I have been derelict in writing but with good excuse – Steve has been visiting for two wonderful weeks. I have not provided very many photos of the city and shall rectify that now. Included here are various areas and structures in the city I find interesting. Alas, they are presented without any logical order. I’ll write more as in the coming weeks. Please let me know if there are specific questions about, say, food or transportation.
I am doing well, notwithstanding a nasty cold I developed while Steve was here. They turn the heat on here Oct. 15 and turn it off April 15. There are two main areas in the city that provide the hot water and heating for ALL buildings in Almaty. That’s taking the notion of central heating to an extreme. There is no regulating the heat, so the hot, dry air has caused problems.
One of the most beautiful buildings is Zenkov Cathedral, only a five-minute walk from my apartment. I stumbled on it one day as I was exploring my new neighborhood. The Lonely Planet Guide to Central Asia says that it was built in 1904 by AP Zenkov and reports it is one of Almaty's few surviving tsarist-era buildings, with most of the others having been destroyed in the 1911 earthquake. It is built entirely of wood, including the nails. In the Soviet era, it was used as a museum and concert hall, then boarded up. Not until 1995 was it returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and now services are held there twice a day during the week and three times on Sunday. I have attended (part of) one of the hour and a half long services. Everyone stands while the priests perform the ceremony in wonderfully rich, embroidered garb carrying icons and surrounded by walls decorated with murals of saints.
Well, I am having some trouble uploading all the photos I wanted to show you. I promise to return soon with more as soon as I figure it all out.
Best!!
Nancy
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