This is the Turkish Cafe. We like their kabobs and sandwiches. They also have baklava.
This is a building on the outskirts of town. We haven't had an opportunity to take very many pictures of the city, as we are usually driven everywhere we go.
Larrisa, Pasha, Olga, Helena, Karina, and Vladimir have lived here all their lives, and most of the Semey residents would say the same thing. This is a town where the residents are sure to see someone they know as they walk the streets – the roots grow very deep.
It is an old town, a gray town, a town that long ago hit its zenith and there is no rebirth in sight. Many young people leave Semey and move to larger, newer, prettier cities. Larissa has taken us to several places (parks, monuments, the gate to the city, etc.) and commented on how terrible it is that no one takes care of these places anymore. It is clear that the wealth of Kazakhstan is not reaching Semey. The buildings are in need of repair, the streets are littered with gigantic potholes, litter and weeds have overtaken the historic landmarks, and none of it will be cleaned up anytime soon.
But the people of Semey are very proud of their city. They are hard workers, and they are good people. We are greeted with warm smiles when we visit the Aristocrat Bakery (our favorite place to buy sweets and chicken wings). We are also welcomed with smiles and waves when we walk into the mini-mart next to our apartment. These people have gotten to know us, and they are very kind to us.
Vendors at the bazaar. Very excited to have their picture taken!
Strangers on the street are a different story. There is a custom here of having a serious face. When you pass someone on the street or in a hallway, you must not smile or greet them (unless, of course, you know them)! Most of the population (maybe two-thirds?) appears to be of Asian decent, while the other third is Caucasian. There is a very happy mingling of races and faiths. Larissa is Caucasian and goes to the Russian Orthodox church, but her husband is Asian (Kazakh) and goes to the Islamic mosque for worship.
A mosque.
The Russian Orthodox church.
The people of Semey dress very nice. The women wear knee-high leather boots with stiletto heels. They also wear long, tight-fitting coats with fur-lined hoods. They carry expensive-looking purses and wear pretty-smelling perfume. Women will walk arm in arm. One man will often grab the back of the arm of the other man as they walk together. Men wear large fur hats. Everyone wears black. I would guess that 90% of the people are wearing black at any given moment.
Boots sold at the bazaar.
Families live together in the apartment buildings. Young people live with their mother and father even after they marry. The new wife or husband will live with their in-laws. Eventually, after one or two grandchildren are born, the young husband and wife will move into an apartment of their own. The women do the cooking and cleaning. Most families do not go out to eat unless it is a special event.
A typical apartment building.
The bridge over the Irtysh River.
Every apartment building has a playground. There are millions of playgrounds!! I would like to see the city in the summer time, as I suspect that there are many children being kept indoors during the winter. When kids do go outside, they are dressed in little snowsuits, hats, mittens, etc. They are always holding the hand of an adult, and they are usually walking somewhere – they are not outside for playing in the cold weather. (It’s not really that cold here. It has been in the 40s every day, but the Kazakhstan people are very serious when it comes to keeping their babies warm!)
There are hundreds of stray dogs and cats all over the city. We want to adopt some furry friends too.
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