New Digs

I’m truly fortunate in that folks here are helping me get situated. Yesterday I settled on an apartment; apparently a former communist official’s residence. Hence it is well built even though it is in the classic Soviet style with “close enough for government work” construction. None the less it is quite nice but for the fact it is a 5^th floor walkup. Most apartments here are really what we would describe as condos, owned by individuals who let to others like me. The landlady works for an NGO and is quite eager to please.

The front entrance (blacj door). The apt is the one on the top
floor with the balcony on the L

Today I navigated the grocery store (magazine). The produce is weighed at the area of selection, just like Bots. Alas I forgot this formality and was soundly rebuked by the cashier. You all didn’t by any chance here the eye roll over there did you?

View from the "balcony".

96 steps

This a.m. I cleaned the joint, not Lynne clean but passible, then went to the Green Market known locally as the bazaar. It is like so many others I seen with a warren of shops loosely arranged in themes. I’ll go back for some hardware as needed. For now getting ice cube trays was an adventure as the Kazakhs generally don’t make ice at home. 

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Tomorrow I move from the hotel to home

All for now. Пока!

Third time is indeed a charm

After two failed attempts to get to Chicago due to weather and poor booking  I made it to Almaty early in the am of Tuesday 26 Aug. Customs was a walk through as I only had some 12 year Pappy's (great bourbon) to declare but didn't need to. I entered the receiving area and as my hosts hadn't arrived yet was accosted by numerous eager cab drivers, all whom were suddenly my friends. Like other places I/we have been they will follow you around, offering you cigarettes and such. I relented, "How much?" "10,000 tenge at 182T/$1.00. I pointed to the next guy and asked. “500T and a cigarette!”

About that time my hosts and colleagues arrived and took me to the hotel where I am staying pending finding as apartment.

Yesterday began with a walk to Panfilov Park, named after 28 soldiers in the Almaty infantry who died fighting off Nazi tanks outside Moscow during WWII. In the center of the park is the Zenkov Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox Church built in tsarist times and now restored after Kazakh independence in 1991. 

I visited some apartments for rent that ranged from “I could do this” to Damilya saying to me “too expensive, not for you.”

We stopped at her apartment, a fifth floor walk-up as she dropped off some items. 

She offed me kumis, fermented horse milk.  It is a delicacy here and she assured me that she obtains it only from reliable sources. It amounts to cow’s milk whey that is fermented and therefore, one hopes is free of the bad guys. It tastes not unlike fermented sorghum, chibuku as it is called in Botswana or if I close my eyes, a craft beer (heavily crafted) in Louisville. I drank it and it did start to grow on me, hopefully in me.

Then off to buy a phone and sim card. Phone # is pending as of this writing although I should get it later today.

Dinner with Damilya at a Georgian restaurant followed. I had the first of what will be many lamb/mutton dishes I will eat here. I’m told horse meat is favored throughout the country.

Today I register with the US Consulate and whatever else they want me to do. I have befriended a Ph.D. researcher in bird flu who will take me to the consulate as he is one of very few who have a car.

Some thoughts before departure

I have always found it difficult to know how or where to begin a blog or long correspondences. This is the fifth attempt at a clever beginning and as I read it I'm not impressed. I tend to report experiences through which I share thoughts (random in most cases) and hopefully some humor. And I will be as transparent as is prudent.

For now let me begin by stating the obvious. I will miss all of you; Lynne, outlaws, in laws, friends, all of you. This departure is more tough than any other and I'm at a loss as to why. The gig itself is safer, more secure, more developed than any of the others I have enjoyed. Almaty is tucked up against a beautiful mountain range with an ocean of tulips in the Spring, great skiing in the winter (30 minutes away), and a vibrant cultural scene, etc. The steppes are massive and quiet with huge open skies. It will be my own fault if I don't suck the marrow out of this one.

I'll be at GMT +6 in Almaty meaning that you all will be GMT-5 (Louisville) to GMT-10 (Kaneohe Bay). I'll let you do the math. KZ doesn't (thankfully) use day light savings. I have studied Russian enough to know I am not going to get anywhere unless I'm immersed. So with rudimentary skills only, off I go.