Grand Park Esil Astana

... a relatively early night after internet contact disappeared like an April shower. Instead, we had the most magical tour of the new centre in the Lada. My impressions of it during the daytime were of incredible architecture. At night time, all lit up, it is truly like a fairtale, like someone's fantasy come true. The president's maybe?<br> Finally nearer midnight I am left at my hotel. Again more thanks, particularly from me for such generous hosts.<br> No. I didn't do any internetting!

... I've not been to this part of Astana before. I't on the other side of the river and houses all the government building. If I thought that the architecture of downtown Astana was eclectic it fades into insignificance in comparison to this. Everything is brand new. Huge late Soviet office blocks and complexes vie with the most modernistic buildings imaginable including Norman Foster's transparant leaning tentlike structure Khan Shatyr, and the ...

... filled in my form, had the Letter of Invitation, my passport and the money ready and got to the visa window. An official takes my documents and scurries off behind the scenes. My heart is starting to sink. He returns 5 minutes later. <br><br>"This company is not authorised to issue Letters of Invitation, I cannot issue visa."<br><br>"It is and your London consulate issued my last visa on a letter of invitation from them." I reply.<br><br ...

... Serge climbs back into the cab and we head back eventually finding the ring road and our way south. Well, it was an overcast day so you lose the guiding sun and I began to wonder if Serge has every been out of Astana! I suggest to Vladimir that if he continues to wind Serge up he may find himself walking back to Astana.<br><br>South of Kokshetau and for all the 300ks to Astana is a motorway project. Some day it will be fantastic but for much of it now it's ...

... a few still with their 'earth over battens' roofs. Internet is not all it's cracked up to be over here and many of the cafes boast WiFi that doesn't exist. Our last reliable internet was in Almaty and that was dial-up. I'd forgotten about dial-up! I found a real WiFi Cafe today and managed to download the recent blogs and send a couple of emails but it was too slow for photos so we will save them meantime and let you know when we download them. <br><br><br>