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Scenes from Almaty September 11, 2009

Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Kazakhstan.
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I’m tired and don’t want to argue with embed code right now (perhaps tomorrow or when we’re home). If you would like to see some sights from Almaty, click here!

hmmm, the National Museum was cut out, bummer.

Clean streets September 11, 2009

Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Kazakhstan.
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The brooms are everywhere. They remind me of a traditional peasant living in a village somewhere. We see them every morning as the shop keepers, construction workers, and home owners prepare their approaches for the day.

Sweeper

Kazak Vodka September 11, 2009

Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Kazakhstan.
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and Armenian Cognac.

What doesn’t matter? September 10, 2009

Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Kazakhstan.
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Have you read about or seen the Knight Bus in Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling must have found the inspiration for that piece of her book on a visit to this city. Cars speed down the lane of oncoming cars at will, create a third (or fourth) lane in two-lane streets, employ sidewalks as an additional partial lane when desired, park anywhere (“as long as it is not a bother to other cars” was the line we were given though our observations would dispute that), traffic lights are guidelines (though they don’t dangerously run reds like at home, the whole string of cars clearly doesn’t stop – no chance for T-Boning anybody!), alleys will be utilized as high-speed through-fares if needed, and road rage is a sport.

All that being said, what does matter? After seeing cars flying down streets come to a screeching halt risking the wrath of every car which is behind them, we have one thing to say. The crosswalk is sacred.