Edge Kazakhstan - Fall 2011 by Coast2Coast Communications

K a z a k h s t a n

www.EdgeKz.com

September 2011

Astana

Almaty

Your Guide to What’s Hot and What’s Happening

WHAT’S HOT Nightclubs Restaurants Arts & Culture And Much More… Almaty & Astana

www.EdgeKz.com

Fashion Mega High Heels Latest KZ Collections

Country Overcomes Nuclear Past

Daring Race To South Pole

And All You Need to Celebrate Life in

Kazakhstan Everything you wanted to know about Kazakhstan, Almaty and Astana

04_final_cover_spead.indd 1

9/12/11 7:20:01 PM

04_final_INSIDEcover_spead.indd 1

9/12/11 7:16:39 PM

Learn more about Astanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bid to host EXPO 2017 at www.expo2017astana.com

003_EXPO_2017.indd 1

9/12/11 3:09:14 PM

CONTENTS edge www.EdgeKz.com

Published by the International Information Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Contributing writers Alex Walters Colin Berlyne Terri Barner Joe Watson

The Kazakh Steppe: The Land Where the Horse was Tamed

Team Astana Continues to Gain Speed

Child Star Grows Into the Clown of Kazakhstan

International Stars, Major Events Mark Astana’s 13th Anniversary

Kazakhstan’s First Independent Generation A Young Man and his Country Come of Age

A Master in the Ancient Art of Throat Singing

Fashion: Alima Murzabekova

Fashion: Kuralai Nurkadilova

Walking Tall: The Heels of Astana

Contributing Photographers Igor Logvin Marat Abilov

Kazakhstan Adventurers Plan South Pole Expedition to Hail Independence

Research Assistant Tatiana Kuzmina

Kazakh President: Decision to End Nuclear Testing, Disarm Set Country on Peaceful Course

Soviet Nuclear Testing: The Human Cost

Kazakhstan, U.S. Complete Secret Nuclear Transfer Mission

Research and Production Marzhan Kemelbayeva

With thanks for assistance and photography Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office of the Mayor of Astana Office of the Mayor of Almaty For additional information info@edgekz.com © 2011 Edge Magazine All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

004-005_Contents.indd 4

9/22/11 2:02:41 PM

Astana Listings 64

Restaurants

Arts & Culture

Hotels

Fitness & Banya

Nightclubs

Shopping

Bars

CafĂŠs

100 Almaty Listings Useful Information

004-005_Contents.indd 5

108

Kazakhstan

110

Astana

114

Almaty

118

Astana Map

9/22/11 2:02:45 PM

The Kazakh Steppe: The Land Where the Horse was Tamed By Colin Berlyne

006-010_Horses.indd 6

9/12/11 12:31:43 PM

006-010_Horses.indd 7

9/12/11 12:31:45 PM

Horses have historically played a key role in both the sporting and daily life of Kazakhstan

Archaeologists have discovered new evidence of a horseherding culture in the steppes of Central Asia (from) more than 5,500 years ago

006-010_Horses.indd 8

Kazakhstan, believed to be the birthplace of the apple and the country from which the first man was sent into space, is now also thought to be the land where man first tamed the wild horse. Archaeologists have discovered new evidence of a horse-herding culture in the steppes of Central Asia where Kazakh ancestral tribes emerged more than 5,500 years ago. This is far earlier than the evidence for the domestication of horses or their use in war in Ancient China, Egypt or the Mesopotamia. Alan Outram, a British archaeologist from the University of Exeter, told National Geographic Magazine in October 2009 that his research team had discovered evidence that pushed back the earliest signs of

the widespread riding and milking of horses by 1,000 to 2,000 years from previous estimates. Outram and his colleagues published their research in the October 2009 issue of the prestigious international journal â&#x20AC;&#x153;Science.â&#x20AC;? Outram and his colleagues excavated the remains of horses from the Botai region of northern Kazakhstan. Radiocarbon dating established that these remains were around 5,500 years old â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a period far earlier than the Old Kingdom of Egypt or the ancient Sumerian culture of Mesopotamia and even before the Mohenjo-Daro civilization of modern Pakistan. The teeth of these small steppe horses showed unmistakable evidence of having been subjected to

9/12/11 12:31:48 PM

9 bits – an indication that they were used either for riding or pulling carts. They also found broken pieces of pottery used by the Botai culture that still contained elements of fat from horses and their milk. This was clear evidence that the steppe horses were already being used at this early date to provide both meat and milk – substances which remain prized in Kazakh cuisine and culture today. The researchers also found that the horse bones they excavated were slender – a sure sign throughout history of domesticated and carefully bred horses, not of wild ones that had not been subjected to controlled and selective breeding. Outram’s discoveries are also consistent with a wider emerging body of evidence that many of the key developments in human civilization and agriculture took place across the vast steppes of the heartland of Asia, and not just in the river valleys of the Middle East and southern and Eastern Asia, as archaeologists for so long assumed. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of towns, and therefore of urban civilization, in the territories of modern Kazakhstan far earlier than experts previously assumed. And even before Outram’s work, clear evidence had been uncovered that the horse was domesticated in the Asian steppes at least 3,100 to 3,600 years ago in the Botai region – a period of time parallel with the New Kingdom of Egypt and the Minoan Empire of ancient Crete.

006-010_Horses.indd 9

Kazakhstan, believed to be the birthplace of the apple and the country from which the first man was sent into space, is now also thought to be the land where man first tamed the wild horse

9/12/11 12:31:51 PM

The popularity and significance of the horse in Kazakh culture today remains strong

This previous evidence was more circumstantial than the latest findings. The early findings uncovered primitive tools for working leather that suggested, first, that cattle were being domesticated to provide the leather and hides and, second, that the leather was being worked to make harnesses that could only have been used on horses, not cattle. Western and Kazakh archaeologists had merely hoped to find more confirmation of these first findings in the Botai region. But the Outram team was surprised by the amount of confirmation they actually uncovered and, most of all, by the far earlier dates that their data belonged to. The new finds also suggest that the traditional practices of the ancient Kazakh tribes – eating the meat of their horses and drinking their milk as well as using them for transportation – go back thousands of years to the dawn of civilization. They also suggest that the spirit of innovation and technology in ancient history did not come only from towns and densely populated river valley cultures on the rims of Africa and Asia, but also from the heart of the “grass ocean” of the steppe. Though the larger world’s discovery of Kazakhstan’s early domestication of the horse is recent, Kazakh scholars have long argued that their homeland was the origin of the taming of the horse. The location, climatic and environmental demands of steppe life would have logi-

cally focused the ingenuity and expertise of its people in this direction as essential skills to their survival. The latest findings confirm these long held local beliefs. As National Geographic noted when it reported Outram’s discoveries, the domestication of the horse and their subsequent employment as draught animals or beasts of burden “transformed human society by speeding up transport, making long-distance trading more feasible and opening up new styles of warfare.” This development has therefore long been recognized as being one of the most important advances in early human history. It is striking that the archaeological evidence to solve this age-old mystery was found in Kazakhstan, the same country that today is home to the Baikonur Cosmodrome from which cosmonaut Yury Gagarin was launched to become the first human being in space half a century ago. The popularity and significance of the horse in Kazakh culture today remains strong. New hippodromes – or racetracks – have opened in Almaty, the nation’s largest city, and in Kazakhstan’s new capital Astana. Equestrian sports centers have sprung up and horse trekking in the nation’s national parks and mountains are popular pastimes. Kazakhstan has emerged from the mists of history as both the most modern and ancient of nations along the fabled Silk Road. And its long-cherished equestrian culture has now revealed to have provided a giant gallop forward for human progress.e

Hunting with horses and falcons is a long-standing Kazakh tradition

006-010_Horses.indd 10

9/12/11 12:31:52 PM

011_OIC.indd 1

9/12/11 9:06:30 PM

Child Star

Grows Into

012-017_CLOWN.indd 12

9/12/11 10:36:36 AM

Clown of

Kazakhstan

012-017_CLOWN.indd 13

By Joe Watson

9/12/11 10:36:40 AM

Murat Muturganov could hear his fans squealing outside his performer’s trailer even before they started rocking it back and forth. The jostlers, chanting “Murat, Murat, Murat!,” were 12- and 13-year-old Italian girls crazy over their Kazakhstan-born idol. It was 1997. Muturganov had become an entertainment phenomenon in Italy not as an actor, singer and soccer player, but as a clown. And he was only 13 years old. “There were big billboards with my face,” recalled Muturganov, who at 27 has branched into televisionshow hosting in his homeland – without a clown persona – and into singing. He plans to enroll soon in one of America’s top film schools, the University of Southern California or UCLA, each of which has produced an array of Hollywood actors, directors and producers. His goal is to learn directing, script-writing and other moviemaking skills in one of the respected Los Angeles institutions, then return to Kazakhstan to create films. Becoming an entertainer came naturally to Muturganov because his father Karim was – and still is – a famous clown. In fact, father and son share the stage together these days, along with Murtaganov’s sister Karima, 22. Papa Karim, who was born in Astrakhan, Russia, trained as an opera singer before go-

012-017_CLOWN.indd 14

9/12/11 10:36:43 AM

It’s amazing the adrenalin rush you get when you go into the ring and see 1,000 people smiling at you and laughing

ing to the Moscow State Circus School to become a clown. He was a success, but wanted a partner in his show. Years of searching, however, failed to turn up a suitable partner. When Murat displayed an interest in clowning while still a toddler, Karim thought: “Why not have my son be my partner?” Murat remembers practicing clowning with Karim at 4. His father never pushed him to be a clown, he said. The son loved it from the start. Murat began performing with his father before he turned 5. “We were partners – two clowns on stage,” he said. The audience’s enthusiastic reaction to Murat prompted Karim to let Murat go solo. So at 5, “I was the only one on stage – just me,” Murat said. At 6, the International Children’s Festival of Circus Art in Verona, Italy, labeled him “the youngest clown in the world.” In 1996, when Murat was 12, Karim decided to take the family act around the world. The exhilarating vagabond life lasted 11 years, with the Muturganovs returning to Kazakhstan in 2007. The movie “Borat,” which British actor Sasha Baron Cohen parlayed into international fame, came out while the Muturganovs were touring Europe. At the time, few Europeans knew much about Kazakhstan, which the film portrayed in a way that hurt many Kazakhs. [The satire was never meant to be on Kazakhstan, but on prejudices in the United States and the West in general, but still the movie left many Kazakhs fuming.] Murat remembers a man in Finland asking him whether “Borat” was a true representation of Kazakhstan. He replied by asking the man to come to his

012-017_CLOWN.indd 15

show that night. When it was over, the man was so impressed with the performance that he said: “I’m sorry. Kazakhstan is not Borat. It’s Murat.” The Muturganovs’ act these days is the kind of zany fare you’d expect from world-famous clowns: side-splitting slapstick mixed with magic and acrobatics. Karim dresses as Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp, with Murat and Karima wearing bright, multi-hued clothes that appeal to younger spectators. The family appeared several times a day during a two-week run at the Astana Circus recently. In one routine, Murat jumped onto a trampoline, then somersaulted over two big men selected from the audience. When Karim lined up behind the men to become a third obstacle for Murat to clear, Murat surprised the crowd by racing toward the trampoline, sidestepping it, then diving through the legs of the three men rather than leaping over them. The crowd roared with delight. Murat said his father is the genius behind their routines. “Everything that my family has is because of my father,” he said. “He’s the generator of all the ideas – everything.” Murat has eclipsed his dad as the big draw with younger fans, though. On a recent day at the Astana Circus, several fans in their teens and 20s scurried up to him in the halls of the circus performers’ hotel complex to ask if they could take a photo with him. One fan was bold enough to knock on his dressingroom door. The easy-going Murat complied with all the requests. While Karim Muturganov is the guiding light behind the family’s performances, his wife Diana is the glue that holds everything together.

Murat Muturganov and his father, Karim, are among the country’s most popular clowns

9/12/11 10:36:46 AM

Popular Kazakh clowns Murat Muturganov and his father, Karim

012-017_CLOWN.indd 16

The former Almaty television personality ensures that costumes and makeup materials are ready to go. And during the many years the family was on the road, she home-schooled Murat and Karima. Many honors have come Murat’s way during his 23 years of performing, starting with a silver medal for his family’s act at the International Circus Performers Festival in Italy in 1990. His top international honor is probably his induction into the Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1996. His highest domestic recognition was the Honored Artist of Kazakhstan designation that President Nursultan Nazarbayev handed him personally in 2006. Murat was 22 at the time. Most honorees are in their 40s and 50s. After he became an honored artist, Murat said, “I decided I had to come back to Kazakhstan and do something really good” for the country. Since his return five years ago, he’s been working on a bachelor’s degree in movie directing at the Acad-

emy of Arts in Almaty. But he’s got his heart set on graduating from a Hollywood-area film program soon, he said. “My plan is to study there, come back here and make great movies,” he said. Asked if he can make the leap from clown to film maker, he noted that Charlie Chaplin was not only a clown, but an actor, director, scriptwriter and composer. “I think there’s nothing that’s impossible,” Murat said. Chaplin has always been his major inspiration, he said. He opened a notebook to show a friend a blackand-white photo of Chaplin dressed as the Little Tramp. “I carry it everywhere,” Murat said. Even if he becomes a renowned director, he said, he’ll never abandon the circus. “It gave me life, gave me a career.” It’s amazing the adrenalin rush you get when you “go into the ring and see 1,000 people smiling at you and laughing,” Murat said. “It’s really exciting to be an artist.” e

9/12/11 10:36:50 AM

012-017_CLOWN.indd 17

9/12/11 10:36:51 AM

K a z a k h s t a n ’ s

018-020_YOUNG_KAZAKH_LIFE.indd 18

F i r s t

I n d e p e n d e n t

9/12/11 11:36:19 AM

G e n e r a t i o n

A Young Man and his Country Come of Age As Kazakhstan celebrates in December its 20th year of independence from the former Soviet Union, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first generation to grow up in an independent Kazakhstan are now reaching adulthood, entering the work force and beginning to shape the country. Below, in his own words, you will find the story of a young Kazakh professional whose personal journey has coincided with that of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. My name is Bakhytbek Aduov and I have lived in Kazakhstan since my birth more than 25 years ago. I was born into the Soviet Union, but have lived to see Kazakhstan as a free country for most of my life. And in that time there has been tremendous change. I was born only a few years before Kazakhstan achieved independence and the experiences of my life have been reflected in those of our country. I have been lucky. Even as a small child in the Soviet days, there were good people around me and we had what we needed. I was born in the Pavlodar region and part of my childhood was spent there. I have good memories of those times. There were many German farmers in my village. I would climb up onto the roof of the farmhouses and could see the fields of wheat and, to this day, can remember the smell of the rye. It was very difficult for me to leave that place. But eventually we moved to Almaty, the biggest city in the country. Almaty has always had a unique spirit within Kazakhstan. Then and now it

018-020_YOUNG_KAZAKH_LIFE.indd 19

Bakhytbek Aduov (right), pictured with his niece Aidana, is part of the first generation of Kazakhs to be raised and reach adulthood in an independent Kazakhstan

9/12/11 11:36:21 AM

In Soviet times, when you graduated university, you knew that you would have a job and housing. Today, you have just a diploma. And you can’t rent an apartment with a diploma. Now everything depends on individual abilities

Many young Kazakhs now enjoy the busy professional and social life that has emerged since Kazakhstan gained independence

018-020_YOUNG_KAZAKH_LIFE.indd 20

is filled with a diverse array of people and influences that form its culture. Six years after my birth, Kazakhstan gained its freedom from the collapsing Soviet Union. Though I didn’t understand the essence of those changes at the time, I could see the change in ideology and conditions reflected in the attitudes of my parents. Their outlook and expectations changed from social despair to a belief in better times to come. And that perception continues for me today as a young adult and the first generation of Kazakhs to grow up in freedom and reach adulthood in an independent Kazakhstan. The first tastes of freedom for me were the silly things of childhood – television shows. As an early independent country, nobody was controlling the television channels. It was pirate TV. Even the translations were pirated. But it allowed me to watch Indiana Jones, Star Wars, RoboCop and other famous movies and televisions shows. Our proximity to China – like the growing economic relationship that continues today – also allowed the importation of the latest Chinese technology. My household and the country in general began to fill with the latest in Chinesemade electronics and goods. For a child, that meant access to the latest video games. But more broadly, adult or child, we were all sampling the first tastes of independence. Kazakhstan was changing. It had even decided to move its capital to a then sleepy city in the Steppe. But that was ok. We didn’t care about policy as much as just enjoying our lives. But not everything changed quickly. In the early days of independence, Kazakh schools weren’t great. So my parents sent me to a Russian school. Back then we still studied Soviet era books. Sometimes we even read books on Lenin. I remember well the communist propaganda in those history textbooks. Now these books would cause laughter among students. But education has improved greatly. And after my early education, I become a student in the international relations department of the largest university in Kazakhstan, the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The university has 14,000 students in 12 departments. Students in my department came from all parts of Kazakhstan. I chose a Kazakh-language

education in order to receive a military certification which would allow me to stay in Kazakhstan and work in civil service. The education at the university was diverse and international. On the day I began in 2004, Czech President Vaclav Claus and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited the university to dedicate a new library. And in April 2006, then Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev gave a lecture to students. And throughout my education, many international scientists and academics visited the university. It was a special place where I had a lot of free time to explore and discover. I entered when I was 18 years old and those years flew by. Like many university graduates, life after college was an adjustment for me. In Soviet times, when you graduated university, you knew that you would have a job and housing. Today, you have just a diploma. And you can’t rent an apartment or buy a car with a diploma. Now everything depends on individual abilities. At first, like many people my age, I expected to have fantastic work and for everything to come easily. Reality was different. I couldn’t find good work for a long time. At first, I worked in a private firm as a driver and then I was a clerk in a financial company. Without my parents’ help I couldn’t live on what I was earning. But I soon realized that if you want to be prosperous in Kazakhstan you have to work hard. A college education is not enough without hard work. If you are good – you are good. The most important things are a quick mind and the ability to use it. You need patience and continued improvement. That difficult realization took three years and a lot of maturing before I understood how success can be achieved. I think every young graduate has this difficult three years after graduating university in Kazakhstan. Now I work in civil service as I had hoped and I have big plans for the future. I love my life and I know all roads are open. In addition to my salaried work, I write novels and poems. It is quite possible that one day my writing will pay off with money and success. For now, I dream and I work. And I believe that soon I might become a big boss. But I have to hurry because many young Kazakhs believe the same. e

9/12/11 11:36:22 AM

Kazakhstan adventurers plan

South Pole expedition to hail

independence By Jamie Dillan

021-024_South_Pole.indd 21

9/12/11 6:55:17 PM

The expedition’s modified Kazakh-blue vehicles are designed to overcome obstacles and withstand the South Pole’s harsh climate

Kazakhs at home and abroad are planning all sorts of events on December 16 to mark the 20th anniversary of independence. Many will be elaborate and festive, but few will be as daring, or downright cold, as the plans of a group of adventurers determined to plant Kazakhstan’s flag at the South Pole. Nurlan Abduov, an Almaty-based business leader who founded the Kazakh Geographic Society last year, and seven others will race 1,300 miles to the pole in three specially modified sport-utility vehicles from Russia’s Antarctic base of Novolazarevskaya. The group’s two Toyota Hiluxes and single Toyota Prado SUVs, which are painted the same sky blue as Kazakhstan’s flag, boast modified diesel engines that can operate in extremely cold weather. They also have extra heating for the passengers, and feature sturdier transmissions and reinforced frames and suspension mounts. The vehicles are also outfitted with radar that can scan ahead for hazards, including ice caves – holes below the snow and ice that can’t be seen from the surface. The SUVs will carry an array of safety equipment, including a wench that can lower straps to any expedition members who plunge into a crevasse. Former Army Captain Sergey Bodrov, the project director responsible for the team’s safety, has trained on glaciers in Iceland to handle contingencies that might arise during the South Pole expedition. The elevation during the team’s journey will range from 400 to 3,600 meters. The South Pole itself

sits on a 2,800-meter plateau. “The most dangerous areas,” in terms of terrain, “will be in the mountains, where the glaciers are,” said Kazakhstan’s Konstantin Orlov, the project director in charge of vehicles and navigation. That’s where crevasses and ice caves can form. Orlov was part of a 2010 trial run to the pole. This year’s group will be relying on Orlov to overcome any mechanical difficulties they encounter. The engineer said he’s not an expert mechanic, but always figures out a way to keep a vehicle going. The only mechanical problems that arose during last year’s trial run, Orlov said, were shock-absorber difficulties and trouble pumping diesel from exterior tanks into the SUVs’ fuel tanks. That run occurred during good weather, however. The excitement the project has generated in Kazakhstan has prompted the team to draw up plans to enable those back home to follow the progress of the race to the pole. Expedition members plan daily reports for Kazakhstan radio stations. They’re also working on a way to allow the public to use the Internet to track their progress in real time. An Internet connection would mean team members could blog or send Twitter reports as they go, Abduov added. During the race, team members will take part in an international celebration at the United States’ Amundsen-Scott Antarctic research station to mark the 100th anniversary of the first expeditions to reach the South Pole.

The founder of the Kazakh Geographic Society and seven others plan to race 1,300 miles to the South Pole this winter in three modified Kazakh-blue vehicles in honor of Kazakhstan’s 20th year of Independence

021-024_South_Pole.indd 22

9/12/11 6:55:18 PM

The events will salute Norway’s Roald Amundsen, who arrived at the pole on December 14, 1911, and Britain’s Robert F. Scott, who reached it a few weeks later. The Kazakh team will donate the flag they plant at the pole and copies of Kazakhstan’s Declaration of Sovereignty and Constitution that they will take to the Antarctic to the Museum of the First President in Astana. It honors Nursultan Nazarbayev, independent Kazakhstan’s first and current head of state. Abduov said that in addition to trumpeting Kazakhstan’s independence, the team hopes the monthlong expedition will “show the world that Kazakhstan is not only about oil and gas and raw materials” but also about people with the skills to carry out meaningful exploration and science projects. Geographic societies in Britain, the United States and Russia have been around more than a century, Abduov pointed out. And though Kazakhstan’s Geographic Society is brandnew, its members are eager to earn the respect of the international geographic-society community with projects that increase the world’s knowledge of geography, ethnology and other disciplines, he said. Besides the eight team members racing to the pole, the expedition will include two scientists conducting research projects at the Novolazarevskaya base, said

021-024_South_Pole.indd 23

Abduov, who is the Kazakh Geographic Society board chairman. The team is still formulating the projects, but a key focus will be climate. As school children, we learned that “Antarctica creates the weather for the entire world,” said Ordenbek Mazbayev, a member of the Kazakh Geographic Society Academic Council. “It’s the weather kitchen.” So the expedition’s research is certain to deal with “the ecological condition of this continent,” he said. The scientists will be obtaining samples of the air, snow and ice of Antarctica as part of their research, Abduov said. The samples will be taken back to Kazakhstan for evaluation. The Kazakh Geographic Society takes its role of increasing scientific knowledge so seriously that it plans to set aside funds for research projects that would otherwise go unfunded, said Naizabek Olzhabaiuly, a society board member. “We’re ready to work with scientists who don’t have (financial) support,” he said. “They can apply to the Scientific Committee of the Kazakh Geographic Society.” Abduov hopes the two scientists on this year’s expedition to the Antarctic aren’t the only ones generating scientific knowledge. The sport-utility contingent hopes to uncover its own secrets on its trip to the pole, he said. “Who knows what discoveries are possible” during the trip, said Abduov, whose wide-

The group will face foreboding terrain in its effort to plant the Kazakh flag at the South Pole

9/12/11 6:55:19 PM

The excitement the project has generated in Kazakhstan has prompted the team to draw up plans to enable those back home to follow the progress of the race to the pole

The race to the South Pole is meant to not only honor Kazakh independence but to increase the country’s base of scientific knowledge

021-024_South_Pole.indd 24

ranging business interests include being a board member of both Intergas Central Asia and KazMunaiGas Refining and Marketing. A trial run of the dash to the pole last year yielded valuable information that has changed the way Antarctic operations think about rescuing explorers and scientists who become trapped inland, Abduov said. Orlov and Stanislav Makarenko were part of a Kazakh-Russian team that in 2010 set an overland speed record between the Novolazarevskaya base and the South Pole. They didn’t just break the record – they shattered it, halving the time from 7 to 3.5 days. Because chances are high that a trapped or injured explorer will die before seven days are up, most rescue operations in the Antarctic have been by plane. But planes can’t fly in

bad weather – and the Antarctic can have days of blizzards, gale-force winds and temperatures between -40 and -60 Centigrade. A car can get through bad weather. And if it can make the pole in three and a half days, it becomes a viable rescue alternative to a plane. So Russia’s Antarctic operation, in particular, is drawing up an overland-rescue contingency plan. The seed was set for a Kazakhstan South Pole expedition when Abduov, Orlov and other Kazakh motocross enthusiasts competed in the grueling 11,000-mile Expedition Trophy race between Murmansk in northwestern Russia and Vladivostok on Russia’s eastern Pacific coast in 2008. “We decided it was not enough to run in races like this as individuals,” Abduov said. “We decided to create a Kazakh Geographic Society.” The first project the society dreamed up was the South Pole expedition, which will combine many members’ love of off-road vehicle racing with Kazakhstan’s 20th anniversary celebration and the country’s quest to become a force in international science. The expedition will run from late November to late December. Corporations and individuals will contribute most of the funding. The eight expedition members in the cars will then have to make it back to the Novolazarevskaya base by December 22, six days after planting the flag at the pole, Abduov said. The last flight of the year from the base to the outside world leaves December 22. If the team misses it, they’ll have to wait until January 20 of 2012 for the next plane. Either way, the journey will mark an adventurous milestone for the racers and the country. e

9/12/11 6:55:20 PM

KAZAKHSTAN OVERCOMES NUCLEAR PAST

025-030_Nuclear.indd 25

9/12/11 5:43:31 PM

Kazakh President: Decision to End Nuclear Testing, Disarm Set Country on Peaceful Course By Alex Walters

President Nursultan Nazarbayev was a leading proponent of nuclear disarmament at last year’s International Nuclear Summit in Washington

President Nazarbayev (left) has worked with many world leaders to move toward a nuclear weapons free world

025-030_Nuclear.indd 26

As Kazakhstan celebrates the 20th anniversary of the closing of the notorious nuclear testing site at Semipalatinsk, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, tells Edge Magazine in an exclusive interview how and why he became passionately committed to shutting down the Semipalatinsk complex. The President also gave a strong warning that the threats of proliferation and possible nuclear war still threaten the human race with extinction, and said they have to be addressed with urgency. President Nazarbayev said the appalling toll in human suffering from 40 years of reckless nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk drove him to defy the leaders of the Soviet Union and unilaterally order the closing down of the site on Aug. 29, 1991. “The Semipalatinsk test site was a key target in the arms race for the Soviet Union. Thus, the question of its closure was a taboo subject for the Soviet leadership,” the President of Kazakhstan said. “But knowing the consequences Kazakhstan witnessed as a result of the nuclear tests that were carried out at the site, I took a firm decision to cease the bomb-

ings on the native land.” Nazarbayev was highly critical about the irresponsibility of generations of Soviet leaders who ultimately allowed at least 1.5 million people to be exposed to the hazards of radioactive fall-out and radiation from the atmospheric and underground nuclear tests. “Our country has suffered more than any other from the apocalyptic consequences of the nuclear tests that were conducted behind our peoples’ back since 1949,” he said. “The inhabitants of the area had no idea for a long time about what was happening at the nuclear site and the danger that lay behind it. For more than forty years, the uncontrolled radiation destroyed human lives and it ruined the environment of the steppes, where our ancestors lived for centuries, and where Kazakh national culture was formed.” “In all, 490 nuclear explosions were carried out on the site,” Nazarbayev said. “More than a million and a half people suffered. Over 300,000 square meters of land were contaminated and left unfit for agricultural use.” The President contrasted the long refusal of Soviet authorities to take responsibility for the damage

9/16/11 11:49:51 AM

President Nursultan Nazarbayev (center) ended decades of negative Soviet nuclear practices in Kazakhstan

The closing of the Semipalatinsk test site was one of the first independent steps of our sovereign state

done by their nuclear testing, with the willingness of the United States government to approve financing to repair the ravages of nuclear testing at its main U.S. test site in the state of Nevada. “The United States annually allocated over $1 billion for the rehabilitation of their test site in Nevada. But in the Soviet Union, such compensation did not take place,” he said. “Such indifference to the fate of Kazakhstan was another argument behind our efforts to put an end to nuclear testing.” “With the weakening of the Soviet system, the public finally learned the truth about the nuclear site in the late 1980s. Then thousands of Kazakhstan citizens of different ages joined together in the antinuclear movement, which overwhelmed the whole country,” Nazarbayev remembered. “On August 29, 1991, I closed the Semipalatinsk test site by decree. In 2009, on the initiative of the government of Kazakhstan, this day was declared by the United Nations as the International Day against Nuclear Tests,” he said.

025-030_Nuclear.indd 27

Nazarbayev said his unilateral decision to shut down the infamous Semipalatinsk complex was one of the most pivotal decisions of his presidency. He said it pointed Kazakhstan permanently in the direction of the peaceful international cooperation and economic growth that has followed ever since. “The closing of the Semipalatinsk test site was one of the first independent steps of our sovereign state,” the President said. “We have taken a new democratic path. We have declared a nuclear weapons-free status of Kazakhstan. We have asserted peace and harmony in our land as the main treasure of the nation.” “Due to the closure of the Semipalatinsk test site, other nuclear testing grounds were also shut down in Nevada in the United States and at Lop Nur in China,” he continued. The Kazakh leader said he had experienced the shock waves from underground nuclear tests as a young engineer working about 500 kilometers from Semipalatinsk, and his conviction that they had to be

9/12/11 5:43:33 PM

The great task of achieving peaceful global control of all nuclear weapons and of removing the continuing threat of nuclear war still has to be achieved – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev

stopped grew over the years as he uncovered the hidden facts about the site. “My views on the nuclear issue were formed at the time when I and my family lived in Temirtau,” the President said. “The earthquake shocks from nuclear explosions often reached those places. With the passing of time we got used to it. However, the feeling of catastrophically destructive forces being too close did not pass away. We were told the shocks we felt had been earthquakes, although the area of Temirtau was never distinguished by seismic activity.” “Over the years, with access to more information I began to better understand the whole horror of what was happening. The vague guesses of previous years were then evidenced by hard facts,” he said. “The force of the explosions produced at the Semipalatinsk test site was 2,500 times higher than the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945,” the President continued. “Hundreds of thousands of the Kazakhs people became the unwilled victims of the arms race on their own land.” “Our ancestors bravely defended their native steppes from the most powerful invaders. But what happened on the nuclear test site took place in peacetime. That may be the most monstrous experiment in world history,” he said. Therefore, he continued, “As a politician and as a citizen, I was opposed to my homeland becoming a test laboratory. I am proud that I managed to achieve the set goal, when I became the leader of an independent Kazakhstan.” The end of nuclear testing and the closure of the Semipalatinsk complex removed a great burden of fear from the people of Kazakhstan, President Nazarbayev told Edge. “When Kazakhstan abandoned nuclear weapons, and closed the Semipalatinsk test site, we were released from a powerful psychological pressure, under which we had been trapped for nearly half a century,” Nazarbayev said. “Only those people are truly free who live without fear. Today the people of Kazakhstan boldly face the future. They live without any more fear that they will hear one day the rumble of a nuclear explosion that makes the earth tremble.” “When we became a sovereign state, we adopted a package of targeted programmes for the rehabili-

Photos: Knowing the devastation of Soviet nuclear weapons testing, Kazakhstan ended such tests on its soil in 1991

025-030_Nuclear.indd 28

9/12/11 5:43:34 PM

Kazakhstan became an early leader in galvanizing support for an end to nuclear testing and a nuclear weapons free planet

tation of the Semipalatinsk region. People now receive medical care for their conditions. Soil fertility has been restored, background radiation has been normalized,” he added. Nazarbayev also pointed out that in the years following the closure of Semipalatinsk, “Kazakhstan voluntarily abandoned the fourth largest nuclear arsenal in the world – 1,216 missile warheads and weapons to be carried by strategic bombers were destroyed. At the same time, we obtained the security guarantees from the United States and Russia, as well as other nuclear powers. In 2006, on our initiative, the whole of Central Asia became a nuclear weapons-free zone. It is symbolic that this historic agreement was signed in Semipalatinsk.” “We also support further development and expansion of such zones, particularly in the Middle East,” he added. The positive consequences of the decision to close the Semipalatinsk test site and scrap the huge nuclear arsenal that the nation inherited from the Soviet Union continue to reverberate in Kazakhstan to this day, the President said. “Kazakhstan has proved its peacefulness and consistency in non-proliferation issues,” he said. “We enjoy the trust of foreign partners due to this.” “Over the past 20 years we have attracted $132 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) to our coun-

025-030_Nuclear.indd 29

try,” the President pointed out. “That is more than all the other four Central Asian states combined could attract. We have built a dynamic economy and we are constantly improving welfare of our citizens.” All of this achievement was a direct consequence of the decision to close the test site and scrap the nuclear arsenal, Nazarbayev said. “Two decades ago, we made the biggest step towards peace and prosperity by abandoning nuclear weapons unilaterally and by embracing the way of peaceful international cooperation to attract investment, and we have never strayed from this path. Kazakhstan calls on all states to follow this example,” he said. However, the great task of achieving peaceful global control of all nuclear weapons and of removing the continuing threat of nuclear war still has to be achieved, the President warned. “Last year, the Global Nuclear Safety Summit was held in Washington,” he said. “At that meeting I urged the other attending heads of states to adopt the Universal Declaration of a Nuclear Weapons-Free World and to develop a new universal Treaty on Comprehensive Horizontal and Vertical Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.” “In addition, we are ready to host the International Bank for low-enriched uranium in Kazakhstan. Its creation will enable all states to develop peaceful

Any nuclear explosion, even in an uninhabited place, seriously affects the integrity of the global ecosystem

9/12/11 5:43:36 PM

We do not need a balance of terroR. We need a balance of confidence

President Nazarbayev (left) signed historic accords during the 1990s to safely eliminate Kazakhstan’s inherited nuclear arsenal in cooperation with the United States. (Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, pictured right)

025-030_Nuclear.indd 30

nuclear energy on the principles of transparency. These ideas have been supported by the leaders of the United States, Russia and other powers,” Nazarbayev said. The President also warned that global leaders had to remain alert to the catastrophic consequences that would be unleashed in the event of any future use of the thousands of nuclear weapons still in existence around the world. “No matter where a megaton TNT equivalent nuclear warhead would be exploded on Earth, it would carry away the lives of thousands of people. Any nuclear explosion, even in an uninhabited place, seriously affects the integrity of the global ecosystem. This does not pass away unnoticed,” he warned. “One nuclear bomb can wipe out an entire city. The total number of nuclear weapons already in existence is sufficient to destroy humanity many times over,” the President said. “In such circumstances, the growth of conflict capacity in the world is fraught with catastrophic consequences.” “The emergence of new nuclear states does not contribute to the strengthening of global security,” the President continued. “Even the slightest suspicion in this regard may lead to increased political and military tensions. Therefore the international community should actively promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.” President Nazarbayev said the international community had to recognize the fact that “the modern

system of nuclear security is irrational. It is based on the principle of a symmetric response to possible aggression. So, security of the state, ultimately, is reduced to an equivalent revenge for the threat of total destruction. But that is the way to the abyss for Humanity.” “The situation is complicated by the fact that the presence of nuclear weapons is seen by many politicians as the only way of defense against aggression. Meanwhile, there are no absolutely safe regions in the world. Nuclear weapons, no matter where they are maintained, could come into the hands of terrorists and extremists,” he continued. “Therefore, we need an alternative system of guaranteed security of nuclear weapons, based on the creation of large nuclear weapons-free zones. The whole world should move towards a nuclear weapons-free status. This process should begin with the concrete steps of nuclear powers.” The President urged other countries to follow the example already set by his nation. “Kazakhstan has refused to build its military doctrine on the principle of deterrence of ‘a potential enemy’,” he said. “We are building an entirely peaceful state. The principles of multidirectional integration and mutual trust remain the underlying basis of our foreign policy.” The President said he had a simple message for other world leaders on how to deal with the nuclear threat. “We do not need a balance of terror,” he said. “We need a balance of confidence.” e

9/12/11 5:43:37 PM

Soviet Nuclear Testing:

The Human Cost By Alex Walters

Nuclear weapons have only been used in war twice, to destroy the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. But even the testing of these terrible devices has cast a curse of suffering and grief over millions of people. Nowhere has this toll been greater than in the nation of Kazakhstan. For 40 years, from 1949 to 1989, the Soviet Union carried out no less than 456 nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan. For the first 14 years, until the signing of the Atmospheric Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty in 1963, 116 of them were atmospheric tests. The people of the Semipalatinsk region soon learned to hate and fear these tests. But until the attainment of national independence in December 1991 and the shutting down of the test site, the human cost of them was hidden from the world and from the Kazakh people with little regard for their effect on the local people or environment. Dr. Helen Caldicott of Australia, one of the world’s leading campaigners for nuclear disarmament and founder of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, wrote about the likely human cost of the Soviet tests in her book, “The New Nuclear Danger.” “From 1949 to 1963, the testing of nuclear weapons at Semipalatinsk exposed over 1.5 million people to

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 31

The people and the landscape of the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan were devastated by four decades of Soviet nuclear weapons testing radiation. In fact, officials in the Commonwealth of Independent States now admit that millions have been injured or have died because of radioactive fall-out.” The testing of atomic (nuclear) and even more powerful hydrogen (thermonuclear) bombs were always covered in secrecy and were born in lies. Lavrenty Beria, Soviet leader Josef Stalin’s right hand man, claimed at the beginning that the 18,000 square kilometer steppe region where the bombs were tested was uninhabited. It wasn’t. The very first bomb test, called Operation First Lightning, was carried out on August 29, 1949. Like America’s first Trinity nuclear test in July 1945, the bomb was placed on top of a makeshift tower and then detonated. The United States government learned of the test within a few weeks from a programme of high altitude meteorological balloons. They monitored significant radioactive fall-out from it that was carried around the world in atmospheric currents known as the jet stream. In a probable reference to Stalin, the Americans gave their own codename for the test: they called it “Joe One.” The testing area was inhabited, but Beria never bothered to evacuate anyone from the nearby villages. The site was also only 40 miles west of the city of Kurchatov. The Soviet authorities

The people of the Semipalatinsk region soon learned to hate and fear these tests

9/12/11 5:28:22 PM

Anastasya Kiseleva (far left), Makish Iskakkyzy (second from left) and Proskovya Koloskova (far right) are among many older Kazakhs still suffering the effects of decades of Soviet nuclear testing. Kazakhstan ended Soviet nuclear testing upon independence in 1991 went on to carry out another 115 more atmospheric nuclear tests on that spot in the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site over the next 14 years. Eighty-fou year-old Anastasya Kiseleva, who now lives in a nursing home near Semipalatinsk, lived in the village of Kanonerka. At first, the image of the nuclear mushroom clouds she saw was awesome and unforgettable. “We all ran to the testing mushroom when it went up. We didn’t know what that was,” she said. But Kiseleva soon saw at first hand the toll radiation fall-out from the test was taking. After the early tests, “most of the women (in the village) couldn’t walk,” she said. “It affected their health, legs and arms.” Today, after any nuclear accident, the first protective measure taken to safeguard people even dozens of miles away is to warn them to stay indoors and close all windows. But after those first tests, Soviet officials gave exactly the worst advice possible. “Soldiers alerted us about explosions. They passed along the street and told us, ‘Open your windows, and open your doors during the nuclear tests’,” Kiseleva said. Kiseleva was one of the lucky ones, relatively speaking. But she paid a price too. “We didn’t realize that in the future it can affect our health,” she said. “And in due course, I lost my teeth very early and my legs are ill.”

Proskovya Koloskova, born in 1924, gave vivid descriptions of how it felt when the nuclear tests took place. From 1951 to 1953, she lived in the village of Chaganay near the main testing site. “The explosions took place quite often,” she said. “They gave a dull, rumbling sound from far away. Then a shock wave would follow. At first, we thought it was an earthquake. At home on the cupboards the vessels shook. I was 22 years old, still a young girl. Before the explosion started we went out to the streets and opened the doors and windows, we didn’t know any better. We never dreamed it would have such terrible consequences for us.” Those consequences included heartbreak for Koloskova. “In 1953, I gave birth to my son,” she said. “I think the nuclear tests destroyed his health. He died of kidney disease.” Nina Kolesnikova, born in 1928, suffered a similar tragedy in her life. In August 1954, she lived in the city of Semey, which was close to a later testing site. “The tests took place every week,” she said. “We didn’t imagine that the tests could bring us so many disasters.” “After the tests, I gave a birth to my son,” Kolesnikova said. “His birth was very difficult and my son was feeble. I gave birth to him in 1956. We went to live to Almaty (the largest city in Kazakhstan and in those days the capital of the republic) in 1957. After we moved there, my son’s health improved. But he

Makish Iskakkyzy lived near the Soviet Nuclear testing sight as a young woman and has suffered as a result of exposure to nuclear fallout

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 32

9/12/11 5:28:23 PM

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 33

9/12/11 5:28:25 PM

The explosions took place quite often, They gave a dull, rumbling sound from far away. Then a shock wave would follow

always had very serious health problems. Eventually, he fell victim to a nasty illness and I lost him in 2010 at the age of 54. “The nuclear tests affected my whole family,” Kolesnikova said. “All my life I have had problems with my health. My legs From 1949 to 1989, the Soviet Union carried out no less than 456 nuclear swell and I have had many tests at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan other illnesses.” The Soviet authorities, Kolesnikova said, showed limited and belated compassion and understanding to the victims of radiation fallout from the tests. “My husband and I never got any support from the Soviet government,” she said. “But they did at least pay some cash benefits to my son.” Recalling all these events in her mid-80s, Kolesnikova came to a simple, clear conclusion about the future of nuclear bomb tests. “My opinion is that nuclear test sites around the world should all be closed

“The nuclear tests affected my whole family,” Kolesnikova said. “All my life I have had problems with my health. My legs swell and I have had many other illnesses.”

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 34

earlier,” she said. “Better still, they should never be started.” In the course of the early 1950s, the nuclear testing area was expanded to the region of the Chagan River and Chagan Lake. Once atmospheric tests were banned in 1963, later tests took place underground in the Chagan region, in Murzhik to the west and in the Degelen region to the south, which had many porous boreholes and drift formations in its geological composition. As a result, the Kazakh people were forced to cope with a generations-long dark heritage of suffering and horror from the Soviet nuclear tests era. That changed, however, following Kazakhstan’s independence from the Soviet Union and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s decision to permanently shut down the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on August 29, 1991. Nazarbayev also made the choice to make Kazakhstan the first country in the world to unilaterally scrap its entire nuclear arsenal. They did this even though they had inherited from the Soviet Union an arsenal of nuclear weapons and delivery systems larger and more powerful than those of Britain, France and the People’s Republic of China combined. Kazakhstan also decided to retain one of the few positives to come from that era: The Baikonur Cosmodrome. Ironically, the same Soviet unit which was responsible for bringing so much hell on earth with nuclear tests also helped propel humans into the heavens by helping to build the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. In 1957, the first orbiting earth satellite Sputnik 1 was launched from Baikonur. And in April 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin was launched on a rocket booster from Baikonur to become the first human being to fly in space and orbit the earth. Baikonur remains today one of the world’s most active cosmodromes. In this way, Kazakhstan has worked to ensure that the tragic suffering and losses of the victims of the nuclear testing era were not paid in vain. As Anastasya Kiseleva said, “God forbid that these things should ever be repeated! My lifelong wish and prayer remains that all future generations never have to know all that we have known!”e

9/12/11 5:35:45 PM

Kazakhstan, U.S. Complete Secret Nuclear Transfer Mission By Colin Berlyne

It’s now almost 20 years since President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan and then U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III made their epochal gentleman’s agreement to team up on scrapping Kazakhstan’s nuclear arsenal and ridding the newly independent nation of the dangerous nuclear military it had inherited from the Soviet Union. It seemed the most unlikely way to assure the peace of the world from atomic war and the first unilateral military nuclear disarmament of any nation in history. The date was Dec. 11, 1991 and Baker, secretary of state to U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush, was paying his first visit to Almaty, then the capital of Kazakhstan. It was five days before Kazakhstan was to declare independence as a free nation. Nazarbayev, about to become the founding president of Kazakhstan, welcomed Baker to his home for dinner that night. As British historian Jonathan Aitken wrote in his definitive English language biography of Nazarbayev, the evening “included the singing of Kazakh and American songs led by (Nazarbayev’s) daughter Dariga at the piano, followed by several vodka toasts to what Nazarbayev called ‘A U.S.-Kazakh strategic alliance.’” Afterwards, Nazarbayev invited Baker to take part in a banya, or steam bath, a beloved Kazakh variation on the more famous Finnish and Russian sauna. And in the usual procedures of a banya, Nazarbayev

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 35

struck Baker’s back with a collection of birch twigs to open up his body pores to the steam. This prompted Robert Strauss, the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union who was accompanying Baker, to joke to their American Secret Service bodyguards, “Get me the President of the United States on the phone! His secretary of state is buck naked and he’s being beaten by the President of Kazakhstan.” That bath in the banya had profound and lasting positive consequences for regional security and world peace. It led to 20 years of daring, top secret cooperation between the nuclear agencies of the United States and Kazakhstan that played a crucial role in guaranteeing continuing world peace. American experts quietly flew regularly into Kazakhstan and conferred quietly with their Kazakh opposite numbers. The scale of the operations to manage the aftermath of disarmament and to safeguard the spent nuclear materials dwarfed the spy fantasies of Ian Fleming, author of the famed James Bond series. Entire new rail systems were constructed and huge fleets of trucks hired and supervised to carry the sensitive and potential dangerous nuclear material. New facilities had to be built to house them. Even special transportation containers had to be designed and manufactured to carry them. And all these things had to be done in utter secrecy over a period of nearly two decades.

The scale of the operations to manage the aftermath of disarmament and to safeguard the spent nuclear materials dwarfed the spy fantasies of Ian Fleming, author of the famed James Bond series

9/12/11 5:28:27 PM

Photos: Kazakh and U.S. authorities used rail and other methods to safely transfer dangerous nuclear materials across vast distances in a way that protected the public and the environment

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 36

To make the challenge even harder, the Kazakh and U.S. nuclear inspectors and safety officials kept finding new caches of Soviet era material they had not been informed about. Usually it appeared that the Soviet authorities had just forgotten about it. On one occasion, Washington Post reporter David Hoffman wrote in a report in 2009, that the Kazakh and American investigators found what appeared to be an ordinary, unguarded storeroom containing simple steel buckets and canisters containing weapons-grade, 90 percent pure Uranium-235. There was enough of it there to make as many as 24 atomic bombs. The buckets and canisters were casually set 10feet apart from each other, Hoffman wrote. If anyone had moved them any closer, he could have set off a nuclear chain-reaction. The uranium-235 rods were “wrapped in foil, as if they were items in a picnic cooler,” Hoffman wrote. In what was later to become known as Project Sapphire, in 1994 professionals from the two coun-

tries worked together to secretly transport all of that uranium to the United States for blending down and further usage in peaceful atomic reactors. The Kazakh and U.S. teams took that kind of experience in their stride. Behind closed doors, with a quiet efficiency and a careful discretion worthy of James Bond, their crucial work has continued into recent days. Over the past four years, the two countries have quietly cooperated in transferring the spent nuclear fuel of the old Soviet era BN-350 nuclear reactor in the city of Aktau in western Kazakhstan – and transferring it to the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site for dead storage. Kazakh and U.S. experts carried out joint feasibility studies in 2007. Over the next three years, they quietly transferred material – 10 metric tonnes of highly enriched uranium and three metric tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium by rail on special trains, in metal-concrete containers. By the end of 2010 all the spent nuclear fuel – enough to make about 800 nuclear bombs – had been stored in their new facility and stored in a secure location in safety cocoons filled with inert gas. The work was carried out under the terms of a U.S.-Kazakh nuclear weapons delimitation, or silo agreement that was concluded back on Dec. 13, 1999. The costs of building the necessary rail and other transportation facilities and storage were paid by the United States and Britain. The costs of actual transportation and safety measures were paid by the Republic of Kazakhstan. By Nov. 15, 2010, all the spent nuclear fuel from the BN-350 reactor had been safely removed and transported to its new facilities specially designed for long-term safe storage in the former Semipalatinsk nuclear testing range.

9/12/11 5:28:28 PM

Kazakh and U.S. experts carried out joint feasibility studies in 2007. Over the next three years, they quietly transferred the material by rail on special trains, in metal-concrete containers

President Nazarbayev maintained his partnership to locate, remove and safely store the lethal nuclear material his country inherited from the Soviet era through the administrations of four different U.S. presidents. Nazarbayev remained loyally committed to that policy in the face of pressures and offers from countless sources. Radical states in different parts of the world and extremist organizations all dreamed of being able to lay their hands on some of the 1,410 nuclear warheads that Kazakhstan had inherited from the disintegrating Soviet Union. At the time, it was a larger nuclear arsenal than those of China, Britain and France combined. If Nazarbayev had been a different kind of man – and the Kazakhs a very different people -- the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001 – 9/11 – might then have had vastly more awful, even apocalyptic consequences. So it was no wonder that the Kazakh and U.S. teams working on locating and securing the Soviet-era nuclear material took the precautions of 007 supersecret agents. This James Bond-style secret partnership between the Americans and the Kazakhs held. There were no breaches of security. None of the sensitive nuclear material was lost or stolen. Muslim-majority Kazakhstan became the first nation in history to completely and unilaterally scrap a nuclear arsenal. Even after the work of literal nuclear disarmament was completed in 1995, the partnership continued to function over the next 15 years to trace, remove and safely store other potentially dangerous nuclear material such as the spent fuel from the BN-350 reactor. The American and Kazakh officials involved in these super-secret operations developed a high regard for each other. Many lasting friendships were

031-037_NUCLEAR.indd 37

formed. But the Kazakh and American engineers and administrators involved in this vast operation seem to remember it in different ways. To the Kazakhs, the super-secrecy was a necessary precaution and condition of their activities, but otherwise they saw it all as just another day’s work. Several of them expressed mild amusement at the way so many Americans who were involved liked to see themselves as daredevil James Bonds. And sure enough, many of the American accounts seem to dramatically hype discoveries or successful transportations of nuclear fuel that the Kazakhs shrugged off as “just routine.” But there was nothing routine about the genuine passion the Kazakhs, like their American partners, brought to the mission of creating and maintaining the safety of nuclear materials. Knowledge of the deaths and suffering of more than a million people over 40 years from the more than 450 nuclear tests carried out in the Soviet era haunted them all. In his biography of President Nazarbayev, Aitken describes vividly how when Nazarbayev, as a young man, worked as a steelmaker at Karaganda Magnitka, 200 miles to the west from the Soviet nuclear testing site at Semipalatinsk, his home would be shaken by earthquake-like tremors every time an underground nuclear test took place. “As a father, he would see his daughters so terrified by the nuclear tremors that they rushed into his arms screaming ‘Papa, Papa – It’s an earthquake!’” That shared passion was the secret weapon driving 20 years of successful US-Kazakh activities to put the nuclear genie safely back in its bottle. And it all started when a visiting U.S. secretary of state listened to a young Kazakh lady play folk songs on the piano and agreed to let his Kazakh host strike his back with birch twigs in a banya two decades ago.e

9/12/11 5:28:29 PM

038-042_ASTANA_TEAM.indd 38

9/12/11 11:33:38 AM

Team Astana

Continues to Gain Speed By Joe Watson

From concept to a world cycling leader in three years, Team Astana continues to gain speed. In 2006, Kazakh cycling legends Alexander Vinokurov and Andrey Kashechkin broached the idea of a national cycling team to the most influential sports enthusiast in Kazakhstan – President Nursultan Nazarbayev, says Allen Chaizhunussov, Team Astana’s managing director. Team Astana was born shortly thereafter, with a coalition of government agencies paying the bills. It was a striking departure from the normal cyclingclub financing model of corporate sponsorship. Because Kazakhstan’s economy was booming, government-backed Team Astana had the money to attract some of the world’s top cyclists. And that’s exactly what happened. Two Tour de France winners, America’s Lance Armstrong and Spain’s Alberto Contador, came aboard within three years, as did Grand Tour runners-up Levi Leipheimer of the United States and Andreas Klöden of Germany. Riding alongside greats like Armstrong and Contador was inspiring, according to two of Team Astana’s Kazakh cyclists, 30-year-old Assan Bazayev and

038-042_ASTANA_TEAM.indd 39

27-year-old Valentin Iglinskiy. “When you ride with the top riders, you have a responsibility” to do your very best, Iglinskiy said. Iglinskiy finished a respectable 18th of 167 riders in this year’s Tour de France which ended July 24. Team Astana’s top finisher was rider Tomas Vaitkus who crossed the finish line eighth overall. The intention from the start was to make Team Astana world-class – but neither Kazakhstan nor the world’s cycling community expected it to happen so fast. In fact, international devotees of the sport were asking two questions: What is Team Astana? And where is Astana? Team Astana was the world’s top cycling club in 2009, only three years after it was founded. And it was third in 2010. “It really does matter whether you have a team with Contador or a team without Contador,” noted Aidar Makhmetov, the Team Astana commercial director. “With Contador, you’re guaranteed a win.” Until this year, “he hadn’t lost any Grand Tour events in four years,” Makhmetov pointed out. The team now spends most of its time training in

9/12/11 11:33:39 AM

Alexander Vinokurov, center, has played a vital role in the development of Kazakh cycling

038-042_ASTANA_TEAM.indd 40

the steep slopes in and around Monaco because hill climbing is an important component of international cycling competitions. But the club’s name has helped put Kazakhstan’s capital Astana on the map. The team’s two early stars – Armstrong and Contador – have since moved on and the squad was ranked 11th in the world in mid-summer, but cycling experts say the team includes a slew of young upand-coming riders that have yet to hit their peak. Among the team’s likely future stars are Roman Kreuziger of the Czech Republic, Robert Kiserlovski of Croatia and Andrey Zeits of Kazakhstan. The team is also hopeful that the expected naming of Vinokurov as president of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation at the organization’s annual meeting in November will further boost the team’s fortunes. The 37-year-old, known affectively as Vino, has been part of competitive Kazakh cycling since he was 11 and has long been revered as the country’s pre-eminent rider. Heading into the prestigious Tour de France in July of this year he was ranked the world’s seventh best cyclist.

Vinokurov had announced that he would be retiring from competitive racing at the end of this season. Any doubts that he might change his mind, however, were erased in July when he suffered a terrible accident on the eighth stage of the 24-stage Tour de France. Vinokurov swerved on a steep hill descent to avoid a biker who had crashed. He ended up in a ravine, fracturing his right thigh in several places. Doctors had to operate. His prognosis for recovery is good, but the injury is likely to eliminate any second thoughts he might have about giving up competitive racing. Many cycling fans want to see Vinokurov in the federation president’s position because he believes in developing local talent. The federation is the owner of Team Astana, although its sponsor – and thus bill payer – is the Samruk Kazyna sovereign wealth fund. Kairat Kelimbetov was elected president of the federation two years ago when he was head of Samruk Kazyna. Kelimbetov plans to nominate Vinokurov as president – a move that cycling insiders say is tantamount to Vinokurov getting the job. Vinokurov’s appointment is also likely to dovetail nicely with a recent high-profile Team Astana initiative to develop local talent.

9/12/11 11:33:41 AM

Cycling teams from 45 countries will descend on Astana in November for the International Cycling Union Trek World Cup to be held in the city’s new cycling stadium

Photos: Kazakhstan’s professional cycling team, Team Astana, has enjoyed victories and strong finishes in the world’s most prestigious races

038-042_ASTANA_TEAM.indd 41

9/12/11 11:33:43 AM

The team is hopeful that the expected naming of Alexander Vinokurov (above) as Kazakhstan Cycling Federation President in November will further boost the team’s fortunes

Alberto Contador, one of the world’s top cyclists, was among the team’s early riders

038-042_ASTANA_TEAM.indd 42

That initiative involves creating an auxiliary unit to train with the main squad. The unit will consist of four Kazakh riders with international-circuit potential, said Team Astana Commercial Director Aidar Makhmetov. The idea is for the young riders to sharpen their skills by working out daily with cyclists who are already good enough to compete on the world scene. “We should have good strong Kazakh guys” on any team that represents the country, Makhmetov said. He has firsthand experience doing that. He was the 65-kilogram world karate champ in 2002 and 2003. In addition to creating the auxiliary unit, the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation is working with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on a comprehensive strategy to develop more home-grown riding talent. The Soviet Union had excellent success developing home-grown talent, Makhmetov noted. In the 20 years before the U.S.S.R. disintegrated, a number of Soviet riders were among the best in the world. But the collapse of the Soviet system in the early 1990s led to the collapse of many of its institutions, including cycling. Former cycling phenom Alexander Nadoenko is helping devise Kazakhstan’s talent development strategy in his new role as adviser to the president of the cycling federation. “He knows young riders

and how they progress,” said Chaizhunussov, Team Astana’s managing director. Another promotion the federation has come up with is a national cycling championship to recognize the best amateur riders. A headline-generating promotion this summer was a 2,200-kilometer Tour of Students. The race originated in the northeastern city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, ran south to Kazakhstan’s commercial center of Almaty, then looped back north to the capital of Astana. Another event that’s sure to inspire Kazakh cyclists is Astana’s hosting of the first leg of this year’s International Cycling Union Trek World Cup between November 4 and 6. Riders from 45 countries will compete in the indoor event at Astana’s new cycling stadium. And a further bit of news certain to fire up Kazakh cyclists is the announcement that the International Cycling Union is opening a representative office in Astana. These kinds of promotions, the team’s solid Tour de France finishes and the comprehensive rider-development strategy the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation plans to unveil in November, should help mold a new generation of star-quality Kazakh cyclists, federation officials say, – cyclists who will ensure that Team Astana continues to gain speed. e

9/12/11 11:33:45 AM

043_AD_SUMRUK_SEPT.indd 1

9/12/11 7:55:05 PM

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 44

9/12/11 7:17:22 PM

International Stars, Major Events Mark

Astanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

13th Anniversary By Teri Barner

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 45

9/12/11 7:17:25 PM

Astana’s modernity and long-held traditions were on display during its 13th anniversary celebration in July

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 46

International film and music stars helped Kazakhstan’s capital Astana celebrate its 13th anniversary in July with a party that went on for days. The annual bash was exceptionally grand in scope this year in honour of Kazakhstan reaching its second decade of independence which the country will mark on December 16. That scope was evident in the multi-day party’s 3,280 performers and 322 acts performed at 24 concert venues. The city’s anniversary, called the Astana Day, is July 6 and is a national holiday, but the party has grown to a multi-day event. Headliners from the West included singers Lara Fabian of Canada, Sarah Brightman of Britain and Arash of Sweden. Hollywood stars Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Michael Madsen and Armand Assante plus glitterati from Kazakhstan and Russia also came to Astana for the city’s second annual International Action Film Festival, which coincided with the anniversary celebration. Fabian was one of Astana Day’s biggest attractions. Part of the reason is that she’s made a conscious effort to reach out to audiences in Kazakhstan, the rest of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. She performed in Astana with famed Russian composer Igor Krutoi, with whom she produced the album, “Mademoiselle Zhivago,” last year. Krutoi played the piano and conducted the orchestra during their Astana appearances. Fabian – who was born in Belgium and began her career singing in French – appeared on stage in Astana as a vampire, a concentration camp victim, a suicide bomber and the heroine Lara of Boris Pasternak’s novel “Doctor Zhivago.” The “Doctor Zhivago” character, Lara, is part of Fabian’s fabric. Her mother named her after seeing the movie based on the book. “The fascinating voice of the French singer combined with the wonderful music of Igor Krutoi and lyrics coming from the deepest part of a woman’s soul – all these made the audience plunge into the story of Mademoiselle Zhivago,” one concert reviewer said. Sarah Brightman was another big hit at Astana Days. The soprano’s 1995 duet with Italy’s Andrea Bocelli, “Time to Say Goodbye,” established her as a musical giant, selling 12 million copies worldwide. The opera, Broadway-musical and pop star’s Astana concert quickly sold out. Many Kazakhs love opera, which is one reason that Bocelli was invited to the 2010 Astana Day. Brightman’s opera skills were an equal match as a follow-up to Bocelli. In addition to Brightman, opera lovers could see three days of performances featuring Kazakh, Russian and European singers. The most heralded event, “Stars of the Opera World,” featured Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra and soprano Amarilli Nizza.

9/12/11 7:17:26 PM

A River Runs Through It: Spending Time on the Yessil By Colin Berlyne Mention a river-ride through the heart of Eurasia and the mind conjures up intrepid explorers sailing through thick wilderness, Siberian taiga or even clouds of early spring mosquitoes. The 45-minute scenic boat ride along the Yessil River through the heart of Kazakhstan’s futuristic new capital Astana couldn’t be more different from that and it is well worth the trip. The boats leave every few minutes during the warm months from the small ferry station at the center of the sweeping embankment that curves through the city from the Radisson SAS Hotel past the four unique green-blue towers of the Grand Astana Complex to the elegant suspension bridge that carries Respublika Avenue over the river into the new government sections of the left bank. As the boat sails south, on the left, take in the architectural elegance of the Central Asian, Turkish and east Asian-influenced tall residential buildings on the right bank. These buildings offer a dark red and rich yellow contrast against the turquoise-blue of the expansive steppe sky. And as night falls their lights offer a beautiful backdrop to the river. In addition to the architecture, the Yessil’s grand walking promenade comes to life during the long, far-northern twilight. From around 6 p.m. to past midnight, hundreds of people - from hyperactive young children dashing ahead of their parents, to teenagers

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 47

with their friends, to couples out for a stroll -fill the wide brick promenade lining the water. During the day, you’ll see joggers, cyclists and fishermen enjoying the same river complex. They testify to the community-oriented and family-friendly atmosphere that has taken shape in Astana. It’s also a testament that Astana, for all its grand architecture, has been constructed on a human, walkable scale. On the right side of the boat, on the Yessil’s left bank, stretches the expansive green of Astana Park with its traditional amusement complex and rides for children. Sail under the bridge which crosses the Yessil with its mighty rearing stags – the symbols of the city of Astana – at either end and you are soon passing a complex of large, comfortable residential homes on the right bank of the river. Then on the other side you’ll see the tall, golden-gleaming, cone-shaped towers that stand symbolic guard and define the parliament complex. And soon the full grandeur of Kazakhstan’s White House, or Ak Orda Palace, comes into view. Throughout the summer and fall, demand for the boats is high and you may have to wait a few minutes for one or two of them to leave before getting on board. But even when full, they don’t feel crowded and the late afternoon boats are often filled with young families. Even strollers with toddlers are welcome on board. The river is shallow and placid and fishermen

Forty-five-minute boat rides through the heart of the city are available along the Yessil River perch on the banks on either side often offer a friendly wave as the tour boats pass by. Time passes quickly. And in less than an hour, you’re back at the ferry station after having glimpsed from a unique perspective both the architecture and daily life of Kazakhstan’s new capital.

9/12/11 7:17:27 PM

Numerous events, including a bride’s parade and opera performances, were part of Astana’s 13th anniversary celebration

The Astana action film festival is one of three Kazakh movie events that annually attract Western stars Well known Iranian-Swedish singer Arash also performed. Arash, whose full name is Arash Labaf and whose debut album came out in 2005, has a big following in Europe and is gaining fans on other continents. Kazakh jazz, pop and folk maestro Batyrkhan Shukenov, who is known as Batyr and who is beloved in Russia and the former Soviet states, also performed. The celebrities at the second Astana International Action Film Festival attracted as much attention as the Astana Day singing stars. Rodriquez, who starred in the blockbuster movie, “Avatar,” said in response to a journalist’s question that she was surprised at how beautiful and modern a city Astana was. She said she wanted to come back to the Kazakh capital, which boasts some of

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 48

the globe’s most cutting edge architecture and hosts major international events. Assante noted that the red carpet that he and other celebrities walked during the opening day of the film festival had to be “the longest in the world.” It stretched for a quarter of a kilometer between the place where the limousines dropped off the stars and the entrance to the film-viewing venue – the Pyramid of Peace and Harmony designed by renowned British architect Lord Norman Foster. Presiding over the film event as festival president was Timur Bekmambetov, a native of Kazakhstan who has become one of Hollywood’s hottest directors. Bekmambetov, who gave several presentations during the festival, recently directed the film, “Wanted,” with Angelina Jolie. Another Kazakhstan-born Hollywood film maker

9/12/11 7:17:30 PM

Performances by internationally known singer Lara Fabian, above right, were among the many unique attractions during this year’s multi-day Astana anniversary bash

at the festival was Erken Yalgashev, who directs and produces martial-arts films, including “The Ultimate Fighter” In 2007. The Astana action film festival is one of three Kazakh movie events that annually attract Western stars. The others are the Almaty International Film Festival and the Eurasia International Film Festival, which is held alternately in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, and Astana. The Astana Day celebration also gave a nod to more traditional Kazakh culture. A nomad village was set up near the Khan Shatyr entertainment and shopping complex. The Khan Shatyr, billed as the largest tent in the world, was a fitting setting for the cultural attraction because the village featured an array of yurts, or nomadic felt tents. Kazakhstan’s tradition of falconry was also on display and the guests were treated to a show by the equestrian stunt team of Zhaidarbek Kunguzhinov, whose troupe worked

044-049_Astana_Celebration.indd 49

on the film, “The Way Back.” The film deals with escaped Soviet prisoners crossing Mongolia. A unique event at the celebration was an attempt to break a Guinness record for the preparation of the world’s largest ethnic Korean kimpab – or sushi – roll. One hundred sixty chefs worked on the 157metre-long roll, which was created in the big square next to the City Administration Building. The kimpab team believes it broke by almost 30 meters what the Guinness Books of Records says was the “world’s longest roll” – 128 meters. Students in Philadelphia set the old mark. Chefs took video of the roll to send to Guinness book officials and then cut the roll into slices and fed it to the crowd. Whether listening to international music stars, getting a glimpse of traditional Kazakh life or mingling with Hollywood stars, Astana’s 13th anniversary celebration was a party to remember.e

Whether listening to international music stars, getting a glimpse of traditional Kazakh life or mingling with Hollywood stars, Astana’s 13th anniversary celebration was a party to remember

9/12/11 7:24:16 PM

A Master in the Ancient

Art ofThroat Singing By Joe Watson and Dina Khamitova

Throat singers can generate two or more notes at the same time rather than the single note that a regular singer does

Yedil Khussainov, below and right, has spent years mastering the ancient art of throat singing

050-053_THROAT_SINGER.indd 50

A couple of years ago, when Yedil Khussainov was checking out the Mongolian pavilion at the Berlin International Music Festival, the half dozen Mongolian musicians recognized him and, one by one, took his hand and kissed it. “Are you some kind of mafia don?” Khussainov’s Kazakh friends joked. In Mongolia, hand kissing isn’t a symbol of subjugation. It’s a sign of deep respect and admiration. Khussainov, who has been introducing Kazakh music to the rest of the world for two decades, has received not only respect and admiration, but adulation, from his many fans and fellow musicians. It’s an understatement to say that the 56-year-old Almaty artist, whose repertoire includes folk music and jazz rock, is a highly accomplished musician. He plays more than 30 folk instruments from Kazakhstan and other countries. He’s performed with the internationally renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma in Washington and at Carnegie Hall. He’s produced his own albums, and played on three albums that other musicians recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. He also composes for the stage, television and movies. And he’s mastered throat singing – one reason the Mongolians in Berlin, whose homeland has been a repository of the ancient art, were eager to honor him. Although Khussainov thrilled audiences during his early tours in the West, he began thinking that an arrow was missing from his musical quiver.

“The Kazakhs are a nation of singers, so I realized I should sing,” he said. But he didn’t think he had a good enough voice for normal singing. So he decided to try throat singing, which involves performers using their throats instead of their vocal chords to produce guttural sounds. The question was who would teach him because most throat singers don’t give up their secrets easily. Fate stepped in to solve the problem. Khussainov found himself performing at many of the same international music festivals as the renowned throat singer Bolot Bayrishev of southern Russia’s Altay Republic. Over time the two became close, and eventually Bayrishev “told me some secrets and gave me some advice,” Khussainov said. Throat singers can generate two or more notes at the same time rather than the single note that a regular singer does. This means that throat singers can produce not just a melody but a harmony of more than one sound. The key is precise movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, the soft palate and the larynx. The soft palate, or velum, is the back of the roof the mouth. The larynx is the voice box. Although throat singing is a physical exercise, mastering the art is as much spiritual as physical, Khussainov contended. “In order to do it, one should have a pure mind,” he said. “A bad person can’t sing – he will just not succeed.” Another requirement for being a good throat singer, he said, is that “one

9/12/11 9:55:20 PM

050-053_THROAT_SINGER.indd 51

9/12/11 9:55:22 PM

Khussainov, is also the inspiration behind two musical groups. He is a key part of the folk ensemble Kerulen and the jazz-rock group, the Magic of Nomads

should love his nation and its history.” Khussainov said at times he visualized himself as a snow leopard, a bear or another animal when preparing to throat-sing. Their roaring “is their language,” he said. “This is how they talk. They don’t use their vocal chords to speak – they speak with their throats.” Throat singing involves humans copying “these sounds – the language of animals,” he said. Khussainov’s love of traditional music also goes beyond throat singing. Khussainov’s second music teacher was the late Bolat Sarybayev, who devoted much of his life to reviving Kazakhstan’s national-instruments tradition. Sarybayev not only preserved ancient instruments

050-053_THROAT_SINGER.indd 52

and music that had nearly been lost, but also founded the outstanding National Instruments Museum in Almaty. “Although it may sound pretentious,” Khussainov said, “I am his last and most successful follower as I continue what he was doing” through performances. Khussainov also comes from a musical family. His father Seyilkhan, who was his first music teacher, is a composer and the conductor of the National Folk Instruments Orchestra. And his mother Raushan is a singer and virtuoso of the lute-like kobyz, a cousin of the dombra. Khussainov, who graduated from the Tchaikovsky College of Music and the Kurmangazy National Conservatory, both in Almaty, is also the inspiration behind two musical groups. He is a key part of the folk ensemble Kerulen and the jazz-rock group, the Magic of Nomads. Many overseas audiences would fail to understand traditional Kazakh music as it was originally played, Khussainov said, so he connects with them by performing in “jazz-rock style, where I combine ancient instruments with a symphony orchestra. This is my way of showing others that we have such instruments.” The jazz-rock genre might seem a contradiction for someone so devoted to folk instruments and folk music, but Khussainov was an ardent Beatles and Freddie Mercury fan when he was a boy. And “now I listen to Jeff Beck – he’s terrific.” Khussainov was in his mid-30s when he became what he jokingly refers to as a “vagabond.” He began going abroad to expand his musical knowledge and help make ends meet after the Soviet Union collapsed. Twenty years later, two-thirds of his performances are still overseas. The inclination of a lot of former Soviet performers in the early 1990s was to tour the West, Khussainov said. But he turned east to learn ancient instruments and musical techniques first. “By east, I mean everything lying to the east of Kazakhstan,” he said. This included the “Siberian,

9/12/11 9:55:24 PM

53 Khakass, Tuvinian and Mongolian nations – I learned from them,” he said. Khakassia and Tuva are in southern Russia not far from Kazakhstan. “The Bashkirs are known for their great use of the sabyzgy, so I went there,” Khussainov added. “I learned zhetygen from the Khakass because it’s their number one instrument, and I learned the tongue harp (shankobyz) from the Yakuts, because it’s their number one.” Bashkirs are a Turkic people who inhabit Russia and Central Asia. The sabyzgy they play is a cane flute. The zhetygen that the Khakass play is a reclining harp whose seven strings are stretched between sheep bones. The Yakuts are another Turkic people living mostly in southern Russia. Khussainov said that only when he’d mastered many eastern instruments did he begin touring the West. The time he spent acquiring his musical knowledge in the East is what made him “what I am now,” he said. In addition to mastering so many instruments, and being an accomplished throat singer, Khussainov is a prolific composer. He likes to perform his own compositions on

050-053_THROAT_SINGER.indd 53

stage and in albums. He also composes for symphony orchestras and ensembles. And he’s created soundtracks for a number of films. They include “Kelin (Daughter-in-Law),” “Kurak Korpe (Quilt)” and “Anshy Bala (A Hunter Boy).” Khussainov actually had a small role in the internationally acclaimed Kazakh film “Nomads” – as a musician. He appeared playing a tongue harp. Khussainov has recorded with many musicians over the years, but released his first solo album, “Irbis Land,” only in 2008. It includes 18 folk and rock compositions. His second solo album, “The Best of Kazakh Music,” will be released next year. When Khussainov first began performing in Kazakhstan with traditional instruments other than those most associated with the country – the dombra and kobyz – some spectators wondered: Is this really Kazakh music? Many Kazakhs failed to realize that Turkic peoples’ traditional instruments range far beyond the dombra and kobyz, Khussainov said. His use of multiple instruments has led to Kazakhs understanding “more about our history and our traditions which were forgotten. Now people perceive me as an exotic flower in the marvelous garden of Kazakh music.” e

In order to do it, one should have a pure mind. A bad person can’t sing – he will just not succeed

Yedil Khussainov combines ancient and modern styles of music

9/12/11 9:55:25 PM

Alima

Murzabekova Alima Murzabekova is having a significant impact on the Kazakh and broader fashion world. Since graduating from the prestigious Marangoni University in Milan, she has returned to Astana to concentrate on her exclusive line and shop. She gains her design inspirations from a broad array of influences including architecture, film, nature and even certain foods. However, her strongest design influences remains the human condition. She is a student of human emotions and feelings and incorporates that emotional range into her clothes. She also believes in the beauty and femininity of women and uses both as a baseline for her work. Murzabekova also works with a diverse mix of fabrics. Her evening dresses are a mix of silk, chiffon and organza. Her outer clothing lines rely heavily on cashmere, leather and fur and for her casual clothing she uses primarily cotton, cambric and knitted fabrics for comfort. To check out Murzabekovaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designs, visit her fashion house, Alima, located at 14 Kunayev Street, Astana or call +7 7172 50 83 65. You can also go to http://vkontakte.ru/album-27593555_135932378.

054-057_Fashion_alima.indd 54

9/12/11 2:00:15 PM

054-057_Fashion_alima.indd 55

9/12/11 1:43:28 PM

054-057_Fashion_alima.indd 56

9/12/11 2:00:51 PM

054-057_Fashion_alima.indd 57

9/12/11 1:43:36 PM

Fashion 2011

Kuralai Nurkadilova Designer Kuralai Nurkadilova has achieved acclaim for her fashions not only in Kazakhstan but around the world. And she has been a trendsetter in bringing Kazakh designs to the international fashion community. Kuralai has shown her unique creations in the Fashion Weeks of Russia, Italy, France and across East Asia. Numerous celebrities have also chosen to wear her clothes. In addition to being a talented designer, Kuralai is a successful business woman, wife and mother of three children. Kuralaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusive designs can be found at her shop in Astana located in the Saryarka Mall, 1st floor. Phone: 79-22-42.

058-059_Fashion_Kuralai.indd 58

9/12/11 1:46:11 PM

058-059_Fashion_Kuralai.indd 59

9/12/11 1:46:15 PM

060-063_HEELS.indd 60

9/12/11 10:06:15 AM

Walking

TALL

Heels

ASTANA OF

One thing visitors to Astana notice right

off, and locals enjoy, is the city’s fashion sense. When you go out in Astana, you get dressed up. No flannel shirts or ripped jeans here. And for many Astana women, even doing daily errands is an opportunity to show off a little fashion flare. A big part of that is high heels. They’re everywhere. Three, four and five-inch stilettos are common from the hippest nightclub to the local grocery story. And those who wear them wouldn’t have it any other way.

060-063_HEELS.indd 61

9/12/11 10:06:17 AM

Here’s a look at the heels of Astana and the women who wear them. Te s t Y o u r Fa s h i o n S e n s e : M a t c h t h e G i r l W i t h H e r H e e l s Answers below

Aida Abdullayeva,

Rita Bekmetieva,

Angelina Popova,

25 years old

19 years old

20 years old

“First of all (with heels) you look like a woman and graceful. Secondly, in high heels I feel very comfortable walking unlike without heels. High heels are super and sexy.”

“I can’t live without heels. I must have them always and forever.”

“I wear heels because I feel more like a woman and more attractive. And I never see a man not look back (at me) when I wear heels.”

“I’m very, very beautiful in heels and I think girls with heels always look graceful.”

060-063_HEELS.indd 62

Veronika Chikirizova,

9/12/11 10:06:20 AM

Zhanna Arualina,

Almagul Kanatbayeva,

Kristina Vasianova,

Nastia Zhumayeva,

25 years old

21 years old

20 years old

16 years old

“In high heels girls feel confident and it certainly makes your walk more beautiful.”

“(I wear heels) to look beautiful, to be strong because that makes you sexy and makes me stand out from the crowd.”

“Heels are beautiful and sexy. A women becomes more glamorous and they emphasize her legs.”

“Heels are what make a girl pretty.”

A: Angelina Popova, B: Almagul Kanatbayeva, C: Rita Bekmetieva, D: Nastia Zhmayeva, E: Kristina Vasianova, F: Aida Abbulaeyva, G: Veranika Chikirizova, H: Zhana Arwalin

060-063_HEELS.indd 63

9/12/11 10:06:22 AM

Restaurants

The Mill

stana’s restaurant scene is like the city itself: Cutting edge and growing fast. You’ll find Indian, American, Japanese and European cuisines alongside more traditional Russian and Kazakh fare. And the restaurants themselves range from ultra-upscale hotel outlets to the fancifully-decorated Ali Baba with traditionally-clad waitresses, fountains and private cabin seating. Chefs have been imported from around the globe to work in Astana’s finest restaurants and have brought their own unique influences. Their menus change with the seasons and with their personal preferences. A host of international cuisines can be found at places such as Portofino, considered one of Astana’s best Italian restaurants, or the Korean House, which is popular among not only the region’s large Korean pop-

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 64

ulation, but many others. East West restaurant is known for its Indian cuisine and unique Soviet-era decor. And traditional Russian and Kazakh fare can also be found at the popular Epoch and Grilliage restaurants. Those new to Kazakhstan and looking to try dishes from the Central Asian region should seek out restaurants serving the traditional shashlyk. This is a shish kabob style dish with grilled vegetables and meat. Ali Baba, located in the old city center and a short taxi ride outside the new city center, is one of the best spots to try the shashlyk. Ukrainian cuisine is also popular in Kazakhstan and for a unique Ukrainian dining experience, you can head to Melnitsa (“The Windmill”). Whether your preference is experimental fusion or Kazakh comfort food, you’ll find it in Astana’s varied and expanding restaurant scene.

9/12/11 11:19:03 AM

65 Austeria Description: After the December 2010 edition of Edge, this successful Almaty chain restaurant extended its reach to Astana – and it has not disappointed. So extensive is the fare, that the restaurant’s website lists 17 different menus to cover it all. Think classic Russian dishes with a good dose of French haute influence, recreating the culinary traditions of late-Czarist Imperial St. Petersburg. Then throw in some Western taste, and you have an adult-ready, kid-friendly mesh of what the Czars may have done if they set out to create their own version of an upscale Ruby Tuesdays. Expect a menu of clay-baked lamb and veal, a steak list with more than 20 entrees, seafood, plus bar food and a children’s menu. And just when you think it’s over, they roll the dessert menu out. There’s even a hookah flavor selection that’s 50 percent off on Wednesday nights. You can enjoy phenomenal wine and spirits and live music, too. Takeout and delivery is available. Take a look at the delivery menu on their website, but it’s also worth coming here just to see the fantastic and unusual interior.

Cuisine: European Address: 8 Vodno-Zelenyi Boulevard in the Keruen Shopping Center Phone: 8 (7172) 79 55 13 Hours: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Price Range: $$ Website: www.austeria.net/ Al Fresco Description: If you crave some traditional Italian food – whether staple favorites common in Europe and America, to authentic specialty dishes – this menu is sure to satisfy. The chef prides himself in diversity, and loves to mix things up with surprise offerings or accommodat-

ing special requests. The attentive staff is really the ones responsible for the great atmosphere here. Al Fresco is perfect for a power lunch, a business dinner, a date or for a child’s birthday. Service is fast, so if you want you can eat and be out in 30 minutes, but you very well may choose to linger through the afternoon or evening over wine and/ or coffee.

Cuisine: Italian Address: 14 Kunayeva Street Phone: 8 (7172) 50-83-85 Hours: 10:00 am – 12:00 am Business lunch: 12:00 pm – 04:00 pm Price range: $$ Arbalet If you would like to forget the mundane for a while and pretend you are back in the Dark Ages or in the Arctic North, this is the place for you. Arbalet has a Viking theme with traditional tall, heavy chairs, stone walls, swords and axes on the walls. It is easy to get to and stays open 24 hours a day. Arbalet is not cheap, but the ambiance is wonderfully romantic, and the food is consistently good.

Cuisine: European Address: 16 Beibitshilik Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 32 40 60 Price: $$$ Arystan Restaurant Most European-style restaurants in Astana are relatively expensive. This one is not, even though it has an impressive interior. Anyone looking for casual dining will like Arystan, and students can afford it.

Cuisine: European Address: 2 Aykayryn Street Phone: 8 (7172) 29 20 36 Price range: $ Assorti This popular chain has many outlets all over Kazakhstan (including small

Ali Baba: A night of Arabian Fantasies Few trips to Astana can be considered complete without at least one stop at the one-of-a-kind Ali Baba Restaurant. This large outdoor and indoor eatery just on the other side of the Yessil River from downtown is home to some of the best traditional shashlyk in the city. But that’s only half the reason people go. Just the name Ali Baba conjures up images of genies in a bottle and Arabian fantasies. And this well known restaurant doesn’t disappoint. Its waitresses are draped in the harem-girl costumes you see in old movies – loose tunics with Arabian-style headdresses. And in addition to standard tables, another Middle Eastern touch at Ali Baba is low tables or – in Kazakh terminology – dastarkhan. You sit or lie around them on cushions as you eat. Ali Baba’s menu consists mostly of Kazakh fare such as beshbarmak – meat with flat pastry and broth – and manty, which are dumplings filled with various meats or vegetables. And the shashlyk is a must try. One dish you don’t see at most Kazakh restaurants is pike shish kebob. If you like fish, you won’t want to miss it here. When you hold the metal skewer containing the fish and vegetables straight up, and use a fork to try to slide the fish chunks off, they are so tender they willl fall onto your plate. The vegetables are equally as tasty. Many expats like pumpkin-filled rather than meat-filled manty. A lot of Kazakh restaurants don’t have it, but Ali Baba does, and it’s delicious. Ali Baba really shines in the warm months with a large outdoor seating area filled with the backdrop of birds and fountains. The outdoor dining area is also rung with dastarkhan style seating – which are essentially private, slightly raised tents overlooking the main dining area where you and your friends can take off your shoes, sit low to the table, smoke hookah and pass the evening. The restaurant has also gone all-out to be family-friendly. It has alluring playground equipment, water wheels and a children’s menu. And after you’ve had a meal at Ali Baba, you can take your friends or guests for a stroll along the promenade lining the Yessil River less than 200 meters away.

(Please note: the telephone numbers listed here are for dialing in Astana from a cell phone. For more information on making telephone calls, please see the “Practical Information When in Kazakhstan” section.)

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 65

9/12/11 11:19:04 AM

66 ones at the Astana and Almaty airports) and an impressive range of cuisine served at reasonable prices. (Of all other places, Assorti has now been open in Arlington, Virginia, just across the street of Hell’s Burger, frequented by Barack Obama.) It serves a mixture of Italian, Japanese, Russian and European. The décor and atmosphere are routine, but you can consistently count on good food and good service. Assorti has some of the best pizza, pasta and salads compared to similar franchises in Kazakhstan. The grill is pretty good, too. It is also large, and is often packed at nights, especially weekends. Assorti has buffets during the day.

Cuisine: Russian, Italian, Japanese Address: 9 Dostyk Street (right behind Ramstore) Phone: 8 (7172) 79 53 97 Price range: $$ Astana Nury When you have something to celebrate, this is the place to come. It is easily one of the best restaurants in town with excellent service, a sophisticated, elegant atmosphere and a splendid range of shish kebabs (45 different varieties of shashlyk, including vegetarian). In all, it has 150 selections on the menu. It also has delicious desserts. You will get a 20% discount on the entire menu for lunch, on weekdays from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. With a slice of sophisticated 1920s Cole Porter Paris effortlessly transported to the heart of Central Asia, the music alone is worth the trip, and the price. The restaurant is located on

the new embankment of the Yessil River with a spectacular view of the cityscape. It is particularly nice in the summer, when you can sit on the veranda and watch people walking along the river, as well as view the lights from the amusement park. Because of its proximity to the river, it’s a big spot for special occasions such as weddings.

Cuisine: Caucasian, European Address: 3/2 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 43 93 38/39 Price range: $$$ Website: www.a-n.kz Beerhoff Description: As the name suggests, prepare for a genuine culinary journey through Deutschland and Mitteleuropa (Central Europe). The owners have captured the spirit of these regions’ famous beerhouses superbly, presenting an earthy atmosphere and a hearty selection of juicy sausages, steaks and grilled meats. If you are a beer connoisseur, or simply a beer lover, this is your place: You’ll find here one of the better selections of draught beer in Astana, especially of the German persuasion.

Cuisine: European Address: 44 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 21 00 10, 8 (7172) 21 00 40 Hours: 11am - 2am Price Range: $ Bochonok Brewery For German and Mitteleuropa visitors seeking gemutlechkeit cuisine, or American and Russian engineers thirsty for good beer and food (especially meat), we recommend the Bochonok. Styled after an old

European brewery, this restaurant offers a wide variety of beers and has solid and large menu. It sometimes offers grill specials, and it is not too pricey.

Cuisine: European, mixed Address: 75 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 37 16 66 Price range: $$ Website: www.bochonok.kz Capital Music and Pub Restaurant For middle-aged partiers in search of a good time, you can’t do better than the Capital. Located in Astana’s spectacular new left bank, not far from Baiterek Tower, it has live music featuring popular Russian and international songs. You can also sing karaoke in the VIP room. The VIP room gets booked early on weekends, so call early if you want to sing with your friends.

Cuisine: European, Kazakh Address: 14 Tauelydzyk Street Phone: 8 (7172) 24 46 71 Price range: $$

Chilli Peppers No local atmosphere here! This is as Western frenetic as they come, which makes it a very popular pizza place for young people. The low prices and good value for portions don’t hurt either. The main room seats about 30 people, and it has a small VIP hall for 10. It’s conveniently located close to the Baiterek Tower, and they deliver as well.

Cuisine: Pizza, European, Italian Address: 33 Sarayshik Street Phone: 8 (7172) 50 37 73 Price range: $ East West A fascinating mix of 21st century sophisticated cuisine and 20th century caution in its décor, East West offers both general international and excellent Indian cuisine. The interior retains a pre-independence style. A must see if you are interested in Soviet décor. (I have been to this place two or three times but I never noticed it retains pre-independence style. And you want: because it does not. ;-) Please change that.

Cuisine: Indian, International Address: 2/2 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 24 40 34 Price range: $$ Egorkino Derevnya Located in Restaurant Alley, Egorkino Derevnya is a part of a hotel with the same name. It’s not cheap, but you can get good Russian food here, usually much better than you would find in many parts of Russia. It has excellent meat and very good salads, as well as fish, like sturgeon. Since it opened, this restaurant has maintained a high standard of cuisine. It has two floors and a garden area with a Russian-village theme and heavy wooden doors. It is open from 12:00 to midnight.

Epoch

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 66

Cuisine: Russian

9/12/11 11:19:09 AM

67 Address: 33 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 21 81 Price range: $$$ Epoch Anyone who misses the Cold War or still loves old John Le Carre novels has to make a stop here. Epoch has a décor evocative of the Soviet Union – and revels in it. Old Russian-made cars are parked inside and out. This is a great theme restaurant with public and private rooms, depicting Soviet-era flags and icons. Some areas have glass floors with memorabilia underneath. The food is bold and innovative, and the menu includes whole-cooked fresh fish, goose and rabbit, all at reasonable prices. It’s a great place to party with live music and dancing on the weekends. A very good value.

Cuisine: European, Kazakh, Russian Address: 9 Valikhanov Street Phone: 8 (7172) 21 01 57 Price range: $$ Europe-Asia Good, solid value and quality food, neither too cheap nor too expensive, with a solid selection of European and Kazakh dishes.

Cuisine: European, Kazakh Address: 30 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 62 87 43 Price range: $$ Farkhi/ Ali Baba With its big yurt-shaped building, this place is great fun, and the perfect place to bring kids. Everyone loves the Ali Baba, located just off the big curve of the Yessil Embankment. Serving traditional Kazakh

and Uzbek food, with excellent service, it is over-the-top festive nomad in style and décor with the waiting staff in traditional costumes. Kids can play in the lavish indoor playground, which Walt Disney couldn’t have done any better. The garden terrace is popular in summer, with fountains and private cabins. Business people and food lovers fly up from Almaty to savor the fantastic food. It’s known to get busy, especially on weekends. Try their chebureks (a pastry with meat inside); warm and fresh, they are spectacular. It’s a little pricey here, but well worth it. No trip to Astana is complete until you’ve dined there.

Cuisine: Caucasian, Kazakh, Middle Eastern Address: 3 Bukeykhan Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 04 06 Price range: $$$ French Brasserie Capri Located in the Radisson Hotel alongside the Yessil River, this is another one of the best restaurants in Central Asia. Cuisine is limited in scope and there is no ethnic taste to it. But if you fly in straight from Cannes, you’ll feel right at home. The Mediterranean cuisine is outstanding. This is also one of the prime locales for sophisticated partiers on a Friday night. Expensive, but worth every tenge.

Cuisine: Mediterranean Address: 4 Sary Arka Avenue, Radisson Hotel Phone: 8 (7172) 99 00 00 Price range: $$$ Fusion Another five-star location for the social set and the hard partiers, Fusion combines traditional world cuisines, and is a classy, top-level restaurant right above the Fashion night club. One unusual feature is that the restaurant sports three main rooms with a different ethnic menu in each (American Steak House, Italian Grill and Japanese), so select your preference before sitting down. The Japanese room is particularly interesting with small wooden bridges over “rivers” of small white stones, surrounded by a wall of glass. The VIP-Fusion room has extra-comfortable furniture and a large plasma TV screen as well as karaoke. Free Wi-Fi.

Cuisine: American, Italian, Japanese Address: 4B Mailina Street Phone: 8 (7172) 22 27 77 Price range: $$

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 67

Shymkent: Good Kazakh Comfort Food Shymkent may not be the most elaborately decorated restaurant in Astana, but what it lacks in décor it more than makes up for in good, cheap food. Locals discovered it long ago because of the consistent quality of its fare and its bargain prices. Shymkent, which is in a small shopping center at 7 Imanov near Respublika, offers Kazakh food, but in some ways its menu is like an American diner’s. It has several stews consisting of lamb or other meat and vegetables, and it has lots of chicken dishes. In fact, Shymkent has one of the biggest menus you’ll find for a bargain-basement place. Almost every entrée is less than 1,000 tenge. An exception is a rib eye steak for 1,200 tenge that’s large and delicious. Shymkent is also one of the few restaurants in Astana – other than those at hotels – that offers breakfast at 8 a.m. So think about it if you want something to eat before starting work early. Breakfast treats your wallet even better than lunch or dinner. Two eggs, sausage and coffee cost 550 tenge, for example. The only noteworthy part of Shymkent’s décor is several large fish tanks with exotic species. They mesmerize the many children that come to the restaurant with their parents. So if you want a romantic dinner, try La Riviere. But if you want good eats at a good price, Shymkent is the place.

Grilliage Restaurant As the name indicates, this is a refuge for carnivores, not vegetarians, and it offers a wide range of reasonably priced grills in the local, European and Russian styles. Russian cuisine in grilling meat, when done well, is excellent and unique, not to be missed.

Cuisine: European, Kazakh, Russian Address: 1 Zhenis Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 52 22 Price range: $$ Il Patio and Planet Sushi This is part of a chain of Italian-Japanese restaurants, which means you get reliability and predictability. Il Patio was the first restaurant with a nice salad bar in Kazakhstan, and offers good pizza, pasta and other Italian favorites, and it has a great dessert menu. At all Il Patio locations, you can order sushi on the pizza side, or pizza on the Planet Sushi side, or mix it up. They play background Italian music in Il Patio and Japanese music in Planet Sushi. Il Patio-Planet Sushi remains one of the most popular choices

for takeout and delivery across Kazakhstan.

Cuisine: Pizza, Italian Address: 24 Turan Avenue (Saryarka Shopping Center) and 10 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 79 22 03 Price range: $$ Jet Set One of the oldest “new” restaurants in Astana, Jet Set opened after the city became the new capital. Reliable European cuisine served in the median price bracket.

Cuisine: European Address: 2/1 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 24 29 04 Price range: $$ Kausar Restaurant Well worth exploring, Kausar offers European and Kazakh food prepared according to Halal standards and very-reasonably priced. This restaurant is far from the new city centre, so be ready for a drive.

Cuisine: Halal Address: 5th Microdistrict, 20/1 Phone: 8 (7172) 34 34 70 Price range: $

9/12/11 11:19:10 AM

68 Kishlak Kishlak is another super-comfortable Uzbek spot with a really interesting interior, with streams running inside and raised platforms and comfortable cushions. The waiting staff is dressed in Uzbek national garb. The lagman is popular, and comes in clay pots. This place is packed with business people for lunch, but is kind of a party spot during weekends.

Cuisine: Uzbek, European Address: 22/2 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue, Kruglaya Ploshad Phone: 8 (7172) 974 161 or 974 142 Hours: Daily, 12:00 pm to 2:00 am Price range: $ Korean House A part of Restaurant Alley. There are now a lot of South Koreans working

at any one time in Kazakhstan, not to mention the fact that there are a lot of people who simply adore Korean food, so this restaurant does a healthy amount of business. It also offers a good introduction to Korean cuisine. The restaurant says its chefs have been trained by great masters from South Korea, and the service is excellent.

Cuisine: Korean Address: 19/1 Sary Arka Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 20 99 Price range: $$

Regine’s

La Riviere One of the most expensive restaurants in Astana, but worth every penny: Exclusive atmosphere, exquisite food. It has a cigar room and two VIP-halls – one seating 12 people, and another small one

Everest Restaurant: One of Astana’s Unique Dining Experiences There aren’t many places you can eat on the deck of an old river boat or inside an old Soviet Airliner – and certainly not beside a shimmering pond in the heart of the capital. But that is exactly what the Everest Restaurant offers – unique experiences and country-style dining in the midst of the city. The owners created the pond a few years ago, then erected open-air gazebos along its shores. Most customers eat in the round pavilions in spring, summer and early fall, enjoying the breeze off the water and watching fish rise in the early evening. The gazebos are a treat, but Everest offers other unique dining venues. One is the deck of an old river-cruise boat that’s docked at the lake. You can also eat inside an old Soviet airliner that sits on a podium at the water’s edge. The airliner is closed at the moment for renovation, but will reopen to diners later this year. Everest’s owners removed the airliner’s seats and installed tables. When the airliner is ready to serve you again, if you have kids, be warned: They will hound you until you agree to eat in the plane. Everest’s food consists of hearty Kazakh and Russian basics. The shashlyk is excellent - succulent and fresh. The vegetables in the salads are also fresh, particularly the tomatoes and cucumbers. It’s a good bet that they come directly from a nearby farm. The restaurant is part of the Everest hotel complex at 7 Furmanov Street near Sembinov Street. It’s on the right bank but not in the city center – so a lot of taxi drivers don’t know where it is. That means you’ll have to be persistent in getting there. But it’s worth the effort for one of Astana’s most unique dining experiences.

for 4 – while a live pianist provides atmosphere. The only stipulation for the dress code is “no sportswear”. La Riviere also has a children’s menu, a nice fireplace and you can also order Kalyan.

Cuisine: French Address: 2 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue (near Quay Park) Phone: 8 (7172) 24 22 60 Price range: $$$ Line Brew This is another dining place that looks like a medieval castle from the outside (actually built in a transformed old water tower). But there’s a very cozy atmosphere inside with an open spit-grill where you can watch the meat cooking. This restaurant offers a wide range of shish kebabs. It’s popular among foreigners, yet quite pricey. Line Brew has some of the best steaks and barbecue in Kazakhstan, which are often cooked over open flame. It also has great fondue and has extensive wine list. This is also a place known for its selection of beer. It salads are made artfully. You can see some live music here, but it is not overwhelmingly loud.

Cuisine: European, Caucasian Address: 20 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 23 63 73 Price range: $$$ Medved This is a very Russian style restaurant with rustic décor. Gazprom executives may not dine here but you could easily imagine they would.

Cuisine: Russian Address: 46 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 21 28 75 Price range: $$ Melnica “The Windmill” Located in Restaurant Alley,

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 68

Melnica offers traditional Ukrainian country home-cooked style food. Decorated like a traditional Ukrainian farm house, in the summer the garden is used to grow vegetables, including tomatoes, corn, pumpkins and herbs. Tables and private dining areas are scattered about the garden among the vegetables. The maître d’ is well known as a character in the Astana restaurant world. When you leave, you get a small bag of sunflower seeds.

Cuisine: Ukrainian Address: 31 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 21 68 Price range: $$ Muller If good German sausages and a beer are what you’re looking for then Muller is the place for you. The venue is separated into two main hall providing live jazz and serving a variety of European and German staples. A relaxed atmosphere, Muller is a great place for lazy weekend afternoons over a beer and a snack whilst enjoying some sporting favorites on giant TV screens.

Music: wallpaper music, jazz, alive Cuisine: German & European Address: 12/1 Gabdulina Phone: 7(7172) 41 19 30, 41 19 32 Opening hours: Mon.-Fri: 11am-midnight, Sat:11am-2am Average price: $ Pivovaroff If you’re feeling cold or blue, this is the place to come to replenish your soul with traditionally hearty German food and beer. The restaurant is decorated in a traditional German country atmosphere, but the music is livelier. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy live Jazz and Blues. On weekdays there is an all-you-

9/12/11 11:19:10 AM

69 can-eat buffet.

Cuisine: German Address: 1 Beibitshilik Avenue Phone: 8 (7212) 41 15 62 Price: $$ Portofino This high-end establishment is considered one of the top Italian restaurants in Astana. It also diversifies with great confidence into the vastly different Japanese cuisine as well. Located in Restaurant Alley.

Cuisine: Italian, Japanese Address: 27 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 20 34 Price range: $$$ Princess Turandot Reasonably-priced and a magnet for visiting Chinese businessmen and engineers, the Princess Turandot chain is famous for offering large portions of very good Chinese food. Princess Turandot first opened in Almaty at the Auezov Theater in 1998, and because of its high valuefor-money, it is also one of the most popular take-out restaurants. Everything is prepared by skilled chefs from China. Located on the Right Bank of the Yessil River.

Cuisine: Chinese Address: 40 Sary Arka Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 23 70 55 Price range: $$ Regine’s Located across the street from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the same building as Jimmy’z, Regine’s caters to an older clientele. Its atmosphere is formal and conducive to business lunches and dinners. It’s the perfect place to impress your guests and negotiate a contract. This is a good place to dress up a bit for the occasion.

Cuisine: French, European, Kazakh Address: Astanalyk Business Centre, Left Bank Phone: 8 (7172) 50 21 33 Price range: $$ Samovar Samovar is another place with two locations that are very popular with locals. The layout gives you a bit of privacy, as it’s divided into small sections with curtains covering the booths. It serves up home-cooked style traditional Russian food. It has quite a selection of soups, meats and blini, while Compote is always available. It’s often packed for lunch.

Cuisine: Russian Traditional

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 69

Café Star: Great Italian, Continental Cuisine in a Unique Atmosphere By Teri Barner Italian pasta lovers will relish Astana’s Café Star, which imports most of its ingredients from the old country and Germany. Chef Svetlana Olenburger has been perfecting her Italian-cuisine preparation skills for 20 years, since she graduated from a three-year culinary school in Astana. Manager Yerzhan Zhussupov has visited restaurants and wineries in Europe and other countries to gather the secrets necessary to give Café Star customers an exquisite dining experience. Café Star isn’t just a pasta-specialty place, however. It offers a full array of meat – thick beefsteaks, chicken and fish – plus incredible salads and homemade desserts. The pleasure diners experience at the restaurant, however, extends beyond the taste buds. The eatery has plush furnishings, magnificent chandeliers and luxurious touches such as fresh-cut flowers at every table, potted plants from exotic locations such as Ecuador and photos of celebrities. And violet lighting casts a glow that sets the restaurant’s unique mood. One of the two Kazakh friends who opened the restaurant created the design, Zhussupov said. She had impeccable credentials, having graduated from the design school of the renowned Sorbonne in Paris. In addition to the décor, American jazz as well as soft British and French tunes help create a relaxed atmosphere that’s conducive to eating. Although the cafe bills itself as a continental-cuisine emporium, the Italian dishes are what impress many of the diners. The proof that Café Star does the Italian dishes right is the many compliments it receives from Italians. A lot of clients are from the Italian and other European embassies and from the Italian Agip petroleum company. “Just a few days ago, we had a man come in from Milan,” Zhussupov said. “He tried the pasta and said it was great.” Café Star imports its pasta, parmesan cheese, tomato sauces and other ingredients from Italy. Mozzarella cheese and cream sauces come from Germany. The cafe’s grilled fish and fish with sauces – including salmon, sea bass and trout – have long been customer hits. And recently it added boiled-fish items for diet-conscious diners. Salad lovers should try the Symphony Caprice Salad, which features a long list of veggies in addition to lettuce, other leafy greens and tomatoes. Not surprisingly in a restaurant that boasts sumptuous Italian food, the most popular dessert is tiramisu. There’s also an out-of-this-world German cake with raisins and zuccotti. All of this is put together each day by the restaurant manager Zhussupov who is in his mid-20s and passionate about the restaurant business. He started learning the business by working in it as a high school student in Astana. He continued working in it as he picked up a history degree from Eurasian National University. And he gained additional knowledge about the business while studying English and working in restaurants in Chicago for 18 months. Before coming to Café Star, he was part of the famed culinary operation of the Rixos Hotel in Astana. A few years ago, Zhussupov decided to become a wine as well as food expert. He’s visited wineries in South Africa and Morocco to learn how wine is made and what makes a good vintage. “I would like to go to France or Italy to learn about wine,” he added, “but in the country sides of those countries, not so many people speak English.” He’s become such a wine expert through his readings, travels and tastings that many Café Star customers request his help in choosing wines. Zhussupov said he and the rest of the staff receive their inspiration from Gulnara, one of the owners, whose last name he declines to give because he said she’d be too shy. She pays loving attention to every detail, Zhussupov said. And she’s always quietly exhorting the staff to “do a great job – give the customers good food and good service.” Those who dine at Café Star can vouch that the Gulnara and the staff usually succeed.

9/12/11 11:19:11 AM

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 70

9/12/11 11:19:12 AM

71 Venice Located in the Sine Tempore shopping mall, Venice is one of the oldest restaurants in “new” Astana. Fantastic pizza, as one might surmise from the name.

Cuisine: Italian Address: 9 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 75 39 06 Price range: $$ Zhybek Zholy

Tiflis Address: 22/2 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue, Kruglaya Ploshad, as well as 24 Kenessary Street (near the Sine Tempore Shopping Mall) Phone: 8 (7172) 974 171 Hours: Daily, 12:00 pm to 2:00 am Satti This is good restaurant with good portions of delicious food, and they also feature special entertainment programs. The centre of the restaurant is beautifully decorated like an opera stage, and offers excellent acoustics for entertainers who sing both traditional Kazakh and popular international ballads. A host introduces the entertainment, which includes comedy and music. It serves breakfast, as well as a business lunch for 1,700 tenge, and offers a separate children’s menu. With good service, it’s a strong choice for holding special banquets. It seats 350 people, and has a VIPhall for 30.

Thank God It’s Friday (T.G.I. Friday’s) If you are from the United States, feeling homesick or cultureshocked, then this is the place to come. Predictable chain restaurant fare and not that cheap, but you’ll always get what you expect. Places like this are good for bumping into foreign friends, and it’s also very popular with local Kazakhs. The menu is very close to the American version.

Cuisine: Mexican, Italian Address: 5 Beibitshilik Street Phone: 8 (7172) 39 01 21 Price range: $$

Cuisine: Kazakh, European, Eastern and Chinese Address: 102 Abay Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 21 05 07, 8 (7172) 21 66 56 Hours: 11.00 am - 03.00 am Price range: $$

Tiflis Georgia is known as the “Italy of the Caucus,” although Georgian cuisine is little known outside the former Soviet Union. But is has always been famous for its hearty opulence. Tiflis is a good place to discover it.

Cuisine: Georgian Address: 14 Imanova Street Phone: 8 (7172) 22 12 26 Price range: $$

Sbarro

Tre Kronor

If you’ve eaten in one of these in any airport in the United States, you know what you’re going to get. Far from haute cuisine, but honest Italian staples, competently-cooked and reasonably priced. Sbarro is a quick place to get an inexpensive meal, and is situated in the Mega Centre shopping mall.

This traditional brewery/restaurant/ pub serves up northern European cuisine in a romantic setting that the 19th century poets would have loved. Located in Restaurant Alley, you can’t miss it: It looks like a Scandinavian traditional house from the outside. Very expensive, but nonetheless, a popular lunch and weekend spot. Also a good choice for doing business.

064-071_LIST_RESTAURANTS.indd 71

Vaquero Anyone dreaming of char-broiled, Latin American style grill will not be disappointed by this authentic replication of Latino fare – simply muy bueno!

Cuisine: American Address: 10 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 79 30 30 Price range: $$

Cuisine: Kazakh, International Address: 32 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 24 28 48 Price range: $$$

Cuisine: Pizza and pasta Address: 1 Kurgaldzhinskoe Highway (Mega Centre) Phone: 8 (7172) 79 14 97 Price range: $

Phone: 8 (7172) 40 20 50 Price range: $$$

Description: This lively establishment is a testament to Astana’s rising taste for diverse Asian cuisine. While the overall menu includes traditional Kazakh and European fare, it clearly caters to Chinese and other mainland Asian palates. You can also rack up some billiards before or after your meal, and on select nights, your ears will be treated to themed live music. All told, the place most certainly has the stuff for a full night out.

Cuisine: European Address: 17 Sary Arka Avenue

9/12/11 11:19:14 AM

072_AD_PROMOTEL.indd 1

9/12/11 7:43:20 PM

Arts & Culture

Has Sanat art gallery

stana is a city on the rise – literally and figuratively. Its stunning modern architecture is rising from the vast Asian steppe as its international reputation as a center of regional trade and politics grows along side. The same is true of the city’s arts culture. The venues and the art you will find here reflect the history of Kazakhstan while pushing the boundaries of what came before. Among the most stunning examples is Astana’s new Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall. This 3,500 seat hall sits inside a stunning turquoise blue building of swirling lines and changing vistas designed by Manfredi Nicoletti following an international design competition. It’s one of the largest halls of its kind in the world and is the setting for frequent performances ranging from visiting opera troupes to traditional Kazakh music. Also reflecting Astana’s cutting edge arts culture is the city’s Modern Art Gallery. The gallery is located in the now iconic Palace of Peace and Harmony, often referred to as the Pyramid. This open-style granite and

073-077_LIST_Art_Culture.indd 73

glazed glass pyramid was designed by renowned British architecture firm Foster and Partners and opened in 2006 to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. It’s a site to see in and of itself and its central point marks the exact center of the city. But the pyramid is also home to multiple art galleries where you can see the works of modern Kazakh painters such as K.V. Mullashev, Akanaev and Begalin. The main gallery includes more than 100 paintings and 19 sculptures. More traditional arts can be found in the Maxim Gorky Russian Drama Theater. This theater was founded in 1899 and is one of the largest and most popular drama theaters in Central Asia. It regularly presents performances of William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Anton Chekhov, Nikolai Gogol and others. Whether it is a taste of traditional performance, a glimpse into the mind of modern Kazakh artists or appreciation of the architecture of the art venues themselves, Astana offers a unique arts culture in the heart of the Asian Steppe.

9/12/11 11:28:27 AM

74 American Corners and Cultural Centres in Kazakhstan Description: The long-awaited “American Corner” has been launched at the National Academic Library in Astana, and it’s a gold mine for anyone, of any age, who is interested in practicing English and learning about the United States. You’ll find English-language collections of American fiction, and reference books on U.S. government, history, and culture. Visitors also can learn more via Internet access, audio recordings, and American films and documentaries. For English teachers, extensive materials and English-teaching curriculums are on hand. The centre also hosts myriad events and clubs for children and adults. Among them are a discussion & debate club, music club, reading club, movie viewing club, and Kids’ Hour. Also featured are local and U.S. guest lecturers dedicated to certain events. Regular Saturday events are: “Movie-nights” at 17.00; “Discussion Club” at 15.00; and “Reading club” at 16.00. Open to the public.

Address: The National Academic Library (near Baiterek) Phone: 8 (7172) 44 62 39 Hours: Tuesday-Friday 11:00 am – 08:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am – 06:00 pm; closed on Mondays and the last Friday of every month. Website: www.amcorners.kz Alzhir Memorial Museum of Victims of Political Repressions and Totalitarianism Description: On May the 31st, 2007, the Alzhir Museum opened at the location of the former Akmolinsky camp of “Wives of the traitors of the

Motherland.” It memorializes the tragic events of Soviet rule, including the dark times of the 1930s – 1950s. The year 2007 was chosen as the museum’s opening date for its meaning to Kazakhstan and former Soviet countries. It was the 90th anniversary of the October Revolution and the 70th anniversary of the beginnings of the “mass political terror.” During this period 100,000 civilians innocent lost their lives. In Kazakhstan, every May 31st is a day of remembrance for the victims. The memorial complex is a moving experience with many exhibits. English language tours and translations are provided.

Address: Kurgalzhin Highway, 37 km from Astana in village Malinovka Phone: 8 (7172) 49 94 55, 8 (7172) 54 26 69 Hours: 10:00 am – 06:00 pm Website: www.alzhir.ucoz.kz Atameken: A Walking Map of Kazakhstan Description: Don’t have time to travel through all of Kazakhstan? Then stroll through the “Atameken,” a 1.7 hectare, outdoor map you can walk through that essentially is an outdoor museum feting the country’s history, culture and development. See miniaturizations of every Kazakh city, including famous buildings, cultural icons, markets, and mountains – even the famous Cosmodrome in Baikonur. Beautifully landscaped, this unique “ethnopark” reportedly is one of only 20 such exhibitions in the world.

Address: 6 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 24 04 97, 8 (7172) 24 52 72 Hours: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm Opened from the May till November

Dramatic performance

Has Sanat Gallery Description: The Has Sanat Gallery has works of well known artists and emerging talent. The core of its collection is paintings of local Kazakh artists, including A. Sadykhanov, A. Akanayev and E. Tolepbay. The gallery also hosts traveling exhibits of work from Kazakhstan and abroad.

Address: 47 Abai Avenue and 14 Kunaev Street (Nursaya-1 residential complex) Phone: 8 (7172) 39 12 68, 8 (7172) 97 85 44 Website: www.hassanat.kz Kulanshi Modern Art Center Description: The Kulanshi Center has a collection that includes European masters such as Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.

Address: 57 Tauelsizdik Street, Palace of Peace and Harmony (6th floor) Phone: 8 (7172) 74 47 17 Hours: Mon. – Fri. : 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Sat.: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Modern Art Gallery Description: This gallery of art, located in the Palace of Peace and Harmony, is the place to see the work of modern Kazakh painters. It is divided into several galleries of different colors. The main gallery is yellow and has 100 paintings and 19 sculptures. Here you can see works of modern Kazakh painters, such as K. V. Mullashev, Akanaev and Begalin.

Address: 57 Tauelsizdik Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 70 03 83 Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (Closed Mondays) Shezhyre Gallery Description: This gallery exhibits the work of local and foreign artists.

Presidential Cultural Center

Address: 57 Tauelsizdik Street, Palace of Peace and Harmony Phone: 8 (7172) 74 47 27

The Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall Description: The Kazakhstan Concert Hall has two main auditoriums, one for film and another for the performing arts, such as concerts and ballet performances. The film theater can seat up to 3500 people. The concert hall has a wide orchestra pit, and back stage for theater, ballet and modern or classical concerts.

Address: 10/1 Orynbor Street Phones: 8 (7172) 70 53 02 The Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Description: This museum is located in the president’s former residence and offers a unique insight into the birth of a nation and its progress through time. The exhibits reveal the most important stages in the formation of an independent Kazakhstan and talks about the life and work of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The interiors are intact and the museum collection of over 60,000 items includes souvenirs, books, archival manuscripts, printed materials, film and documentary photographs, works of fine and decorative arts, weapons, personal belongings and documents offered by the president.

Address: 11 Beibitshilik Street Phones: 8 (7172) 75 12 14/92 The Museum of Modern Art in Astana Description: Originally named the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Modern Art was established in 1980. It started with a collection of 500 works of art, which has grown over the last 30 years to 3,000 pieces. Currently, the collection includes

073-077_LIST_Art_Culture.indd 74

9/12/11 11:28:27 AM

Has Sanat art gallery The Has Sanat is one of Astana’s leading modern art galleries showcasing both the country’s leading established artists and its most promising young emerging talents. It also displays regular exhibitions of works by international artists. The Has Sanat gallery collection includes works in different genres ranging from Socialist Realism to Avant-garde. It also organizes tours of exhibitions by Kazakh artists in major international centres such as London, Moscow, Amsterdam, Istanbul and Seoul. In a short period of time, the Has Sanat has established an impressive reputation as a leading institution for encouraging, popularizing and providing international recognition for a talented new generation of Kazakh artists. The gallery has already organized more than 50 exhibitions, including shows featuring the work of eminent international artists such as Nina Zur from Austria, Yos Van Beik and Yan Peter Obhezdan from The Netherlands, Rasim Michael from Spain and many others. The gallery is located at 47 Abai Avenue and 14 Kunaev Street (Nursaya-1 residential complex). For information on the latest showings, call +7 (7172) 39 12 68 or +7 (7172) 97 85 44. You can also visit the gallery’s website at www.hassanat.kz.

073-077_LIST_Art_Culture.indd 75

9/12/11 11:28:29 AM

76 works by artists from Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Tajikistan and other CIS countries.

Address: 3 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 21 54 33 Website: www.msi-astana.kz The National Theater of Opera and Ballet Named after Kulyash Baiseitova Description: Located near the railway station, this theater is an example late 19th Century architecture. It has gone through a major renovation, and now holds large and small concert halls, a restaurant and practice rooms. The theater focuses on producing a repertoire of Kazakh musical and cultural performances. World-class talent has been invited to perform classic opera classics, including “The Wedding of Figaro,” “Chio-chio-san,” “La Traviata” and “Eugene Onegin” among others. The National Theater of Opera and Ballet has received recognition for its quality productions in Kazakhstan and abroad. The concert hall is small, but has good acoustics and seats

slightly more than 300 people.

The Palace of Independence Description: The Palace of Independence is used for official state functions, including forums, meetings and conventions. It includes the Gallery of applied art and ethnography, archeology and anthropology, a modern art Gallery, the Museum of City History of Astana. It also has two theaters; one is a 4D Cinema and the other a theater in 360 degrees. The Palace also includes an electronic library and a model gallery.

Address: 52 Manas Street Phones: 8 (7172) 70 03 80/95/89 Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (Closed Mondays) Website: http://tauelsizdik.kz The Presidential Center of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan Description: The Presidential Center of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan is conveniently located at the edge of the Right Bank, and

Upcoming Events S eptember 1 4 : Miss Kazakhstan Beauty Pageant Address: 10/2 Orynbor Street, Central Concert Hall “Kazakhstan” Phone: 8 (7172) 70 52 56. S eptember 1 6 : Gala Concert of the International Festival Song “Menin Kazakhstanym” (My Kazakhstan). Concert dedicated to the memory of Shamshy Kaldayakov. Address: 10/2 Orynbor Street, Central Concert Hall “Kazakhstan” Phone: 8 (7172) 70 52 56. S eptember 1 8 : Denis Mazuyev & Co. Jazz Concert. Address: 10/2 Orynbor Street, Central Concert Hall “Kazakhstan” Phone: +7 7172 70 52 56. S eptember 2 7 - 2 9 : Astana Leisure Time 8th International Tourist Exhibition. Address: 3 Dostyk Street, Korme exhibition complex, Left Bank of the Yessil River. Phone: +7 7172 52 43 43, +7 7172 52 43 21. O ctober 2 0 - 2 3 : Fashion Industry 11th Kazakhstan International Exhibition. Address: 3 Dostyk Street, Korme exhibition complex, Left Bank of the Yessil River. Phone: +7 7172 52 43 43, +7 7172 52 43 21. N ovember 1 2 - 1 3 : The Second Kazakhstan Tribal Festival. Address: Khan Shatyr mall

073-077_LIST_Art_Culture.indd 76

Comedic performance

Address: 10 Akzhaiyk Street Phones: 8 (7172) 39 27 60/61 Website: www.astana-anshlag.kz

is easily accessible from the Left Bank. The museum boasts 143,000 artifacts related to Kazakh archeology, ethnography, history, culture and arts. The “Kazakh Ethnography” collection captures the traditional lifestyles of the Kazakh people and gives visitors a closer understanding of Kazakhstan’s past and present. History comes alive in displays such as a Kazakh yurt, furniture, tableware, clothing, jewelry and many more items. The most striking and valuable exhibit is a bride’s headpiece (saukele) made in the beginning of the 19th century. One of the most interesting collections is of 135 musical instruments on loan from B.A. Sarybaev. The museum also has a library with a collection of more than 700,000 items stored in various media, and a collection of rare books dated between the 17th and the 20th centuries.

Address: 1 Respublika Avenue Phones: 8 (7172) 44 32 33/76 The Russian Drama Theater named after Maxim Gorky Description: Although Astana is a young capital, it is also old enough to have a theater founded in 1899. Today it is one of the largest and most popular drama theaters, not only in Astana, but in all of Central Asia. It puts on an amazing number of performances for adults and children, including classic works of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Gogol, Mrozhek and others.

Address: 11 Jeltoksan Street Phones: 8 (7172) 32 40 53 8 (7172) 32 05 70, 8 (7172) 32 24 49

The Saken Seifullin Museum Description: Saken Seifullin was a pioneer of modern Kazakh literature, poet and writer, and national activist. He penned controversial literature calling for greater independence of Kazakhs from Soviet and Russian power, and paid for it with his life. Deemed a “threat to the society” and a “nationalist,” Seifullin was executed in Almaty, in 1939. Today he is considered one of the most influential Kazakh thinkers of the 21st century, a major contributor to Kazakh culture and literature, and a martyr for freedom. The fascinating museum memorializes his works, but also serves as a research center. Opened in 1988, it’s now called one of the “historical and spiritual centres of Kazakhstan.”

Address: 20A Ayezov Street Phone: 8 (7172)323563 Fax: 8 (7172) 32 84 67 Hours: 10am-6pm The Zhastar Palace This is a popular place for leisure activities – a concentration of the social and entertaining life of the city – and the building is a historical and architectural monument. The four-story structure building was designed to meld into one, such large complexes as an auditorium and gymnasium. After the reconstruction in 2001, the facades were redecorated with modern materials. Visually stunning, presently more than 1,000 children and adolescents are engaged in creative work here.

Address: 34 Republic Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 32 80 91

9/12/11 11:28:30 AM

Astana Aquarium Offers Deep Sea Wonders in the Heart of Eurasia By Colin Berlyne Where can you explore the mysteries of the deep sea thousands of miles from any of the great oceans of the world? In Astana, of course! Cross the Yessil River to Astana’s new left bank government district and you’ll find the city’s stunning new Aquarium in the center of it all across from the Mega entertainment and shopping complex. Kazakhstan’s capital is the last place you’d expect to find a significant display of maritime life, but there it is: Astana’s Aquarium is not only the largest in Kazakhstan or Central Asia, it’s also one of the largest and most modern in the 12 former Soviet republics that comprise the Commonwealth of Independent States. It is also the only aquarium, or oceanarium, in the world located more than 3,000 kilometers from an ocean. Containing three million liters of water, the structure is home to more than 100 aquatic species with more than 2,000 specimens on display. The collection features aquatic animals from around the world. Some come from as close as Astana’s own Yessil River. Others are imported from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Fleets of fabulous stingrays, catfish, sea serpents, starfish, West Indian kingfish, sharks, anemone fish and seals inhabit the aquarium. It also features 12 species, including sturgeon, white carp, pike, sterlet, bream and others that are native to Kazakhstan. The aquarium has aquatic tanks constructed from 7 centimeter acrylic glass and is equipped

073-077_LIST_Art_Culture.indd 77

with a 70-meter long moving walkway that transports passengers in front of 11 display tanks and two large exhibition areas. Here you can see nurse sharks swim with stingrays and sea turtles in a floor-to-ceiling tank that lets spectators get close enough to count their teeth. And with the help of the guides and screens located throughout the facility, visitors learn about the natural history, biology and conservation status of the many species on display. A public shark feeding also occurs twice a day allowing visitors to see what indiscriminate diners these omnivorous masters of the sea still are. Aquarium management is a never-ending job and a constant struggle to keep things running smoothly. It requires knowledge about many subjects, from aquaculture to zoology. Back in 2003, when the aquarium first opened, there were few professionals in Kazakhstan with the experience to manage one. But current director Patima Matzhanova has proven equal to the challenge. Her hands-on experience and ability to rise to any challenge are a major reason the oceanarium has become one of the top attractions in the city. The Kazakh people are legendary traders and explorers across the green land oceans of the Eurasian steppe. But the spectacular scale and success of the Astana’s Aquarium shows that they can be equally at home displaying the giant predators and other wondrous creatures of the deep.

9/12/11 11:28:31 AM

Hotels

Rixos President

iscerning business and high-end pleasure travelers accustomed to luxury accommodations will feel right at home in the Kazakh capital. The Rixos President Hotel and new Beijing Palace Soluxe, located within walking distance to government and business centers, are among the city’s best. The 168-room Rixos Hotel offers a soaring lobby and firstclass conference and ballroom facilities. It’s also known for its luxurious spa, steam room and pool. The hotel offers the full complement of business services, renowned restaurants and 24-hour room service. The Beijing Palace Soluxe is a standout among Astana hotels. Its Chinese-influenced architecture soars above near-by buildings and can be seen from around the city. The 151-room Soluxe is home to one of the

078-080_LIST_Hotels.indd 78

city’s most luxurious spas and three fine restaurants. Among them is the unique Kazakhstan restaurant, which is on the 23rd floor and revolves to offer stunning views of the city and the steppe beyond. The High Bar, located on the 25th floor, also offers great views. And, in the height of luxury, the Soluxe offers presidential suites featuring two bedrooms, a study, a sauna and Jacuzzi, as well as separate quarters for security or assistants. Another quality hotel located a short taxi ride outside of the city center, but with outstanding views of the Yessil River, is the five-star Radisson Hotel. The Yessil River winds through the heart of the city and the Radisson is situated right on its bank. The Radisson offers all the amenities you would expect of a luxury business hotel and is located atop the

9/12/11 11:46:02 AM

79 Chocolate nightclub, one of the most popular in the city. Club Chocolate also features a large, couch-filled outdoor seating area which catches breezes off the river. Smaller hotels, such as the King and Ramada, are scattered throughout the city and longer term corporate rentals can be found at www. astana-apartments.com. Abay Hotel H H H Address: 33,Republic Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 33 01 00 Email: 330414@mail.ru Akku Hotel H H H Address: 22,Ryskulova Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 41 99 E-mail: akky@inbox.ru Altyn Dala Hotel H H H H Address: 6 Bigeldinova Street Phone: 8(7172) 32 33 11, 8(7172) 32 77 49 E-mail: altyn_dala@mail.ru Astana Art Hotel H H H H Address: 42,Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8(7172) 30 20 20 E-mail: artastana@inbox.ru, artastana@gmail.com Astana Park Hotel H H H H Address: 2 Saryarka Street Phone: 8 (7172) 55 63 33 Website: www.astana-park.kz

Duman Hotel H H H H Address: 2A Kurgalzhin Road Phone: 8 (7172) 79 15 00 Everest Hotel H H H Address: 7/1,Furmanova Street Phone: 8 (7172) 34 74 75 Email: hotel@everest.kz Grand Park Esil H H H H Address: 8 Beibitshilik Phone: 8 (7172) 591901 Website: www.grandparkesil.kz Imperia G Hotel H H H H Address: 63 Abay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 40 55 01 Website: www.imperia-g.kz Kaspiy Astana Hotel H H H Address: 9 Takha Husien Street Phone: 8 (7172) 22 43 54 Website: www.kaspii.kz Katon-Karagay Hotel H H Address: 18 Kuyshi Dina Street Phone: 8 (7172) 40 06 33

Comfort Hotel Astana H H H Address: 60 Kosmonavtov Street Phone: 8 (7172) 24 44 44 Website: http://www.comforthotel.kz

King Hotel Astana H H H H Address: 7 Valikhanova Street Phone: 8 (7172) 70 57 05 Website: www.kinghotelastana.com

Daniyar Hotel H H H Address: 11 Tauelsizdik Phone: 8 (7172) 35 02 15

Lakki Hotel H H H Address: 32/3,Abylay Han Avenue Phone: 8(7172) 34 49 63 Email: complexlakki@mail.ru, Website: www.lakki.kz

Diplomat Hotel H H H H Address: 29/1, D. Kunaev Street Phone: 8 (7172) 55 00 01 Website: www.diplomathotel.kz

Lion Hotel H H H Address: 57,Moscovskaya Street

King Hotel is Astana’s Home for World-Class Athletes By Teri Barner Astana’s King Hotel has developed a unique niche in the capital city’s hotel marketplace: Handling elite athletes. That’s thanks to February’s Asian Winter Games and the housing of contestants in the Junior World Boxing Championships in July. The hotel’s unique services run from providing athletes with dozens of training rooms to preparing special foods to installing a scoreboard to give real-time competition results. Spokeswoman Rabiga Nurbay said the 2-year-old hotel, whose 475 rooms make it the largest in Kazakhstan, accommodated all of the athletes taking part in the Astana segment of the Asian Winter Games. When coaches, trainers and others were included, the hotel handled 710 team members during the games, which were split between Astana and Almaty. The size of the contingent and their athletic needs required the King Hotel to buy 270 extra beds and set aside 38 rooms for training facilities, including medical and massage services. Feeding the athletes was a huge challenge as well, said the hotel’s food and beverage manager, Svetlana Kryvonosova. The sheer number of meals was daunting – several thousand a day. In addition, “all countries have different food requirements,” Kryvonosova said. Each team sent those requirements to the Asian Games organizers, who passed them on to the hotel management. The hotel also had to let the athletes know how many calories they were consuming at each meal. “Some athletes need to gain weight during competitions; some need to lose it,” Nurbay noted. Also needing to be fed were 100 volunteers – mostly university students – and dozens of government security personnel. Because the athletes wanted to know how their teammates and competitors were doing in the games’ events, the King Hotel also installed an electric scoreboard in its lobby to provide up-to-the-minute results. Athletes also go through a lot of clothes when they train and compete, and the hotel had to provide them daily laundry services. One circumstance the King Hotel faced during the Asian Winter Games required not only hospitality skills but diplomacy: keeping the North and South Korean athletic delegations apart. Kryvonosova said the two sides didn’t want to sit close to each other in the dining facilities, for example. In fact, each tried to eat when the other delegation wasn’t there. This summer’s junior boxing contingent was about half the size of the Asian Games group but still large enough to pose a challenge for the hotel – 400 athletes, coaches, trainers and others from 48 countries, Nurbay said. Though a relative rookie on the scene, the King Hotel is already developing a winning strategy for handling some of the city’s most demanding visitors.

078-080_LIST_Hotels.indd 79

9/12/11 11:46:04 AM

Abay Hotel Phone: 8 (7172) 39 46 20 Email: lion-hotel@mail.ru, Website: www.lion-hotel.kz

Tasty Touches at the Rixos Hotels in Astana and Almaty The renowned Rixos Hotel chain offers a luxurious and tasty welcome to Kazakhstan at its two locations in Astana and Almaty. In addition to the 24/7 room service, concierge services, luxury baths and modern air conditioning one would expect from luxury accommodations, both upscale hotels are known for their cuisines prepared by internationally trained chefs. Both hotels boast worldquality regional French cooking in their Brasseries, or casual, upscale French-style eateries. The Brasseries serve traditional dishes with modern touches. Both hotels also boast the most extensive French cheese selection in Kazakhstan. The cheeses are presented at your table and cover the culinary spectrum from fresh to mature and include cow, goat and sheep. This selection is also available in the atrium lobby bars of both hotels. Both Rixos hotels also feature haute cuisine themes during particular months. In October, both will celebrate Almaty’s international recognition as the City of Apples. The apple was first domesticated in the orchard region near modern day Almaty. The hotels will celebrate by presenting their guests with the best that can be made of apples, including freshly pressed juice, cidre French apple wine in a dry and a sweet version, calvados - brandy made from cidre, cocktails and long drinks, cakes and desserts. In November, both hotels will honor game – the leanest and healthiest of all meats. Diners will be able to choose from game dishes featuring deer, hare, wild duck, boar, quail and pheasant. When in Astana’s Rixos, ongoing food offerings include the L’Olivo Italian restaurant, previously the Safran, and the Irish Pub. The pub offers Guinness and Kilkenny served to the sounds of Ireland. And the specialties at the main restaurant in Astana include chilled (not frozen) fish flown in fresh from Europe, whole, hand cut Parma ham and cold cuts, home flavored olive oils, and grappa. In addition to international cuisine and luxury rooms, both hotels offer upscale lounges with live jazz. Currently, the Rixos Astana is presenting soft jazz from the Philippines six nights a week in its Manila Lounge. Full spa, pool and fitness facilities and services are also available. And both hotels are equipped with state-of-the-art meeting and event facilities including simultaneous translation systems. The Astana Rixos is located at 7 Kunayev Street and can be reached at +7 7172 24 50 50. The Rixos in Almaty is located at 506/99 Seifullina Avenue with more information available at +7 727 300 33 00.

078-080_LIST_Hotels.indd 80

Oasis Inn Hotel H H H Address: 12a, Momyshuly Avenue Phone: 8(7172) 51 25 51 Email: reservation@oasisinn.kz, Website: www.oasisinn.kz Mukammal Hotel H H H H Address: 53/1 Pobeda Avenue Phones: 8 (7172) 30 29 06 8 (7172) 30 29 07 Website: www.mukammal.kz Prestige Hotel H H H Address: 1 Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 51 81 Radisson SAS Hotel H H H H H Address: 4 Sary Arka Street Phone: 8 (7172) 99 00 00 Website: www.astana.radissonsas.com Ramada Plaza Hotel H H H H H Address: 47 Abay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 39 10 00 Website: www.ramada.com Rixos President H H H H H Address: 7 B Kunayev Street Phone: 8 (7172) 24 50 50 Website: www.rixos.com Saryarka Hotel H H H Address: 36,Sembinov Street Phone: 8(7172) 34 66 75 Email: saryarka_1@mail.ru Tengri Hotel H H H Address: 1a, Vavilov Street Phone: 8 (7172)413838 Website: www.tengrihotel.kz Zhasamir Hotel H H H Address: 17 Kenesary Street Phones: 8 (7172) 32 30 95 8 (7172) 32 33 97 Website: www.jasamir.kz *Hotel star rating provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport

9/12/11 11:46:06 AM

ENERGY of CREATION

The main activities of the company are:

Geological exploration Uranium production Manufacture of nuclear fuel cycle products The electric energy sector

Production of construction materials

Social welfare

Training of personnel

Reactor construction, nuclear power plants Scientific support of production

National Atomic Company “Kazatomprom” JSC Republic of Kazakhstan, 168, Bogenbay Batyr St., Almaty 050012 F: Ò:

081_AD_KAZATOM.indd 1

9/12/11 7:44:53 PM

Fitness & Banya

itness routines are an integral part of many peoples’ lives both at home and while traveling. And Astana offers ample opportunity to keep your regime going while visiting the Kazakh capital. The city also offers a glimpse into Kazakhstan’ and the region’s unique Banya culture. LifeFitness, FitNation and World Class are among Astana’s most popular and well equipped fitness centers. A number of the city’s fitness facilities require long-term contracts, so you’ll want to call ahead to ensure that daily or weekly passes are available. Often hotels, such as the Duman Hotel, are your best opportunity to find well-equipped centers offering daily rates. Banya – which is a mix of Russian, Scandinavian and Turkish steam rooms and sauna as well as hot and cold pools – is popular all over Kazakhstan. Residents will spend long afternoons relaxing with friends in the spa-like atmosphere gently slapping each other with birch or oak

082-084_LIST_Fitness_Banya.indd 82

branches to improve skin health and often sharing cold draft beers. Business is often conducted in these friendly environments. Astana offers public and more upscale banyas (banya is a Russian word, while Kazakh word for a sauna is monsha) and memberships are not required. The most popular among locals is the large central banya, Keremet. Many Kazakh cities have what is referred to as the central banya and Keremet is Astana’s. Here you’ll not only rejuvenate your body but get a real taste of local Kazakh culture. Many banyas, such as those at the Duman Hotel and the Khan Shatyr, also offer hamam rooms featuring warm marble slabs on which you are scrubbed clean. Private banya rooms can also be rented. A typical banya visit usually costs between $20 and $30. So a visit to Astana affords not only the opportunity to improve your cultural knowledge and business’ bottom line, but to relax and improve your health in the process.

9/12/11 7:39:41 PM

Rixos President Daulet Type: Sports complex and tennis courts Description: The Daulet centre is the premier tennis complex in Kazakhstan. The training complex includes locker rooms, showers and three cafes, as well as a small hotel and sauna facilities. It boasts three stadium courts, which can seat 583, 1,201 and 2,686 spectators for tournaments. Six training courts, three of clay and three hard, are scheduled to open in December 2011.

Address: 6/3 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 44-56-24 Hours: 8:00 am-11:00 pm Emir Type: Banya Description: This banya is located in the Astana Park hotel. Services include a pool, a Jacuzzi and showers. The facilities also include a diningroom and a billiards room.

Address: 2 Sary Arka Avenue (Left Bank) Phone: 8 (7172) 55 63 33

Fitnation Network

Hours: Around the clock URL: http://astana-park.kz Fitnation Network Type: Fitness centre Description: The Fitnation club in Astana includes a gym, swimming pool, sparring room and studios for martial arts and fitness classes. Group classes include dancing, cycling, yoga and aerobics, among others. Finnish, Russian and Turkish saunas are available, and the spa offers massage, a sun deck and the services of a manicurist and cosmetician. Fitness programs for children are also available.

Address: 4/1 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 23 05 95 Hours: 7:00 am-11:00 pm URL: www.fitnation.kz Highvill Cultural and Community Centre Type: Fitness centre Description: The Highvill Cultural and Community Center includes a sports complex with a gym, running track and free weights, as well as a variety of exercise machines. Instructors are available for individual training, and clients can participate in a variety of exercise classes. The Center provides towels and slippers, and there are locker rooms and showers.

Address: 1, 23-21 Street Phone: 8 (7172) 51 32 69 Hours: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm Zhety Kazyna Type: Sauna complex Description: This sauna complex offers three styles of saunas: Coral,

Duman: Luxury Hotel Meets Luxury Spa Want to be kind to yourself? Feeling exhausted? Is it time for a makeover – or just for a relaxing dip in an Olympic-class pool? The Sports Club at the ultra-modern Duman Hotel complex is the place for you. You can’t miss the Duman – it’s sleek, futuristic gleaming steel skyline rises clear on the skyline on the South Bank of the Yessil River just past Astana Park and facing the Mega shopping and entertainment super mall. The Duman is a state-of-the-art hotel. But when you enter the main lobby, walk straight through past the bar and main lounge and the Sports Club entrance is on your left hand side. The Duman Sports Club does indeed boast an international-class swimming pool with wide range of aqua activities throughout the week. There are classes in aqua sports, water polo and swimming lessons for all ages and levels. The Sports Club, of course, has a first class gym with the full range of free weights and upper and lower body work out equipment. Full massage facilities are available too, with another separate massage center tucked away on the fourteenth floor of the hotel. The club also offers regular courses and instruction in yoga and even in belly-dancing. The Duman Sports Club also offers some of the best sauna facilities in the capital of Kazakhstan. You can opt for the Russian (wet) treatment or the more famous Finnish (dry) one. Either is a treat and you come out glowing. Traditional Turkish baths are also available. So you can literally “sweat out all the pores” with treatments from Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. After your work out in the gym, your stint in the sauna, yoga meditation, belly dancing class and a swim in the pool, treat yourself to a manicure before closing out the evening dining in the Duman’s excellent house restaurant.

082-084_LIST_Fitness_Banya.indd 83

9/12/11 7:39:43 PM

Keremet

Egyptian and Japanese. They also offer massage services, a spa and a VIP cottage.

Address: 18 Bogenbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 23 65 09 Hours: Around the clock Website: http://7kazyna.kz Keremet Type: Banya complex Description: This is the largest banya complex in Astana. It has separate areas for men and women with their own pools. The complex includes a Finnish sauna, massage rooms and a hydro-massage area. For those seeking more privacy, there are seven VIP saunas with their own pools. For other types of relaxation, the complex also offers a café with European and Asian dishes, a billiards room and a gym.

Address: 19 Turan Avenue (Left Bank, opposite Mega Centre) Phones: 8 (7172) 79 18 00 8 (7172) 79 18 03 Hours: 10:00 am-10:00 pm Life Fitness Astana Type: Fitness centre Description: Life Fitness offers all the services of a well equipped fitness centre, including a gym with a variety of exercise machines, a lap

082-084_LIST_Fitness_Banya.indd 84

pool, personal trainers, group classes and a children’s programme. For post-workout relaxation, the centre also offers two Russian baths with bathhouse services and an attendant masseur.

Address: 2 Turkestan Street Phone: 8 (7172) 79 73 73 Hours: Weekdays 7:00 am-12:00 am Weekends 9:00 am-12:00 am Website: www.life-fitness.kz Rixos President Type: Banya/Spa The Rixos is one of the finest hotels in Astana and its spa and fitness facilities follow suit. A large and luxurious swimming pool helps loosen the muscles and a state of the art sauna will help you achieve ultimate relaxation. The Rixos also offers the full complement of spa services including facials, massage and other body treatments. And if you prefer more vigorous exercise, the Rixos also offers the latest in fitness equipment. Address: 7 B Kunayev Street Phone: 8 (717) 241 38 38 Hours: 7am – midnight”

20 bowling lanes. It also has a small café, a billiards room and karaoke club for corporate parties.

Address: 38 Seifullin Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 67 70 8 (7172)32 67 68 Hours: 3:00 pm – 3:00 am World Class Type: Fitness centre and spa Description: World Class is the most high-class fitness centre in Astana. It is the number one network of clubs out of Russia, in the premium/luxury market. It is the only Russian company

to be considered one of the top 25 clubs in the world. It has a fully equipped gym, swimming pool and spa. It offers group fitness classes, including yoga and pilates, as well as personal training. The centre also has a café.

Address: 1 Pobeda Avenue (Next to the Radisson Hotel) Phone: 8 (7172) 39 13 69 8 (701) 222 90 90 Hours: Weekdays: 7:00 am - 12:00 am Weekends 9:00 am - 12:00 am URL: www.worldclass.kz

Rixos President

Sharoban Type: Entertainment centre Description: Sharoban is a largescale, modern entertainment center. It is listed here because it includes

9/12/11 7:39:44 PM

Night Clubs

on’t let the government bureaus and conservative business suits fool you. When the sun goes down Astana knows how to party. The city’s nightclub scene is pulsing with the young and beautiful and new venues are opening all the time. House, techno, light shows and the wee hours of the morning await. The first thing you want to remember going out in Astana is to be fashionably late. Nightclubs are essentially empty before midnight and many stay open until 4 am. So you’ve got plenty of time to make your entrance and give it your best shot. You’ll also need to dress and dress well. This isn’t a town of ironic fashion. Look good or you might not get in. But visitors are often given a pass on the dress code and once inside

085-087_LIST_NIGHTclubs.indd 85

the velvet rope, it’s a good time. The top clubs, such as Fashion, attract a rotating lineup of international DJs. Local mixers also have strong followings and know what their crowds want. The dance floors are packed until the early morning. Among the hottest clubs right now are The Chocolate Room, Azhur and Salvador Dali. The Chocolate Room is located along the Yessil River beside the Radisson Hotel and is one continuous show of grooving bodies and pulsing lights. Azhur was recently renovated to up its luxury quotient and is more relaxed than Chocolate. Salvador Dali is the newest club on the scene and is a land of incredibly high heels and short skirts. It’s where the beautiful people go. And, speaking of beautiful people, Go-Go dancers are part of the

9/12/11 11:54:24 AM

Salvador Dali: Hip and Relaxed Going out on a Saturday night shouldn’t be work. Yes, you want to hang out with beautiful people, listen to cutting edge music and enjoy a hip vibe. But you shouldn’t have to worry about wondering if you’re cool enough or look good enough to be there. Somehow, the new Salvador Dali nightclub in Astana manages to offer the best of both worlds: It’s a place you want to be, but manages to be cutting edge without being pretentious. Salvador Dali is a large, modern nightclub located a short taxi ride from the city center on Astana’s right bank. It’s located inside a former massive billiard hall that has been transformed into a sleek lounge with low slung leather seating and a multi-tiered stage home to go-go dancers, live music and a rotating mix of local and international DJs. It was opened in April by General Manager Aigul Teleubayeva and a silent partner. Teleubayeva has worked in and opened nightclubs for 17 years across Kazakhstan. She was brought to Astana in March by her partner for the sole purpose of launching Salvador Dali and her experience shows. She and her staff completed all of the labor and construction on the interior themselves. Currently, the nightclub consists of two large rooms. The first is the main club room with a large L-shaped bar, the stage and comfortable seating lining the walls. And there is plenty of room to dance in clear view of the DJs and live bands. It also features a second, large “chill out” room with multiple private seating areas draped with silk curtains where you can

get away from the music and dancing to hang out and have a conversation with your new friends. The club’s name comes from the fact that Dali is such a renowned, extraordinary artist that Teleubayeva and her partner wanted a name that would match the grand scale and vibe they hope the club would acquire. Large Dali-esque images line one wall. The club also plans to open in September an upstairs area which will consist of an ultra-chic white room and an erotic-themed theater. In October, the downstairs chill out room will add a sushi bar enclosed in glass where you can watch chefs preparing your late night snacks. Musically, the club offers both live music and DJs. Live music with a rotating mix of bands playing Reggae and Rock’N’Roll classics is offered early in the evening, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Dance music starts after 1 a.m. and goes until whatever time the party ends. Teleubayeva likes to mix things up by offering local DJs as well as imported talent from England and elsewhere. The music is mainly progressive house and techno. The club also tries to schedule at least one unique event – such as a recent Miss Astana bikini contest – each weekend. But the real success of Salvador Dali is its friendly, laid-back vibe. Teleubayeva says she and her staff work hard to create an atmosphere where people want to be and where they feel comfortable. She wants Dali to stay on the cutting edge of Astana’s club scene, but without the false pretension and manufactured exclusivity that other clubs try to create. So far, they’re succeeding.

085-087_LIST_NIGHTclubs.indd 86

9/12/11 11:54:27 AM

87 nightclub scene. At some point, expect scantily clad women to get their groove on. Astana’s clubs also have surprisingly few cover charges – at least for visitors – but bring plenty of cash (tenge) just in case. So once you finish your meeting at the Government Bureau of This or That, wait a few hours, put on your best going-out shirt and enjoy the night.

Azhur Description: This club caters to the “luxury” niche, starting with its unique and stately interior design – an amalgamation of earth-tone, czarist décor with traditional nightclub neon and flash. An array of soft, spacious couches and chairs you’d want to sleep in flank the hardwood dance floor, and swooning draperies dress the padded and papered walls. Elegant chandeliers are suspended throughout, including above a ritzy, illuminated bar that features an exhaustive selection of spirits. That said, this is definitely a place you can dance and party at. The club often hosts varied theme parties, bringing in some of the top DJ talent from Russian and European, and also features full billiards facilities. Small but always popular, the club has a link with the Portofino Restaurant and is located in the same building. As you would expect given the description, don’t show up looking a slouch: Azhur is strict on dress code and face control.

Cuisine: Italian, Japanese Address: 27 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 20 34 Hours: 12:00 pm to last visitor Chocolate Located in the Radisson Hotel on the Right Bank of the river, Chocolate is considered one of the most upscale and hottest – some say the hottest – night clubs in the city, and is popular in particular with locals (especially Friday night). It has a large roster of regulars, and practices strict face control. It has lots of smart, beautiful people, who tend to come in groups. Chocolate is more like a lounge during the week and Sundays, with live jazz. But the party is on Friday and Saturday nights, with guest DJs from Russia, Europe or Almaty. You can sit at the bar, but to grab a table with its cozy furniture, be warned: it will set you back at least $500 per table. Guests at the Radisson should have no trouble getting in. The club is not very big and was recently renovated. Dress code is smart casual.

Cuisine: Japanese

085-087_LIST_NIGHTclubs.indd 87

Address: 2 Sary Arka Avenue Phone: 8 (701) 550 0017 Fashion Description: Fashion is one of Astana’s top nightclubs. With its big and bold dance floor, the club caters to the under-30 crowd via a number of rotating, big-name DJs. Highprofile international DJs mostly come from Russia, with a few from Western Europe. The club is also known for throwing inventive theme parties, and also hosts fashion shows and parties with wellchoreographed stage shows. The club is connected with Fusion, one of the top restaurants in Astana (see our review in restaurant listings), so you can eat at Fusion, and party your way into the night downstairs at Fashion – but it will definitely cost you. Fashion is considered an expensive club, so those on a budget beware. It has its own food menu, but portions are on the small side, and pricey.

Cuisine: Italian, American, Japanese Address: 4 Mailin Street

Phone: 8 (7172) 22 27 77 Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10:00 pm to last visitor Website: www.fusion.com.kz Jimmy’z Description: Jimmy’z, located on the 12th floor of the Astanalyk building across from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is part of an international showcase that includes 20 capital cities. The place oozes exclusivity when you walk through the door, offering a truly elegant, high-class atmosphere that is not as loud as many clubs. With its brand of inte-

Kazakh DJ Pushes Club Culture Boundaries Around the world, the best clubs have the best DJs. And Kazakhstan is no different. The uniquely situated country in the heart of Central Asia draws musical and cultural influences from Russia to the north, China to the East and from the traditional music of the region. These influences feed into the thriving DJ culture emerging in the country’s two major cities – Astana and Almaty. Among the rising DJs helping to create that culture is Astana native Nikita Filatov. “A part of Kazakh society really has an eye for music. They know what kind of music they want to listen to and who is making the music,” he says of Kazakh young people. Filatov, 20 years old, has wanted to be a DJ since he was a small child imitating American musicians Linkin Park on an old turn table with vinyl records at his grandmother’s house. After finishing school, he worked his way up the DJ ranks until a friend was able to give him a break and get him a shot at one of Astana’s mega clubs. That was three years ago and he’s been DJing at top clubs since. His club sets consist mainly of commercial house, mash-alley and bootleg mixes of familiar songs, he says. He also draws a bit from funk, disco and occasional vocalization to help set the mood. And he says it’s a must that he throws in a little European house as well. “Our audience is amazing and accepts only commercial house,” he said. Filatov’s primary influence currently is veteran British DJ Carl Cox who pushed the boundaries of hardcore and rave in Britain in the 1980s. Filatov says Kazakhstan definitely has a small, hardcore group of young people who know good music and want to hear it. But he says the country’s DJ culture is just starting to get going. “We are late in developing club culture … People don’t like to experiment and don’t understand lots of things… But, I believe that time and trends will change that,” Filatov said. To push those boundaries in Kazakhstan, Filatov’s next project is an album of experimental music. Much of the album is already finished, he said. Either way, Filatov believes that Kazakh DJ club culture is ready to take off and he wants to be a part of that. “The best thing is that you make a contribution to developing the cultural club life of the country. With all my heart, I want to progress to the stage of Europe. It is good to see us advancing toward that.”

rior and existential class, Jimmy’z attracts an affluent and slightly older clientele, often including celebrities and politicians. The club features a cigar bar, karaoke lounge and dance hall, all supported by a phenomenal set of wine, liquor and fine cuisine. It used to be members-only, but is now open to the public. We need not warn you to dress for the place.

Cuisine: European, Kazakh, French

Khan Shatyr Beach Party

Address: Astanalyk Business centre Phone: 8 (7172) 50 20 33 8 (7172) 50 21 33 Hours: Around the clock

9/12/11 11:54:27 AM

Shopping

rench writer Victor Hugo once wrote of shopping that, “As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled.” And if you’re one who relates to that sentiment and loves a good day of shopping, Astana is the city for you. In Astana, shopping goes beyond just stores with the latest fashions and electronics. It’s an experience. The first place you’ll want to stop for that experience is the Khan Shatyr, opened with great fanfare in 2010. This three-story complex is billed as the world’s largest tent and includes everything from a wave pool to sauna to an amusement ride that drops you three stories from the top of the complex. And, of course, you can shop at dozens of stores on three levels that offer the hottest brands. The Khan Shatyr was designed as an indoor entertainment center for locals to enjoy during the city’s renowned sub-zero winters. But you can also enjoy it year round. Mega Mall is another of Astana’s large shopping experiences. Mega is

088-089_LIST_Shopping.indd 88

located in the heart of the city and is a great place for both kids and discerning adult shoppers. Adults will find dozens of shops on multiple levels offering international name brands from familiar outlets. Kids will love the in-door “Babylon” entertainment center which offers arcades games, racing cars, pin ball machines and 3D battle simulations. More hardcore shoppers will want to head to the Sary Arka or Sine Tempore centers where the emphasis is on shopping rather than entertainment. Sine Tempore is Astana’s oldest shopping center and features the city’s most expensive and prestigious boutiques. You won’t find a multiplex or entertainment center at Sine Tempore. Just quality shopping. And if you’re looking to pick up a souvenir for the family, try Empire Casa, which features exclusively-designed Kazakh-related items. Regardless of what you are looking for, in Astana you can shop to your heart’s content.

9/12/11 11:58:46 AM

89 Asia Park Description: This mall and entertainment center is spacious (45,000 sq. meters), up to date, has a 5-theater multiplex and a fabulous entertainment center for the kids. With 168 shops in the galleria, there are plenty of shopping opportunities. It boasts a fully-equipped Fitness First club and offers convenient middleclass shopping in a safe and friendly atmosphere.

Address: 24 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phones: 8 (7172) 97 87 67 8 (7172) 97 86 00 Hours: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Website: www.asiapark.kz/gorod_astana Keruen Description: Located on the Left Bank this mall attracts the younger crowd. It includes a food court, restaurants, a full grocery store and shops. It is considered to have the best multiplex with seven movie theaters.

Address: 9 Dostyk Street Phone: 8 (7172) 79 55 20 8 (7172) 79 55 22 Hours: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Website: www.keruen.kz Khan Shatyr Description: The Khan Shatyr is the latest addition to the Astana shopping and entertainment scene. It has a unique design, like a large transparent tent, created to manage the extreme temperature range of

the Central Asian steppe. Described as an urban-scale indoor park, shopping and entertainment venue, the shopping is upscale and varied. This is one place not to miss while in Astana.

Asia Park Shopping Mall

Address: Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 73 47 68 Hours: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm Website: www.khanshatyr.com Mega Description: Mega is one of the first shopping malls in Astana and is still quite popular. (As part of a promotion, the mall received about 100,000 birthday wishes on stickers on the anniversary of its establishment.) Mega is shaped like a glass doughnut with a dome in the center instead of a hole. As with most malls in Astana, Mega is family oriented and has movie theaters, a food court and restaurants.

Address: Kurgaldzhinskoe Highway Phone: 8 (7172) 79 18 51 Hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm Website: http://astana.megacenter.kz Sary Arka Description: This mall is for the shopping aficionado. It focuses on shopping more than entertainment and has a wide variety of brand name shops and independent boutiques. Of course, it also has cinemas and an extensive food court. But keep in mind that its culture is shopping.

Address: 24 Turan Avenue Phones: 8 (7172) 51 56 06, 8 (7172) 51 55 99 Hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm Website: www.saryarka.com Sine Tempore Description: This is the oldest shopping center in the city and boats the most prestigious, and expensive, stores and boutiques. This mall is singular in that it does not have a multiplex cinema or entertainment center. The Venice Pizzeria on the premises, however, is quite popular. This mall is convenient to the Right Bank.

Address: 9 Beybitshilik Street Phone: 8 (7172) 75 38 07 Hours: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm

Empire Casa Description: This is the place to get high quality souvenirs of Kazakhstan. They have an exclusive range of products with original designs. Their products are perfect as corporate gifts or for weddings and other memorable occasions.

Address: 11 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue (Triumph Building, Section 2—for corporate clients) Phone: 8 (7172) 68 88 00 (corporate clients/office) Boutiques are also located in the Astana International Airport and the following malls: Mega, Keruen, Sine Tempore.

088-089_LIST_Shopping.indd 89

9/12/11 11:58:48 AM

Bars

Guns n’ Roses

good bar is like a good friend - comfortable, familiar and there when you need them. And Astana is a friendly place. Here you’ll be able to find a local joint to enjoy everything from Kazakh shashlyk and Russian Karaoke to French Fries and American Rhythm and Blues music. Bars in the Kazakh capital also differentiate themselves from nightclubs in that the bars don’t usually play techno or house and are more conducive to enjoying a cold pint and good conversation than all night dancing. Karaoke, however, remains a staple of the Astana bar scene and there are plenty of places to enjoy it. Among the favorites is the 8 Drops Music Club. 8 Drops has two locations in Astana offering Kazakh, Russian, American and European songs. They also encourage tables to compete with the crowd deciding which table sings best. It’s a good time. Orioke bar is another favorite place to

090-093_LIST_Bars.indd 90

test your pipes. They offer a huge variety of songs from the latest rap to traditional Kazakh folk. And, if you’re really bad, they’ll provide backup singers. Astana also offers a host of Emerald Isle themed pubs where you’ll always find quality Guinness on tap. Among the favorites are Sligo Irish Pub, Rixos Irish Bar and the nearly Irish, Chelsea English Pub. Or if you’re looking for an old fashioned American-style bar, head to Guns N’ Roses. This place is a favorite with expats and offers live Rock’n’Roll on weekends. Its walls are also lined with black and white photos of American movie and music icons. You’ll also be able to find a friendly game of pool or billiards at many of the city’s bars. Albion bar is popular and offers Russian billiards. So if you have a taste for draft beer, singing in public or beating your business partner in a game of billiards, you’ll have a good time in Astana.

9/12/11 8:19:14 PM

Sky Bar 8 Drops music club Description: 8 Drops is a karaoke club with two locations. The song list includes Russian, Kazakh, American and European numbers. 8 Drops holds competitions between tables. Those at the tables sing as teams, and the crowd votes for their favorite. The host eggs people on to jump in.

Address: 29 Abai Street and 6/4 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 46 70 18 Hours: 8:00 pm – 4:00 am Albion Description: This billiards bar has 12-foot pool tables or, if you’re in the mood for a challenge, Russian billiards.

Address: 6 Korgalzhinsky Highway Phone: 8 (7172) 79 69 90, 8 (7172) 79 69 91 Hours: 12:00 pm to last visitor Balkan

Phone: 8 (701) 517 38 86 Hours: 12:00 pm – 2:00 am Bar Boss Bar Boss is a sparkling new gathering spot in the Ak Kaiyn Hotel for Astana’s young, ambitious and upwardly mobile. It is beautifully designed with interesting colors and subdued lighting, many mirrors and comfortable furniture. Boss has three sections, each in a different dominant color. The crowd includes a lot of young local professionals, but expats are showing up as well. And you’ll want to dress casual but well. You can get away with jeans if you do it with style. Bar Boss DJs play a hip mix of modern dance, lounge and trance.

Address: 8/2 Ryskulbekov Street in the Ak Kaiyn Hotel Phone: 8 (7172) 29 00 90 Hours: Daily 4:00 pm – 4:00 am

Description: This recently opened venue, directly above the Che Guevera bar, offers rural Balkan cuisine. Since it’s new, only time will tell how Astana takes to it. But with its comfort and good food, we predict it will be popular in no time.

Beermac Bar (Khan Shatyr)

Address: 33A Respublika Avenue

Address: 37 Turan Avenue

Description: This newly opened, modern bar is a nice place to stop for a beer or snack while shopping in Astana’s largest mall. The menu includes a range of pastries and cookies.

Bar Boss Phone: 8 (7172) 73-47-68 (Khan Shatyr main number) Hours: 10:00 am- 11:00 pm Boulevard Grill Bar Description: This popular grill’s menu has European, Japanese and Caucasus meals. The Boulevard is across the street from Cafestar in the Singing Fountains alley near Baiterek Tower. It has 25 types of shashlyk (shish kebabs) and steaks. Customers can watch the cooks using an open fire, which not only adds to the taste, but also to the atmosphere. The bar has two levels with large plasma TVs and quiet background music.

Address: 14 Kunayev Street (Nursaya Residential complex) Phone: 8 (7172) 24 45 31, 8 (7172) 24 45 32 Hours: 10:00 am – 1:00 am Chelsea English Pub Description: Chelsea offers European and Chinese cuisine. Patrons can watch live sports on one of its large TVs. Its VIP room is terrific.

Address: 7 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 21 77 27 Hours: 12:00 pm to last visitor Cigar Bar-Radisson Astana Description: This bar has comfort-

able leather chairs that give it the feel of a traditional British study. It also has numerous TVs. There are all types of cigars, including Cubans, along with great coffee and service.

Address: 4 Sary Arka Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 99 00 00 Hours: 8:00 am – 4:00 am Comfort Hotel Astana Bar Description: This bar is popular partly because Kazakh celebrities often stay at the hotel. Patrons linger, hoping to run into one of them. The hotel is elegant, with a feel of old Europe.

Address: 60 Kosmonatov Street Phones: 8 (7172) 24 44 44 8 (7172) 24 54 44 Hours: Around the clock Website: www.comforthotel.kz Contrabass Description: This beer bar offers great shashlyk and live music.

Address: 25/3a Ablai Khan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 56 15 01 Hours: Mon – Tue 5:00 pm – 4:00 am Fri-Sat 5:00 pm – 5:00 am Graff Lounge Bar Graff is a relaxed lounge conducive to making connections and discussing deals. Part of the Astana Park

090-093_LIST_Bars.indd 91

9/12/11 8:19:15 PM

Graff lounge bar Hotel, Graff is quiet and discreet. Patrons can order from the big menu of the Chalet Restaurant. The venue includes a karaoke bar, VIP zones, saunas and billiards. It has no face control, but you’ll need to dress business or business casual. Graff has a more mature crowd than many bars – upper 20s and older. Its DJs play a mix of contemporary music.

Address: 2 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 55 63 33, 8 777 11534 25 Hours: Lounge bar on Friday and Saturday Daily 7:00 pm - 4:00 am Hotel and saunas – around the clock Website: http://www.astana-park.kz/ Guns n’ Roses Guns n’ Roses is an up-market Irish pub serving draft beer and ale. The house band, Silently Screaming, gets the crowd moving. Both expatriates and local professionals dig the music. You can spot any Guns n’ Roses in Kazakhstan easily because all have red British Telecom boxes outside their main entrances. Guns n’ Roses recently decided to add an on-location butcher. So its steaks should be some of the best in Astana.

Guns is a bit pricey. But you can find some of the pub grub you enjoy in the West at an affordable price.

Address: 11 Samal Microdistrict Phone: 8 (7172) 59 18 09 Hours: 11:00 am – 3:00 am Kazbar Description: This place used to be a nightclub, but was converted to a bar because neighbors complained about the noise. It quickly became popular in its new role. One attraction is its reasonably-priced steaks. Its restaurant is at street level, with the bar on top.

Address: 18 Mirzoyan Street Phone: 8 (7172) 92 88 49 Hours: 8:00 pm – 4:30 am (Tue-Sat) Restaurant - 11:00 am – 2:00 am Kega Sports Bar Description: This is a large venue full of big-screen TVs showing sports from across the globe. Popular among young people, it is linked to the Kega beer brand.

Why Not? Orioke

Q Night Bar

Description: In addition to having a name rhyming with karaoke, this venue is known for its huge song menu, ranging from Kazakh folk to rap. Have fun!

Description: The Q Night Bar follows a Kazakhstan tradition of some bars becoming nightclubs as evening wears on. It can be a lot of fun to watch the scene evolving from subdued to people dancing like crazy. Q Night caters to the young, with loud house music and flashing lights.

Address: 9 Aliyev Street Phones: 8 (7172) 34 20 59 8 (7172) 34 22 59 Hours: Mon – Tue 5:00 pm – 7 pm Fri – Sun 5:00 pm – 3:00 am

Rixos Irish Bar

Address: 11/1 Kuyshi Dina Street Phone: 8 (7172) 36 89 99 Hours: Mon- Tue 4:00 pm – 2:00 am Fri – Sat 4:00 pm – 4:00 am Sun 4:00 pm – 2:00 am Krushovitsa Description: You can enjoy live music and various types of shows at the Krushovitsa, as well as Czech food with your beer.

Address: 8 Abai Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 40 72 52 Hours: 12:00 pm – 1:00 am

090-093_LIST_Bars.indd 92

Prime Prime

Description: Mindal is a good place for meetings. You can do business at the same time you’re relaxing. Or you can celebrate a special event.

Description: This is one of the newest and biggest lounges in Astana. Its classy VIP room includes karaoke and a plasma TV. It also has a cigar room, a dance floor and a water pipe lounge. This is a midrange-priced bar, not terribly expensive, but not cheap, either.

Address: 25/1 Kuishi Dina Street Phone: 8 (7172) 41 08 11 Hours: Mon – Tue 2:00 pm – 3:00 am Fri – Sun 2:00 pm – 5:00 am

Address: 6 Kurgalzhinskiy Highway Phone: 8 (7172) 79 69 95, 8 (702) 338 21 13 Hours: Fri 6.00 pm – 4.00 am Sat 6:00 pm – 4:00 am

Mindal

Address: 10 Sagynak Street (Nomad Residential Complex) Phone: 8 (7172) 66 14 14 Hours: 6:00 pm – 3:00 am Description: Rixos’ Irish Bar is spacious and has a pool table and live music. Some of Kazakhstan’s hottest bands play there. In addition to songs that everyone’s heard of, the groups perform their own originals. The Rixos is Astana’s premium hotel, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the menu is a bit expensive. There are affordable items however. The bottled beers are cheaper than draft. Depending on what brand you choose, vodka and cognac can be reasonable. The Irish Bar is a hangout for those who have attended important events in Astana, such as the Astana Energy Forum. It often is the location of a post-event cocktail party. Many event-goers end up migrating to the Rixos after other parties. This means it can be a great place to make contacts. Don’t be surprised if you see well-known

9/12/11 8:19:16 PM

93 faces. The food is excellent. Snacks at the cocktail parties are tastier and the presentations better than at other venues that offer this service.

range of ethnic a food, including Italian, Russian, Uygur, Kazakh and Eastern.

Address: 7 Kunayev Street Phone: 8 (7172) 24 50 50 Hours: Around the clock

Address: 47 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 21 91 21 Hours: 12:00 pm – 1:00 am Sun 6:00 pm – 1:00 am

Sky Bar

Triumph pub

Description: Perched atop Asia Park, Sky Bar offers a panoramic view of Astana. Another unique feature is large screens showing continuous departures and arrivals at the airport. The bar is spacious and offers excellent service. Lounge music plays in the background, and you can hear well enough to have a conversation.

Address: 11 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue (residential complex Triumph Astana) Phone: 8 (7172) 68 91 04 Hours: 12:00 pm – 2:00 am

Address: Kabanbai Batyr Avenue (Asia Park shopping center) Phone: 8 (7172) 97 87 70 Hours: 12:00 pm – 1:00 am Sligo Irish pub Description: This is a two-level pub with an Irish and continental European menu, and Wi-Fi. You can catch live music here on Fridays and Saturdays.

Address: 45 Abai Avenue (close to the Ramada Hotel) Phone: 8 (7172) 39 01 82 Hours: Tuesday – Thursday: 1:00 pm – 3:00 am Friday-Saturday: 1:00 pm – 4:00 am Sunday – Monday: 1:00 pm – 2:00 am Stolichny Pub Description: Stolichny offers a wide

Graff lounge bar

090-093_LIST_Bars.indd 93

Description: A nice, quiet bar with background music. It has a VIP room and Wi-Fi.

Why Not? Bar Why Not? is a stylish lounge bar with a slick, minimalist interior where comfortable couches coax patrons into staying late into the evening. Many local and expat business people frequent Why Not?, so it’s a good a place to make contacts and have a good time. The bar is in the same building as the well-known Zhibek Zholy restaurant and its extensive menu includes selections from Zhibek Zholy. The bar is popular with a professional, mid-20s crowd and up. It has DJs pumping out lounge and house. The second floor is a smoking bar filled with the sweet smells of tobacco.

Address: 102 Abai Avenue (on the corner with Valikhanov Street) Phone: 8 (7172) 21 05 07, 8 (7172) 21 66 56 Hours: Daily 12:00 pm - 03:00 am daily

Guns ‘n Roses: Rock’n’Roll and Jolly Old England When your business takes you through Astana, don’t miss the drinks and taste of Old England, Ireland and Scotland at Guns ‘n Roses, one of the best Brit-style pubs in Astana. Guns offers a huge and surprisingly tasty menu of traditional British and American popular foods. The hamburgers and fries are as good as anything you would get around Piccadilly Circus or in Kansas City. And the fish and chips are excellent and on par with any English corner pub. The beer selection is also first rate. Ironically, there isn’t an English beer to be found in the joint. But there is a rich choice of continental brews including Heineken, Blanche de Bruxelles, Carlsberg, Efes Pilsner with the Irish represented by Guinness and Kilkenny. Irish and Scotch whiskies as well as single malts are also well represented. The pub is an ideal spot for a quiet lunch or afternoon drink with colleagues. And it has WiFi so you can catch up on work and email in a relaxing pub atmosphere. On weekend nights things liven up with live Rock’n’Roll music. You can even get a musical history lesson with the history of Rock music rendered on the back cover of the menu as a map of the London Underground. The menu also helpfully documents the earliest reference to a cocktail (in the United States in 1803) and the origin of hamburger (the Mongols kept a useful supply under their saddles when conquering the world.) Guns ‘n Roses is located on Respublika Avenue on the right bank near the bridge over the Yessil River. You can’t miss it. It’s in the same building as the Ramstor supermarket and there is a big red London-style telephone kiosk outside. The pub is part of a chain across Kazakhstan known for its signature red telephone boxes. For more information, call the bar at +7 (7172) 59 18 09.

9/12/11 8:19:17 PM

094_AD_KazMunaiGaz.indd 1

9/12/11 7:45:23 PM

Cafés & Coffee Houses

Café Star

stana’s coffee houses provide a warm, tasty respite from the region’s cold winters and a welcome bit of familiarity for the city’s visitors. And, in addition to classic cappuccinos and espressos, the city’s coffee houses and cafes can usually warm you up with a broad selection of liquors. One thing many visitors notice immediately is that Astana’s coffee house are way more than cafes. Many include full European, Kazakh or Asian menus, private VIP rooms, dining rooms and other amenities more associated with restaurants. Yet they are able to maintain the cozy, laid-back feel that makes you want to spend the afternoon casually checking email over a cappuccino or chatting with friends. La Bella is one of Astana’s oldest and most enjoyed coffee shops. It

095-099_LIST_CAFES.indd 95

offers plush, high-backed chairs into which you can sink for hours and a full menu of hookahs to enjoy over a long afternoon. In the warm weather, La Bella also offers traditional, private outdoor tents with low tables and pillows for lounging. Another unique coffee house is Books and Coffee, opened by a longtime American expat. The cafe offers shelves of books in Russian and English which patrons can check out like from a library. And the staff prepares scrumptious chocolate chip cookies and brownies on site. WiFi is just starting to reach many of the city’s cafes, so if you want to do some work you may want to call ahead. But like coffee houses everywhere, the cafes of Astana are meant for long afternoons of lounging, reading or warming up with friends over a cup of the familiar brown liquid.

9/12/11 8:55:10 PM

96 Relatively large and comfortable, government workers often frequent it at night. It also offers refreshing freshly-squeezed juices. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Address: 1 Magistralnii Street (by the Singing Fountains Square) Phone: 8 701 551 4897 Hours: Daily, 10am–2am Café Star Description: Some people would consider Café Star more of a restaurant than a café. But we will go with the name and call it a café, although a rather fancy one. The atmosphere here is high class, with photos of movie stars on the walls. While pricey for a café, the outstanding food is worth the price. A perfect choice for inviting guests to a pleasant evening with good food and wine.

Address: 13 Dostyk Street (Nursaya-2 Residential complex) Phone: 8 (7172) 79 54 12 Hours: 9:00 am until the last visitor leaves Caramel The “Rafe Coffee & Food” Bar Fontan A lot of people in Kazakhstan go to shopping malls just to have something to eat because of the wide selection usually present. For a small café in the middle of a shopping mall, Bar Fontan is surprisingly popular whatever time of the day you visit. Often packed with people, it is especially known for its delicious pizzas, but also has a full-Russian-style menu, nice salads, fresh juices, alcoholic drinks and some good cakes. Its coffee is pretty basic – Americano regular and cappuccino.

Address: Kenessary Street, Sine Tempore Shopping Mall, 1st Floor, Phone: 8 (7172) 753 906 Hours: Daily, 10:00 am–10:00 pm Bon Bon Description: Located near the Baiterek Tower, Bon Bon is well-known as a relatively inexpensive chain coffee house with properly-made Italian-style coffees. This is a great place to go after visiting Baiterek and the singing gardens. Kalyan (hookahs) are available, but only in the smoking section. The main room seats forty; and it has a 20seat VIP hall.

095-099_LIST_CAFES.indd 96

Address: 14/1 Tauelsyzdyk Street Phone: 8 (7172) 50 87 00 Hours: 10:00 pm - 1:00 am Sat – Sun: 10:00 - 2:00 Bukhara Description: This café offers a wide selection of European, Kazakh, Eastern, Caucasian and Asian dishes. It also has live music and shows. It comes complete with 25, 15, and 10-seat VIP halls available.

Address: 7, 3rd Microdistrict Phones: 8 (7172) 35 19 32 8 (7172) 36 57 32 Hours: 12:00 pm - 2:00 am Cafe La Description: This chain of cafes offers good coffee, tasty desserts and sandwiches.

Description: Located on the right bank of the river in the old town centre, Caramel is known for the designs the baristas draw on the cappuccino froth. It has a nice, homey atmosphere, and in addition to enjoying one of its delicious desserts, you can play a game of checkers or backgammon. A great place for an evening out with the family.

Address: 10A Imanov Street Phone: 8 (7172) 53 73 88 Hours: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm Coffe Nova Description: This new coffee house just opened in the heart of downtown Astana. It is not too large, and has a real intimate feel to it. Even though it is a relatively new addition, already you can find quite a few locals and guests spending the day

talking or working on laptop computers. Free Wi-Fi is provided.

Cuisine: European Address: 15 Sagynak Street Phone: 8 (7172) 79 52 55, 8 (7172) 56 69 34 Hours: 09:00 am – 12:00 am Price range: $ Coral Reef Café Description: The beauty of the marine world is on display at this uniquely decorated café. The interior was handcrafted by artists from northern Kazakhstan using clay and other materials. Children and adults alike will have tremendous fun eating and admiring the intricate designs on its walls.

Address: 171 Abay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 21 83 93 Hours: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am Corso Description: Located on the right bank of the river not far from Tiflis, the Corso coffee house bills itself as “A small part of Switzerland in Astana.” Comfortable and diminutive, it’s better for good conversation on a date or lunch, rather than with a big crowd. Corso is at its busiest during lunchtime and at night. It gets a decent crowd drinking cocktails and beer, and it can feel a bit more like a bar rather than café. Its cappuccinos are really good, and so are the cookies and cakes. It also serves a nice breakfast. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Address: 12 Imanov Street (between Respublika Avenue and Valikhanov Street) Phone: 8 (7172) 53 73 00, 22 12 49 Hours: 9:00 am – 1:00 am Demalys Complex Description: This café offers European and Eastern cuisine, including shashlyk (shish kebabs). This is a well-known place for hosting conferences and exhibitions.

Address: Central Park of Astana

Address: 9 Dostyk Street, Keruen and Sary Arka shopping centers, Astana International Airport Phone: 8 (7172) 79 55 73 Hours: Mon – Fri, 9:00 am – 1:00 am, Sat – Sun, 9:00 am – 2:00 am Café Marzipan Café Marzipan was Astana’s first café to open on the left bank of the Yessil River. It is popular for its light lunch menu, which includes different kinds of sandwiches.

Café Star

9/12/11 8:55:12 PM

97 Phone: 8 (7172) 32 80 29 Hours: 11:00 am – 2:00 am Éclair Description: Éclair is a new franchise, with branches in Almaty and Astana. It is the city’s first real French bakery. This is another spot with a real nice, elegant atmosphere (like a real French bakery), and you will probably find it ideal for treating someone to a business lunch. You can choose from a wide variety of cakes and desserts similar in texture and taste to what you can find in Europe. They also have good, simple sandwiches. Sandwich lovers will be happy to find the bread is nice and fresh as well as soft. The bread alone is a reason to come here, if you like it baked-fresh and piping hot. This is also a good place for takeouts, including coffee to go. Some of the things you probably want to try are their muffins, pies, cookies, croissants, rolls, cheesecakes, and tarts. This company is socially-conscious, and they deliver free pastries each Thursday and Saturday to poor and elderly older people in Astana.

Cuisine: French Address: 14 Kunayeva Street. Phone: 8 (7172) 50 83 85, 8 (7172) 50 83 81 Hours: 08:00 am - 12:00 am Price range: $ Website: www:éclair.kz Indiana Description: This is a nice café with large-screen plasma TVs and beer on tap. Sometimes they hold entertaining shows to accompany the tasty European and American food on the menu. There is no dress code, and you will see people in jeans, etc., capturing the down-toearth nature of the residents of the middle-American state Indiana the place is named after. Offering a business lunch for 1,000 tenge, it’s also a good place for take-outs as well. Check for their special promotions and get a regulars discount cards.

Address: 22 Sary Arka Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 34 63 Hours: 12:00 pm – 1:00 am Kvartal (Quarter) Description: This inexpensive, friendly café has live music (mostly traditional) to entertain its patrons. The main hall is spacious, seating up to 70 people, and VIP rooms are available. Offering European-style cuisine, you can get a decent business lunch here during weekdays

La Belle Coffee House: An Oasis of International Flavors The well-known Kazakh Shapran family had traveled the world. The father was a key player on Kazakhstan’s Olympic volleyball team and later coached the national volleyball team to numerous Olympic medals. The mother was a physician with international influences and a love of French culture. And the family had spent its early years living and working in Tunisia. It was those experiences that inspired the Shaprans to open Astana’s first coffee house seven years ago. “We wanted to open something new, something that would attract people from all over the world,” said Slava Shapran, son of the volleyball coach and marketing/promotions manager for the La Belle Coffee House. Today, La Belle is an oasis of international flavors tucked into a quiet corner of apartments and hotels just meters from the right bank of the Yessil River. Its unique interior and outdoor, tree-filled dastarkhan -style seating provide a relaxing respite from the bustle of the city. But being the first at something is never easy. And seven years ago Astana was very different than it is today. It was just starting to emerge as a true capital and none of the hotels and luxury apartments that now surround the coffee house even existed when they opened. So the Shaprans not only had to offer quality coffees but also demonstrate what a real international coffee house should be. “Nothing was here. The government was making great investment in Astana. But it was (still) like a small countryside town,” Shapran said. “It was a risk (to open the coffee shop) because (the public) didn’t know what existed beyond espresso and cappuccino.” To help change that, the Shaprans imported a professional barista, or coffee maker, from Russia who had almost a decade of experience making and selling coffee. It took more than two years before the public began to appreciate what a true international coffee house could offer. “People come here not just to drink coffee. It is a culture,” Shapran said. But the public did catch on and today La Belle offers more than 60 styles of coffees in more than 120 flavors. They specialize in Columbian Arabica and roast the beans on site. They also offer roughly 70 styles of teas in various flavors and feature a full selection of alcohols. The food menu is equally diverse and goes beyond what you would expect for a coffee house. La Belle’s extensive menu features salads, soups, full meat and fish entrees and a host of desserts. It also offers low cholesterol dishes and other light fare for the health conscious. And the menus are offered in English, Russian and Kazakh. The emphasis for both the coffee selections and fusion-style food menu is to incorporate flavors from around the world. The goal is to serve not only Astana’s residents, but the international business and government visitors who come to Astana and are accustomed to the flavors and service of Europe and elsewhere. La Belle’s interior is equally diverse. It’s divided into three rooms. The main room features sets of deep and unusually high-backed chairs that offer a sense of privacy and comfort. It’s a great space to meet with friends or spend hours utilizing the cafe’s free WiFi. A side room adjacent to the outdoors with large windows is light and airy and designed like a Parisian cafe. And a third room is styled like a Moroccan fantasy with rich colors, flowing curtains and big, tapestry cushions. The cafe also offers wonderful outdoor seating. Individual curtain-lined tents with low tables and comfortable cushions are tucked into a garden filled with leafy shade trees. And just like they did seven years ago, the family continues to push the envelope. They have built an addition onto the coffee house that will open in October. The addition will help the coffee house focus more attention on the dinner and later evening crowds and will offer two private VIP rooms with Karaoke sound systems that can be rented for private parties. The cafe also remains a family affair with Slava and his sister Alexandra, La Belle Director, continuing to work in the day-to-day operations. Astana is now a bustling international capital with visitors from around the world who want a little taste of home. And La Belle is here to serve them. La Belle is located at Pobedy Avenue, building 3, just off the right bank of the Yessil River and a short walk from the Radisson Hotel. For more information, visit www.labelle.kz or call 8 (717) 244 55 88.

095-099_LIST_CAFES.indd 97

9/12/11 8:55:12 PM

98 Address: 15 Turan Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 90 10 33 Hours: 10:00 am – last visitor News Café Description: A diverse menu and accommodating feel makes this a great place to grab a meal any time of day. You can pick and choose from a variety of European, Eastern and Russian cuisine.

La Belle Coffee House

Address: 34 12th Street, Diplomat Complex Phone: 8 (7172) 50 35 67 Hours: 10:00 am – 2:00 am Fri – Sun 11:00 am – 3:00 am Oasis

for a low 500 tenge. It also has secure parking.

Address: 24, 3rd Microdistrict Phones: 8 (7172) 34 11 25 8 (7172) 21 44 90 Hours: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am Fri – Sat 12:00 – 2:00 am La Belle Description: Located in Old Town Astana, La Belle is usually crowded with young people. It has two main rooms with plasma TVs, and patrons can watch soccer and other sports. In the summer, they open their terrace area, which is complete with tents and comfortable pillows where customers can sit back, smoke flavored tobacco from a hookah and sip some drinks.

Address: 12 Irchenko Street Phone: 8 (7172) 23 06 00 Hours: 12:00 pm - 2:00 am Library Café Description: This is a great little café where you can get good Americanstyle coffee, tasty desserts and cocktails. Then you are welcome to kick back and read from their big selection of fiction and classics in three languages, including English. Wi- Fi is available. (See sidebar)

places in NYC; a very nice spinach quiche can be had too. Madlen is extremely comfortable and designed to be a great place to bring a small group of friends and just hang out. It is designed with nooks and nice couches so if you want, you can have some semi-privacy. Close to the Baiterek Tower, Madlen is often packed with young people and professionals working away on laptops. Make sure you try the freshly squeezed lemonade.

Address: 12/1 Tauelsyzdyk Street Phone: 8 (7172) 68 96 79 Hours: 10:00 am – 2:00 am Website: www.madlen.kz Mr. Coffee Description: This coffee house is well-known in the city for using only 100% organically grown Arabica beans, while the cakes and cookies are reputed to be the best in Astana. Patrons can also order sushi and request VIP rooms. It is right next to MEGA Centre, across the street from the Duman Hotel.

Description: While Oasis offers a nice fixed menu with very good European cuisine, the management also tries to keep its offerings fresh. They often run specials, so whenever you decide to visit, it’s possible you can try something you’ve never had before, or get a nice discount on one of your favorite items.

Address: 7 Respublika Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 21 44 90 Hours: 11:00 am – 1:00 am Pizza City This American-style pizza joint is one of the most popular pizza spots in Astana. It has a steady stream of loyal and stylish clientele, partially due to its huge pizzas and its famous pasta. Lots of people come here during late hours for a bite. It has an interesting design with a dark red interior, and comfortable sofas mixed with hard metal tables you might see at many pizza parlors in big U.S. cities. They also have good breakfasts, and their croissants are a big hit.

Address: 17 Imanov Street (between Respublika Avenue and Valikhanov Street) Phone: 8 (7172) 20 09 65 Hours: Daily, 8:00 am–2:00 am Red & White Description: Red & White is open 24 hours a day and offers a mixture of European and Eastern cuisine. You can shoot a few games of pool, or catch live bands in the evening. The main room seats 90 and a VIP hall for up to 12 people is available. It’s also a popular spot when Astana defrosts, with a comfortable outdoor summer area.

Address: 2, 4th Microdistrict Phone: 8 (7172) 34 10 58 Hours: 6:00 pm – 4:00 am Redford Description: This moderately-priced café seats up to 45 people in its two main rooms, one smoking, one non-smoking. You usually find people dressed relatively casual here. It has a VIP room with 20 seats, and a separate nonsmoking room. The traditional fare includes European cuisine and shish kebabs, with both shashlyk and other kebabs, and features a 1,000 tenge business lunch. They also offer draft beers and pies to order. Not only is Redford good for take-outs, they also deliver. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Address: 43 Kenessary Street Phone: 8 (7172) 32 82 36 Hours: 12:00 pm – 1:00 am Shambala Description: Shambala has an Indian/Tibetan design, and was recently expanded to three floors with a dance floor, live music, and 30-seat VIP hall. Moderately priced,

Address: 61/1 Kenessary Street Phones: 8 (7172) 20 08 01 8 (702) 6822877 Hours: Tue – Fri 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm Sat 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Sun 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Closed on Mondays) Madlen Description: This coffee house chain (Shymkent, Almaty, and Astana) is not only well known for its baked goods and tasty pastries – including cakes, pies and tarts – but also for pizza, burgers and sandwiches. The Greek souvlaki, both chicken and beef, is just about as good as many

095-099_LIST_CAFES.indd 98

Old Fashion café

9/12/11 8:55:13 PM

Mr. Coffee: Don’t Let The Name Fool You Despite Mr. Coffee’s less than exciting moniker, this eatery is one of Astana’s most upscale and popular coffee lounges and restaurants. A trendy, plush interior surrounds you as you settle in to pursue Mr. Coffee’s surprisingly large European, Kazakh and Japanese menu. A full sushi selection is available and the restaurant is well-known for its cakes and cookies. It is also known for using only 100 percent organically grown Arabica beans. But Mr. Coffee is more than just upscale java and cuisine. The restaurant also offers VIP rooms, Karaoke, WiFi and live piano and Spanish guitar music. Mr. Coffee is located next to the MEGA shopping Center across from the Duman Hotel along Turan Avenue. For more information call 8 (7172) 90 10 33.

News Café the cuisine is a mix of Kazakh, European and Tibetan. It serves a good business lunch for 900 tenge, and stays open 24-hours a day.

Address: 30 Republic Avenue Phone: +7(7172) 33 32 2 The "Rafe Coffee & Food" Coffee house Description: This is a very friendly, intimate cafe where you can really relax and forget about work and worry. Popular with Astana residents and visitors alike, Italian designers created the interior, and all materials were imported from Italy. You can choose between Turkish cuisine and some of the most delicately and artfully prepared Italian food you will find in Kazakhstan. If you are a pasta lover, this is the place for you. The servings are not huge, but they are delicious. In the Italian tradition, they treat each dish like a work of art. You can’t go wrong with the ravioli, the tortellini, or the beautifully done risotto. The lamb chops, the red fish, and the veal are also wonderful. The pizza is one of the best in the country and the calzone is the most authentic we have found. The chefs use all fresh and natural ingredients, with no preservatives, meaning salads are made the way they are supposed to be made – with green and ultracrisp lettuce, really flavorful plum tomatoes and real parmesan. Their coffee is also authentic and rich. A large banquet hall is available, and free Wi-Fi is provided.

Cuisine: Italian, Halal Turkish (but with a big emphasis on Italian). Rafe serves breakfast from 9am to 12pm

Address: 14 Tauelsizdik Street Phone: 8 (7172) 24 49 00 Hours: 08:00 am -12:00 pm Price range: $

095-099_LIST_CAFES.indd 99

9/12/11 8:55:16 PM

100

A L M A T Y

CITY

GUIDE

Arts & Culture

Hotels

Fitness & Banya

Bars

CafĂŠs & Coffee Houses

Restaurants

Nightclubs

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 100

Shopping

9/12/11 10:52:46 AM

101

Restaurants Price Key (per person): $ = 3000 tenge-6500 tenge $$ = 6500 tenge-9500 tenge $$$ = 9500 tenge-13,000 tenge

Bellagio Cuisine: Italian Address: 197 Gornaya Street, Road to Medeo Phone: +7 (727) 250 24 09 Hours: Daily noon-midnight www.bellagio.kz Price range: $$$

Teatralnoye Cuisine: International / French Address: 51A Zhambyl Street Phone: +7 (727) 272 87 77 Hours: Daily noon-12 am Price range: $$$

Dali Restaurant Cuisines: Mediterranean Address: Zhailyau Golf Resort, Kargaly District Phone: +7 (727) 277 76 21 Hours: Daily 10 am-midnight www.zgr.kz Price range: $$$

Schwabsky Domik Cuisine: European / German Address: 121 Abylai Khan Avenue Phone: +7 (727) 261 05 14 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$$

Kok-Tobe Cuisines: Kazakh Address: Kok Tobe Mountain Phone: +7 (727) 295 44 44 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$$

Naoro Cuisine: Fusion Address: 17 Abai Avenue (corner of Pushkin Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 291 11 45 Hours: Tues-Sat 7 pm-11 pm Price range: $$$

Thai Cuisines: Thai Address: 50 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Kurmangazy Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 291 01 90 Hours: Daily noon-11 pm Price range: $$$

The Grill Restaurant Cuisines: International / American Address: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 29/6 Satpaev Street, Bostandyk District Phone: +7 (727) 250 26 63 Hours: Daily noon-3 pm and 6 pmmidnight Price range: $$$

Boudoir Cuisine: Fusion Address: 134 Bogenbai Batyr Avenue (corner of Abylai Khan Avenue), Almaly District Phone: +7 (727) 272 55 55 Hours: Daily noon-2 am Price range: $$$ Alasha Cuisine: Uzbek Address: 20 Ospanov Street, Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 254 07 00 Hours: Daily noon-midnight www.alasha.kz Price range: $$ Sadu Concept Store Cuisine: Mediterranean Address: Mercur Town, 3/25 Samal (Furmanov Street), Samal Microdistrict Phone: +7 (727) 271 68 65 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$ Namedni Cuisine: Russian Address: 44 Furmanova Street (corner of Makatayev Street) Phone: +7 (727) 273 84 94 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$ Borgo Antico Cuisine: Italian

Address: 11/6 Iskendirov Street, Gornyi Gigant Phone: +7 (727) 293 51 51 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Alasha Price range: $$ Asian Wok Cuisine: Chinese / Indian Address: 248 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Kazhymukan Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 264 4812 Hours: Daily noon-11 pm Price range: $$ Porto Maltese Cuisine: Mediterranean Address: 109 Panfilov Street (corner of Gogol Street), Almaly District Phone: +7 (727) 273 21 78 Hours: Daily noon-11 pm Price range: $$ Primavera Cuisine: European /Japanese Fusion Address: Koktem Business Centre, 180 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Zholdasbekov Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 237 5087 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$ Avlabar Cuisine: Georgian Address: Tau Dastarkhan Family Resort, Ili Alatau National Park, Alma Arasan Gorge. Phone: +7 (727) 270 57 29 Hours: Daily 11 am-2 am www.tau-dastarkhan.kz Price range: $$

Safran Cuisine: Middle Eastern Address: 36 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Bogenbai Batyr Avenue), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 293 86 67 Hours: Mon-Sat noon-midnight, Sun 1 pm-midnight Price range: $$ Zhety Kazyna Cuisine: International Address: 58a Abylai Khan Avenue (entrance on Makatayev Street), Zhetisu District Phone: +7 (727) 273 25 87 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $$ Kishlak Cuisine: Central Asian Address: Seifullin Street Phone: +7 (727) 261 56 01 Hours: Daily noon-1 am Price range: $ Sumo San Cuisine: Japanese Address: 159 Baitursynuly Street, Bostandyk District Phone: +7 (727) 292 87 38 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $

Di Wang Cuisine: Japanese / Chinese Address: 75 Zhambyl Street (corner of Tchaikovskovo Street) Phone: +7 (727) 272 38 10 Hours: Daily noon-midnight www.diwang.kz Price range: $$ Bibliotheque Cuisine: European Address: 116 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Satpaev Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 262 61 22 Price range: $$

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 101

9/12/11 10:52:47 AM

102 State Museum of National Musical Instruments Address: 24 Zenkov Street Phone: 8 (727) 2916326 Hours: Tue-Sun: 10:00 am-5:30 pm Art&Shock Theatre Address: 49/68 Kunayev Street Phone: 8 (727) 2735282, 8 (727) 2735282 Website: www.artishock.kz

Kok-Tobe Pomodor Cuisines: Italian Address: 108 Panfilov Street (corner of Bogenbai Batyr Avenue), Almaly District Phone: +7 (727) 261 83 26 Hours: Mon-Sat noon-11:30 pm Price range: $ Korea House Cuisine: Korean Address: 2 Gogol Street, Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 293 96 87 Hours: daily, noon-midnight Price range: $ Piano Bar Mardi Gras Cuisine: International Address: Palladium Restaurant Complex, 275 Furmanov Street (corner of Al-Farabi Avenue), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 260 89 00 Hours: Mon-Fri noon-3 pm www.palladium.kz Price range: $ Namaste Cuisine: Indian Address: Baitursynov Street (corner of Satpaev Street), Bostandyk District Phone: +7 (727) 292 24 84 Hours: Daily 11 am-midnight Price range: $ Zontiki Cuisine: Japanese / Korean Address: 44 Kurmangazy Street (corner of Tulebaev Street), Medeu District

Phone: +7 (727) 272 6759 Hours: Daily 11 am-midnight Price range: $ Cooshy Sushi Cuisine: Sushi / Japanese Address: 41/15 Gogol Street (corner of Zenkov Street), Medeu District Phone: +7 (727) 273 84 62 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Price range: $

Arts & Culture Kasteyev State Museum of Arts Address: 30a Satpaev Street Phone: 8 (727) 2478356, 8 (727) 2478249 Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (closed on Mondays and last day of each month) Website: www.gmirk.kz Central State Museum Address: 44 Samal-1 Phone: 8 (727) 2644650, 8 (727) 2642200, 8 (727) 2645577 Hours: Wed-Mon: 10:00 am-6:00 pm Abai Kazakh State Opera and Ballet Theatre Address: 110 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 2727934, 8 (727) 2722042 Website: www.gatob.kz

Lermontov Russian Drama Theatre and Tengri Umay Arts Gallery Address: 43 Abai Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 2673131, 8 (727) 2673151, 8 (727) 2673145 Hours: Mon-Sat: 10:00 am-6:00 pm Website: www.tl.kz Deutsches Theater Almaty Address: 64D, Satpayev Street Phone: 8 (727) 3920234, 8 (727) 3920233 Website: www.dta.kz Arvest Art Gallery Address: 75/68 Bogenbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 2914797 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-8:00 pm Website: www.arvest.kz

Hotels Rixos Almaty H H H H H Address: 506/99 Seifullin Street Phone: 8 (727) 300 33 00 Website: www.rixos.com InterContinental Hotel H H H H H Address: 181 Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8 (727) 250 50 00 Website: www.ichotelsgroup.com Hyatt Regency Almaty H H H H H Address: 29/6 Satpayev Street Phone: 8 (727) 250 12 34 Website: www.hyatt.com Royal Tulip Almaty H H H H H Address: 401/2, M. Ospanov Street

Phone: 8 (727) 300 01 00 Website: www.royaltulipalmaty.com Dostyk Hotel H H H H H Address: 26 Kurmangazy Street Phone: 8 (727) 255 82 27 Website: http://www.dostyk.kz/en Shera Hotel H H H H Address: 281 Furmanov Street Phone: 8 (727) 313 75 75 Website: www.hotel-shera.kz Royal Palace Hotel H H H H Address: 178 Zhansugurov Street Phone: 8 (727) 380 79 12 Website: www.hotelrp.kz Ambassador Hotel H H H H Address: 121 Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8 (727) 250 89 89 Website: www.ambassadorhotel.kz Grand Hotel Tien Shan H H H H Address: 115 Bogenbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 244 96 00 Website: www.tienshan-hotels.com Holiday Inn H H H H Address: 2D Temiryazev Street Phone: 8 (727) 244 02 55 Website: www.holidayinn.com Kazakhstan Hotel H H H H Address: 52/2 Dostyk Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 291 91 01 Website: www.kazakhstanhotel.kz Kazzhol Hotel H H H H Address: Gogol Street 127/1, Almaly Phone: 8 (727) 250 89 44 Website: www.hotelkazzhol.kz Almaty Sapar Hotel H H H H Address: 177 Zhamakaev Street Phone: 8 (727) 246 88 66 Website: www.saparhotels.com Uyut Hotel H H H H Address 127/1 Gogol Street Phone: 8 (727) 279 55 11 Website: www.hotel-uyut.kz Voyage Hotel H H H H Address: Furmanov Street, 97a Phone: 8 (727) 272 22 77 Website: www.voyage-hotel.kz Grand Hotel Eurasia H H H H Address 9a Zholdasbekov Street Phone: 8 (727) 380 80 80 E-mail: eurasia_hotel@mail.ru Parasat Hotel & Residence H H H H Address: 10 Elebekov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 263 55 88, 8 (727) 263 55 99 E-mail: parasathotel@mail.ru Grand Hotel Aiser H H H H Address: 1 Pozharskiy Street

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 102

9/12/11 10:52:47 AM

103

Fitness & Banya World Class Fitness Center Type: Fitness Center Address: Mendygulov Street at Al-Farabi (between Furmanova and Dostyk) Phone: 8 (727) 250 6500, 8 (727) 250 91 15 Hours: Daily 7:00 am- midnight Website: www.worldclassfitnesscenter.net

Rixos Hotel Phone: 8 (727) 296 99 99 E-mail: info@grandaiserhotel.kz Astana Inter Hotel H H H H Address: 113 Baitursynov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 250 70 50, 8 (727) 250 10 60 E-mail: info@astana-hotel.com Hotel Premier Alatau H H H H Address: 105 Dostyk Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 258 11 11, 8 (727) 258 43 12 Website: www.alatau-hotel.kz Jeppesen Hotel H H H Address: 206B Gagarin Street Phone: 8 (727) 275 49 05 Website: www.aviaclub.kz Almaty Hotel H H H Address: 85 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 272 00 47 Website: www.hotel-alma-ata.com Hotel & Resort “Altyn Kargaly” H H H Address: 204 Zhandosov Street Phone: 8 (727) 250 08 28, 8 (727) 250 08 26 Website: www.altyn-kargaly.kz Gold Dragon Hotel H H H Address: 402 Seifullin Avenue Phone: 8(727) 279 71 59 E-mail: litule19907@hotmail.com Astra Hotel H H H Address: 12 Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8 (727) 246 86 88 Website: www.astra-hotel.kz Olympic Hotel H H H Address: 14 Sanatornaya Street Phone: 8 (727) 250 03 27, 8 (727) 299 02 44 Website: www.baganashil.kz

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 103

Rixos Royal SPA Type: Banya / Spa Address: 506/99 Seifullina Street Phone: 8 (727) 300 33 00, 8 (727) 300 33 33 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-midnight Website: www.rixos.com Luxor Type: Spa / Banya / Fitness Center Address: 341 Dostyk Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 2677 577 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-midnight Website: www.luxor.kz Alligator Club Type: Banya Address: 1B Kabanbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 261 05 22, 8 (702) 33 222 9 Hours: Daily 24 hours Arasan Banya Type: Banya Address:78 Tulebayeva Street, on the corner of Aiteke Bi Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 272 46 71, 8 (727) 272 46 72 Hours: Tue-Sun: 8:00 am-10:0 pm. Closed Monday Fitnation Type: Fitness Center / Banya Address: 15 Respubliki Street Phone: 8 (727) 295 29 39 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-11:00 pm E-mail: sales@fitnation.kz

of Tole Bi Yassayu Phone: 8 (727) 226-07-77, 8 (701) 744-98-97 Hours: Daily 24 hours Caesa’r Club Type: Banya Address: 212 Raymbek Avenue Phone: 8 (702) 222 99 90; 8 (727) 269 94 84; 8 (727) 269 94 93 Hours: Daily 24 hours Aprofit Type: Fitness Center Address: 132 Dostyk Avenue Phone: 8(727) 264 34 35, 8 (727) 264 55 48 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-11:00 pm Website: www.aprofit.kz Bella Type: Banya Address: 106A Gurileva Street Phone: 8 (727) 234-46-74, 8 (701) 335 88 38 Hours: Daily 24 hours FitCurves Type: Fitness Center / Spa Address: 15 Kaldayakov Street Phone: 8 (727) 390 60 90 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-11:00 pm Website: www.fitcurves.kz Teremok Type: Banya Address: 16 Adylova Street, Taugul-3 Microdistrict. Phone: 8 (727) 309 21 21, 309 20 20, 8 (705) 999 30 30 Hours: Daily 24 hours Barskye Zadvorki Type: Banya

Address: Dostyk Avenue on the corner of Marat Ospanov Street Phone: 8 (727) 260 45 04, 8 (701) 369 81 56 Hours: Daily 24 hours Website: www.vip-sauna.kz Anira Silk Way City Type: Fitness Center / Spa Address: 142 Dzherzinsky Street, on the corner of Zheltoksan Street Phone: 8 (727) 328-62-46 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-11:00 pm Website: www.anira.kz For Life Type: Banya Address: 208A Aimanov Street, on the corner of the Dzhandosov Street Phone: 8 (707) 333 88 84, 8 (705) 115 55 33 Hours: Daily 24 hours Car Banya Complex Type: Banya Address: 32 Rymzhanov Street, Kalkaman Microdistrict Phone: 8 (727) 393 90 94, 381 86 86, 8 (777) 809 88 33 Hours: Daily 24 hours Body Dance Type: Fitness Center / Spa Address: 47B Mynbayev Street on the corner of Auezov Street Phone: 8 (727) 375 39 92 Hours: Daily 7:00 am-11:00 pm Medved Type: Banya Address: 60 Makatayev Street, on the corner of Kunayev Street Phone: 8 (727) 297 00 00 Hours: Daily 24 hours Rixos Spa

Samal Fitness Center Type: Fitness / Banya Address: 91A Samal 2 Phone: 8 (727) 265 39 10 Hours: Daily 24 hours Website: www.samaldeluxe.kz Nordik Fitness Club Type: Fitness Club Address: Tsum building. Entrance from Zhibek Zholy, inside the glass door on the right. Phone: 8 (727) 273 78 84. Hours: Daily, except Sundays, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Website: www.banzai.kz Oazis Type: Banya Address: 176 Altyn Besik, on the corner

9/12/11 10:52:48 AM

104

Night Clubs

Avenue (corner of Masanchi Street), Almaly Disctrict Phone: 8 (701) 687 9587 , 8 (701) 687 9587 Hours: Lounge Thur-Sat: 8:00 pm-6:00 am. Nightclub Thur - Fri: 11:00 pm-6:00 am

Da Freak Cuisine: European, East Address: 40 Gogol Street, Panfilov Park, Medeu District Phone: 8 (727) 273 1337 8 (727) 273 1337 Hours: Fri-Sat: Midnight-6:00 am

Esperanza Cuisine: East, European, Kazkah, Turkish Address: 481 Seifullin Street (corner of Raiymbek Avenue), Zhetisu District Phone: 8 (727) 299 6699, 8 (727) 299 6699 Hours: Daily 10:00 pm-6:00 am

Gas Cuisine: European Address: 100 Seifullin Avenue (corner of Shevchenko), Almaly District Phone: 8 (727) 272 7474, 8 (727) 272 7474 Hours: Mon: 10:00 pm-6:00 am, Wed-Fri: 10:00 pm-7:00 am, Sat: 10:00 pm – 9:00 am. Closed Tuesdays.

Tornado Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese Address: Assorti Restaurant, 106G Dostyk Avenue (corner of Abai Avenue), Medeu District Phone: 8 (727) 263 3266, 8 (727) 263 3266 Hours: Fri -Sat: 11:00 am-5:00 pm

Petroleum Cuisine: European, East, Japanese Address: 100 Seifullin Avenue (corner of Shevchenko), Almaly District Phone: 8 (727) 272 7474, 8 (727) 272 7474 Hours: Daily 10:00 pm-6:00 am Cuba Cuisine: European, East Address: 102 Bogenbai Batyr Avenue (corner of Dostyk Avenue), Almaly District Phone: 8 (727) 291 2932, 8 (727) 291 2932, 8 (727)291 4310 Hours: 24 hours daily, live music Thur-Sat: at 10:00 pm Most Cuisine: European, East Address: 12 Kommunalnaya Street (corner of Seifullin Street), Zhetisu District Phone: 8(727) 233 0457, 8 (727) 233 0457 Hours: Fri -Sat: Midnight-9:00 am Website: www.most-club.kz Rai Cuisine: Japanese Address: Tselini Cinema, Kabanbai Batyr

Kenje

Bars Cinzano Address: 109b Dostyk Avenue (corner of Kazhymukan Street), Medeu District Phone: 8 (727) 253 13 45 Hours: Daily, noon-8:00 am Di Wang Lounge Bar Address: 75 Jambyl Street (corner of Tschaikovskovo Street) Phone: 8 (727) 272 38 10 Hours: Sun-Wed: 11:00 am-last customer, Thur-Sat: 9:00 pm-last customer Website: www.diwang.kz Dublin Pub Address: 45 Bayseyitova Street Phone: 8 (727) 272 14 75 Hours: Daily 11:00 am-1:00 am

Metro Cuisine: European, Russian, Japanese Address: 2b Zhandosov Street (corner of Baizakov Street), Central District Phone: 8 (727) 247 8166, 8 (727) 247 8166 Hours: Daily noon-5:00 am, Fri -Sat: until 7:00 am Website: www.metro-club.kz

Euphoria Address: 29/6 Satpayev Street, Hyatt Regency Hotel Phone: 8 (727) 226 18 08 Hours: Mon-Wed: 5:00 pm-2:00 am, Thur-Sun: 5:00 pm-5:00 am Guinness Pub Address: 71 E Dostyk Avenue, near Hotel Kazakhstan Phone: 8 (727) 291 55 85 Hours: 11:00 am-2:00 am

Shopping Mega Center Address: 247A Rozybakiyev Street Phone: 8(727) 232 25 01 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-10:00 pm Website: www.almaty.megacenter.kz Ramstore Trade Center Address: 226 Furmanov Street Phone: 8 (717) 258 75 80, 8 (727) 258 75 81 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-11:00 pm Website: www.ramstore.kz Zangar, also known as Tsum Address: 62 Abylay Khan Street

GQ Asia bar Address: 248 Dostyk Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 387 04 03 Hours: Mon-Wed: 5:00 pm-2:00 am, Thur-Sat: 5:00 pm-4:00 am Phone: 8 (727) 273 29 51, 8 (727) 273 06 30 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-9:00 pm Barakholka and Adem Address: Take a ‘Barakholka’ bus headed down Rozybakiyev Street from Raimbek Street Phone: Adem: 8 (727) 270 66 66, 8 (727) 270 66 22 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-6:00 pm. Closed Mondays.

La Fete Address: 44 Kurmangazy Street (corner of Furmanov Street, downstairs in the Hall of Receptions building), Medeu District

Zelyony Bazar, also known as Green Bazaar Address: Intersection of Zhibek Zholy Street and Zenkov Street – one street down from the St. Ascension Cathedral (also known as Zenkov Cathedral) Hours: Daily 10:00 am-6:00 pm. Closed Sundays. Stolichny Address: 121 Abylay Khan Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 266 55 05, 8 (266) 55 15 Hours: Daily 24 hours

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 104

9/12/11 10:52:49 AM

105 Phone: 8 (727) 272 78 37 Hours: Daily 6:00 pm-2:00 am Line Brew Address: 187 Furmanov Street (corner of Abai Avenue), Bostandyk District Phone: 8 (727) 250 79 85 Hours: Daily 12:00 am-last customer Mad Murphy’s Address: 12 Tole Bi Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 291 28 56 Hours: Daily 11:30 am-1:00 am Members Bar Address: 181 Zheltoksan Street, InterContinental Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 250 50 00 Hours: Mon-Sat: 9:00 pm-2:00 am Nice Bar Address: 29 Volodarskogo Street Phone: 8 (727) 292 38 25 Hours: Daily, 12:00 am-2:00 am Nirvana Bar Address: Building 2, Dostyk Avenue (Satpaev), Samal Microdistrict Phone: 8 (727) 264 74 50 Hours: Daily noon-midnight OXO Lounge Bar Address: 67a Gabdullin St (Auezov), Bostandyk Phone: 8 (727) 275 62 53 Hours: Daily 6:00 pm-5:00 am

Shtab Phone: 8 (727) 272 24 40 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-midnight Soho Address: 65 Kazybek Bi Avenue (corner of Furmanov Street) Phone: 8(727) 267 03 67 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-3:00 am Website: www.soho.kz Stylish Dog Address: Café Max Internet-Center, 1A Timiryazev Street, Bostandyk District Phone: 8 (727) 260 98 88 Hours: Daily noon-midnight Website: www.cafemax.kz Tinkoff Address: 27a Satpaev Street (corner of Masanchi Street), Bostandyk District Phone: 8 (727) 292 49 00 Hours: Daily noon-2:00 am Website: www.tinkoff.ru Vitalita Address: 63 Tole Bi Avenue (corner of Zheltoksan Street) Phone: 8 (727) 272 74 61 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-last customer

Cafés & Coffee Houses

Posh Bar Address: Mercur Town, 3/25 Al-Farabi (corner of Furmanov Street), Samal Microdistrict Phone: 8 (727) 266 39 96 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-last customer

4A Coffee Address: 81 Zhibek Zholy Street Phone: 8 (727) 271 82 37 Hours: Daily 8:00 am-9:00 pm Website: www.4acoffee.com

San Siro Address: 117 Bogenbay Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 272 05 94 Hours: Daily 24 hours

L’Affiche Address: 83 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 272 10 92 Hours: Daily 11:00 am-1:00 am Coffeedelia Address: 79 Kabanbai Batyr Avenue Phone: 8 (727) 273 23 94 Hours: Daily 8:00 am-12:00 pm Marrone Rosso Address: 149 Furmanov Street Phone: 8 (727) 261 39 54 Hours: 8:00 am – midnight Website: www.marronerosso.com

100-105_ALMATY_LIST_ALL.indd 105

Segafredo Zanetti

“Segafredo Zanetti” cafe Address: 46 Dostyk Avenue (corner of Zhambul Street) Phone: 8 (727) 291 02 27 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-midnight Website: www.segafredo.kz

Madlen Address: 115 Ablay Khan Avenue (at the corner of Karasay Batyr Street) Phone: 8 (727) 272 23 86 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-1:00 am Website: www.madlen.kz

Cafe Coffee and Toffee Address: 44 Shevchenko Street Phone: 8 (727) 261 74 16 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-11:30 pm

Cafemax Address: 176 Zhibek Zholy Street (between Kunayev and Furmanov Streets) Phone: 8 (727) 273 95 53

Hours: Daily 10:00 am-9:00 pm Website: www.cafemax.kz “Lounge Bar 29” Phone: 8 (727) 291 97 37 Hours: Daily 9:00 am-2:00 am Gloria Jeans Address: 133 Abylay Khan Avenue (at the corner of Bogenbay Batyr Avenue) Phone: 8 (727) 321 04 88 Hours: Daily 10:00 am-midnight Website: www.gloriajeanscoffees.com

9/12/11 10:52:50 AM

106_AD_RADISSON.indd 1

9/12/11 7:54:42 PM

Useful Information i

107_USEFUL_INFORMATION.indd 107

9/12/11 10:10:44 AM

108 PRACTICAL

INFORMATION WHEN IN KAZAKHSTAN

Climate Kazakhstan’s distance from the ocean and its vast territory affect the country’s climate. The weather and temperature can vary dramatically based on geography and time of year. Also beware of the wind from the steppe, which can make a huge difference in how the temperature feels. Average temperatures for the two main cities are:

Astana January, -17°C (1°F) July, 20°C (68°F)

Almaty January, -6°C (21°F) July, 24°C (75°F)

KAZAKHSTAN

Cellular Communications Companies Kazakhstan cell phone companies operate on a prepaid system. A SIM card can be purchased (GSM network) providing a local cell number. As credit runs out, it can be replenished easily by purchasing more via electronic dispensers throughout the city. They are located mainly in supermarkets, convenience stores and major shopping centers. Credit can also be purchased on scratch cards and loaded onto a cell phone by entering the code. No monthly billing plans exist in Kazakhstan at this time.

Making Telephone Calls in Kazakhstan Making telephone calls in Kazakhstan can be a little confusing for the new visitor. Here are some instructions that will, hopefully, make it a little easier. Local Calls If you are calling locally how you dial will depend on whether you are using a land line or a cellular phone. If you are calling a land line from a land line, it is easy. Simply dial the local number (last six digits). If you are calling a land line from a cell phone, you must dial the prefix: 8 + the city code (7172 for Astana) and then the local number. If you are calling a cell phone from a land line or another cell phone, you must also dial the prefix: 8 + the cell company code + the number International calls If you are calling abroad from Kazakhstan: Dial for international access (810) + the country code + the regional code (if any) + the local telephone number. To call Kazakhstan from abroad: Dial the code for international access + Kazakhstan’s country code (7) + the Kazakhstan city code + the Kazakhstan local telephone number. Kazakhstan Dialing Codes: Almaty region: 727, 728 Astana city dial code: 717

108-109_PRACTICAL_INFO_KAZAKHSTAN.indd 108

9/12/11 9:13:32 PM

PRACTICAL INFORMATION WHEN IN KAZAKHSTAN 109 News About Kazakhstan and the region

There are a variety of websites in Kazakh, Russian and English with information on Kazakhstan. We have listed many of the websites that include an English language version here. If the site does not immediately open into an English language version, look for the “Eng” button. Not all the websites will have everything translated into English, but most have sufficient information to make the sites useful.

www.centralasianewswire.com (ENG) Leading English language newswire covering Central Asia

General Information: www.EdgeKz.com Edge Magazine www.kazakhstanlive.com International Information Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan www.visitkazakhstan.com/en/ Official Tourism website of the Committee of Tourism Industry Kazakh Government Websites: www.akorda.kz www.akorda.kz/en (ENG) Official site of the President of the Republic www.mfa.kz Official site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http : / / w w w.

Useful Websites

www.mts.gov.kz www.mts.gov.kz/?lang=en (ENG) Official site of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport

www.parlam.kz www.parlam.kz/Information.aspx?lan=en-US (ENG) Official site of Parliament www.government.kz www.en.government.kz/ (ENG) Official site of the government www.almaty.kz www.almaty.kz/page.php?lang=2 (ENG) Official site of the city of Almaty www.astana.kz http://en.astana.kz/ (ENG) Official site of the city of Astana www.astana-almaty2011.kz www.astana-almaty2011.kz/en.html (ENG) Official site of the Astana-Almaty 2011 Asia Winter Games

Tourism and Leisure: www.restoran.kz www.restoran.kz/en (ENG) Restaurant information for Astana and Almaty www.realkz.com www.realkz.com/page.php?lang=2 (ENG) Cities, hotels, restaurants in Kazakhstan www.kaztour-association.com (RUS) Kazakhstan Tourist Association www.centralasia.travel (ENG) Central Asia Travel guide www.eco-tourism.kz www.eco-tourism.kz/index.php?lng=eng (ENG) Kazakhstan Ecotourism

108-109_PRACTICAL_INFO_KAZAKHSTAN.indd 109

www.inform.kz www.inform.kz/eng (ENG) Official site of KazInform Information agency

www.khabar.kz Official site of Khabar News Agency www.kazpravda.kz www.kazpravda.kz/l/eng (ENG) Official site of the “KazPravda” daily newspaper

www.astanatimes.kz Official site of the Englishlanguage monthly newspaper The Astana Times out of Astana, updated regularly.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES AS OF SEPTEMBER 6.2011 USD EUR RUB AUD GBP BYR HUF DKK AED USD EUR CAD CNY KWD KGS LVL LTL MDL NOK PLN SAR RUB XDR SGD TJS TRY UZS UAH CZK SEK CHF EEK ZAR KRW JPY

TENGE 146,80 207,52 5 155,21 236,66 0,03 0,75 27,87 39,97 146,80 207,52 148,72 22,99 537,93 3,28 292,84 60,11 13,05 27,13 49,37 39,14 5 235,04 121,72 30,85 83,33 0,080 18,34 8,50 22,84 186,93 12,48 20,74 13,74 1,9

9/12/11 10:36:43 PM

110 TRANSPORTATION

& TRAVEL

ASTANA

Weather Essentials

CAR RENTAL COMPANIES Transport Company Riksha Address: 25 Bogenbay Street, office 29 Phone: 8 (7172) 62 72 60 8 (701) 441 75 57

ASTANA Month Low Jan 1°F / -17°C Feb -1F° / -18°C Mar 10°F / -12°C Apr 32°F / 0°C May 46°F / 8°C Jun 56F° / 13°C Jul 59°F / 15°C Aug 55°F / 13°C Sept 45°F / 7°C Oct 33°F / 0°C Nov 16°F / -9°C Dec 5°F / -15°C

High 13°F / -11°C 14°F / -10°C 26°F / -4°C 50°F / 10°C 67°F / 20°C 78°F / 25°C 80°F / 27°C 76°F / 25°C 65°F / 18°C 49°F / 9°C 18°F / -12°C 16°F / -9°C

Hertz Caspian Project Supply Company Address: 6/1 Kabanbay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 58 00 56 8 (7172) 58 04 84

GENERAL

AIRLINES

Astana International Airport Address: Airport 14 OS Phone: 8 (7172) 70 29 99 Website: www.astanaairport.kz

Lufthansa Phone: 8 (7172) 28 64 92 8 (7172) 28 64 93 Hours: Mon-Wed-Sat 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Tue-Thurs-Sun 11:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Train Station Address: Privokzalnaya square Phone: 8 (7172) 105 8 (7172) 38 07 07 8 (7172) 38 33 33 Bus Station Address: Privokzalnaya square Phone: 8 (7172) 39 85 04 8 (7172) 30 35 49

Taxis Arba taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 31 57 13 Hours: Around the clock Green Eyed Taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 34 44 94 Hours: Around the clock Pegasus XXI taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 37 24 24, 8 (7172) 37 18 18 Hours: Around the clock Samal taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 22 22 22, 8 (7172) 22 18 82 Hours: Around the clock Metropolitan taxi LLP Phone: 8 (7172) 32 02 20, 8 (701) 785 57 37 Hours: Around the clock Transport company Riksha VIP taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 62 72 60 8 (701) 441 75 57 Hours: Around the clock Elite taxi Phone: 8 (7172) 34 10 10 8 (701) 610 23 23

110-111_PRACTICAL_INFO_ASTANA.indd 110

Turkish Airlines Phone: 8 (7172) 77 70 20 8 (7172) 77 70 21 Hours: 11:00 pm-7:00 am Transaero Phone: 8 (7172) 31 70 40 8 (7172) 31 83 50 Hours: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Pulkovo Phone: 8 (7172) 21 69 17 8 (7172) 21 69 18 Hours: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Weekend 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Aerosvit Phone: 8 (7172) 50 82 74 Hours: Round the clock Belavia Phone: 8 (7172) 23 98 48 8 (7172) 23 98 25 Hours: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Air Astana Phone: 8 (7172) 59 14 21 8 (7172) 59 14 22 Hours: 9:00 am – 8:30pm Austrian Airlines Phone: 8 (7172) 28 64 82 8 (7172) 39 00 00 Hours: Round the clock

Bastion.kz Address: 166 Omarov Street Phone: 8 (7172) 34 70 70 8 (7172) 34 70 68 8 (7172) 54 49 63 TANDAU ST Address: 16/1 Maylin Street Phone: 8 (7172) 34 46 65 8 (7172) 34 46 65 VIPCAR KZ Address: 13 Auezov Street Phone: 8 (7172) 47 81 87 8 701 777 93 53 DanZamir Address: 7 Seifullin Street, office 27 Phone: 8 (701) 918 69 17 8 (7172) 23 61 05 KazGPS Address: 19 Imanov Street, office 406B Phone: 8 (7172) 78 74 17 8 (7172) 78 74 18 8 (702) 46 74 538 OKAN Intercontinental Astana Address: 47 Abay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 39 10 00 Rent a Car Astana Address: 40 Auezov Street, office 211 Phone: 8 (7172) 77 96 90 8 (701) 933 26 80 Zhas Kala Address: 1A Mozhayskiy Street Phone: 8 (7172) 54 18 19 Green Spedition International Transport Company Phone: 8 (705) 118 49 18 OKAN Intercontinental Address: 113 Abay Street Phone: 8 (7172) 39 10 00

Berkut Phone: 8 (7172) 75 21 05 Hours: 9:00 am-6:00 pm Zhetyssu Phone: 8 (7172) 94 63 22 8 (7172) 94 62 96 Hours: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Sunday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

9/12/11 9:31:50 PM

PRACTICAL INFORMATION WHEN IN ASTANA

111

Courier Services BaidEx Address: 12 Momushuly Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 45 79 16, 8 (700) 459 87 47, 8 (707) 323 50 25

Astana Cellular Communications Companies Active Locations: 2 Pervaya Street and 21 Barayeva Street Phone: 8 (727) 258 80 00, for mobile 7070 (free of charge) URL: http://www.activ.kz/ Hours: 24 Beeline Phone: 8 (727) 350 05 00 URL: http://mobile.beeline.kz/ Dalacom Address: 5 Republic Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 59 17 00 URL: http://www.dalacom.kz Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Sat 10:00 am-2:00 pm Kcell Location: Astana, Kabanbai-Batyr ave., 10 Phone: 8 (7172) 24 40 07 ext. 5007 URL: http://www.kcell.kz/ Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 am-8:00 pm Sat - 9:00 am-6:00 pm Sun - 11:00 am-6:00 pm Parthword Location: 30 Republic Avenue Phone 8 (7172) 59 17 00, 8(7172) 21 77 77 URL: http://www.pathword.kz/ Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 am-6:00 pm Sat 10:00 am-6:00 pm

ASTANA Emergency Services Police Landline: 102 Mobile: 102 Rescue Service Landline: 112 Mobile: 112 Astana firefighting and accident rescue operations service Landline: 101 Mobile: 101 Astana City Medical Emergency Service Landline: 103 Mobile: 103

Direct Delivery Address: 12a Kazhymukan Street 9th floor Phone: 8 (7172) 55 62 62 Mobile: 8 (707) 782 22 18 URL: http://www.dd.kz/ FedEx Address: 38 Tulebaev Street Phone: 8 (7273) 56 38 00 URL: http://fedex.com/kz/ Garant Post Service Address: 9 Lomonosov Street, # 203 Phone: 8 (7172) 215-458 URL: http://www.gpserv.kz/ Pony Express Tel.: 8 (727) 258 33 33, 8 (727) 317 26 26 URL: http://www.ponyexpress.kz/

General Information for Astana Landline: 109 Mobile: 109 Service “051” (Directory Assistance) Landline: 051 Mobile: 109 Department for Emergency Situations (Astana) Landline: 32 31 98 Mobile: 8 (7172) 32 31 98 Fire Department of Astana City Landline: 37 41 74 Mobile: 8 (7172) 37 41 74 Astana City Telecommunication Center (Astanatelecom) Landline: 58 07 61 Mobile: 8 (7172) 58 0761 Astana City International Airport (information) Landline: 77 70 50 Mobile: 8 (7172) 77 70 50 Railway Station (information) Landline: 93 39 26 Mobile: 8 (7172) 93 39 26 Bus Station (information) Landline: 38 11 35, 39 85 04 Mobile: 8 (7172) 38 11 35

110-111_PRACTICAL_INFO_ASTANA.indd 111

9/12/11 9:31:51 PM

112_AD_SAMRUK_KAZINA.indd 1

9/12/11 7:50:17 PM

ALMATY CONSULATES

113

Consulate of Australia

Consulate of Kyrgyzstan

Consulate of Singapore

Consulate of Turkmenistan

Address: 174B Furmanov Street, 3rd Floor, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 261 51 60 E-mail: ahc.kaz@gmail.com http://www.russia.embassy.gov.au

Address: 30A Lugansky Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 264 22 12 E-mail: consul.agencykg@mail.kz

Address: 21 Koktem-3, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 270 45 61 E-mail: Singapore@nationalbank.kz

Address: 137 Furmanov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 272 69 44

Consulate of Lithuanian

Consulate of Slovakia

Address: 15 Iskanderovo Street, Gorny Gygant Phone: 8 (727) 263 10 40 http://kz.mfa.lt

Address: Almaty region, Energetic village, 1A Tikhii, Phone: 8 (727) 297 74 43 E-mail: obeo.almaty@mail.ru

Address: 36 Baribayev Street Phone: 8 (727) 291 78 86 Consulate phone: 8 (727) 291 02 35 E-mail: emb-Uzbekistan@mail.ru

Consulate of Afghanistan Address: 2 Sholnik microdistrict, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 227 23 90

Consulate Belgium

Embassy of Malaysia

Address: 117/86 Kazybek Bi Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 260 68 63 E-mail: belconsul@nursat.kz

Address: 9A Rubinshtein Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 333 44 83/4/5 E-mail:mwalmaty@nursat.kz malalmaty@kln.gov.my

Consulate of Great Britain

Consulate of Netherlands

Address: Samal-2 microdistrict, 97 Zholdasbekov Street , building 2A, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 250 61 91/92 e-mail: AlmatyVizaGeneral@fco.gov.uk

Address: 103 Nauryzbay batyr Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 250 37 73 E-mail: alm@minbuza.nl

Consulate of Hungary

Address: 9 Jarkentskaya Street, Gornyi Gigant Phone: 8 (727) 258 16 17; 8 (727) 258 15 51 E-mail: ambpol@poland.kz, polkonsulat@poland.kz

Address: 4 Musabayev Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 255 13 08, 8 (727) 258 18 36 E-mail: mission.ala@kum.hu

Consulate of Germany Address: 62 Kosmonavtov Street Phone: 8 (727) 262 83 41 46/49 E-mail: info@almaty.diplo.de www.almaty.diplo.de

Consulate of Poland

Embassy of Uzbekistan

Consulate of Ukraine

Consulate of United States of America

Address: 13a Makatayev Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 230 16 00

Address: 97 Zholdasbekov Street, Samal-2b district, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 250 76 12

Consulate of France

Consulate of Tajikistan Address: 16 Sanatornaya Str eet, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 269 70 59 E-mail: tajemb_almaty@ok.kz

Consulate of Turkey Address: 29 Tole bi Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 278 41 65/77 E-mail: almatyturkbe@gmail.com

Address: 173Furmanov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 258 25 04/08, 8 (727) 258 21 81 E-mail: ambafrance@mail.ru

Consulate of Czech Address: 5 Al-Fara bi Avenue, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 277 70 93 e-mail: commerce_almaata@mzv.cz

Consulate of Japan Address: 41 Kazybek bi Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 298 06 00

Consulate of the Russian Federation Address: 4 Jandosov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 274 50 87, 8 (727) 274 61 22 E-mail: gcrusalmaata@gmail.com

Consulate of Egypt Address: 15 Teplichnaya Street Phone: 8 (727) 263 96 95

Consulate of India Address: 71 Maulenov Street, 3rd floor, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 278 44 55/65 Email: cons.almaty@mea.gov.in

Consulate of Spain Address: 20A Kazybek bi Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 293 02 40, 8 (727) 293 02 66 E-mail: almaty@mcx.es

Consulate of Italian Address: 41 Kazybek bi Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 266 36 09

Consulate of Yemen Address: 20B Begalin Street Phone: 8 (727) 291 99 72 E-mail: yemen@nursat.kz

Consulate of China Address: 12 Baitasov Street, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 270 02 21

Consulate of Korea Address: 52a Ivanilov Street, Gornyi Gigant, Almaty Phone: 8 (727) 263 26 60/91, 8 (727) 263 29 89, 8 (727) 263 62 28/29 E-mail: embassy_news@mail.ru

113_ALMATY_CONSULATES_RIGHT.indd 113

9/12/11 10:09:50 AM

114 TRANSPORTATION

Weather Essentials ALMATY Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Low 17°F / -8°C 19°F / -7°C 29°F / -2°C 43°F / 6°C 52°F / 11°C 60°F / 16°C 65°F / 18°C 62°F / 17°C 53°F / 11°C 40°F / 5°C 30°F / -1°C 22°F / -6°C

High 33°F / 0°C 35°F / 2°C 46°F / 8°C 62°F / 17°C 71°F / 22°C 81°F / 27°C 86°F / 30°C 85°F / 29°C 75°F / 24°C 61°F / 16°C 46°F / 8°C 36°F / 2°C

& TRAVEL

GENERAL

AIRLINES

Almaty International Airport Address: 2 Beimbet Mailin Street, Almaty 050039 Phone: 8 (727) 270 33 33 www.almatyairport.com

Air Astana Phone: 8( 727) 258 41 35, 258 41 36, 244 44 77, 259 87 03 Hours: 9 am-8:30 pm www.airastana.com

Almaty - 2 Train Station Address: 1 Abilai Khana Prospekt Phone: +7 (727) 296 15 44

Air Travel System Phone: 8 (727) 272 27 02, 272 26 99 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.czechairlines.com

Almaty - 1 Train Station Address: 1 Seifullin Street Phone: +7 (727) 296 33 92 Almaty Bus Station Address: 73 Mate Salki Street Phone: 8 (727) 226 26 44, 226 14 91, 225 08 87 Almaty Sayran Bus Station Address: 294 Tole bi Phone: 8 (727) 276 26 44, 276 26 77

Taxis AZIA Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 299 49 49 Hours: 24 hours Garage Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 276 29 07, 299 90 00 Hours: 24 hours www.garage999.kz Hertz Taxi and Car Rental Phone: +7 (727) 245 88 03 Hours: 24 hours www.hertz.kz Mega Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 233 31 11 Hours: 24 hours Almaty Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 255 53 33 Hours: 24 hours Service-Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 230 22 03 Hours: Around the clock Taxi Profi Phone: +7 (727) 270 70 70 Hours: 24 hours www.taxiprestige.kz Ekipazh Plus Phone: +7 (727) 270 08 88 Hours: 24 Hours Express Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 260 06 00 Hours: 24 hours www.express-taxi.kz Elit Taxi Phone: +7 (727) 278 03 33 Hours: 24 hours www.nettaxi.kz

114-115_PRACTICAL_INFO_ALMATY.indd 114

ALMATY

Air Control Phone: 8 (727) 244 15 90 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.aircontrol.kz Asiana Airlines Phone: 8 (727) 270 32 34, 270 32 35 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.flyasiana.com Brauch Office of Lufthansa Cargo Ag in Kz Phone: 8 (727) 388 89 32 Hours: 9 am- 8 pm www.lhcargo.com

BMI Phone: 8 (727) 25 050 52, 272 40 40 Hours: 9 am-6 pm www.flybmi.com East Wing Phone: 8(727) 250 55 42 Hours: 9am- 6pm

CAR RENTAL COMPANIES Dimal Car Rental – Almaty Address: 6 Rozybakiev street 125/1 office 15, Pushkin street 23 office 6 Phone: 8 (727) 275 11 73 www.dimal.kz Dixie Travel Address: 29 Zheltoksan Street, office 3 Phone: 8 (727) 279 28 08, 327 10 10 http://dixie.kz

British Midland Airways Phone: 8 (727) 272 40 40 Hours: 3am-8 pm www.flybmi.com

ASAP Car Address: 92 Panfilov, office 60 Phone: 8 (727) 234 78 39, 8 (777) 270 91 87

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Kazakhstan Phone: 8 (727) 377 88 77 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.carlsonwagonlit.kz

Autodom Address: 273A Furmanova Phone: 8 (727) 244 34 81 http://autodom-t.kz

China Southern Airlines Phone: 8 (727) 250 94 85 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.cs-air.com Clintondale Aviation Phone: 8 (727) 257 45 14, 383 83 96 Hours: 9 am-6 pm www.clintondale.com Etihad Airways Phone: 8 (727) 330 30 00 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.etihadairways.com KlM Royal Dutch Airlines Phone: 8 (727) 250 77 47, 330 21 42 Hours: 9 am-7 pm www.klm.kz Branch Office of Lufthansa Cargo Ag in Kz Phone: 8 (727) 388 89 32 Hours: 9 am-8 pm www.lhcargo.com Turkish Airlines Phone: 8(727) 250 62 20, 333 38 49, 250 62 19 Hours: 9am-8pm www.thy.com

Dilizhans Address: 185 Baizakova Phone: 8 (327) 268 37 22, 8 (333) 216 55 26 www.diligence-kz.narod.ru Almaty International Airport Address: 2 Beimbet Mailin Street, the 1st level Phone: 8 (727) 270 33 33 www.almatyairport.com ARD Kazkhstan Address: 208 Zharokova Phone: 8 (727) 329 43 49 www.ard-ts-kz.ucoz.ru Prestige Taxi Address: 262 Kazybayeva Street, Kulager district Phone: 8 (727) 270 70 70 www.taxiprestige.kz Hertz Address: 42 Timiryazeva, 15/3B office Phone: 8 (727) 245 88 03, 245 88 51, 8 (777) 355 66 55 www.hertz.kz Exotic Limo Address: 53 Dostyk Street Phone: 8 (727) 291 62 90

9/12/11 9:43:24 PM

ALMATY EMERGENCY SERVICES

Almaty cellular Communications Companies

Fire prevention - 101 Police - 102 Ambulance - 103 Gas service - 104 Rescue - 112 or 051

Kcell Address: Samal-2, 100 - Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;cell Main Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am-8 pm, Sat 9 am-6 pm http://kcell.kz

Referral Services Almaty International Airport 006 or 155 Railroad Station Almaty one 105, 8 (727) 296 33 92 Railroad Station Almaty two 8 (727)296 15 44 Bus station Sayran 8 (727) 276 26 44 Bus station Sayakhat 8 (727) 230 25 29 Evacuator (angels.kz) 8 (727) 233 13 42 Free phone referral service 8 (727) 327 00 98 Free phone referral service - 080 Address bureau - 8 (727) 254 46 96 Lost-property office 8 (727) 292 14 39, 8 (727) 328 22 33 Chargeable phone referral service 088 or 177

114-115_PRACTICAL_INFO_ALMATY.indd 115

Activ Address: 2G Timiryazev Street Phone: 8 (727) 258-80-00 Hours: 24 hours Mobile: 3030 http://activ.kz Dalacom Address: 115/105 Kunayeva Street Phone: 8 (727) 259 77 00 Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am-7 pm http://dalacom.kz Beeline Address: 55 Tole bi Street Phone: 8 (727) 350 05 00, 8 (727) 350 06 00 Hours: Daily 9 am-8 pm Mobile: 0611 http://mobile.beeline.kz

PRACTICAL INFORMATION WHEN IN ALMATY

115

Courier Services BaidEx Address: 12 Momushuly Avenue Phone: 8 (7172) 45 79 16, 8 (700) 459 87 47, 8 (707) 323 50 25 Direct Delivery Address: 12a Kazhymukan Street 9th floor Phone: 8 (7172) 55 62 62 Mobile: 8 (707) 782 22 18 URL: http://www.dd.kz/ FedEx Address: 38 Tulebaev Street Phone: 8 (7273) 56 38 00 URL: http://fedex.com/kz/ Garant Post Service Address: 9 Lomonosov Street, # 203 Phone: 8 (7172) 215-458 URL: http://www.gpserv.kz/ Pony Express Tel.: 8 (727) 258 33 33, 8 (727) 317 26 26 URL: http://www.ponyexpress.kz/

Pathword Address: 115/105 Kunayeva Phone: 8 (727) 259 77 00, 8(727) 258 17 77 Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-7 pm

9/12/11 9:43:26 PM

116 DIPLOMATIC

MISSIONS

(Please note: the telephone numbers listed here are for dialing in Astana from a cell phone. For more information on making telephone calls, please see the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Practical Information When in Kazakhstanâ&#x20AC;? section.)

Embassy of Afghanistan 2,3 Karaotkel Microdistrict, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 57 14 42/43/44 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 04 54 E-mail: Af_embassyalmaty@yahoo.com Website: www.afghanembassy.kz Consular section: 21 Dubok, 2nd Microdistrict, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 255 6324 Fax: +7 (7272) 255 5663

Embassy of Austria 62 Kosmonavtov Street, 9th floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 97 78 69/78/79 Fax: +7 (7172) 97 78 50 E-mail: astana-ob@bmeia.gv.at

126_127_DIPLOMATIC_MISSIONS.indd 116

30 Sarayshyk Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 28 60 67 +7 (7172) 24 18 30 Fax: +7 (7172) 28 60 50 E-mail: embassy.astana@mfa.gov.eg Cultural Centre: 15 Teplichnaya Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 63 96 95 Fax: +7 (7272) 56 98 02 Trade department: 51 Kaldayakov Street, Office 33 Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 291 8997 Fax: +7 (7272) 293 0391 E-mail: almaty@tamseel-esc.gov.eg

Embassy of Finland Astana Tower 17th floor 12 Samal, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 44 21 21 Fax: +7 (7172) 44 21 16

B-7 Diplomatic town, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 25 11/12 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 15 37 E-mail: iranembassy@itte.kz

62 Kosmonavtov Street Chubary Microdistrict, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 33 90 +7 (7172) 24 38 68 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 36 86 Email: ambasciata.astana@esteri.it Email: visti.astana@esteri.it Consular Section: Tel/Fax: +7 (7172) 91 03 08 E-mail: consolare.astana@esteri.it Honorary Consulate: 40 Kazybek Bi Street, Almaty Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 266 36 09

Embassy of Japan

109 Karaotkel, 2nd Microdistrict Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 56 37 14 +7 (7172) 56 37 55 +7 (7172) 56 37 84 Fax: +7 (7172) 56 38 26 E-mail: gremb.ast@mfa.gr 62 Kosmonavtov Street, 9th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 55 03 23 Fax: +7 (7172) 55 03 24 E-mail: mission.ast@kum.hu General consulate: 4 Musabayev Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 255 1308 +7 (7272) 258 1836 Fax: +7 (7272) 258 1837 E-mail: mission.ala@kum.hu

Embassy of India

5th floor, Kaskad Business Centre 6/1 Kabanbai Batyr Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 92 57 00/03 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 57 15 E-mail: hoc.astana@mea.gov.in

62 Kosmonavtov Street, Chubary, 5th Floor, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 97 78 43 Fax: +7 (7172) 97 78 42 Office in Almaty: 41 Kazybek Bi Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 98 06 00 Fax: +7 (7272) 98 06 01

Embassy of Greece

Embassy of Hungary

19 Konayev Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 28 60 92/93 E-mail: astemb@iraqmfamail.com

Embassy of Italy

62, Kosmonavtov Street, 6th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 55 62 00/19 Fax: +7 (7172) 55 62 12 E-mail: BritishEmbassy@mail.online.kz Website: www.ukinkz.fco.gov.uk Office in Almaty: 97-2A Zholdasbekov Street Samal-2nd Microdistrict, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 250 61 91/92 Fax: +7 (7272) 250 71 12 E-mail: AlmatyVizaGeneral@fco.gov.uk

Embassy of Iraq

Embassy of Israel 8 Auezov Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 68 87 39 Fax: +7 (7172) 68 87 35 E-mail: ambass-sec@astana.mfa.gov.il

Embassy of Great Britain

Arman Business Centre 6 Sary Arka Street, 13th Floor, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 66 04 72 Fax: +7 (7172) 66 01 42 E-mail: astana@embassy.mzv.cz Office in Almaty: 2A Nurly Tau Business Centre 5 Al-Farabi Avenue 8th Floor Phone: +7 (7272) 77 70 93 Fax: +7 (7272) 77 70 92 E-mail: commerce_almaata@mzv.cz

Embassy of Egypt

Embassy of Iran

62 Kosmonavtov Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 79 12 00 +7 (7172) 79 12 80 Fax: +7 (7172) 79 12 13 E-mail: info@astana.diplo.de General Consulate: 2 Ivanilova Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 262 83 41/46/49 Fax: +7 (7272) 50 62 76 E-mail: info@almaty.diplo.de www.almaty.diplo.de

Embassy of Czech Republic

Office in Almaty: 71 Maulenov Street, 3rd Floor, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 278 44 55/65 Fax: +7 (7272) 278 46 85 E-mail: cons.almaty@mea.gov.in

Embassy of Germany

18 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Office 2 Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 24 67 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 26 38 E-mail: cubasi@mail.online.kz Website: www.cubakaz.com

Diplomatic Town, B-6, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 15 81 +7 (7172) 24 10 97 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 15 32 E-mail: astana@azembassy.kz General Consulate: 12, 4th Microdistrict, Aktau Phone: +7 (7292) 33 67 06/07

6/1 Kabanbai Batyr Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 46 82/84 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 47 43 Website: www.brasembastana.kz

C-4 Diplomatic town, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 32 58 Tel/Fax: +7 (7172) 24 34 26 E-mail: astana.emb.@mfa.gov.ge astana.con@mfa.gov.ge

Embassy of Cuba

Embassy of Azerbaijan

Embassy of Brazil

Embassy of Georgia

28 Kabanbai Batyr Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 79 35 61 +7 (7172) 79 35 83 (consular section) Fax: +7 (7172) 79 35 65 Trade-Economic Department: B-2 Diplomatic town Phone: +7 (7172) 24 25 10 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 13 81 General Consulate: 12 Baitasov Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 270 02 21

174B Furmanov Street, 3rd Floor Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (727) 2615160 E-mail: ahc.kaz@gmail.com Website: www.russia.embassy.gov.au

62 Kosmonavtov Street, 3rd Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 97 44 85/86 Fax: +7 (7172) 97 78 49 E-mail: embassy.astana@diplobel.fed.be Trade-economic department: 5th floor office 501 2A 5 Al-Faraby Avenue, Almaty E-mail: almaty@awex-wallonia.kz

Embassy of China

Consulate of Australia

Embassy of Belgium

62 Kosmonavtov Street, 4th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 79 51 00 Fax: +7 (7172) 79 51 01 Office in Almaty: 173 Furmanov Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7273) 96 98 00 Fax: +7 (7273) 96 98 20 E-mail: ambafrance@mail.ru

34 Karasay Batyr Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 250 11 51 Fax: +7 (7272) 258 24 93 E-mail: almat@international.gc.ca Office in Astana: 6 Sary Arka Street Phone: +7 (7172) 79 30 64 Fax: +7 (7172) 79 30 69

19 Kyz Zhibek Street Komsomolski Microdistrict, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 40 20 15/17 Fax: +7 (7172) 40 19 70 E-mail: armeniaemb.kz@gmail.com

35 Kenesary Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 32 48 29 +7 (7172) 32 06 65 +7 (7172) 32 00 34 +7 (7172) 32 48 49 Fax: +7 (7172) 32 18 70 Consular section: Phone: +7 (7172) 32 48 49 E-mail: Kazakhstan@belembassy.org Diplomatic Mission in Almaty: 115/157 Zheltoksan Street Tel/Fax: +7 (7272) 272 9787 E-mail: Kazakhstan@belembassy.org

Embassy of France

Isker Business Centre 15 Sary Arka Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 90 15 15 Fax: +7 (7172) 90 18 19 E-mail: astanabulemb@mail.ru

Embassy of Canada

Embassy of Armenia

Embassy of Belarus

Embassy of Bulgaria

Embassy of Jordan 8/2 Novostroitelnaya Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 52 54/55 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 52 53 E-mail: astana@fm.gov.jo

Embassy of Korea

6/1 Kabanbai Batyr Street, 9th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 92 55 91/92/93 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 55 96 Office in Almaty: 52a Ivanilov Street, Gornyi Gigant Phone: +7 (727) 263 26 60/91 +7 (727) 263 29 89 +7 (727) 263 62 28/29 Fax: +7 (727) 264 33 51 E-mail: embassy_news@mail.ru

Embassy of Kyrgyzstan

B-5 Diplomatic Town, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 20 24 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 24 14 Consular Section: Phone: +7 (7172) 24 20 40 E-mail: kr@mail.online.kz

9/12/11 10:07:27 AM

i Phone: +7 (7172) 55 11 00 Fax: +7 (7172) 55 11 99 E-mail: emb.astana@mfa.no

General Consulate: 30A Lugansky Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (727) 264 22 12 Fax: +7 (7272) 64 22 11 E-mail: consul.agencykg@mail.kz

Embassy of Latvia 6/1 Kabanbai Batyr Street, Office 122 Astana Phone/fax: +7 (7172) 92 53 17 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 53 19 E-mail: embassy.kazakhstan@mfa.gov.lv Email: consulate.kazakhstan@mfa.gov.lv

Embassy of Oman

Embassy of Pakistan Beijing Palace Business Centre 27 Syganak, Astana E-mail: parepalmaty@yahoo.com

2 Tauelsizdik Street, 13th Floor, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 79 35 15 Fax: +7 (7172) 79 35 16 E-mail: embassylebanon-kz@hotmail.com

Embassy of Libya

15 Iskanderov Street, Gornyi Gigant Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 63 10 40 Fax: +7 (7272) 63 19 75 Consular Section: Phone: +7 (7272) 63 25 05 Military Attaché: Phone: +8 (702) 215 7051 Fax: +7 (7272) 24 03 40 E-mail: amb.kz@urm.lt Website: www.kz.mfa.lt Consulate: 15 Ploshad Respubliki, Office 544 Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 67 25 08 Fax: +7 (7272) 50 65 49

Embassy of Qatar

Embassy of Romania

Embassy of Mongolia

28 Sarayshyk Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 28 62 03 Fax: +7 (7172) 28 62 03 E-mail: amb@romania.kz

1 Musabayev Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 69 35 36 Fax: +7 (7272) 58 17 27 Consulate: +7 (7272) 229 37 90 E-mail: info@mongemb.kz 62 Kosmonavtov Street, Office 801 Astana Phone: +7 (7272) 55 54 50 Fax: +7 (7272) 55 54 74 E-mail: ast@minbuza.nl E-mail: nl_embassy.astana@yahoo.com Office in Almaty: 103 Nauryzbay Batyr Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 50 37 73 Fax: +7 (7272) 50 37 72 E-mail: alm@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Norway 17th floor, Astana Tower, 12 Samal Astana

126_127_DIPLOMATIC_MISSIONS.indd 117

20A Saraishyk Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 28 61 23 Fax: +7 (7172) 28 61 33 E-mail: qatarembassy.astana@gmail.com

DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS 117 Embassy of Turkey

Consulate: 78 Mukhit Street, Uralsk Phone: 8 (7112) 51 16 26 Fax: 8 (7112) 24 24 86 Trade Missions: 39 Kenesary Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 32 77 89 Fax: +7 (7172) 32 81 51

6/1 Kabanbay Batyr Street, Office 23, 101, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 92 58 70/73 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 58 74 E-mail: astanaturk@gmail.com Office in Almaty: 29 Tole Bi Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 78 41 65/77 Fax: +7 (7272) 78 41 68 E-mail: almatyturkbe@gmail.com

4 Jandosov Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 75 49 55 Fax: +7 (7272) 75 46 06 E-mail: torgrf-astana@mail.ru 19 Akyn Sara Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 92 57 52/53/54/55 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 57 62 E-mail: kzemb@mofa.gov.sa

Embassy of Turkmenistan

Embassy of Slovakia 5 Karaotkel – 2nd Microdistrict, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 56 37 90 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 20 48 Defense Attaché: Phone: +7 (7172) 24 40 55 E-mail: zuastana1@post.sk Trade Mission: 1A Tikhii, Energetic vil. Almatinskaya Oblast Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 97 74 43 E-mail: obeo.almaty@mail.ru

Embassy of South Africa 6/1 Kabanbay Batyr Street, 17th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 92 53 27/28/29 Fax: +7 (7172) 92 53 29 E-mail: cons@saembassy.kz Email: administration@saembassy.kz

Embassy of Spain

Embassy of the Russian Federation 4 Barayev Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 44 08 06 +7 (7172) 44 07 93/83/86/92/89 +7 (7172) 44 08 01 Fax: +7 (7172) 44 08 07 +7 (7172) 32 22 09 E-mail: rfekz@yandex.ru Website: www.rfembassy.kz Consular section: Phone: +7 (7172) 44 07 83 +7 (7172) 44 04 80 Fax: +7 (7172) 44 07 84 General Consulate: 4 Jandosov Street Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 74 50 87, 274 61 22 Fax: +7 (7272) 74 71 68/72 E-mail: gcrusalmaata@gmail.com

Embassy of Saudi Arabia

37 Kabanbay Batyr Street, Block 4 Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 28 75 57/62 Fax: +7 (7172) 28 75 55 E-mail: pal.emb@rambler.ru Isker Business Centre, 15 Sary Arka Street, 6th Floor Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 90 10 11/14 Fax: +7 (7172) 90 10 12 Email: joanna.jessa@poland.kz General Consulate: 9 Jarkentskaya Street, Gornyi Gigant Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 58 16 17 +7 (7272) 58 15 51 Fax: +7 (7272) 58 15 50 E-mail: ambpol@poland.kz E-mail: polkonsulat@poland.kz Trade Mission: 72 Zatayevich Street Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 64 79 11 +7 (7272) 63 44 27 E-mail: almaty@pol-trade.kz

Embassy of Lithuania

Embassy of Netherlands

Embassy of Poland

6, 36-8 Street, Karaotkel, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 56 37 64/5/6 Fax: +7 (7172) 56 37 23

9A Rubinshtein Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7273) 33 44 83/4/5 Fax: +7 (7273) 87 28 25 E-mail:mwalmaty@nursat.kz

Embassy of Palestine

Embassy of Lebanon

Embassy of Malaysia

3 Novostroitelnaya Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 18 61/62/64 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 18 63

47-25 Kenesary Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 20 15 35/6/7/8/9/0 Fax: +7 (7172) 20 03 17 +7 (7172) 20 02 24 (consular section) E-mail: emb.astana@maec.es Trade-Economic Department: 20 A, Kazybek Bi Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 93 02 40 +7 (7172) 293 02 66 Fax: +7 (7272) 93 02 59 E-mail: almaty@mcx.es

8/1 Otyrar Street, Astana Phone/Fax: +7 (7172) 21 08 82 +7 (7172) 21-08-23 Military Attaché: +7 7172 20-12-95 E-mail: tm_emb@astanatelecom.kz Consular section: 6/109, Abay Street, Almaty Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 50 96 04

Embassy of Ukraine

41 Kenesary Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 32 60 42 Fax: +7 (7172) 32 68 11 Consulate: Phone/Fax: +7 (7172) 32 43 25 E-mail: embassy_ua@inbox.kz General Consulate 13a Makatayev Street , Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 30 16 00 Fax: +7 (7272) 30 26 01 E-mail: uaconsul@gmail.com Trade Mission: Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 32 74 80 E-mail: tem_ua@mbox.kz

Embassy of the United Arab Emirates C-15 Diplomatic Town, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 36 75 +7 (7172) 28 60 47 +7 (7172) 28 60 75 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 36 76 E-mail: emaratembassy_kz@yahoo.com

Embassy of the United States

12 Samal District, 17th Floor, Astana

3, 22-23 Street, Ak Bulak 4, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 70 21 00 Fax: +7 (7172) 34 08 90 Consular Section: Phone: 70 21 00 Fax: +7 (7172) 70 22 80 E-mail: info@usembassy.kz

Embassy of Switzerland

Embassy of Uzbekistan

8th floor Kosmonavtov Street, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 97 98 92/93 Fax: +7 (7172) 97 98 94 Visa section: Phone: +7 (7172) 97 98 95 Fax: +7 (7172) 97 98 96

36 Baribayev Street, Almaty Phone: +7 (7272) 91 78 86 Fax: +7 (7272) 91 10 55 Consulate Phone: +7 (7272) 91 02 35 E-mail: emb-Uzbekistan@mail.ru

Embassy of the Vatican

Embassy of Tajikistan

20 Zelenaya Alleya Street Chubary Microdistrict, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 24 16 03, +7 (7172) 24 12 69 Fax: +7 (7172) 24 16 04 E-mail: nuntius_kazakhstan@lycos.com

Embassy of Sweden

15 Marsovaya Street, T Chubary Aicrodistrict, Astana Phone/Fax: +7 (7172) 24 09 29 E-mail: embassy_tajic@mbox.kz Office in Almaty: 16 Sanatornaya Street, Baganashyl vil. Phone/Fax: +7 (7272) 69 70 59 E-mail: tajemb_almaty@ok.kz

Embassy of Vietnam 6 Sary Arka Avenue, Astana Phone: +7 (7172) 66 03 75 Fax: +7 (7172) 66 03 79

9/12/11 10:07:28 AM

118

118_Map Astana.indd 118

9/12/11 2:07:02 PM

04_final_INSIDEcover_spead.indd 1

9/12/11 7:16:39 PM

K a z a k h s t a n

www.EdgeKz.com

September 2011

Astana

Almaty

Your Guide to What’s Hot and What’s Happening

WHAT’S HOT Nightclubs Restaurants Arts & Culture And Much More… Almaty & Astana

www.EdgeKz.com

Fashion Mega High Heels Latest KZ Collections

Country Overcomes Nuclear Past

Daring Race To South Pole

And All You Need to Celebrate Life in

Kazakhstan Everything you wanted to know about Kazakhstan, Almaty and Astana

04_final_cover_spead.indd 1

9/12/11 7:20:01 PM