Day 99: Road Block Tajik Style

 You just never know what you might meet on the road. Today, our road was interrupted by wandering cows, donkeys, sheep, and even a truck hauling fluffy cotton (sorry for the quality of the picture -- I was a mad woman attempting to capture the life outside of my backseat car window).

Day 96: Cosmopolitan

You can feel the shift from north to south the moment you exit the airport in Almaty. As we drove into town, alongside colored trees and underneath the spectacular snow-capped mountains, I could not help but enjoy the setting on such a gorgeous autumn day. The day started early with rain and just-above-freezing temperatures in Astana and evolved into a pleasant day in Kazakhstan's former capital and cultural center.

I spent some time sitting over coffee at an outdoor cafe filled with people and traffic. The life bustling by on the sidewalk and in the cafe made this a perfect rest stop on a morning walk. I enjoyed this cafe so much that I admittedly returned later in the day with a friend to enjoy the atmosphere once again.

On my second trip, I discovered a delicious drink called "Americano Citron." 

Almaty wooed me with its pretty tree-lined streets and striking mountains, but it did not stop there. On the way to meet a fellow alum from Monterey Institute for dinner, I heard salsa music and snapped this photo of  dancers outside by a large fountain. 

It was a lovely, lovely day in the city.

Day 94: First Snow in Astana

We awoke to a pretty white cover on the trees, rooftops, and ground this morning -- the first snow of the season! Although this caused panic in the less hearty (read: those not raised on the tough plains of Wyoming), we took the light, melting snow as a sign that seasons are really changing. After all, with Halloween just around the corner, it has to get a bit chillier. My childhood memories all include having to wear my winter coat underneath my spiffy Halloween costume. I suppose that if Astana celebrated such a holiday, winter coat costumes would also be in order.

Perhaps the only downside of the cooler weather is that the heat for our building has not yet been switched on. We've pulled out the sweaters, wool socks, and winter-weight comforters for the weekend.

Let it snow!