Un-Borat-ing Kazakhstan! (Part 3): Almaty's Local Life and History

- December 17-18, 2025, Wednesday to Thursday.

- Central Asia appears so distant from the consciousness of many people. Apart from the region's complicated history and the various tribes and ethnic groups that are often nomadic, much of these countries were closed to outsiders for the longest time in the past decades. I'm glad that visitors now have the chance to learn more about Central Asia. Almaty alone has many historical sites that help one to do so.

- Early Wednesday morning, my family paid a visit to the Green Bazaar (Kok Bazaar; a few blocks from Zhibek Zholy metro station). The current market, although only built in 2017, has its roots as far back in the 1870s.; it has always been a place for selling the needs of people. Today, the market is split into two main areas: one for selling food (raw or processed), and another for dry goods and everyday things (like clothes, souvenirs, etc.)

Before leaving our hotel, we noticed the view from our window. Goodness, those are some majestic snow mountains!

Green Bazaar.

Dry goods area.

Food area. They sell a lot of dried fruits and pickles by the way!

- We later rode a Yandex car to the far far end of the city to visit the First President Park (near Orbita metro station). The park is recognizable for its big arch at the entrance. It opened in 2010.

On the way to the park. I mean....I cannot stop staring at these snowy mountains!

Entrance to the park.

It was difficult to take a photo of the whole arch because it was quite long.

- Kazakhstan's first president was Nursultan Nazarbayev for five terms (1991 to 2019); the country's current president, Kassy-Jomart Tokayev, is the second president. He was able to help stabilize Kazakhstan after the country's independence as a result of the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite that, he also had many controversies that led to his resignation.

First president.

A red squirrel!!

Observation deck.

The arch from inside the park.

- After a stroll in the park, we rode a car back to the city center, to the Independence Monument and the Republic Square; they're right across each other (close to Abay metro station). The Independence Monument was built in 2006 in honor of the country's independence in 1991. The Republic Square, which was being renovated when I went, has been a major public venue in Almaty since 1980.

Independence Monument.

Republic Square (under renovation.)

Oak of Independence, at the square. It doesn't have its leaves because it was winter.

- A short walk from the square is the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. Originally established in 1931 and located at the Ascencion Cathedral, it moved to its current location in 1985. The museum has an extensive collection on Kazakh history and culture. It also had a special exhibition on Kazakh gold, but photography was not allowed in that room.

Main hall.

Different Kazakh traditional and combat wear.

Daily life of early Kazakhs. Yes, that's a yurt in the middle.

I always forget how spacious a yurt can be.

Museum facade.

- One of Almaty's top destinations is just a short walk or ride from the museum. Abai Square is another public square, and is best known for the city's access point to the Kok Tobe Hill through its cable car station. The Kok Tobe Park sits atop the hill, and is a recreational area. Parts of it were closed because it was winter, and the thick fog made the whole place a lot eerier. But there were many visitors, so being there did not scare me at all. There are also some souvenir stores in the park. 

Statue of Abai Qunanbaiuly at Abai Square (and yes it was named after him.) He was a Kazakh writer who contributed greatly to Kazakh literature.

Kok Tobe cable car station at Abai Square.

On top of the hill. Literally nothing to see (because of the fog), but there are lots to do especially during the warmer months.

Proof of life.

The Beatles statue, placed in 2007, is said to be the first monument with all Beatles members present. 

Early evening.

- That evening we decided to try Kazakhstan's McDonald's, named "I'm". "I'm" is the rebranded version of McDonald's in Kazakhstan after the country was not allowed to operate in relation to the conflict in Russia; Kazakhstan's McDonald's operations were connected to Russia's, to put simply. The food and feel of the restaurant do resemble what one would expect in a McDonald's. 

The nearest McDonald's....I mean, I'm, from the hotel.

Totally not McDonald's.

Well the fried shrimp was great!

- I spent the rest of the evening at Arbat Shopping Street to look for pants that resemble the pair that got damaged when I tripped and fell the day prior. Fortunately there was, and it was the last pair, and on sale for 50%! A total win I'd say.

- I felt more immersed in Almaty after going around this day because I was able to walk around the city more and just take in everything - snow, fog, and all. Almaty really is a relatively modern city and so there are some comforts going around it. Speaking of which, the following morning, I decided to do a mini metro station tour. Metro stations in the former Soviet nations (same as in Uzbekistan or Russia) are works of art, so I knew I had to visit some before leaving Kazakhstan. Each station has a theme, and some stations appear more elaborately decorated than others.

Auezov Theater Station, named after Mukhtar Auezov. He was a Kazakh writer, playwright, and language specialist.

The mosaic depicts the story of Enlik and Kebek. This poem was turned into a play by Auezov, and was his first play. 

Close up of the mosaic.

At Zhibek Zholy Station, the station closest to my hotel. "Zhibek Zholy" means "Silk Road". Unsurprisingly, the motif of the station is based on the Silk Road.

Loooong escalator from the platform to the concourse area.

This mosaic at the concourse depicts landmarks of countries that were part of the ancient Silk Road.

- I later dropped by Panfilov Park to visit the memorial to the 28 guardsmen of General Ivan Panfilov who sacrificed their lives during World War II. There is also an eternal flame in front of the memorial monument.

A lot of snow at Panfilov Park.

A snowy photo with the church. It didn't snow too much the other day.

28 Guardsmen Memmorial.

With the eternal flame.

- One of the museums located across the park is the Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments. It was built, in Russian style, alongside the Ascension Cathedral in 1908. It is a small museum but the collection has a variety of local and international folk musical instruments.

Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instrments.

Local instruments.

Zither/harp-type local Kazakh instruments.

Instruments from India.

- I had to quickly go back to the hotel so we could head off to the airport for our next Central Asian destination. While it was a short visit to Almaty. I felt I was able to see the city enough, since most places to see were close to each other. However I know that Kazakhstan, being the largest country in Central Asia and the 9th largest in the world, is more than just Almaty!  

** Check out my other adventures in Central Asia and Malaysia here!

KAZAKHSTAN

Part 1: Ascension Cathedral, Shymbulak, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 2: Charyn Canyon, Kaindy Lake, Kolsay Lake - here 

KYRGYZSTAN

Part 1: Ala-Too Square and Museum, Souvenir Shopping - here 

Part 2: Issyk-Kul, Konorchek Canyon, Burana Tower - here

TAJIKISTAN

Part 1: Iskanderkul Lake, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 2: Hisor Fortress and Dushanbe City Tour - here

UZBEKISTAN

Part 1: Tashkent - Amir Timur Square, Broadway - here

Part 2: Samarkand - Gur-e Amir, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 3: Samarkand - Registan, Bibi Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda, Hazrat Khizr Mosque - here

Part 4: Samarkand - Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiyab Archaeological Museum, Ishratxona - here

Part 5: Bukhara - Lyab-i Hauz and Surroundings - here

Part 6: Bukhara - Ark of Bukhara, Bolo Hauz Mosque, Chor Minor, Po-i Kalyan - here

Part 7: Tashkent - Museums, Besh Qozon, Khast Imam Complex, Metro Stations - here

MALAYSIA     

Part 1: MICHELLE YEOH!, Petronas, Little India, Chinatown, Kwai Chai Hong, Jamek Mosque, Pasar Seni - here

Part 2: Batu Caves, Putrajaya, KL Tower - here      

Un-Borat-ing Kazakhstan! (Part 1): A Peek of Almaty, and Snowy Shymbulak

- December 14-15, 2025, Sunday to Monday.

- Never in my life did I think that I would be able to set foot in Central Asia ever. E. V. E. R. In a world when traveling has become more accessible and doable, Central Asia has been a bit slow in opening up to the world. Although the 5 "Stans" of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan - have opened their doors to tourism since the fall of the USSR in 1991, which they were all part of, there were hurdles in traveling to this part of Asia. Visa processes (or granting visa-free access) was only simplified gradually only in the past decade, and improvement of infrastructure has only taken place in the past decade or less, and in different scales depending on the country. 

- From Southeast Asia, Central Asia cheapest and easiest to access via AirAsia, which has its hub in Kuala Lumpur. It has been offering direct flights from KL to Almaty, Kazakhstan for a while now, until last October 2025, when they also offered flights between KL and Tashkent. So for Filipinos, they can book a Manila to Almaty or Manila to Tashkent flight with a stopover in KL via AirAsia. Some people may opt to fly to Central Asia via Korea, or via airlines in West Asia or the Middle East (i.e., Dubai, Saudi Arabia), but they take more time and are far far far far (!!) more expensive.

- As far as Kazakhstan is concerned, Filipinos can enter visa free for 30 days. Because of a generous visa-free access, and because it's the easiest country to access from the Philippines, many Filipinos tend to prioritize traveling to Kazakhstan. 

- My family flew from Manila to Malaysia, hung out at the airport hotel for three hours, before embarking on our long-haul flight to Kazakhstan. We stayed in Almaty, which was the long-time capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 when the capital moved to Astana in the north. Yet until today, Almaty is still the cultural and economic hub of the country (it reminds me of Turkey's situation with Istanbul and Ankara, or Australia's situation with Melbourne/Sydney and Canberra).

- Once we arrived, and checked in at Renion Park Hotel. By the way, there are many ways to get around the city, but our main mode of transportation was through a ride-hailing app called YandexGo (can be used in several countries, including most of Central Asia). 

- We had not much to do because it was already evening, but we had to have a traditional Kazakh dinner. What better way to do that than go to a restaurant called Navat, which has several branches in Kazakhstan and other countries. One was within a short walk from our hotel so we checked it out. We had some of the must-tries of Central Asian cuisine: mixed-meat plov (or pilaf), beshbarmak (assorted boiled meat with dumpling skin), and manti (dumplings). Notice that they're mostly made of meat because produce is hard to get by, especially in the past, and because this is the kind of food that will help people survive the harsh winters of the region. (Good to experience, but bad for my diet huhu.)

Found it!

Top plate: plov, middle plate: beshbarmak, bottom plate, manti. Left bowl: borscht (Russian beet soup), right cup: tea.

Beshbarmak.

- On our first full day in Almaty, we first visited the Ascension Cathedral, also known as the Zenkov Cathedral, located at Panfilov Park (it was just across our hotel!). It's a Russian orthodox cathedral, which explains why it resembles the the colorful onion-domed churches of Russia. It was opened in 1907 and was made of wood without nails! (The church and park are close to Zhibek Zholy metro station.)

Not in Russia.

Church from the side.

We caught the tail end of a mass. This is the priest. He looks like royalty omg.

Main altar.

- From the church, we rode a Yandex going to Medeu-Shymbulak. Medeu is a sports complex opened in 1951, and is the world's highest skating rink. It is currently under renovation (at least, as of writing this blog), but it remains to be the most accessible point to reach Shymbulak, via the cable car system that connects both parks. Shymbulak is a ski resort, the spot being discovered as a suitable ski venue in the 1940s and turned into a resort in the 1960s. Shymbulak has three levels, all accessible by cable car. Most of the facilities like restaurants or stores are at the lowest level, right outside the cable car stop from Medeu. The second and third levels are mainly observation decks, or slopes for skiers. Entrance tickets vary depending on purpose of entry and for how long (skiers for instance need to pay more since they need to rent equipment, but those like my family who just want to enter the park and look around will pay less).

Couldn't see a lot because of the fog!

But once I reached the second level....goodness that view. I'm on top of the world!

Had to dress warmly!

Cable car up!

OK now I'm really at the top of the world! This is the highest level.

- Apart from experiencing snow on a mountain, one of the reasons why I wanted to visit Shymbulak was because I knew that they had a stall where people can experience wearing a traditional Kazakh attire while holding an eagle. Since Kazakh traditional clothes tend to be thick and heavy, I didn't think I could buy one to take back home (which would have been ideal, but we were traveling to many places for a long time). A photo with it seems to be the second best option.

The coat was really heavy!

The eagle was heavier!!!!

- After leaving Medeu-Shymbulak via Yandex back to the city, my family decided to rest while I visited Arbat shopping street to look for souvenirs. The most convenient place to find souvenirs is at the third floor of TSUM Department Store (and this department store was my saving grace for souvenirs in most cities I visited in Central Asia.)

Arbat Shopping Street.

Inside TSUM, the shops sell usual souvenirs, but they also have a lot of traditional clothes and carvings.

- I had a light dinner at a restaurant beside my hotel. And as I prepared to wrap up my first full day in Almaty, I was overwhelmed with disbelief that I was really, finally, in Central Asia - a land that I only saw in books and videos, but never expected to set foot in ever in my life!

** Check out my other adventures in Central Asia and Malaysia here!

KAZAKHSTAN

Part 2: Charyn Canyon, Kaindy Lake, Kolsay Lake - here 

Part 3: First President Park, Kok Tobe, Museum, Metro Stations - here

KYRGYZSTAN

Part 1: Ala-Too Square and Museum, Souvenir Shopping - here 

Part 2: Issyk-Kul, Konorchek Canyon, Burana Tower - here

TAJIKISTAN

Part 1: Iskanderkul Lake, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 2: Hisor Fortress and Dushanbe City Tour - here

UZBEKISTAN

Part 1: Tashkent - Amir Timur Square, Broadway - here

Part 2: Samarkand - Gur-e Amir, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 3: Samarkand - Registan, Bibi Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda, Hazrat Khizr Mosque - here

Part 4: Samarkand - Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiyab Archaeological Museum, Ishratxona - here

Part 5: Bukhara - Lyab-i Hauz and Surroundings - here

Part 6: Bukhara - Ark of Bukhara, Bolo Hauz Mosque, Chor Minor, Po-i Kalyan - here

Part 7: Tashkent - Museums, Besh Qozon, Khast Imam Complex, Metro Stations - here

MALAYSIA     

Part 1: MICHELLE YEOH!, Petronas, Little India, Chinatown, Kwai Chai Hong, Jamek Mosque, Pasar Seni - here

Part 2: Batu Caves, Putrajaya, KL Tower - here