Kazakhstan could somewhat resemble a big ocean; a big, endless ocean of yellow corn-fields and straight roads leading us into nothingness. We have been driving on these endless roads for a couple of days now before ending up in the capital Astana where we are admiring Nazarbayev 'good' architectual taste.
It is so far a country full of contrast, even more than Russia I guess. Physically it is situated on the border between Asia and Europe: it is the ninth largest country in the world (approximately seven times bigger than Norway), but it has a population density of less than 6 people per square kilomtre which explains the endless fields of corn. It is also on the border between something that could look like democracy, but has bvecome more and more something smelling of dictatorship - the president Nazarbayev has just changed the constituion which makes it possible for him to stay president for life. It is a country that is trying to find its roots and a national history after the split up with the Soviet Union - a split up that was not that welcomened and threw the country into an econimically turmoil; a country of Russians, Ukrains, Germans, Koreans and of course Kazakhs, living side by side in an area with strong nomadic traditions. It is a land of contrast here I wander around in the streets of Astana trying to figure it all out. But I have more days to figure it all out, maybe a week before we drive into Kyrgyzstan.
All I can say is that I am happy to tell you all that it is not the land of Borat for sure...
Cecilie; having problems with my right hand, making it hard to write and also makes the blog being updated even less... The juicy stories from Kazakhstan will be written later.
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