Hello everyone,
We, here in Kazakhstan are just finishing Thursday and are greatly anticipating Monday (court day) and Tuesday, our departure day. It is slowly winding down and we can’t wait to get home. Everyday now, we are asking each other, and the Brustmans, what do you want to eat first thing when we get home? Well, for me, it’s a big fat steak with a salad. I greatly miss salads and variety in food. We have tried to eat at different restaurants and they taste very similarly. It is kind of frustrating. One of the greatest things and sometimes one of the worst things about life in America is that we have so many choices. Well, when you are away for over a month, you miss this greatly.
Today, in my efforts to describe Kazakhstan, I will be describing the cars. Wherever we go in this wonderful world, I like to look at the cars. When we were in Buenos Aires, I could not get over the number of Ford Falcons that were there. Mom and Dad had a Falcon before I was born and I saw pictures of theirs. When we were in Buenos Aires, I saw models I have never ever seen before. Here, I have been quite surprised. I expected old Russian cars. Instead it is probably 50 % German (Audi, BMW, and mostly Mercedes), 40 % Japanese (Honda, Mitsubishi, Lexus (a lot of Lexus) and Subaru) and 10 % other (we have seen a few Ford Explorers, 1 Lincoln Town car, 1 Chevy, several Hummers and 1 Range Rover. All of the Japanese cars have names, which we have never heard of, and all of the numbered model German cars are numbers we don’t have. Plus a great deal of the steering is on the right. Anna, our interpreter, said new cars are going over to the left side (our side) but slowly.
The driving is much like that in South America or New York City; everyone for themselves. In the states, the pedestrians have the right-of-way. Not here. The drivers have the right-of-way. If you walk out onto the road, do so at your own risk because you have no idea what the driver will do. The snow removal crews do an awesome job, so there are lanes but nobody bothers to use them; it is a free-for-all. Where there are two lanes, there may be three cars across, all jockeying for position. People park where there isn’t a snow pile, so people drive where they can or in whichever lane is available. With all of this confusion, I still think they have an answer to all the running of red lights in America. They use a green, blinking green for caution, quick yellow and red. However, everyone anticipates the red so they try and jump the change. With all of this, I have seen one traffic accident in almost 30 days. Pretty good.
K said I was writing a book, so better wrap up. Were anxious, sick of the food, love our little lady, and can’t wait to see you all!!
Love Dave
