KZBlog

Tag archive for ‘Astana Day’

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  Happy American Independence Day

  For some reason, every Fourth of July weekend, I am unable to go to the Embassy cookout, but I am hoping to grill burgers outdoors myself this year. If only we could get decent corn on the cob in Astana, I’d be happy. I am pleased that this year they made the 4th a day […]

  7/04/11 • (Comments Off on Happy American Independence Day)

• The Sting of Criticism

  Sting, who was scheduled to play tonight as part of the Astana Day festivities, has cancelled his engagement in Kazakhstan after Amnesty International apprised him of the situation with striking oil workers in West Kazakhstan: Amnesty International recently apprised Sting about the situation in Kazakhstan regarding the repression and crackdown against oil workers, their union […]

  7/04/11 • (1)

• Camelot and Kazakhstan

  This promotional film about Camelot Castle, a luxury hotel overlooking Tintagel, the birth place of King Arthur of legend, happens to feature a celebration of the birthday of President Nazarbayev. Not that the President came to the event: Camelot Castle Celebration – The Secret of Camelot Castle from Camelot Castle on Vimeo. The owners of […]

  8/15/10 • (2)

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  Khan Shatyr

  Finally made it to Khan Shatyr, which opened two weeks during the Astana Day festivities. Overall, I was disappointed that it is mainly another shopping mall. We have so many shopping malls now in Astana, and all of them are right next to each other. I really don’t see the point of having Norman Foster […]

  7/15/10 • (3)

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  65 Year Old Acrobat

  Another shot of Astana Day. In the park, a group of Uzbeks set up a little circus which is my second favorite part of Astana Day. They’re usually there at other times over the summer too, so you may not have missed them. Pretty good for traveling carnival workers. They make their money by asking […]

  7/11/10 • (Comments Off on 65 Year Old Acrobat)

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  Riding Back Saddle

  Another shot from this year’s celebration of Astana Day. This trick riding looks impressive but is also an important set of skills in battle and hunting. From this position, the rider can avoid enemy arrows or swords and also lean back far enough to pick up a fallen colleague or lost weapon from the ground […]

  7/09/10 • (Comments Off on Riding Back Saddle)

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  Medvedev Twitter Makes Some Noise

  Some of you may have heard this by now, but President Medvedev of Russia wrote a Happy Birthday congratulations to Nazarbayev on his Twitter feed: Interesting that they provide an English-language translation of his feed, suggesting that either the feed is more for foreigners or that he wishes to appear hip and cool by speaking […]

  7/08/10 • (Comments Off on Medvedev Twitter Makes Some Noise)

• Nothing Happened

  So despite the rumors, another Astana Day/President’s Birthday passed and 1) Nazarbayev did not step down or announce his plans to do so, 2) Massimov, the Prime Minister, was not dismissed, 3) No ministers were fired or radical new reforms to the government announced. The two most exciting things to happen were the opening of […]

  7/08/10 • (Comments Off on Nothing Happened)

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  Movie Festival

  Beginning June 27th for Astana Day, Astana will be hosting an international action film festival. Timur Bekmambetov is one of the organizers and apparently Mike Tyson, Dolph Lundgren and Milla Jovovich are coming to Astana. They’re showing a lot of interesting films. In particular, I’m looking forward to seeing Shanghai, Tyson, Sukiyaki Western Django, The […]

  6/17/10 • (Comments Off on Movie Festival)

• If You Make 70 Gifts for 70 Years, I’ll Fire You

  In another part of the President’s speech yesterday he noted that gift-giving is something that has to stop. Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that there is no budget item for gifts for fellow civil servants and threatened to report people who give too many gifts:
  Gazeta.kz quotes the President, “Accounts Committee, regularly reports to me about the most serious violations. People buy expensive cars, expensive electronic devices and begin to furnish their offices, buying expensive furniture. It’s a waste of everything.”

  3/13/10 • (1)

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