Day 38: Friendly Kazakhs

I had read about the famous "Wallet full of dollars" scam in Almaty but never did I know that it will happen to me. I was walking along the street and suddenly someone finds a wallet in front of me as I walk passed. He opened up the wallet and it was full of USD$100. Then he told me not to tell anyone and offered to share it with me. Since I already know about this scam, I did not bother about him. But somehow or other he was going to the same place as I am(Ya right..). He kept telling me to find some place with lesser people so that we can split the money. Again, I ignored him. Then suddenly a second person appeared, claiming that he had dropped his wallet and asked if we had seen it. The first guy denied and gave him his bag to check. Finding nothing, the second person now wants to see my bag and my wallet to proved that I did not take his. HAHAHA I will be a fool if I let him go through my things. I just ignored him and walked away.

Anyway, someone recommanded me this motorcycle club and told me that I might be able to find a motorcycle here. Too bad it was not open when I went there but I was told by the security guy that I should come back in the afternoon. OK, I will be back.



So I went walking around the city.

















The ATM. I realised that all the ATMs here are located just anywhere along the streets, behind busstops etc. They are not covered up or anything and so everyone can see you when you are withdrawing money. This is pretty interesting because it make uses of this concept called "Crime Preventation Through Environmental Design", in short CPTED. Sorry for the technical term but I was just surprised to see this method being applied here.



More pictures taken around the city.























All ex soviet countries speaks Russian and so it was very difficult to find aies in finding the places that I wanted to go. I tried asking people for directions but like I said, not many people speaks English. But even so, they tried to help me find my way. They are so helpful. Then I started to guess that it could be better if I approach younger people, for example students, as there is a better chance that they can speak English. And I am right!! BINGO!! From 1 out of 10 Kazakhs who speaks English, it's now about 3 out of 10 Kazakh students can understand me. Still not alot but hey, its better already.

So I approached this girl and again she displayed the helpful Kazakh spirit. She did not know where is the place that I wanted to go but she help me asked around. Then when she finally know where is it, she walked me to the place just in case if that is not the place that I wanted to go, she can help me asked around again. She is really so helpful.

Ok, there she is, Her name is Maiya.



Then I went to the postoffice to send a postcard home.



I haven eaten anything for the whole day as I do not understand a single word on the menu. Then finally I found this stall. Kebab. OK, this should be easy to order. I just have to point.



The stall owner.



The stall helper who speaks English. He is from Afghanistan.



Who are these girls? They are just some other customers around who kept giggling when I was talking to the stall helper. What were they talking about? I dont know. I dont understand Russian.



Soon it was evening and the Afghanistan guy kept telling me to go back as he was afraid that I might not be able to find my way back in the dark. Very thoughtful of him. After I left, I need to find the right bus to take to go back to my host's place. Approached a young chap and yeah he speaks English. He told me what bus to take and then gave me his student card as a gift. I was shock.



Back at Velariya's place, her brother prepared dinner for us.



They also treated me to some national drink of Kazakhstan. Horse/Camel Milk with gas. Very interesting taste.



And whats after dinner? Its time for Beer.





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Day 37: Great Hospitality

I was once again woken up by the train conductor early in the morninng and I mean really early. Its only 5am. Why so early? Because we had arrived at Almaty.

Took a photo with the guys whom I travelled with for 2 nights. Left to right, the Chinese, Kazakh and Japanese.



The train station II at Almaty.



The Kazakhs were very well known for their great hospitality and Petr was a living example. Not only did he offered us a free ride to the city center, he also offered to be our guide for the day. Although we had a langguage barrier (the chinese guy did not join us), we still had an enjoyable day together. It was unbelieveable how we managed to understand each other for the whole day. This was what happened.

His manager came to fetch him from the train staion and sent all of us to his office. At his office, he showed us what his work is all about and gave us some gifts. In return, I also gave him a gift.





Petr loves to joke. He kept telling us that he have a small car but thats not true. You dont call this a small car do you? It was a huge and very comfortable car.









After Petr was done with what he needs to do at office, we went to settle Takeshi's accommadation. Takeshi had book a room in one of the most expensive hotel in Almaty but surprisingly for a very cheap price. We all wonder why and soon we got the answer. It was really interesting. Without knowing, he got himself a room that was only big enough to fit in a bed. It was indeed very small. So thats what he got for paying half price. And we still got that he got a bargain.



All foreigners need to get themselves registered within 3 days of arriving in Kazakhstan and so Petr brought us to the embassy to do so. It was really lucky that I had met him if not this would be a very difficult process to do it by myself. Noone understand English. All of them Speaks Russian. This registeration would take a day and so we left our passport there and will come back again to collect it in the evening.

Then Petr brought us to the mountains which is some distances away from the city, Chimbulak and Medeu. It was beautiful.











This is also a place to ski in winter.





More photos taken in the mountains.































After which we went back to the city and Petr brought on a cable car ride up to KOK TOBE.



The view of Almaty city. The tallest building is the hotel which Takeshi stayed at, Hotel Kazakhstan. It is a landmark in the region.



From the cable car, you can clearly see the difference between the rich and the poor.





Almaty, the name of this city means Father of Apples, and so it is common that you see "apples" at tourist locations.





Pictures taken at Kok Tobe.









There is this fast coaster ride at Kok Tobe that both me and Takeshi thought that it was for kids. We did not want to take the ride but Petr insisted that we do and he paid for the tickets. It was only after the ride that we realised that, man this isnt for kids. It was really fast and dangerous. This ride is different from other roller coaster ride cause we can control the speed (Actually we can only control the brake). But due to the lack of many safety features, it seems that it can flip over easily and if that happens, you will end up rolling down the mouontains. There is also a possibility that if the first car brakes very often and the rear car dont, a collision will happen. We did not know that it will be that fast (cause it does not seems to be so) but trust me, it is fast and our hands were on the brakes most of the time as we do not want to topple down the mountain. Nevertheless, it was fun.







More pictures taken at Kok Tobe.





You can easily tell that Kazakstan is a developing country from the many constructions going on.



Soon it was evening and we went back to the embassy to collect our passports. There had been a mistake in my registeration. I was shortchanged 9 days which means that I cant stayed till what my visa allows me to. Hmm... Will there be a problem?

Then it was dinner time and Petr brought us to this restuarant. I am sure this meal costed alot. We wanted to pay for ourselves but Petr insisted that it is his treat to welcome us to Kazakhstan.









Look at the brand of this beer. It has got such a funny logo. Yeah, I know. Dont have to remind me that beer looks like pee.



Most of the restaurants in Kazakhstan doubled up as pubs. And pubs in Kazakhstan means that there is a dance floor. People were dancing. So were we. We kept going back and forth to the dance floor in between our dishes. salad, dance, main course, dance, desert, dance, beer, dance etc. Petr also specially asked the DJ to play an english song and dedicated it to us to welcome us to Kazakhstan. Yeah and so everyone present know that there is a Singaporean and Japanese in the house.



Karaoke is also an in thing there. So most of the time we were dancing to the song that the singer sings.



Then after an enjoyable day, Petr sent me right to the doorstep of my host (Yes, I have got someone to host me). I did not spent a single cent at all today. Neither did Takeshi paid for anything. I felt so bad that Petr paid for everything. But he just do not want to take our money. We only know each other for slightly more than a day and we do not speak each other's language. One moment we were strangers, the next moment we are friends. He is so good and friendly to us. Thats the true Kazakh Hospitality that I had heard of. Now that I had experienced it myself, I take my hats off to them. They really are good hosts.

That night, I stayed at my host place. She is Velariya.




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