Let's Go to Kazakhstan! - Week 3

i have been walking a lot the past few weeks. even more than i already was this trip around the world. i think i have walked over 50 miles in kazakhstan going all around the city. it has been really great to see the city this way. the city is so walkable. way more walkable than most cities in america. beautiful green spaces, walkways, and viewpoints. tons of great buildings to look at and really great cafes to rest if needed.

i don’t have too much to add this week, but i did take some photos that i was really happy with if you want to check them out.

i will add that one thing i remember about this past week was completely having an unexpected thought. i walked into the building i am staying at and hit the button to go up and waited for the lift to come down to the first floor from the fifth. as i waited it came to me that the elevator would soon be to me and i would get in and soon i would be in my apartment. it was going to happen and i will probably forget ever waiting for the elevator. then, the door opened and i got in. i hit number four and watched the door closed. my thoughts continued to the thought that someday i will not be in kazakhstan anymore. i would be in another country soon and the wait for that was taking place…but it was on its way at some point.

the door opened and i walked over to my apartment door. i thought about how i was no longer in the elevator. i was no longer downstairs. i was now in front of my door. at some point later i would go to sleep and i would be awake tomorrow or the next day or the day after that. it was all going to happen, unless of course something were to happen to me which would be unexpected haha.

and as i walked into the apartment, i thought about how one day i would pass away and this life would be finished. each action leading up to that point which was coming just like a trip on an elevator or a flight on a plane or a dinner upcoming with a friend. eckart tolle talks a lot about the infinite present moment. i really like that. if we think in terms of time outside of the present, it is finite and it is relentless. the future may never arrive, but it is coming our way to become the present experience all the time.

i haven’t fully flushed it out or finished thinking on it, but i’m pretty sure it all had something to do with living in the present lol. here’s some photos…

this was the building for the circus! pretty cool ufo.

a very large kazakh flag in the sunlight on a walk to astana central park.

a delicious steak dinner at a restaurant called wall street.

the transformers themed playground outside my airbnb apartment building.

one of my favorite pics i’ve taken here.

another one outside the circus in front of a large fountain. the infrastructure in this city is so good.

the river that cuts through the eastern side of the city.

i went to the opera to see Алеко and it was incredible.

i went to an irish bar called leprechaun near my airbnb for a caesar salad and listened to a three piece band play 90s american rock like nirvana and other grunge era acts.

have a great week.