Day 13 (Friday May 9, 2003) – Victory Day

I should not have been surprised by how smooth yesterday’s court session had gone.  While most would chalk it up to the grand guidance of Galina and my Perry Mason like skills, I’ll have to give credit to my good luck charm.  I wore a very special tie to court yesterday.  While most who know me would say that it must be an extraordinary set of circumstances indeed if I’m even wearing a tie, nonetheless this tie is very special to me.  You see it is a colorful Jerry Garcia tie.  It also belonged to my dearly departed good friend Steve Sumner.   Steve’s widow Diane gave me this tie soon after Steven passed away.  I’m extra happy that a part of my friend was able to be there with us for this joyous day.  I’m sure Steven was looking down on us with that contagious smile of his.  So you see, how could anything have gone wrong?  I toasted my friend after everyone slept last night.  This Bud’s for you my friend.

Day 13 was another busy one.  Today is another holiday in Kazakhstan.  It is Victory Day celebrating the end of the USSR involvement in WWII.  We headed out early with the hopes of catching the parade, but we were there too early and would rather spend time with OUR daughter (officially, I might add) than watch any old parade (at least Leilani told me that’s how I felt).  After our unsuccessful jaunt to watch a parade, we headed towards our favorite spot, Alia’s very soon to be former home.  We shared our visitation area with Lisa & Frank Petrocelli from PA.  They and their daughter Alia joined in on the fun.  Karsten worked his magic on all with his amazing giggles and Alia captivated us all as usual (OK, OK Leilani & I were probably the only one’s captivated and maybe a few grandparents back in the States). 

For lunch we took a ride up to the Me?ey (Medey) mountain area.  It’s very picturesque up there.  The Winter Olympic training area is in this area, some fine restaurants, great views and an interesting ensemble of locals.  We ate at the Kazak Village.  They have a yurt museum there and I really couldn’t capture the inside well with stills, so I just took it using the video camera.  Lunch was interesting.  We dined in an actual yurt as well, sitting on the floor.  By the way, a yurt is an old style Kazakh residence.  It is composed of thick wool and wood only.  No nails are used in the construction; the wood is simply bent and tied.  The wool is very thick and is treated in the outdoors such that it is impermeable to rain or snow.  The door is just another piece of this thick, treated wool that is simply rolled up and tied to open the doorway.  While in the restaurant, we tried some horsemeat sausage, and have to admit, it wasn’t too bad.  I’m unsure when the Kentucky Derby is, but for those they are about to partake (or if you already have) in the festivities, please accept my apologies.  A big family came in to dine as well and we happy to be serenaded by one of the children of the large party who played one of her favorites on a dombra (a small two stringed lute with an oval shape).   It ended a very nice afternoon.

We hit the Tsum store (another of the many indoor “mall” shopping places) after the midday session with the kids.  If you ever happen into Almaty and are looking for souvenirs, go to this store and go straight up to the 3^rd floor.  This corner shop had it all and Leilani bought almost all of it.

After Roza dropped us off for the night, I took an early evening walk to the City Center for some foodstuff for dinner.  The walk there is filled with an eclectic assortment of views and smells, outdoor shopping areas as well as many prepared food vendors.  Every day I pass by the shashlyk stand where they are grilling over a charcoal pit, tender mutton kebobs.  The smell is truly pleasing to the olfactory senses.  But I have yet to be bold enough to have a seat and try and figure out how to order and pay here.  No signs, no menus.   As I’ve also come into habit of doing, I pass a few people who will accept handouts and pass on a couple dollars to each.   I guess back home we would call them beggars, but I have yet to hear any of them say anything other than Spa-cee-ba (Thank you).  At first I would just walk by, but Pam hit me with a doozy the other day.  She passed on some Tenge to a little girl who was with her mother looking for a handout.  After she passed the money out, she said, “I look at that little girl and think that could have been Tay” (her little girl adopted from Kaz a few years back).  Well, talk about your slap into reality.  I had never thought of it that way.  Ignorance may have been bliss, but it sure don’t feed the hungry.  Every time I pass a mother looking for a handout while holding her little child here on the streets, I can’t now help but think of what could have been the life for my little Alia.  I also can’t get Anara out of my head as well.  I can’t wait to bring my daughter home.

 Click on the Thumnails to Enlarge the Picture

This one is for all those who have been asking for it.....in Kazakh robe and hat.

The ladies of Team Kaz enjoying the fresh air in front of the Monument of Independence.

The Monument of Independence on Victory Day. At the top is the Golden Man.

The sweetest little boy in all of Kazakhstan and his mommy Pam.

"I know, I KNOW. My daughter is adorable." Leilani being the obnoxious mother again.

Our new friends, the Petrocelli Family from PA. That's Frank & Judy with their lovely new daughter Aliya.

My two girls muggin' for the camera.

Alia just get used to this pose. Mommy is going to be trying on all your clothes as soon as we get back home.

The entrance to the Medey Mountain area.

The outside of a two room yurt. This is the display yurt at the Kazakh Village restaurant in Medey.

Dining at the Kazakh Village. Being a former resident of Kentucky, Leilani could not bring herself to eat the horsemeat.

We were entertained by an impromptu seranade by a young girl with a dombra.

This one's for you Irene.....mountains. We had to stop Leilani from continually singing out, "The Hills are alive. With the Sound of Music."

Very happy to be outside.

Alia so happy to find out she'll be meeting her great grandmother, Nanny on the fourth of July this year. "Can't wait to see you Nanny. Happy Mother's Day Nanny"

"Listen I know he's annoying with the camera, Honey. Tell ya what. You keep flashing him that smile of yours and I'll jump him from behind."

Karsten enjoying his cookies, his mom and some sunshine.

Alia Yannone - future Cirque du Soliel performer.

Her Royal Princess hamming it up for the camera as usual.

Paka paka to Day 13.

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