Southern towns of Kazakhstan.

“Cities were always like people, showing their varying personalities to the traveler. Depending on the city and on the traveler, there might begin a mutual love, or dislike, friendship, or enmity. Where one city will rise a certain individual to glory, it will destroy another who is not suited to its personality. Only through travel can we know where we belong or not, where we are loved and where we are rejected” 

Roman Payne.

Vacation packages in Almaty.

Almaty is an unusual city. First, it has adapted to the changing times faster than any other Central Asian city. Second, it is a green city. American Rockwell Kent, when delighted upon arriving in Almaty in the 1960s wrote “Alma-Ata is surely a premier city for its green decoration. It seemed to me I was walking through a forest.
Buildings are entirely hidden by trees. Almaty continues to be a very green city with straight, tree-lined streets and modern architecture. Normally, buildings are five- or nine-story due to the high seismic activity in the region. The city is decorated with numerous parks and gardens, fountains and flower-beds. Almaty stretches out along the foothills of the Zailiiski Alatau range.
During ancient times, the settlement of Almaly was found on the location of present day Almaty. Translated from Kazak, “almaly” means “apple”. Previously, the city was called Alma-Ata, that is “father of apples”. Anyhow, the meaning of the city’s name has always been associated with the word “apple”. The ancient town of Almaly was an oasis along the Silk Road right where modern Almaty is situated.
Traces of theancient town are still found when earth-moving work is done in the center of Almaty. And where earlier the famous caravan path stretched, Zhibek Zholy (the Silk Road)avenue now runs.
In 1854, on the historical site of the ancient settlement Almaty, the construction of the Russian fortification Fort Verny was started. It was one of four customs forts Russia built during the years of Kazakhstan’s colonization. Presently, on their sights are found the towns of Issyk, Talgar, Almaty, and Kaskelen. The buildings of Fort Verny did not endure, only traces of a rampart can be found in the eastern part of the city - Malaya Stanitsa (Small Cossack Village).
Almaty aport. It is a sort of apples, which grows in Almaty region. Aport was delivered to Almaty in XIX century by the settlers from Voronezh province. This sort was begun to cultivate by the gardener Moiseev N.T. As the result of such cultivation appeared some apple sorts, which were named – “Alexander” aport, red, wintering, pink and etc.
In Almaty neighboring more spreaded sort of apples is “Alexander” aport is the autumn-winter sort. It begins to bear fruits at the age of 7-8. Each of its fruit weights about 350 gramms. They differ by good shape and colouring, juicy pulp, high sacchrine, and acidity. The gustatory and freight qualities are stayed in good condition till April and May.

Authority:
The guidebook across Kazakhstan . Authors Dagmar Schreiber and Jeremy Tredinnick.   Publishing house "Odyssey".2010. and  the material for this page is taken from the printed edition."Guide to Kazakhstan" ©BAUR Publishing House 2002

Photos
 Alexander Petrov.