Zenkov’s Cathedral: Zenkov’s was the first and last cathedral we saw in Central Asia (mosques are much more common). The outside of the cathedral is bright yellow with whimsically patterned domes, while the inside is opulent with stained glass windows, a gold altar, and traditional Russian orthodox art (think narrow-faced stern-looking religious figures)

Panfilov park: Panfilov park is home to Zenkov’s cathedral and several war memorials. It was a lovely park to stroll through particularly with the changing trees

Central mosque: We’ve seen countless mosques in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, so we were interested to see a Kazakh mosque. The central mosque has a much more modern feel with its gold minarets and marble exterior. We didn’t go inside, but did meet a very friendly endoscopist outside that was eager to practice his English and hear about our impressions of Kazakhstan

National science academy: We decided to take a break from traditional Central Asian museums and opted to check out the national museum of science (which was really like four different museums in one building). We didn’t ever find the ticket office, but had a blast wandering the grand halls and happening upon different displays of Soviet art and architecture

Big Almaty Lake: This natural reservoir in the Tian Shan Mountains and Ile-Alatau national park provided a true “wow” moment for us. The water was a deep teal color reminiscent of Glacier Freeze Gatorade and was beautifully situated in the freshly snowcapped mountains (it had snowed the night before). It also wasn’t crowded as the access road was closed to non-essential traffic due to construction, requiring most people to walk the 5+ miles uphill if they wanted to see it. We don’t know how but our tour guide was thankfully able to coordinate a ride for us

Eagle show: As a bonus of sorts to the Big Almaty Lake tour, we also got to see this traditional Owl/Eagle/Falcon show in the Ile-Alatau National Park. The trainer was a hilarious Kazakh showman dressed in traditional garb and with a thick accent. He had the routine down to a “T” and knew how to engage the crowd. He was accompanied by a young woman, also dressed in traditional garb, who fetched the birds and rode around on horseback. It was neat to see these beautiful birds up close and in action and the rest of the show gave us a laugh

Green bozor: We ended up back at this 100+ year old farmers market multiple times. It was a great lunch stop for us (and Jessie in particular) the first time around, as we loaded up on fresh bread, cheese, and local apples (a must in Kazakstan) before picnicking on a nearby bench. We enjoyed it so much that we went back to pick up fresh bread, cheese, and vegetables for a homemade panini dinner, and also stopped across the street at LOTTE Rakhat Candy Factory for some delicious chocolatey desserts 

Kok Tobe: We paid a somewhat hefty sum to take a gondola up to this mountain recreation area. The highlights included views of the city (though the haze obscured the view on the day we visited), miscellaneous carnival activities, a bench dedicated to the Beatles (our favorite attraction), and an exotic birds and animals zoo that didn’t quite sit well with us. If we were traveling with a young toddler this may have been a better stop, but we weren’t. We wouldn’t recommend this if you have limited time in Almaty, unless you have a young toddler, then maybe (but then again we don’t have and have never had a young toddler so why trust us :))

Ballet: Post-Soviet cities are known for their lavish opera and ballet theaters and seeing a performance was high on our list before leaving Central Asia. Luckily, there was a ballet while we were in town and at less than $10 a ticket it was a no brainer. It was a great experience – the show itself was interesting and we really enjoyed watching one talented ballerina (despite our lack of ballet knowledge, we could tell she was on a different level than the rest). We found it interesting that the crowd sustained the same level of clapping at the end for all performers, despite a clear delineation in bows between the stars and the others (a relic of soviet times?)

Hockey game: We were itching to catch some sort of sporting event ever since we stepped foot in Central Asia. It seemed particularly fitting for Doug that the HC Almaty hockey team was in town for a few home games while we were in Almaty. We got a little lost when we arrived at Halyk Arena and made our way in through an unattended staff entrance. We were impressed at how new and nice the arena was. When we found the entrance and asked the staff for help finding our seats, they simply replied “just go in and find any seat you want” (how great is that??). It was a competitive game despite their opponent, Saryarka, being the better team. The result was a 2-1 nail-biting loss for HC Almaty and great night of hockey for Jessie & Doug

Kazakh hospital: Doug had been experiencing some travelers gastro issues for a few days and decided to take some Cipro to try to put it to rest. About 10 minutes after ingesting the first dose, Doug’s lips and eyes began to itch and swell… tell-tale signs of an allergic reaction. Jessie swiftly and effectively navigated getting us to the nearest emergency room for treatment, using Google Translate to communicate with the staff (no one spoke English). An hour and a half, a steroid injection in the butt, three antihistamine drips, and $16 USD later, we were leaving the hospital in better shape and spirits (this would have cost a lot more money and time in the US). No more Cipro for Doug!

Arasan baths: Completed in 1982 on the orders of the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakstan, the Arasan bath complex is the largest in Central Asia. We spent two hours inside this complex, Jessie getting a traditional massage (read: no frills or pleasantries) and Doug exploring the Finnish sauna, Russian banya, and Moroccan hammam (all in separate but symmetrical facilities for men and woman). The facilities were beautifully designed and very clean. We left feeling relaxed and recharged. Arasan baths are a must if you find yourself in Almaty and one of our favorite things we did

Almaty airport: A lot left to be desired here… we were hoping to take advantage of the Priority Pass lounge in the international terminal (thank you, Chase Sapphire). It seemed brand new and clean, but there was no easily accessible WiFi and the food was a frustratingly inflexible “dinner set” from a cafe outside the lounge itself. Jessie did make the most out of it by using our remaining Tenge to buy some eccentric souvenirs and goodies from the few shops outside the lounge