Zhumbaktas

Zhumbaktas

A mysterious rock in the middle of Lake Boroboe in Northern Kazakhstan. Legend has it that the army of Ablai Khan took an Oirat princess captive and forced her to marry a Kazakh warrior. She fell deeply in love with one warrior but the others were jealous. So she said that she would marry the man who could shoot to the top of a rock outcrop near the lake. All failed the first time, but her love hit it on the second try. The rivals killed him so she flung herself in the lake and became Zhumbaktas (Mysterious Stone).

 

Khan Shatyr: Climbing the World’s Biggest Tent

Khan Shatyr: Climbing the World’s Biggest Tent

Khan Shatyr is the new architectural oddity of Astana that just opened recently. It’s yet another shopping mall to open here. However the form is very beautiful and it is literally a tent, rather than a building apparently. I was lucky enough to capture some workers climbing up the side, to clean it or fix it, I don’t know.