Almaty has a special spirit - so diverse, international, beautiful, ever-changing, and ingrained in nature. It truly is the gastronomic capital of Central Asia - there is food from all over the world and it is of the highest quality. In the mere three days I ate the best Turkish doner kebab, some wonderful Tatar chebureki, delicious Korean bibimbap, Dutch cookies, and of course Kazakh besbarmak. I want to spend a good month there.
The city centre is walkable and offers many historical layers. People are kind, welcoming and enjoying their life.
I absolutely love Almaty and am super grateful for the opportunity to visit it at this time of year. The trees are still yellow and the days are warm and cozy. Walk with me!
Allow yourself to get lost in the cosy courtyards.
Denis Ten, a legendary and super-talented figure skater, national pride of Kazakhstan. He was murdered at the age of 25 in Almaty on July 19, 2018, by thieves who attempted to steal side mirrors from his car. The price of human life...
Another legend - Viktor Tsoy.
Only in Central Asia... A coffee shop offers plov and samsa!
Soviet-era constructivism
A walk in the park.
Then a well-deserved beshbarmak/besbarmak.
Chek it out, Karimov, Akaev and Nazarbayev sealed their friendship with this carpet in the background in 1993. The carpet, along with many other fascinating artefacts ,and delicious food can be found at Sandyq restaurant.
Those mountains...
It's a different view when the sun is out.
The legendary Green Bazaar. I bought some yummy fruit leather and horse sausage. I asked the lady selling the sausage to cut it for me and ate it right there on the spot. Don't overdo it; it can lead to high blood pressure.
A bit of the Netherlands in Almaty. This a Dutch pancake and coffee joint.
Almaty metro established in 2011 now counts 11 stations. The fare is 120 tenge or 23 euro cents. The metro is now much busier compared to when I visited in 2013. There plans to stretch the lines to the airport, much needed!
I absolutely love the metro. When I was a kid and on those rare occasions that we visited Tashkent, a ride on the metro was as exciting as a trip to Disneyland.
If you are flying out from the international terminal, take a 3-minute walk to the domestic one for last-minute souvenirs, food, coffee, etc. The new international terminal is great and spacious, but businesses are still setting in. Then walk back, go through security and chill. Enjoy the view!
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