I have been travelling on work to Kazakhstan since 2018, save the Covid years. All the previous visits have been around the winter season. This is my first visit to the city during the summer season. Almaty is very different in summer as compared to winter. I must confess that the city is much more engaging in the winter months. That said, there is such a lot to see in the city and a walking tour, if one has the legs, is the best way to get around. There is a very good network of buses and metro, besides taxis, to get around. Public transport is cheap with the Unified Transport Card, Onay.
One remarkable feature I noticed upon landing in Almaty is that no one, absolutely no one, wore a face mask. I, for one, refused to venture outdoors without one. I was unabashedly stared at on the roads and metro because my mask never came off my face! During the lunch break I walked round the corner of the office building to exchange USD to the local currency, Kazakh Tenge, KZT. The exchange rate for the day was 426 KZT to a USD. When I was in Almaty in 2018 the exchange rate had been 320 KZT to a USD – a quarter erosion in four years. The process for exchange is straightforward – hand over the currency with the passport and the exchanged money is handed over with the passport in a few minutes. As it was lunch break the exchange counters were a bit busy. If one has a bank account, then foreign currency can be exchanged through the account. But, the commission will set you back by a bit. Hence, it is much better to use one of the authorised dealers, who one can find without much difficulty in the main streets.
Assel Atambayeva has been part of the Group Companies for more than a decade. The educated, respectful and well read Assel is normally my guide during the visits to Almaty. She is a fount of information and knowledge about Kazakh culture, traditions, places of interest and the like that she makes the best guide to tour the city with. She suggested a walk from the office to the Abay metro station as exploring the metro stations was the main agenda for the evening. Every now and then she would draw my attention to an important building, statue or mural and explain the importance of the same.
The Uyghur Musical Comedy Theatre on Nauryzbay Batr, that can seat about 500 spectators, is the world’s first and only professional theatre of the Uyghurs. The bust of Shaken Almonov Kenzhetaiuly, the father of Kazakh cinematography, iconic director and actor, stands prominent on one of the walls of the house where he lived from 1964 up until his death in 1970. Bright and large murals light up the broad streets of Almaty. Well laid out pedestrian walkways and road crossings make the city ideal for those who wish to explore the city by foot. But do not be fooled, inclines and distances can bring weariness to the legs without notice.
The Golden Square is considered a historical point in the city. Many government buildings are located in the area. Around the Square was where the city’s elite and numerous poets, politicians and musicians lived. Besides, the buildings that boast of Stalin-era houses, the area also has many parks and public gardens, fountains and eateries. A statue of Telebaev dominates the central fountain in the Golden Square. The renowned University of International Business, which has a fair share of international students, is in the vicinity. Almaty is also popular with international students, particularly from India, for medical studies.
The Almaty Metro began operations in 2011 after being under construction for over 23 years. Construction, which began in 1988, was affected by shortage of funds following collapse of the Soviet Union and corruption scandals. When designing the stations, the best traditions of architectural design set by Soviet architects, were continued. Each station is unique and combines high aesthetics, historicism, and national artistic motives. The stations are named after important people and places and every station is decorated with a thematic panel that tells about the cultural and historical heritage. When decorating the walls and floors, natural facing granite stones of the Kurdai, Kurta, and Kapal-Arasan deposits of Kazakhstan were used. Now the metro system spans 14 km with 11 stations. Expansion works are already on. The metro system is popular with students and tourists.
80 KZT is the fare for a one way trip, irrespective of the distance one wishes to travel to on the metro. The escalator to the platform of Abay station is a steep slanted drop of nearly 80 meters traversed in about 2 minutes. The corridors are long and well lit. Works of celebrity artists are displayed on the walls. Neat and clean, the metro system has elaborate mosaic and art works. At the Abay station, for instance, a large mural of the famed Kazakh poet and philosopher as well as his works are depicted. I was astounded by the Silk Way metro station. The murals are awesome. One of them depicts the route of the ancient Silk Route and important places denoted by landmarks along the way. On a portion of the mural is the Taj Mahal too!
By the time I had done a round trip of the metro my legs could no longer go on. Assel and I decided to have dinner at the Turkish Cafe, Marmaris. It was time to wolf; the stomach was in need of urgent attention. Lentil soup with flat bread and the main course of rice with beef, chicken and veggies quietened the rising revolt within the entrails. The food was easy on the stomach as it was not spicy. Most of us may find it bland, but it is healthy and tasty.
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