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Almaty, 2016

Our first Almaty, spring 2016: the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, a golden eagle up on the Medeu road, and a Green Bazaar handing out samples of everything.

Our first look at Almaty came in the spring of 2016, and the city made its case straight away: wooden domes in a city-centre park, a golden eagle up a mountain road, and a bazaar that fed us before we had bought a single thing.

Zenkov Cathedral, May 2016

The first thing that properly stopped us was the Ascension Cathedral in Panfilov Park: a tiered wooden wedding cake in yellow, white and green, domes stacked on domes.

The yellow and white tiered facade of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, patterned spires and gilded domes rising between tall pines
The Ascension Cathedral in Panfilov Park, May 2016. All timber, no modesty.
Inga and Dileep standing in front of the cathedral entrance, a white arch with Cyrillic lettering above the open doorway
Obligatory portrait at the door, May 2016.

A short walk away stands another timber showpiece, the Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments, all honeyed wood and green roofs.

The Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments in Almaty, an ornate wooden building with green metal roofs and a small tower
The folk instruments museum, May 2016. Yes, it's made of wood too.

Up the Medeu road, May 2016

The same trip sent us up the valley towards Medeu and Shymbulak, where the welcome committee was a golden eagle with excellent balance and a spotted horse with endless patience.

Dileep in a fur hat and sunglasses with a golden eagle spreading its wings above his shoulder, a spotted horse beside him and forested hills behind
One golden eagle, one borrowed fur hat, May 2016. The Medeu to Shymbulak shuttle waits behind.
Inga in orange sunglasses smiling in front of a green valley, snow-capped peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau rising behind
Green valley, snowy peaks, one very pleased traveller. May 2016.

The Green Bazaar, June 2016

Back down in town, the Green Bazaar fed us before we bought anything: whole counters of dried curds and cheeses with sellers insisting on samples, and produce stacked like it's competing.

Dileep sampling from a small cup at a dairy counter in the Green Bazaar, tubs of white kurt balls and mounds of cheese along the stall
Quality control at the dairy rows, June 2016. Verdict: strong, in every sense.
A produce stall stacked with cherries, strawberries, apricots, pears and cabbages, the seller reaching over the scales
June produce practising its pyramid formations.
A busy market hall with bananas and tomatoes stacked on counters, handwritten price signs and shoppers passing through
Handwritten prices, loud banners, zero minimalism. Exactly as a bazaar should be.
A woman crossing a paved square carrying two buckets, one full of red apples and one of apricots
Almaty logistics, June 2016: apples in one hand, apricots in the other.

We left assuming we would be back within a year or two. It took eight, and then we couldn't stay away: Almaty in August 2024, and again in August 2025.

The rest of Kazakhstan is its own set of stories: Astana in the north, and Shymkent, Otrar and Turkistan in the deep south.