ages from small flutes, drums, guitar type instruments to some keyboards.The local instrument of this area is the lute-like two string dombra of which there were dozens of varieties. Then we went for a walk through the beautiful tree lined Panfilov Park to the monuments of rememberance of the Russian Revolution and the two world wars. The park is a popular destination for families and locals alike. We walked past the beautiful Zhenkov's Cathedral, an extraordinary example of Russian Orthodox church architecture built entirely of wood. This magnificent cathedral, constructed in 1904, stands as a testament to the city's rich history and cultural diversity. We were too late to enter it today, so that’s part of tomorrow’s agenda. Then we walked to an Italian restaurant called DePapa where we had a choice of dishes (instead of Jordan ordering platters of food for us). I had a seafood pasta which was pretty good for a landlocked country far from the sea, with a few mussels, small scallops and two small shrimp. After dinner we walked to the hotel, picked up our luggage and checked into the hotel. John and I joined Jordan and Amanda Baker whose group is here too, in the lobby for a beer and to catch up on her group. She has a private tour of a group of elderly people, she regaled us with two stories, one about a member whom she had to send home because she couldn’t keep up and was causing delays for the group, and another about a man who fell yesterday and broke his nose tripping over a step while walking with his phone. Needless to say she is struggling with this group. Then it was off to bed. In Tajikistan I could write, edit and post posts, but I could not see them. Here I have the opposite problem, I can see what I’ve done but I cannot edit or post any new posts but I can see what I have posted thus far. Weird. I guess they find that Bogspot is somehow subversive.
Love the horizon of mountains in that one shot, Joe. And I think you are right -- isn't that Jimmy Page's double neck guitar?
ReplyDeleteI love the architecture of that beautiful Cathedral!
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