Hangin' with Cal. - by McP

Since getting some English television channels yesterday, I have been glued to any news I can find about the elections (a sport in which I used to participate). With the anti-government uprising in nearby Bishkek, Kyrgystan (the distance from Ringgold to Atlanta), CNN has "mysteriously" gone off the cable in Kazakhstan. So I have had to watch more Fox News than I have ever watched in my entire life.

Alison must have noticed my furrowed brow, because she suggested that Cal and I get out of the apartment and take a walk while the big kids took naps. We set out on a two hour journey. I have learned that Cal is a very pleasant child to take a stroll with!

Almaty is an unusual city, set against the Tien Shan mountain range to the South, there is a 1000 foot drop - a slope - from the South side of town downhill to the North side of town. That makes it confusing when the locals talk about going "down" to somewhere which is actually to the North. Anyway, our slog to the South was quite a workout. Cal was a real patient, as I sweated in yet another unseasonably warm day and pushed him South, up the hill toward the mountains.

We stopped at a few picturesque spots that I felt he would want one day to have photos of, such as the Kazakhstan National Museum, the Presidential Palace, and the Statue of Furmanov.



Furmanov Street (Oolitza) is one of the main South-North streets, along with Dostyk, that we often traverse through Almaty. Both reflect the severe slope that Almaty was built on - years of sediment of mudslides and rock avalanches. We stopped by the agency coordinator's office just to check in. The women oohed and aahed over Cal, but he was unphased. He is bonded to his Mama, and no number of other women could steal his heart!

We went to the Ramstore and shared a chocolate chip cookie. Then the fun part - the trip back home down part of the the 1000 foot drop in altitude we had just pushed ourselves up!

As you can see, Cal navigated Northbound on Furmanov Street quite easily:



It was a fun time being out with him, just as father and son. Now Alina has made me promise to take her on the same trip! If the Ramstore is part of the trip, Mac will want to go too. If nothing else, our leg muscles are going to be in top shape when we get back home! - McP

p.s. Cal thanks his Aunt Nancy and Uncle Rick for the cool sweater!