We're getting more adventurous!!!

Well, we have been very busy, and are very proud of ourselves! We had a good visit with Matthew - we found out he can be fussy! Matthew is the cutest, smartest, most adorable boy, I don't know why I didn't see this from the start! It must have been the jet lag! We had a FULL room on Saturday as we were joined by a couple from California who usually visits in the afternoon, and the baby of a couple who went home to Spain to wait out their 15 days. That made five couples and their babies, their translators and the extra baby and translator! Michael and I snuck into the bedroom with Matthew while the caregivers had their arms full of other peoples children! So that way we got to put him in bed ourselves!

We had a craving for Chinese food after our visit. While we were waiting for our driver (he got stuck in traffic and was an hour late picking us up??!!!) we asked Aliya where a Chinese restaurant was. She told our driver where to take us and told us which buses would get us home! That's right, we rode the bus in Kazakhstan. You might wonder why this is such a big deal, but you have to remember that the last time I rode a city bus I was about 8 and with Aunt Sherry or Aunt Sam in Brandon! However, Michael wasn't too worried b/c he has ridden buses in Winnipeg before (except here they don't have anything saying what the bus routes actually are). Anyway, it is cheap, cheap, cheap! Only 35 tenge per person or less than $0.30!!! We stood at one stop and waited for quite awhile before we realized that our bus stop was across the street and down a bit. Once on the bus, someone comes around to collect the money! Our bus started off fairly empty but we were laughing as it became a clown car. At every stop more people got on and very few got off. Before you knew it, we were crammed like sardines and had to squeeze through a wall of people to get off! Michael wants to just pick a certain numbered bus, get on it and see where it goes, because he figures that if that bus came here, it should come back here as well.

But back to the Chinese restaurant for a minute. We were hoping like mad it would be buffet. It wasn't and no one spoke English. We were sitting like idiots, wondering if we should close our eyes and just point to a spot on the Russian menu, when one of the hostesses came over with a photo album filled with pictures of every dish, and a computer print off of the corresponding dishes in English! Bless her! We had two VERY tasty dishes and a kind of fried bread which was also fabulous. The decor was beautiful and we felt underdressed. Maybe that's why they seated us behind a folding divider! They were very courteous and the service was fabulous - they stand just far enough off to be out of your way but close enough to notice your tea cup is half empty so they can refill it! The food was still sizzling when it arrived, but the best part was the air conditioning!!!!

We came back to our apartment at around 8:15pm and I, Michael saw a couple young guys playing basketball on the single basketball hoop on the court beside our apartment. I told Jennifer I should see if I could shoot around with them and to my suprise they knew english and before long, a few more arrived and we were playing a 3 on 3 game. When the one guy on our time realized I was from Canada, he would call me Steve Nash, as he is originally from Toronto. We took these other guys to school and I was enjoying the exercise so much I may have overdid it. Jennifer became worried when it was 10pm and still no sign of me, until shortly after I came to the apartment b/c I finally came to the conclusion that these guys were half my age and I was going to kill myself. Here is a picture of myself right after I got up to the apartment. I do plan on playing again just to burn off some of the extra energy I have.

Yes, I worked up a little swet - felt good, except I felt quite sore on Sunday!

Today, after a very welcome phone call from home (thanks Mom, Dad and Jamie!)(by the way, thanks Tracy for your call too!)and after the success of yesterday, we decided to take the bus to the Presidential Palace and a tower that is featured on all the money (but we can't remember the name!) We went up to the top of the tower and got some great shots of the city! I think it is 105 meters tall! They have a table that has a bronze hand print in it - you are supposed to put your hand in it and make a wish!

This is the tower. I think it is called the Byterik.

A view from the top of the Presidential palace!

Then for supper we tried the restaurant that is right next door to us. It was boiling hot with no breeze so the very obliging waiter moved us from the patio to an air conditioned room. The decor was amazing! We were seated at a table in the middle of the room. Along one side there were raised booths that were curtain off and along the other, private rooms. I had meat in a Kazak fashion which was like a horse meat stew! Yes, I ate horse! It was delicious, and actually tastes like beef. I wouldn't have known the difference if I had't read it on the menu! The waiter asked me several times did I realize it was horse! I wasn't the only one to order this dish though, Marwan and Tony did also! It was Peter's birthday today, so I thought we should have had a candle to stick in the mouth of the sea bass he ordered!
There was a wedding in the room across from us. We all really wanted to go crash it! We did get to see the bride when they came out for pictures on the "board walk"- she had a beautiful dress!

Here we all are at supper. Thanks Tony and Maegan for the photo!


Tony and Maegan & Annette and Marwan all go to court monday! I hope everything goes well. I'm sure it will. Aliya told us saturday that Astana court is one of the best/easiest in Kazkahstan. That makes us feel a bit better.

Here are a few more interesting things about life in Astana:

- Milk is usually not refrigerated in the grocery stores. It comes in a tetra pack and just sits on a shelf. The expirey date is for 2008!
- Not all containers that look like they contain cow's milk actually do - sometimes it is yogurt or milk from other animals!
- Never assume something will not be available or will be more expensive here. I just found my favorite line of moisturizer here at the Ramstore. At home I am excited when I find it for $10, and I even brought two just to make sure I don't run out. Not only is it here, but apparently it costs less than $6 USD. Dang it.
- Lines mean nothing - if people here see a gap they assume that it means they are suppose to fill it. Apparently the way they think it that "I might as well before someone else does!" While waiting to get on the elevator to go up the tower, a whole family of about 8 suddenly appeared out of nowhere just as the doors opened! We got on after them! Also, at the Ram store, it can get quite busy, but if someone tries to cut in line with handfulls of stuff like us, Michael gives them a friendly Canadian look and they think again. (heh, heh!)
- Children are the same everywhere! They drive their bikes through puddles the same here as at home! They are attracted to puddles, they love to take risks like riding skateboards down slides, and they grin back at you when you smile at them!

The view back towards our apartment from the "board walk". The yellow building is the Ramstore, our building is behind the big white building.