Returning to Kazakhstan
Almaty is an easy point of access for flights in and out of Europe. My trip was at an end, and I was returning to Kazakhstan to enjoy a little bit of R&R in Almaty before catching the flight home.
Almaty
Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 and is the country’s largest city. The Russians built Almaty in the mid-nineteenth century on the site of the ruined ancient Silk Route city of the same name (see Britannica).
Almaty makes travelling easy – it is a peaceful city and a modern day oasis and travel hub. The Soviet-built metro is fun, experimental, and outlandish. The marble and chandeliers add the final touch of grandeur! Municipal buildings dating from the Soviet era are less severe than in other ex-Soviet states. There are some interesting historical and cultural exhibits in the city’s museums. Parks and green areas are abundant. There’s a growing restaurant and café culture, and overall the city has a European feel to it.
In 2019, the cost of a good four star hotel room with breakfast was around 60 dollars a night. I had chosen a modern and comfortable place about a twenty-minute walk from the city centre. After a bone-rattling ten days of high mountain travel on The Pamir Highway, soaking in the rather luxurious bath that came with the room was an absolute treat!
