Kazakhstan in Pictures, Part I

In the American psyche, Central Asia is a mental black hole. It is such an unknown area that most people don't know at thing about its nations, peoples, or geography. At least we can superimpose a vision of a jungle on obscure African countries, whether or not that image is accurate. For Central Asia, we lack even such a generic template to kick-start our imagination.

Kazakhstan is, of course, dominated by the sub-Siberian steppe. However, it is the 9th largest country in the world; fortunately, there are a few other geographic features scattered around to distract from the endless expanse of the steppe. Much of Kazakhstan's topographic diversity is located in the southeast corner of the country where a giant wall of mountains separates the country from Kyrgyzstan and China. Fortunately, this is Almaty's region, so I was able to enjoy the mountains for a few months during before I moved to a drier, more sparsely-populated version of Kansas.

(Issyk from above)

(At the Talgar Nature Reserve....dinner springs out of the bushes??)

(The view from above Lake Issyk, the source of one of many small rivers that flow down from the Tian Shan to feed Lake Balkhash)

(The results of the most-anticipated event of PST. Zhezkazgan is a long way from just about everybody)

(Almaty. Perhaps there is a small dose of irony in Kazakhstan)

(Russian Orthodox cathedral in Panfilov Park, Almaty. Notable for being built without any nails)

(My daily route to training in Issyk. Despite the summer heat, the snow never quite disappeared from the mountains)

(Almaty's "Silk Road" pedestrian street)

(On the road to Charyn Canyon. The southeast corner of Kazakhstan is the most primal place I have ever seen. No people and few living things of any sort other than hardy grass. Just gritty land, snow-capped mountains, and sky)

(The comparisons to the Grand Canyon are silly, but the Charyn Canyon is nonetheless an impressive sight)

(I guess the river ran dry somewhere down the line)

(Despite a raw fall morning, the day turned into a beautiful one. Those mountains in the background really aren't that far from China's westernmost frontier)