Photos of Samal - Almaty

I believe that photos of a place will help you as a foreigner to get a better idea of what to expect. I am not talking about the "touristy" photos, but more about the "every-day stuff" photos.

The strangest of this place is that one road would be very metropolitan, like any other major city in the world, but the adjacent road or parallel road would have a more rural feel to it.

The newer city bus in front of Almaty Towers on Dostyk street

Dostyk street during March with its large sidewalks and cars parked on the pavement

The Dostyk - Zholdasbekova intersection

Zholdasbekova street with Soviet style apartment blocks

Zholdasbekova street 

The pictures above is from the area of Samal, this area is popular with large businesses as well as residence. It is a great area to live as most things are easily accessible due to various transportation systems being within easy reach (busses and gipsy taxis) and shopping centres.

Now the pictures below are all taken from adjacent street or areas just a few meters from the main road.

This lady takes her goat out almost every morning to feed on the greenery on to the roadside.  If you thought this picture was taken in a rural part of town, you would be wrong, it was taken a block down from Dostyk.

Entrance to car repair shop

Another adjacent road

The best way that I can describe it is that the smaller streets are "very rough around the edges". Very little or nothing is done to maintain them, and in winter they can become quite treacherous. As a tourist you are less likely to see these roads and areas, but as a resident of the city this is what you should expect and do not see in the "touristy" pictures.