Last weekend's plans for a hike were canceled by "life", as in, the need to catch up on it. We've learned that all that "life" stuff; laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, getting a new phone, buying a clock, whatever it may be, tends to take just a bit longer here in Kazakhstan. Even though I was a bit disappointed the hike didn't happen, it turned out to be a really lovely weekend hanging around Almaty. And, it never hurts to get ahead on that "life" stuff too.
Nic and I did our grocery shopping for the week at the Green Market on Saturday. On Sunday. fellow teacher Michelle wanted to go too as she was inspired to do some canning in these lovely Fall days. I gladly put off planning and grading and headed down to the market with her again. This was one of the more lively Kazakh men I've come across. He was full of questions and quick to laugh at my attempt to speak Russian.
At first he was unsure when I asked if I could take a photograph, but quickly changed his mind. Then, once I took the first one, he wanted one with Michelle too. After this photo was snapped, he coyly cuddled up to Michelle's cheek, attempting a kiss. Michelle handled it like a trooper, a smile on her face the whole time.
Lovely lighting in the pickled and canned goods section of the market.
Nic's and my favorite spice lady was gone that day, so we had to find another one. I didn't get her shining row of golden front teeth, but I did get her waving Michelle's money to the lady across the aisle for change.
After stocking up at the market (with some good finds! Frozen salmon and personal-size butternut squash), we headed next to Almaty Apple Day. It was quite an event. When we arrived, there was a great band playing everything from James Brown to Rumba, and to top it off, there were flash mobs! Now, at the time, I didn't know what a flash mob was, but it's when seeming bystanders all the sudden begin to partake in an organized event. In this case, the sanitation crew began dancing with their rolling garbage cans, spilling apples out of them for children to collect. This guy was really getting into it.
The stage, the apples, the hot air balloon.
They even brought out a ballerina to dance on a speaker box along with the flash mob. It was really a great show!
And since the apple originated here in Kazakhstan, and in fact not far from Almaty, of course there were loads of apples.
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