Springtime in Almaty

Note: Mee and I finally have internet access. We have done our best to re-cap our days since the 11th or so.

While Kokshetau is still grey, Almaty is all ablossom. It’s warm and sunny, the trees are budding, the tulips are up and it is just plain beautiful. What’s really cool about Almaty is that there are huge a$$ mountains here. Sometimes I look at the skyline and think, “My, those are interesting looking clouds,” only to realize that they’re the jutting snowy tops of these gi-norm-ous mountains. Our driver said that they are about 5,000 meters at the peak. If the weather holds, we plan to take a trip up there on Monday. We’re getting Chloe fitted for crampons now.

We walked to the Tsum store today. Yes, they have one here too. It is a little more like a mall in the states, and yet still very different. Anyone reading this who is planning a similar trip should save you souvenir shopping for the Almaty Tsum. The third floor has more souvenir shops than all of Kokshetau, maybe all of the rest of Kazakhstan? Prices seem about the same, but you have much, much more selection. Oh, and you can identify the souvenir shops by the obligatory wolf skin rugs that are prominently displayed with growly, fangy heads attached. Beautiful and creepy at the same time.

Other than that we walked around more and realized that Mee and I have to work on our stroller skillz. I for one, nearly dumped her out going down a ramp. Thank goodness for that little safety belt. Let that be a lesson to all. Seatbelts save lives (and daddy’s dignity).


Obligitory baby taking bath photo. But a really, really cute one.