So what is that picture all about? Basically, it is an aquarium where you can feed the fish. Nothing too unusual?
Rather than feeding from above, this fish tank has holes in its sides where you can drop the food in, and wait for the fish to poke their heads out and eat!

As far as I can tell from the explanations, the effect is achieved because the tank itself is normally otherwise sealed, so the pressures involved keep the water from emptying out onto the floor. I do wonder if they have to monitor the place during the night, in case fish end up leaping out onto the pavement.

Check over here for the original source of these pictures.

As you may remember, it was recently Losha’s birthday, his 18th in fact. Ira and I walked around a local shopping mall, looking for something to get him as a present. In the end, we went for a pair of Pierre Cardin cufflinks. We think they look quite classy, without being too showy off. (Is that a real term, or did I just make it up? Apologies if so…) Anyway, we had a good night out, with good food, and a little too much spirit for me - I don’t remember the journey home, but I do remember the way I felt the next day.

Ira will be driven to Astana airport, where she will fly to London, via Austria, for a meeting KMG has. The kittens have enough food in the cupboard, there is juice and water, the bills have been paid, and I’ve promised to not set fire to anything. Fingers crossed, all will be well Seriously, although my dearly beloved will be away, I have enough work to do, to keep me occupied, and I’ll be meeting up with David and another Chris this Friday, as David has arrived in Astana. (I say that, but the last I heard, his flight from Almaty was delayed. On a positive note, it turns out Almaty airport has free wi-fi available, so at least I know for the future that I can distract myself next time we fly through there.)
I hope Ira has a safe journey, a not too stressful time in London, a safe return, and that I manage to keep the flat in some semblance of tidiness…

With just over a fortnight until Christmas, I hereby officially concede defeat, and will no longer ban myself from posting Xmas-related links. The first that caught my eye was piece on how the new(ish) rules for the UK Top 40 music chart mean that Christmas hits from the past now stand a good chance of doing well this year. Because nearly all (legal) downloads are now counted in the official chart, music companies no longer need to officially relaunch a track with a real world CD for it to count. Check out the article here.
Secondly, we have news from the Philippines that carol singers are being banned from busy traffic intersections, in the hope that accidents can be reduced. I wouldn’t be overly surprised if they have some official delegation visiting as well, as poor, shoeless, hungry and dirty kids do not present a good image for your country. Lets just hope that they will be able to get their food from somewhere, otherwise ministers may not being getting a good nights sleep when they consider the turkey they’ll be carving on the big day…

I was speaking to a friend recently, and discovered one of their relatives had just reached the official pensioner age. The relative has chosen to continue working in their current job. Not that most people have a lot of choice… The MONTHLY pension here is just 11,000 tenge! That equates to around $85, or if you prefer £40, to live on. Although some essentials are cheaper in this country, a lot of prices are catching up, without a matching rise in wages or pensions. For those pensioners living solely on a their state pension, I simply can not imagine how they manage to pay the electricity and other utility bills, buy enough food to survive 4 weeks. That is completely ignoring such ‘luxuries’ as clothing or fuel for their transport, if they have any.
When it comes to most matters with this country, I stay fairly neutral - it is difficult to criticize any system without having lived through the multitude of changes etc., however this pension level just seems immoral.
Anyway, I’ll hop off my soap box for now, at least until someone gets me fired up about the equally scandalous level of pay doctors get paid here.

Travelworld RV are a company that sell new and pre-owned (second hand) Recreational Vehicles (motorhomes). I do not know whether the reality of the situation would make me change my mind, but if I could travel anywhere in the luxurious mode afforded by a motor home, I would like to travel through various areas of Africa. Obviously a couple of requirements would need to be met - someone else would be driving, and only travelling through countries where it is relatively safe to do so (I could not find mention of any of the models available at Travel World RV having armour plating as standard ).
The idea of waking up with huge expanses of glorious nature surrounding you, and being able to simply point in a random direction at a cross road, and seeing where you end up intrigues me. Whilst camping can be a good experience, the option to simply turn on the gas stove, or store your beer and vodka in a proper fridge tend to make me think that RVs would be a distinct advantage when it comes to any trans-Africa journeys. Perhaps have a couple of trail bikes on the rack, or a dune buggy in a trailer? So, given a limitless budget for food, drinks and petrol, where would you like to go?

Will we be seeing a new post from Alex over in Australia any time soon? She has, as you may remember from previous posts here or over at her DryadMusings blog, moved over to be with the love of her life, Mat. From her facebook entries, it looks as though she has arrived in Sydney fine, and enjoyed Bondi beach.
Anyway, should she and her BF decide to go back packing around Oz a little, she may well look for hotels in gold coast. If so, she is in luck, as the site linked to has details on all sorts of deals available, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to luxurious accommodation for when their budget allows such splashing out. Who could blame them for wanting to check out the Gold Coast, with the adventurous activities available, theme parks (I’ll never forget taking Alex to the fair back in Cheltenham, though I imagine GC’s parks are a little on the grander scale of things ), and wondrous scenes and wildlife to spend hours soaking in.
Perhaps hotels in adelaide or perth hotels will be more appropriate though? With the fine wine and food on offer, good long hikes around the coastlines may be in order to burn off those extra calories, or a more sedate drive or camel ride through the outback. Finally, with Mat’s sporty and fit appearance, hotels in surfers paradise may be of more interest to the couple. Hopefully Alex will let us know a little bit about her new life soon, the best of luck to them both.

Ira got home from work a little tired, and asked me to cook tea. Normally I am happy to oblige, as it often means I get to eat the sort of thing Irina does not like as much; however today I too am feeling a little knackered. Solution? Order some food from a cafe that delivers. This will only be the second time we have done so in this country, so I will update this post with details of how good it was a little later. I appreciate that people in Western countries would think nothing of ordering a Chinese/pizza etc. to be delivered to their home, but it is still definitely something of a novelty over here. They luckily had sashliq and chips on the menu, so unless it is stone cold, or smothered in scary vegetables, I should be happy .

PS Yes I know I have categorized this post under Eating ‘Out’, but I don’t have a separate category for ordering ‘in’

Whilst exploring a new city for the first time can be fun, it is always good to have in mind at least a couple of places that can provide life’s essentials - food and rest. There is nothing to stop you from simply wandering around and letting your nose guide you to the best smelling cafe or restaurant. However, knowing that if you fail miserably, or can’t find anywhere within your budget, that you have researched via the internet, and found a Barcelona restaurant (for example) that others recommend can help to calm your stomach from making those embarrassing rumbling noises.
If you have not yet booked a room for your stay, then City Vacation’s page on Hostels and Hotels in Barcelona could well help you out, though I should point out that this city’s pages are currently a work in progress, with a full re-launch expected some time this Autumn. The restaurant page already has details of not only the style of establishments you can expect to find in Barcelona, but also specific recommendations for good places to eat.