Can the Stans handle the Merck girls (minus 1)?

October 8: Last day – Almaty

I previewed our lavish hotel yesterday, but wanted to share some of its expansive breakfast…and these are just the pastries!

Am not sure why camels milk belongs in the pastry section….. Also, if you need a gold bar or some lovely furnishings for your yurt, this is the place to come!

Another piece of useful(less) info about Almaty is that it translates as “father of the apple”. It was originally thought that the various species of apples we have today evolved from the chance hybridisation of several wild species. In fact DNA analysis has found that the progenitor of the modern apple is derived from a single species that hails from forests close to Almaty!!

Today we  visited the Russian orthodox,  Zenkov Cathedral — also known as the Ascension Cathedral. It is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world (56 metres), made entirely of wood without a single nail. It’s a masterpiece of 19th-century architecture.

Almaty lies in a seismic zone, so Zenkov (the architect) designed the cathedral to withstand earthquakes — and it worked.The 1911 earthquake, which destroyed much of the city, barely damaged the cathedral.This made it famous as a marvel of wooden engineering and one of the most earthquake-resistant buildings of its time.

The cathedral is in the middle of a lovely park called Panfilov Park, which has lovely flora and a nice area for kids to play with all the birds!

At one end of the park is Republic Square and a large statue to commemorate those lost during the two world wars.

A visit to the green bazaar, and then back to the hotel. Farewell dinner at the top of the mountain, where you could the lights of the city (as well as the full moon)

And cannot end the journey without showing you another Russian bus shelter.

Thanks for joining me on the journey 🥰