Country Focus : Kazakhstan
The Spere , or Museum of Future Energy , Nur-Alem , in Astana
At The Huns Ethno Village near Almaty
Time for a breakout session in the steppes near Aktau
Kazakh villagers . Local dishes like Plov and Beshbarmak were also on offer at lunch as we also digested the stunning scenery , along with some traditional mare ’ s milk ( kumys ).
For a full Kazakh fine dining experience with music , try the Sandyq Restaurant , in Almaty , where traditional hearty food can be washed down with the local tea and fresh kiwi lemonade .
Astana Kazakhstan ’ s main business , political and administrative centre claims to be the youngest capital in the world . Astana ( the word literally means ‘ capital ’) has seen many incarnations from Akmolinsk to Akmola , Tselinograd to Astana via Nur-Sultan . Shiny skyscrapers now mirror the architectural style of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and many of the key buildings were designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa . Sir Norman
Foster has also made his architectural mark on the city .
The Sphere , or Museum of Future Energy Nur-Alem , was commissioned for the 2017 Expo in Kazakhstan , a landmark event that opened to the world this gateway to Central Asia . The Sphere can also be hired for events and is particularly suitable for special receptions .
The legacy of the 2017 World Expo is a modern capital with its own Expo City , which embraces QazExpo Congress Centre and the International Exhibition Centre – spread over 23,000sqm – as well as hotels including the Hilton . Organiser Astana-Expo KS welcomes over 10,000 visitors a year and has hosted 76 major congresses and exhibitions in its 17 years of working in this market .
In the centre of the city there is also the Sheraton Astana , Ritz-Carlton , St .
Regis and another Rixos .
Symbolic of this new capital standing tall is the Baytarek tower , a 97m monument with commanding views from the top .
And did you know they make wine in Kazakhstan ? Well , you can experience a degustation of wines produced by the Arba Winery which started planting vines at an altitude of 1,000m , despite very low winter temperatures .
The soil at the foot of the Ile Alatau Mountains proved favourable and flavoursome Rieslings and Pinot Noir varieties have won industry awards .
Astana may be home to the politicians but it also boasts many parks and a Botanical Garden and Zhetisu Park . There is definitely a feeling of space in this young and fast-growing city . And the country is clearly equipped and ready to take up even more of the global meetings space and business in future . n
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