We are Jasper and Barbara. This website is out little window on the world and the countries we have visited. The unpretentious café where we had lunch, antique shops, a cute dog, beautifully tiled floors. Small things that are generally thought to be commonplace.
A mountainscape is where we find our inner peace and a city with brutalist architecture, book shops and a foodmarket is where we come alive again.
about us
3 weeks
11.03.2025 ---- 30.03.2025
WE CROSSED THE width of the country from the Tian Shan to the Caspian Sea. Breaking up the three-day trainride through the camel inhabited steppe with a mountain hike and a dissapearing sea. From entering a glacier cave in the Alpine scenery around Almaty to offroading in the cosmic seabed of Mangystau this massive country is incredibly diverse. And luckily for the hordes of small children there is still a lot more space left.
kazakhstan
6 days
Almaty
4 days
Aksu-Zhabagly
2 days
Shymkent
1 day
Aralsk
4 days
Mangystau
itinerary
01
Capital
Astana
02
Population
20.33 million
03
Location
Central Asia
04
Area
3 million km²
highlights
Camping in Mangystau
We rented a car and although it took a bit longer than it would have with a driver, we were able to find the highlights we wanted to see. Nothing beats waking up just before sunset all by yourself in a landscape as otherwordly as in Mangystau.
Aksu-Zhabagly reserve park
In the middle of march most paths in the park were still covered in snow. Only one path, about 5 kilometres deep, we could follow accompanied by a ranger. He led us close to a group of Ibex goats. From april the park will be full of tulips.
Bogdanovich glacier
A decision to change train tickets to visit this easily accessible glacier well turned out. The glacier can be entered from March onwards. The Shymbulak gondola takes you up the mountain and from there onwards it was less than an hour hiking. It was truly magical and also a little bit scary to be inside this smooth blue sculpture of thousands of years old ice.
Arasan baths
This Soviet style public baths. Stay at least two hours to fully enjoy all that is on offer. There is even a cafe to enjoy a snack after yet another round at the bania. A peel on one of the marble butchering tables won't leave you unscathed, though.
food
Beshbarmak: square noodles topped with all types of meat
Syrne: Lamb roast with potatoes and vegetables
Kespe: a broth noodle soup with meat and vegetables
Bylamyk: slightly sweet millet porridge
Baursak: Kazach donuts
Manti: dumplings filled with meat and/or vegetables
Shubat: fermented camel milk
Kozhe: a milk beverage with meat and grains, typically made for Nowryz.
Kumis: a slightly alcoholic horse milk drink.
Plov: rice dish with mutton, carrots and sometimes raisins and eggs
Shashlyk: meat skewers often combined with vinegary onions Laghman: hand pulled noodles with meat and vegetables
USSR influence
Syrniki: cottage cheese pancakes served with smetana and jam
Solyanka soup: sausage soup with an olive, smetana and lemon
Borsht: red beet soup with smetana and dill
Salat Oliviye: mayonaise salad with potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles, eggs and sausage
Kasha: breakfasts porridge made from rice, millet or oats
architecture
Almaty
Aul residential complex
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Әл-Фараби атындағы Қазақ ұлттық университеті
Wedding Palace
Дворец Бракосочетаний
Kazakhstan Hotel
Қазақстан қонақ үй
Aktau
Ақтау қонақ үйі
analog
