We farewelled the family and took a taxi with the dad to Vanovka where we joined a shared taxi with mother's and their children. The drive was very pleasant on a smooth four laned highway. We passed many fields of different kinds of grains and rapeseed plants to be used to extract oil. A huge mobile water irrigator was being used in a couple of fields and on the hills we spotted a huge bank of solar panels, otherwise it was miles and miles of fields.
The father had negotiated for the taxi driver to take us to our hotel and when he abandoned us and charged off to talk to groups of people at the taxi stop we realized he did not know where our hotel was situated. I whistled him back and we used a map app to find the place for him. We signalled him to drive and John used his hands like a navigator at a car rally while following the phone map. The elderly driver was a bit shell shocked as he looked to John at every intersection to see which lane he needed to get into and when to turn at the intersections. It was a new experience for all of us.
The name of our hotel Voyage!!
The hotel was a lot like a smart NZ motel. Our upstairs room even had white towelling robes on the bed. There was a little kitchenette, air con and TV. The separate bedroom and lounge were huge. We had breakfast delivered to our room in the morning. The other rooms were filled with families and their teens.
The 37 DegC day ended with strong winds and the rain cooled it to a comfortable temperature.
Taraz is one of Kazakhstan's oldest cities on the Silk Road and it was levelled by Chinggis Khan. In Soviet times it was called Dzhambul but after independence it was renamed Taraz. Today its main economy is construction and chemical manufacturing.
We walked the leafy streets to the city centre and were greeted by two rows of gazebos. Most were selling what would be best described as slabs of meat. The locals were picking up chunks and turning them over before selecting the mass they wanted. It would be best described as a Farmers' market. Some of the stalls were selling tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes and they had the longest queues.
There were also eggs, biscuits and honey sellers. Some dignitaries all dressed in suits or long dresses watched singers and dancers on a stage for a few minutes and then headed off accompanied by police officers in their big hats and a film crew. We watched the dancers and listened to the music. A few people clapped but generally the entertainers were ignored by the shoppers.
We visited the museum nearby and pretty much had the place to ourselves and had to turn lights on and off as we drifted through the rooms of exhibits. The local Green Market is currently closed as archaeologists uncover relics from the city's history and some of their findings were on display. Taraz was the place that paper making from China made it to the west.
The most interesting display for us were the carved stone figures that were discovered in farmer's fields.
We strolled through Park Lenina with its permanent fun fair rides and activities for children. Beside it was a grandstand overlooking a huge swimming pools with lots of school age competitors. We figured that the families in our hotel were here for the competitions as we saw togs and towels drying outside the units. Next to the pool was a huge football stadium.
We walked through some nicely set out gardens to the important Islamic holy sites in the city. Buses began to arrive letting worshippers into the renovated mosque. We left them to it and strolled past the mausoleum where a shroud covered the casket in the building with grills. The rest of the site was under renovation and walled off from visitors.
We bought a rock melon from a small shop on the street and the cashier was surprised to have Eengleesh customers. I don't think it is a city for western tourists but it was a good place to take a break from shared taxis and hot rides. The 300,000 peopled city was pleasant enough to get around on foot in 29 DegC .
A shashlik charcoal cooker. They can be found on the side of the streets and in playgrounds.
We found a nearby restaurant that had two parts to it. The first building had carpet up to the front door and we could see women in elegant long flowing dresses and men arriving in suits. It looked like a private party or a small wedding. The garden had lighting in the shape of a tree.
The attached second part of the place had booths with curtains and a shashlik charcoal burner at the front and we ate there. With the help of google translator we were able to order a couple of draught beers and dinner. Across from us the waitresses were readying long tables and the microphones for music. We dined quickly and left them to their noisy music.
Our last Kazak breakfast.
Next stop Bishkek, Kyrgystan
The father had negotiated for the taxi driver to take us to our hotel and when he abandoned us and charged off to talk to groups of people at the taxi stop we realized he did not know where our hotel was situated. I whistled him back and we used a map app to find the place for him. We signalled him to drive and John used his hands like a navigator at a car rally while following the phone map. The elderly driver was a bit shell shocked as he looked to John at every intersection to see which lane he needed to get into and when to turn at the intersections. It was a new experience for all of us.
The name of our hotel Voyage!!The hotel was a lot like a smart NZ motel. Our upstairs room even had white towelling robes on the bed. There was a little kitchenette, air con and TV. The separate bedroom and lounge were huge. We had breakfast delivered to our room in the morning. The other rooms were filled with families and their teens.
The 37 DegC day ended with strong winds and the rain cooled it to a comfortable temperature.
Taraz is one of Kazakhstan's oldest cities on the Silk Road and it was levelled by Chinggis Khan. In Soviet times it was called Dzhambul but after independence it was renamed Taraz. Today its main economy is construction and chemical manufacturing.
We walked the leafy streets to the city centre and were greeted by two rows of gazebos. Most were selling what would be best described as slabs of meat. The locals were picking up chunks and turning them over before selecting the mass they wanted. It would be best described as a Farmers' market. Some of the stalls were selling tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes and they had the longest queues.
We visited the museum nearby and pretty much had the place to ourselves and had to turn lights on and off as we drifted through the rooms of exhibits. The local Green Market is currently closed as archaeologists uncover relics from the city's history and some of their findings were on display. Taraz was the place that paper making from China made it to the west.
The most interesting display for us were the carved stone figures that were discovered in farmer's fields.
We strolled through Park Lenina with its permanent fun fair rides and activities for children. Beside it was a grandstand overlooking a huge swimming pools with lots of school age competitors. We figured that the families in our hotel were here for the competitions as we saw togs and towels drying outside the units. Next to the pool was a huge football stadium.
We bought a rock melon from a small shop on the street and the cashier was surprised to have Eengleesh customers. I don't think it is a city for western tourists but it was a good place to take a break from shared taxis and hot rides. The 300,000 peopled city was pleasant enough to get around on foot in 29 DegC .
A shashlik charcoal cooker. They can be found on the side of the streets and in playgrounds.
We found a nearby restaurant that had two parts to it. The first building had carpet up to the front door and we could see women in elegant long flowing dresses and men arriving in suits. It looked like a private party or a small wedding. The garden had lighting in the shape of a tree.
The attached second part of the place had booths with curtains and a shashlik charcoal burner at the front and we ate there. With the help of google translator we were able to order a couple of draught beers and dinner. Across from us the waitresses were readying long tables and the microphones for music. We dined quickly and left them to their noisy music.
Our last Kazak breakfast.Next stop Bishkek, Kyrgystan
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