Arrived

After a long flight, with a layover in Astana, I landed in Turkestan, the capital of Turkestan. There, I was warmly welcomed by Gulnar, the head of the center, and her son Buddy.

After a 30-kilometer drive, we reached the small town of Kentau. Kentau was founded in 1955 due to the planned extraction of existing mineral resources. The collapse of the economy after the end of the Soviet Union led to the emigration of residents. Today, a transformer factory is the largest employer in the city with a population of 68,000. On the way, we passed by a hermetically sealed area operated by the Chinese. No one can say what they are building there . . .

In Kentau, we had a sumptuous meal in a charming restaurant featuring various kebabs (chicken, lamb, beef). I come from a region where kebabs are a standard dish. Delicious!