Almaty in Kazakhstan

Arrival at the Orthodox Ascension Cathedral

For 7 am, we had booked a taxi service to reach Almaty in Kazakhstan: we are in a shiny black Mercedes 500, despite having certainly already had a long career in Europe. Of course, with the driver, we manage to exchange the minimum of words that we know, and everything goes smoothly. It's Sunday morning, traffic is starting to move, and we quickly reach the border, which is only about twenty kilometers away but has many speed cameras along the way. If someone asked me whether I would prefer to see a border crossing or a large monument, I would often choose the former for the curiosity it evokes, the sometimes shady people who frequent it, and the stories it carries with it, as well as the general alternating relationships between the two countries that come together and simultaneously separate at this very point. The border of Karday It doesn't present any particular interest. It is still early, there are some cars waiting, our driver gestures for us to get out and only take the large bags with us, the small ones can stay in the car. He also has a manner consistent with the place we are in, he seems comfortable, probably knows every detail of this border. We enter a pedestrian tunnel parallel to the road, created specifically to avoid contact with the outside, and shortly we find ourselves facing the Kyrgyz military. There is no one there, and they check our passports with a friendly attitude, they scan the bags without looking at what appears on the screen, they say goodbye in Italian and in a few steps we are in Kazakhstan. Here too, the same scene, it's just us and the agents, they apply the fifth and last stamp of this journey, and shortly we find ourselves outside where there is the usual group of taxi drivers willing to take us anywhere, we politely ignore them and go to wait on the road to be seen by the driver. The car crossing also involves a double check under a modern and recent structure (completed only a couple of years ago): the vehicles exit in two lines slowly but constantly until something jams on the Kyrgyz side, and the Kazakhs are also forced to stop. For a quarter of an hour nothing moves in our direction. We have time to look around, seeing unreliable people coming and going, one arrives by car and leaves with a loud horn, middle-aged women stand next to us waiting for their driver to arrive, probably they are going to a ceremony because they have gift packages in hand. It comes to mind that until 32 years ago this border did not exist, therefore people could move for work, marriage or other reasons, without any formalities. There was the Soviet Union and you could enjoy this freedom within an illiberal state; with its fall and the erection of a border, it is expected that several families have been separated and now find themselves only crossing the border. Which is not difficult as they do not even need to possess a passport, just as we do not need a visa; but there are some formalities and it's nice to see the scenes of reunion. Other luxury cars are parked, leaving us puzzled about the traffic they could be carrying. As soon as the Kyrgyz open the gates (curiously, the Kazakh side is opened and closed for every vehicle as if we were entering a private house), our man arrives, he loads us up and we continue. The road is nice, there is not much traffic and it has only one lane. We turn towards the east on this artery, which will become an expressway after a few kilometers, coming from Astana. Here too, there are still construction sites, lane changes and long stretches of unpaved road waiting to be paved. The discomfort we experience now must be placed in the context of the development process of the visited countries, some richer, others less so, but all growing and emerging from the dark years of total isolation. The landscape ranges from steppish to desert-like, like much of Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world. Sometimes it is very monotonous, even boring those who find anything that smells of novelty interesting. At one point, the driver stops on a parking lot next to the expressway, he knows there is a water fountain and pours several bottles of water into the radiator, filling one at a time: it's a Mercedes 500 but it has its age. In the suburbs we find slowdowns due to traffic caused by the car sales market, as last Sunday at the exit from Bishkek. We arrive in Almaty driving along the large tree-lined avenues that cross it, we say goodbye to our mysterious but friendly and correct man, we check into the hotel and are ready to start exploring what was until 1998 the capital of the country. Independence Monument, where there is a tall column that recalls the Scythian Man of Wisdom: a reference to an ancestor who lived more than two millennia ago, discovered in 1969 with a robe covered in thousands of gold plates and made into a symbol of the Kazakh people, with a snow leopard at its feet. In reality, it is certain that it was a woman, specifically a shamanic warrior, but by then the myth had already spread and no one wanted to change its gender during the process. Nearby is the monument called "Dawn of Freedom," in memory of those who lost their lives (250 people) during the clashes with anti-Soviet forces in 1986, the headquarters of City Hall (Maslikhat) In the distinctive Soviet style, the Telecenter, a beautiful building that could be used as a bank or a television station, all together. green and well-maintained parks Surrounded by an endless array of flowers in the gardens. The Presidential Palace is located right behind the Town Hall, whose view is blocked by a tall barrier that marks the restoration site; we don't know its current purpose, as the capital of Kazakhstan was moved to Astana 15 years ago. A quick and light lunch at a bar on the central square costs almost as much as one of the best meals I have ever had, which also highlights the path taken by the country. Many young people and families with lively children (several sets of twins, not necessarily a positive sign in an industrialized society) but not noisy are strolling through the calm Sunday atmosphere. Carefree enjoyment combines with a generally modest environment; some women wear the chador, but there is no strong religiosity, so mosques are scarce in the city and none has particular historical significance.

Abay Square

Today is the anniversary of the founding of Almaty, and on Abay Square, located opposite the Palace of the Republic, is hosting a concert with a large audience. Right now, we are listening to a performance by what could be called the philharmonic orchestra, enjoying some beautiful pieces. We will return from our trip on funicular on Kok Tobe hill There will be a singer-songwriter performing, while in the evening there are groups playing modern music. The square is decorated with items that represent everything that could evoke the apple theme: The name Almaty actually means "Father of Apples". You can find everything from mosaics and artificial trees to a vintage car with its interior filled with plastic apples.

The hill represents a great viewpoint about the city and there's a way to see how green it is. There's some fog due to the heat but the only problem is with the quality of the photos, which struggle to focus on distant points like ski jumping facilities. So much vegetation is an exception in Kazakhstan, a country rich in resources but poor in water: thanks to the rivers that flow down from the nearby Altay mountains and the greater rainfall caused by the terrain, Almaty can be considered a green oasis in this regard. On Kok Tobe you'll find a mini-zoo with local birds, rides and other entertainment for children and young people.

On our return journey, we walk north from the city center towards the Panfilov Park, where we find... memorial to the fallen. As always in these cases, the propaganda preceded even the memory, providing an abundance of marble statues, images of mythical soldiers attacking, names of battles and battalions. In short, young people who fell for a cause that was rarely their own, as evidenced by the monument commemorating Afghanistan, which is located just a few meters from the main one that commemorates the two World Wars. Groups of local tourists disembarking from buses (we also sell Kyrgyz ones) take photos without particular emotion, while newly married couples (not only here) come to take pictures according to an established tradition. It's nice to observe that young couples on their wedding day dedicate a moment to those who probably did not have the luck of celebrating a similar occasion.

Traditions and spirituality

The neighbor Orthodox Ascension Cathedral(Zenkov) is a dazzling display of golden colors and typical iconography for this denomination. It's fortunate that there's currently a celebration taking place, so we can learn more about the rituals and differences compared to our own traditions. Like all Orthodox places of worship, the interior features... wonderful decorations, a place to admire while listening to the Pope sing psalms. We can't miss the bazaar, with its colors, people and unique atmosphere, especially the fruit and vegetable section. The market continues in Arbat, the main commercial street in Russia and its surroundings, where we are not particularly impressed. We look for a restaurant, this time serving Turkish cuisine, where kebab and sweets are a real treat. As we head towards the center, we pass through the alleys of the park that lead to Orthodox cathedral: no lighting, it's dark and I need to turn on my phone's flashlight, but the feeling of safety is so strong that I can see women, elderly people, and families walking freely. We return to the concert square... and we see the Kazakhstan hotel illuminated. Unlike the Samarkand hotel in Tashkent, it has been well renovated and appears as a luxury hotel, with its square dimensions conveying a sense of grandeur. It retains the modernized Soviet imperial style, which is even pleasing to view at night. We can barely imagine how much history has passed through here. What intrigues, espionage stories, and how many members of the nomenklatura have stayed here. A few more glances at illuminated monuments and we return. The hotel features access from inside an old palace, in a place that would otherwise be run-down; here you can access it peacefully, climb steps made of tiles that take you back 60 years, which become modern up to the last ramp and therefore to the hotel entrance. Small but well-maintained and with everything needed.

I would like to draw a parallel with Italy: Almaty is the Milan in terms of economic and commercial centrality, and Turin as for its location, situated on top of a hill and surrounded by mountains.