Almaty city tour

After another breakfast in the Disco yurt, we head out as a group on a city tour. We start out walking to the church and learn that it is built completely out of wood, as earthquake protection.  During the communist years, the church was turned into the museum of atheism, then a theater, now restored to it's full glory. The church has a completely different feel from when the service was going on.  We walk to the eastern part of the park and see the massive war memorial, mother Russia and the 15 republic's.  Sheer strength.  The memorial also has an eternal flame. We walk out to the street and board the bus and drive through a series of memorials and fountains.  With independence, Kazakhstan searched out local heroes to honor and built monuments in the Russian style.  We drive back to the hotel and I set out with Canela and Anne for lunch.  We dine at an Israeli street food shop, which has a complete israeli menu and feel minus any actual Israelis.  Food is delicious, salads, Shwarma, and falafel and hummus.  For Canela's sake we walk to Almaty's first Starbucks, complete with cute barista who speaks English - a rarity in our experiences. I walk into the hamam and contemplate a massage but instead opt back to the hotel for a short rest.  I had out at about 6pm and sit in the plaza by the church, it is quite a scene.  There are many families, toy electric cars that they can pay to ride, a small train, cotton candy vendor, bubble makers, and feed for the pigeons. I hang for awhile, then head back, pick up canela and we sit at an outside terrace - American style food shop that serves sushi and burgers.   I get fried rice along with a milk shake topped with an Oreo, Carmel corn and m&M'sRead more