KAZAKHSTAN

Okay, to be honest when I first heard of this country, in Borat some years ago, I thought it was somewhere in the Middle East/towards India. However, about 5 months ago, at my school's annual International Night, I learned it was in Central Asia...I was mind-blown!! It borders Eastern Europe and the Ural River of Russia.

Borat's native land's capital is Astana and the total population is almost at 17 million. The national language is Kazakh and Russian, however in recent years there have more and more native English speakers living and moving to Kazakhstan. In Astana, there are three districts: Almaty District, Yesil District and the Saryarka District. Several tourist must-sees in the country's capital include visits to: The Palace of Peace and Harmony, Baiterek, Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Nur-Astana Mosque, Durman Center and the Museum of the Presidential Center of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In Astana, the city that looks like it's from the year 2050, go out and explore what the future holds!

1. Relax at the Palace of Peace and Harmony...ommmmm.

2. Explore the City Center/Islamic Center.

3. Save a cowboy and ride a horse at the Tulpar Horse Club.

4. Go in the winter to do some cross country skiing or visit the Ice City.

5. Take an evening stroll along the Ishim River.

6. Relax and breathe easy at the Laelia Spa or the Rixos Royal Spa.

7. Bet big money on the horse races at Altyn Taga.

8. Bring out your inner nature-man/woman at the Burabay National Nature Park.

9. Play in the pools at the Suntana Aquapark.

For the foodies visiting Astana, get your bellies hungry and try: 

1. Arablet-- a 24 hour restaurant with great food and Viking decorations...my kind of place, seeing as I am half Danish, therefore, half 'Viking'. 

2. Assorti-- a popular chain restaurant in Kazakhstan...so, Americans, think Wendys, Carl's Jr., etc. etc.

3. Arystan Restaurant-- food for the backpackers and students visiting Astana.

4. Astana Nury-- a beautiful river-side restaurant with many different ethnic foods and Kazakh favorites.

5. Chilli Peppers- for you Westerners visiting Astana, this serves an all around favorite: pizza...and for cheap prices.

6. Europe-Asia-- like it sounds, dishes from Europe and Kazakh specialities.

7. Capital Music and Pub Restaurant-- blends both entertainment and food in one.

8. Fusion-- grab a quick bite before partying below at Fashion night club, a popular nightclub in the city.

9. Epoch-- Soviet flags and decor served with wide varieties of bold dishes.

10. Kishlak-- Uzbek foods and decor that changes into a party spot on weekends.

11. La Riviere-- get your fancy clothes on and wallets out, this is one of the city's most expensive restaurants, all inclusive with live piano music and incredible food.

12. Line Hall-- a medieval inspired beer hall that serves 'Kazakhstan's best steak and barbecue sauce'. 

13. Samovar- traditional Russian food with a quaint feel, vine draped ceilings and beautifully painted walls. 

14. Most Restaurant-- you cook the food but the staff cleans it all up for you...a win-win situation! Almost like The Melting Pot for you Americans reading this.

15. Pivovaroff-- get your drink on with German beer and satisfy those drunchies with traditional German cuisine. Danke!

16. Princess Turandot-- if you are CRAVING Chinese food in this Asian country, satisfy your craving here for authentic Chinese food prepared by Chinese chefs.

17. Vaquero-- tengo hambre! Latin American cuisine makes for the perfect lunch or dinner in the city.

18. TGI Fridays-- yes, there is a Fridays here...are you surprised? 

19. Muller-- for European cuisine and beer...who wouldn't miss that when traveling?

20. Tiflis-- looking for delicious Georgian food in Astana? Look no further, this place also does not have a closing time, it's just whenever the last customer leaves. So, if you are having a late-night craving and you are the second to last or even the last person there, no worries, no pressure, take your time. 

If you are visiting the more southern region of Kazakhstan, the city of Almaty (borders with Kyrgyzstan  is another popular destination for tourists. If you make it here, maybe before going to Kyrgyzstan, be sure to: 

1. Make a trip to the beautiful Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake.

2. Take a gander at the Alma-Ata Tower.

3. Enjoy some mountain time at the Kok Tube...let's be mature here people...

4. Grab a snack at the Zelyony Bazaar (also known as the Green Market). 

5. Get holy at the Zenkov Cathedral...it's a Russian Orthodox cathedral made only of wood...and no nails, hmm.

6. Walk around Republic Square aimlessly and act like you know exactly where you are going.

7. Take a bath with fellow Kazakhs at the Arasan Baths house. 

8. Get holy, yet again, at The Cathedral of the Holy Ascension. 

9. Take a ride in a cable car to the tippy top of several surrounding mountains. 

10. Snap some background worthy pictures of the snow-capped Tien-Shan Mountains. 

11. Skate and bruise your knees at the Medeu Skating Rink.

12. Go back in time by visiting the Abylay Khan statue. 

13. Spend a rainy day at the Central State Museum. 

14. Take a walk through the park, literally, at Park Panfilov. 

15. Grand Canyon? Nah, its the Charyn Canyon here in Kazakhstan.

16. Visit the ceremonial square of Respublika Alanghy. 

17. See the mythical bird legend of Kazakhstan, the Bayterek Monument. 

18. Grab some lunch or dinner at either Zheti Qazyna, Samovar (Russian cuisine), Kishlak, Printsessa Turandot, Yubileyny, Namaste or Biskvit.

19. Be a hipster at the Kazakhstan Museum of Arts. 

20. Drop your jaw at the Kol-Say Lakes.

21. Enjoy a night full of live music at Cuba.

22. Drink the best coffee in all of Almaty at Coffeedelia.

23. Climb some rocks at Kan Tengri.

24. Spend some tenges (Kazakh currency) at TsUM department store-there are smaller boutiques within it).

I hope you won't go hungry when you visit after this list...if you do, you got to give things a try, that's all part of the 'traveling to new places' experience! 

The next post will be on: Estonia in Europe!

Travel on wanderlusters!

ARGENTINA

Argeeeeentinaaaaa, the land of beautiful mountains, nature, steak, leather, tango dancing and well, just about everything great! This South American country's capital is Buenos Aires...wow, I sound like I'm trying to sell you guys Argentina, sorry! Too much excitement for this place. Patagonia is one of my favorite backgrounds on my computer, so to be doing a post on the country Patagonia is shared with (it is also shared with Chile), is exciting! 

Anywho, Spanish is the main spoken language (obviously) and there are almost 41 million people living in this country. With Argentina being at the very end of South America, it neighbours with Chile, Antarctica, Uruguay (where I will be living in a year from now) and Paraguay. 

1. Buenos Aires
2. El Calafate & The Perito Moreno Glacier
3. Iguazu Falls (one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of the World)
4. Valdez Peninsula
5. Bariloche & The Seven Lakes Region
6. Quebrada de Humahuaca
7. Valle de la Luna & Talampaya
8. El Chaltén
9. Ushuaia & Beagle Canal
10. Antarctica

According to www.argentinastravel.com, these are the top 10 places to go when visiting Argentina. Buenos Aires is considered to be one of the world's largest cities and South America deems Argentina to have the best quality of life. Hmmm, sounds like a pretty good deal to me, it's kind of hard not to think that instantly when you see those awesome photos. Buenos Aires boasts European styled architecture, fantastic culture and a mass amount of theatres. Vivaa la noche, viva la vida loca en Buenos Aires!

The website TimeOut.com helped with me with the top 20 things to do when in Buenos Aires, I cringed a little at number 2 on the list though:  
1. Become a Boca fan
2. Eat intestines and even more glands
3. Frolic in a love hotel
4. Tour the eye of the Tigre 
5. Witness the social coming of Christ
6. Get lost among the dead
7. Dine in style
8. Mind your toes at a milonga
9. Snack on coffee and medialuna
10. Drink until the early hours (but that's everywhere else in the world too...)
11. Have a picnic and go bird watching
12. Visit Malba: Colección Costantini
13. D is for dulce de leche (YUMMM)
14. Pay homage to Evita
15. Go relic hunting in San Telmo (I do this in Sims 3 World Adventures...I'm guilty, I'm guilty, ok?)
16. Pick up classic souvenirs
17. See a polo match in Palermo (Olivia Palermo is my favorite style icon! No connection, I know)
18. TANGO
19. Groove to South America's best DJs
20. Turn fashion conscious at Palermo Viejo (hmm, maybe this is where Olivia Palermo really got it from...)

Now, let's talk about Patagonia...yay! This place is beyond beautiful, at least from the pictures I have seen because I have not been there yet. I am hoping though that in the next year I can say I have visited. Skiing, trekking, glacier trekking, fishing and whale watching are just some of the activities to do there...sounds like the perfect combination!

Now, I'm not necessarily a big fan of snow and cold but I would conquer the coldness to do these things in Patagonia. I'll definitely be putting on my big girl pants on when the time comes to visit Patagonia.

Patagonia and Buenos Aires are considered to be the most expensive part of Argentina, but you could most definitely find cheap accommodation throughout Buenos Aires and near Patagonia. If you know the travel guides/books and website Lonely Planet, you already know the excellent travel advice they give. I got some fantastic information from their Argentina page, including an upcoming festival in May: Día de Virgen de Luján on May 8th- a day where believers set foot on a 65 km pilgrimage to Luján to honor the Virgin Mary. Are any of you wanderlusters going to this festival or have ever taken part in this festival? The best time to visit is in their spring months, which is September to November, Buenos Aires that is. The best time to visit Patagonia for the non-cold lovers, like myself, is during their summer months, December through February. Sheesh, if only they knew what December-April was like in Eastern Europe!

Have yourself a lovely Easter Monday (for those who celebrate) or otherwise a lovely start of the week and of course, travel on wanderlusters!

The next post will be on: Democratic Republic of the Congo in Western Africa.

P.S. I came across this today, pretty interesting/cool. Who would've thunk it?! http://www.cracktwo.com/2011/04/25-abandoned-soviet-monuments-that-look.html