News! and Tsum time

First the news - our Embassy appointment was changed from Monday to tomorrow which means that we will now leave Kazakhstan on the 21st (and arrive the same day - the benefit of flying west) instead of the 23rd.

A short post for yesterday. It was all about the Tsum. Kurt was amazed at the amount of stuff there and was thrilled that I was wondering from stall to stall looking at what appeared to be the same slippers.

Got a few things to bring home and all the ladies there remembered Serik from our previous plate shopping excursion. We grabbed a quick bite at a nice little cafe and tried to entice Serik with 'pancakes'/blinis but no luck all he wanted to do was check out the little water pond and fountain that was right behind our table. Nice. Hope he gets back to normal eating at home.

We were going to hit the Green Market but put that off for today since Irina and I will be near by taking in the Arasan baths. Yes, the baths. Irina is a little bit freaked - do you go naked or wear suits - as she's never been to one. Also, she spent the night last night since she didn't want to have to tell (or couldn't tell) her boyfriend's mother (with whom she's staying) because they would have had a fit.

She's going to be staying with us for the next two nights since she once again got booted out of the family's apartment in order to make room for Zaure sister, Saule and Uncle Shamrat. Don't know if we'll see them again before we leave but we will see Baha who comes back to Almaty tomorrow. Will write at length about the baths - don't know if pictures will happen though.