Weekends sure have become more fun now that we ski. This weekend we went up to Shymbulak again. The snow was slightly better than last weekend due to the few inches we received this week and we had another beautiful blue bird day. Our friend Dave came up with us this weekend as well for his very first time skiing!
Gondola ride up.
Morning sun and empty slopes.
The main run.
Nic stops to scope.
Dave was happy to stay on the bunny hill and practice his pizza.
Busy patio and great clouds.
This is looking southeast from the highest chair. Just in case you weren't sure, there is no sledding behind the fence.
The last time I was up here was at the end of September for Nic's and my first anniversary.
The top of the run (some 10k feet) and smog below.
Nic is excited to bomb this hill.
And here he is bombin'.
He has a need for speed.
As we finished our last run I saw this man with a golden eagle on his arm. I asked him if I could take a photo and he asked me if I wanted to hold the eagle. Here we are at the transfer.
So awesome!
It was a little intimidating to have that sharp beak and huge talons so close to my largely unprotected face. At least I still had my helmet on!
Nic and the main run behind him.
Saturday evening we had the Grays and the Chases over to share some dinner and photos. We saw some wonderful photos and heard great stories from experienced travelers. Needless to say it gave us some ideas for future trips...
Sunday mornings are great. We have a chance to skype with our families and usually Nic makes breakfast. And when Nic makes breakfast, you know its gonna be good.
Welp, I got up enough courage today to snap some shots at the Green Bazaar (I've heard 'they' don't like it when people take photos there, but I'm not sure why). On the road outside the GB, vendor set up and sell random items.
There is always something unusual, and there are always lots of old things.
Nic particularly likes some of the old Soviet paraphernalia. We've seen a variety of things from gas masks to belt buckles.
In the covered part of the market. There are asian salads and foods on the left, dairy products (mostly dried milk balls) on the right. Meat straight back.
There are lots of pickled things here; whole melons, tomatos, apples, and of course the usual cucumbers, mushrooms and squahes. We've taken a liking to the pickled cucumbers.
Ladies at the asian foods section.
This photo is a bit blurry, but down this row are the honey vendors with their honey pots stacked high.
The GB doesn't just have food. This book shop has always looked intriguing to me, with so many books that they block the window!
Although its colder outside, prices are a bit lower here. There has been endless citrus this winter, coming from warmer places like Pakistan. Kiwis recently have also been affordable and delicious.
Apples have also maintained a presence this winter, however quality is hit or miss as we've experienced.
Temperatures are beginning to warm up; we've had a few days now above freezing. In the coldest weeks, however, some vendors opt to protect their produce in plastic like a saint-behind-the-glass. They even light small candles inside the tent to ward off freezes.
Dairy products are varied and ample here in Kazakhstan. However, up until recently we've had a hard time finding a cheese with good flavor and texture. This woman has become our supplier of a Ukrainian cheese that tastes like cheddar at first but ends with hints of gouda. She obliged a photograph after we bought a kilogram of the stuff.
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