We arrived late last evening and did not see anything of this city. Just time to meet our guide Oksana and check into the hotel to get some sleep. This is the beginning of our trip "Best of the Stans". The stan suffix comes from the Persian root istan meaning 'land' - hence 'land of the Kazakhs' or 'land of the Tajiki'. Squeezed between India, Russia, and China, the "stans" sit amongst imposing mountains, vast steppe, and desert. All independent nations now, each has their own identity.

The region contains the Silk Road which was an ancient network of trade routes linking commerce between China and the Mediterranean from 130BC to 1453. Marco Polo (1254-1324) traveled the route and described the goods traded - horses, camels, animal furs and skins, honey, fruits, glassware, woollen blankets, rugs, carpets, textiles, gold, and silver.

We begin our journey in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world and is the largest landlocked country in the world. This former Soviet republic has a population of around 18 million. The indigenous Kazakhs were nomadic Turkic people. The country gained independence from Russia in 1991 and is now a presidential republic where power rests almost entirely with the President.

Today we started our exploration of the city of Almaty the old southern capital with a population of 1.4 million. Almaty city, whose name is translated as "Apple" or "Father of Apples" is now a vibrant city with much to offer.

Started with a visit to the Central State Museum which offers a reflection of the centuries-long history of Kazakhstan. The museum has more than 200 000 exhibits in its collection and it is easy to spend considerable time looking around. Many of the signs include English so it makes it easy to understand. The main treasure of the museum is undoubtedly the exact miniature copy of the military costume of the "Golden Man" made from 4000 golden parts adorned with beautiful patterns and paintings.

Every large city has its center, and Republic Square is the center of Almaty. It is the biggest square in the city: its size is almost two stadiums with 580m in length and 210m in width. The main attraction of Republic Square is the Monument of Independence created by a group of authors under the supervision of Shota Valikhanov. There is a 28-m stela in the center of the Independence Monument, adorned with a figure of the legendary Golden Man and a flying winged leopard underneath it. There are other interesting elements: two children on colts symbolizing youth and hopes for the great future of the Kazakh state; as well as symbolical figures of Father and Mother. Apart from that, there are ten bas-reliefs around the stela, where the main milestones of the history of Kazakhstan are briefly written.

A visit to the local Zeleny Bazaar gives an insight into everyday life. The market began in 1875 and is filled with a variety of exciting sights, smells, and tastes. Exploring the aisles, we saw elaborate displays of spices, teas, cheeses, fruit, and vegetables. A visit to the meat section was an eye-opener (yes, they eat horse!!).

The 28 Panfilov's Guardsmen Park was built in the 1870s and was named after the Panfilov Soldiers in 1942 to commemorate the heroes of the 316th Division and the 16th Regiment who died in the war against the Nazis in 1941. History says that the regiment was formed mainly from Almaty and Bishkek natives shortly after the beginning of the war. They were young inexperienced soldiers, who had not even done their military service and who found themselves at the forefront of fighting late in 1941. The memorial is an impressive sight. Its left high relief - "The Oath" is dedicated to the young Kazakh warriors who fought for Soviet power, the central part of the monument - "The Feat" reflects the international images of Panfilov's guardsmen, as a symbol of the heroism of Soviet soldiers during World War II, and the right relief - "The Blowing the Glory" embodies the victory and triumph of life. The words of Panfilov's political commander are carved on the podium of the feat which our guide tells us says: "Russia is great and there is no retreat. Moscow is behind us!". An eternal flame flickers in front of the giant black monument.

A distinctive architectural building Zenkov Cathedral ( AKA Ascension Cathedral) is just behind the military monument. The cathedral was constructed between 1904 and 1907 and a particular feature of this wooden building is that it was erected according to a unique ancient technology, practically without any nails. This five-domed and three-aisled cathedral contains paintings of dozens of saints, fretworks, and metal-bound decorations. During Soviet rule, it was feared this building would not survive and it was used for non-religious purposes until 1994. After restoration works, orthodox services began to be held in the cathedral. The interior is both luxurious and minimalist and gives you a sense of peace.

The Museum of Musical Instruments is located in one of the prettiest buildings (think fairytale cottage) in Almaty, a cute wooden house from the early 20th century resting in the lovely Panfilov Park. The wide variety of Kazakh musical instruments on display are well-lit and have descriptions in English. It is interesting but not a must-see sight.

Late afternoon we headed to the Sunkar Falconry Centre to learn about birds of prey - how they are used for hunting, their history, lifestyle, and organic traits. This centre was originally established to protect the saker falcon, whose numbers dropped alarmingly in the '80s and '90s when a thriving market developed to export the birds to Arabia for big money. Sunkar has around 400 birds it is taking care of including 15 species of owl, eagles, lammergeier, vultures, hawks, and of course saker falcons. The birds that stay at the centre have been rescued and cannot be released into the wild as they would not survive. However, there is a breeding project to release golden eagles and saker falcons back into the wild. As part of their educational role, there is a show each evening at 5 pm. This is where you can get up close and personal with some of the magnificent birds and see them in action. We got to see a 3-week-old eagle, then a 2-month-old eagle, and the cutest Little Owl that stands less than a ruler in height and is fully grown. This show was both interesting and educational with a hilarious presenter. Your visit supports Sunkar's work of bird rescue and re-introduction into nature, so really, there is no good reason to not visit if you are passing by.

A busy day but filled with new experiences.