Читать книгу Alma-Ata – discouraging charm in the Centre of Asia. The subjective guidebook - Andrey Mikhailov - Страница 9

I can say nothing about the today’s capital of Kazakhstan, but the former one – Alma-Ata – is lovely at any time of the year. Including winter. Despite the languishing epithet “south”, given to the city, and that it is situated in the same latitude with Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, and New-York, stems of thermometers once fell here below 38°С. As for the snow, there is so plenty of it here, that Winter Asian Games were already held in the city, and it claims to have Winter Olympic Games with all good reason!

As for the citizens, I won’t palter with truth: our attitude towards winters can’t be called lock, stock, and barrel positive. Predatory bills for heating from utility providers alone can easily envenom anybody’s life. But the pleasure felt by south people in winter, who have been well-warmed and tired during the summer heat, cannot be compared to feelings of inhabitants in those cities where they manage neither to warm up nor get tired during summer.

There is one thing I can declare unequivocally – our city looks so solemn, fabulous and full of light only in the morning after a snowfall, and no other moments. When the sun that has risen from behind the mountain tops in a flash of a second will decorate snow piles and snowy trees with millions of sparkles, flutter with celestial shadows under heavy branches, and shine on rosy cheeks of student girls, hastily going to their lessons. This is an incredible state of mind and soul!