Shymkent/Chimkent

If you look on the map, Shymkent is about in the center. It lies in the valley of the Sayram River in the foothills of the Ugam Range at an elevation of 1,680 feet . Originally a settlement on the caravan route from Central Asia to China, Shymkent dates back at least to the 12th century and was more than once destroyed by nomad attacks. It was captured by the Russians in 1864. A pharmaceutical works was constructed there in 1885. Shymkent is the third largest city in Kazakhstan and a major industrial and cultural centre, as well as an important railway junction. The city has large lead and cement works and also a chemical industry. .

While the areas outside Almaty reminded me of Arizona, the areas outside Shymkent remind me more of Colorado. As I will be flying into Shymkent, these may be the only pictures I will have of the countryside.

This is a picture of the MIG monument and Shymkent. Google maps of Shymkent show a large part of the airport devoted to bunkers that store MIGs. I'm not sure what they are doing there or what the connection is.This is Shymkent's memorial to WW2 veterans. Most Kazakhstan cities seem to have many statues and parks. Shymkent also has many fountains. They also have a Children's park that I am trying to find some pictures of.
Shymkent does have a superstore which is their version of a mall. It is filled with many small stores. In addition to the small neighborhood stores, Shymkent also has a green bazaar with vegetables, food and other items.

Shymkent is not as European a city as Almaty. It is a mix of the past and the future and will be a great place to try to learn about the Kazakhstan culture. Since the US embassy is in Almaty and all adoptions must be processed there before families can go home, there is a lot of information from other adoptive families on Almaty, but not as much on Shymkent.