Did Satelites Detect Strange Bursts of Energy Today in Central Asia? - by McP

If there were any spy satelites orbiting over Kazakhstan today just before noon, a release of energy somewhat equal to two 50 megaton nukes would have been easily detected as Mac Poston and Alina Poston each released two weeks of bottled-up frustration caused by sitting still in airplanes and living indoors in a city with few safe places for children to play!

Cal was cranky this morning, and Liza volunteered to stay with him at the apartment. Alina and Mac needed some time with Alison, we figured, like "old times" B.C. (Before Cal). We rode the gondola up to the top of Kok-Tobe, overlooking Almaty. Up on the top the country has obviously invested a LOT of tenge on a state-of-the-art tourist attraction. It reminded us a bit of Lookout Mountain's sites, except the ride up was not on the Incline Railway but high up on a cable!

On the very top, which was a narrow flat area running the length of the large hill (about as high as Lookout it seemed, but you can't in good faith call it a mountain when you look at the snow-capped beauties towering over it). On the end of the park is the "Television Tower," which in Soviet times was the tallest structure in this hemisphere.

Down a perfectly maintained walkway we came upon the most perfect playground imaginable! A rubberized floor, fencing and several stations of jungle gyms, swing sets, a kid-powered merry-go-round, and an inflatable jump-on thingy - all made this place overlooking Almaty literally seem like Heaven to us! Piped-in Russian children's music was blaring, but it was so peppy Alison and I both thought it would be impossible for anyone to be depressed at this place, or to nod off asleep, or to think of anything but the peppy music.

Of course by now you know me and my safety concerns! This was bigger and nicer and safer than any of the new playground technologies I have seen in the U.S.A. At the playground on top of Kok-Tobe, Alison and I could sit and relax, knowing if Mac jumped off the top of the highest point in the development, he would probably bounce a few times on the rubber floor. We had a GREAT time, and the children literally did not stop from one station to the next.

Want proof? Click on the video below:



Here's a simple concept: A little car on a spring. Mac and Alina turn it into an experiment in road rage!



Finally, the inflatable jumpy thing... This is where a kid can go completely biserk, as ous obviously did, until we pulled them away to ride the gondola back down into the city to rejoin Cal and Liza. For the record:



Needless to say, we plan to return to Kok-Tobe, next time with Liza and Cal! As for Mac and Alina, I would not put these two on Lufthansa or any other airline without another dose of this medicine just before we leave town. - McP

p.s. We got Mac's passport back today! The little stamp that caused all the uproar upon our entry to the country has been "annulled" by another little stamp. This is a great relief to us. - McP