One Last Bit of Local Culture - by McP

Today was our next-to-last full day in Kazakhstan, so long as Cal's medical report is timely completed, the U.S. Embassy doesn't arbitrarily close tomorrow, Lufthansa still has seats for us and the weather doesn't change to keep us here longer! In all seriousness, it does appear that everything is going well and in 24 hours we will be heading toward Almaty International Airport for the long, long trip home.

Alison went shopping with Emil this morning, and I stayed in with the kids. Alina did her last homework, Mac did his absolute best at lounging, and Cal played around mostly at my feet after his lunch. Alison thinks that the baby food is not filling him up anymore, so what better time than Thanksgiving week to introduce him to the food of his new culture?

I then went riding with Emil, with the intent on doing a bit of shopping but mostly we just rode around the city. Emil has become a good friend to our family, and I do hope that we can see him again someday, perhaps in America. He is a smoker but never does it when around the children. Also, when the kids are not around, he cranks up the stereo pretty loud, with a wide range of Russian music, as you my now experience yourself (turn up your sound and click the arrow on the image below). I must say that I have enjoyed talking with Emil and learning from his perspective of how life is in this part of the world. And I admit, some of his music is kind of catchy.




Tonight I finally got to go to the "Esik Restaurant", which has the same name as the town Cal is from but is actually here in Almaty just two blocks from our apartment. We were told they had the best traditional Kazakh food and that they put on a Kazakh cultural show each night.

Alison and Cal bailed out on me first. I can understand, as she is trying to get the baby on a sleep pattern that will be the kindest to all Lufthansa passengers between Almaty, Frankfurt and Atlanta. Also, Alison is still very gun shy from how sick she got six years ago here, and avoids taking culinary risks! Then Mac gave me the bad news that he opted to stay in tonight as well.

I looked to Alina. If she did not want to go, I would just resolve that it was not to be and I would just finish off the six pound cannister of Peter Pan peanut butter. Oh, but not Alina! She was dressed faster than I could find my shoes.

We walked together down the dark street toward the restaurant, Alina clutching that little felt Kazakh purse that I bought as an afterthought without knowing how popular it was going to be. It was again stuffed with God knows what. She is prepared for anything, it seems, even an impromptu dinner invitation.

The interior of the Esik Restaurant is absolutely beautiful, with vaulted ceilings and a recessed portion in each section which is designed to look similar to the top of a traditional yurta (nomadic round tent home). Alina seized upon the fact that there was a formal table setting, which has some weird effect on her. She gets really "into" formality, it is now apparent.




We were almost the only people in this huge restaurant. There were two young women together at one table and two well-dressed men at another. Soon after we placed our order, a huge commotion started at the table with the men. The biggest of them started shouting, threw his glass to the floor, and stood up over the man on the other side of the table.

The shouting was at the top of his voice, and the man was a physically imposing man of about 250+ pounds. I was wondering why the management was keeping its distance. They were just letting it play out. I wondered if the big guy was some sort of organized crime kingpin they were frightened to control.

Alina just acted as if this is something that happens all the time in the world of fine dining, eating her salad and paying little attention to this very loud and very disruptive event. "Daddy, will you pour me some more tea please?" and "Two sugar cubes, please," was her only comment while the whole ruckus was going on. Finally, when the shouting was louder than anything else, she said, "Daddy, I don't think he liked his food." The man finally stormed out, and his meek associate slunk out a few minutes later.




After we ate our orders of chicken sashlyk (chicken cooked on a kebob kind of skewer), and ordered dessert, the show started. Mind you, we were now almost the only people in the room, but a huge production started with dancers, singers and finally someone played one of those dombras! We had a great cultural experience, perhaps in more ways than we thought.



Even the "Golden Man" made an appearance, as if to bid us farewell!



I don't know whether or not there will be another post from me from Kazakhstan. We are almost completely packed, so tomorrow may be a day to just rest and watch videos or walk around the neighborhood until time to launch. If this is my last post from here, let me say how much I have enjoyed your emails and your reactions to my reports. I cannot think of a better way to have spent the last almost two months, exploring another culture that will - because of Alina, Mac and Cal - forever be near and dear to us!

After we rest up a bit, please call us and come by to meet Cal, and to catch up with Mac, Alina, Alison and me. - McP