Being in Almaty, I have been given the opportunity to experience several cultural experiences. Some of these are required excursions, others are events of my own accord. I hope by sharing these experiences, others will be inspired to visit Kazakhstan.
Last semester, I visited Altyn Emel National Park. A huge expanse of steppe with no soul for miles and miles. About five hours from Almaty, Altyn Emel offers a glance into the beauty Kazakhstan is known for. We were able to slide down Поющий бархан, the singing dune. It is so named for the beautiful hum emitted from sliding down. A little bit later in the semester we visited both hot springs in the middle of the vast steppe. In the midst of winter, we were able to relax in natural hot water under the stars. We also travelled to Charyn Canyon, which is, as the name implies, simply a huge expanse of canyon. The path is, however, beautiful and full of surprises. Lakes, huts, unusual formations in the canyon. And definitely a good place to snap pictures. We found a cat there who did not want to say goodbye.
Within the city itself, I have been to many museums, of course. The History of Almaty Museum offers a glimpse from the humble beginnings of the steppe to the modern day globalized cultural center of Kazakhstan. The Central State Museum of Kazakhstan is unique in its history of all of Kazakhstan. Perhaps one of my favorite museums, here you can learn and understand the origins of Kazakhstan since the beginning of earth to modern day. I mean exactly that. The museum begins with archaeological findings and explanations of what Kazakhstan looked like thousands of years ago. Then you can see Kazakhstan as it was when humans first stepped foot on it. Follow that with what traditional Kazakh culture looked like. In a separate part of the museum you can understand Soviet-era Kazakhstan. And finally understand Kazakhstan in a modern world, in the world today. If ever in Kazakhstan, this museum is a must-see. Along the same vein, I travelled to the Museum of Anthropology and Paleontology, which delves more deeply into the flora and fauna of Kazakhstan, from the vast steppe to the renowned golden eagle. My favorite museum, however, is the Central Art Museum, which houses art from Kazakh artists and also from European artists. Here you can see how Kazakhs define their own culture without words, but in image.
And of course, one cannot truly experience Kazakhstan without visiting the mountains, which I get to see every day from the city. One of my first hikes was up Kok-Zhaylyau, a difficult but holy-cow-beautiful journey of the colorful mountainside. I also travelled Talgar’s Pass, which offers a stopping point where many people gather to share in food, drinks and conversation. But my favorite place in the city is Shymbulak. Technically, Shymbulak is a mountain resort, but I like it for its long gondola rides to the very top of the mountains, where you can eat traditional Kazakh food, drink in a cozy bar, and play with the gorgeous huskies. You can see I clearly did.
Program: Russian Language & Area Studies, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Term: Academic Year 2018-19