Around Almaty

Today's blog posting will be a random assortment of photos from around Almaty. 

 Lovely hops that grow along our front fence and power poles and rose bushes and pretty much anywhere they can. Just now they have become very fragrant. Hops, hops, everywhere, but not a hoppy beer to be found.

 From time to time we get to see old vehicles on the modern streets of Almaty. This old bus just happened to be parked on our route home.

 A fancy fruit stand in the middle of the city. Generally we shop at the big, outdoor markets but today we decided to pop in and check on prices. The produce is always displayed very attractively here.

 This man, from what we gathered, is from Istanbul. When I asked if I could take a photo (after purchasing a kilo of apples) he denied me. Only after a quick second, he changed his mind and welcomed a photo with a big smile. The only condition is that I have to bring him a print...that is once I figure out how to print photos here.

 One kind of good thing about smog is: Pretty sunsets. This is taken from our driveway.

 Although we don't have a view of the mountains from our house, as we leave every morning and drive down our narrow street, we get a glimpse of them. This morning it was still a bit hazy from the day before.

 The view from our back porch onto the city. The cable car runs to a park on the hill above our house. Notice the layer of smog.

This cathedral is located in a large park near the center of the city. It supposedly was built using no nails,  only joints. If you think the outside is gaudy, you should see the inside....it is also gaudy.