May
11
Hello everyone!
The main reason that we flew down south was
to explore the Kazakh countryside and spend time outside of the city. To make
our experience a bit more traditional, we decided to stay in a yurt. Not your
usual yurt, however. If glamorous camping is called ‘glamping’, then this was
definitely a ‘glurting’ experience. I might have to patent that before it
catches on.
Before explaining why glurting is a
must-do, I should probably tell you what a yurt actually is, and the symbols
and meanings that make them so special to Kazakhs.
Yurts have been used extensively across
Central Asia for centuries. They were created by nomads with the aim being to
have sturdy yet portable accommodation for several people within a tribe. The frame
is a wooden lattice which is covered by a heat-retaining material, often the
hide of an animal. This is called the kerege.
The interior is often decorated with vibrant, colourful carpets which also keep
the inside warm: vital in winter.
The yurt is joined at the top with what is
called the shanyrak: the crown.
Legend has it that the shanyrak would remain intact, passed from father
to son upon the father's death, even though the yurt itself would often be repaired
and rebuilt. A family's length of heritage could also be measured by the
accumulation of stains on the shanyrak from decades of smoke passing
through it. The status of the shanyrak
has not diminished either, even as Kazakhstan has modernised. Its place in
memory is permanent due to its prominent position on the national coat of arms.
That would be a traditional Kazakh yurt.
Alas, times have changed, and the number of people who still use yurts as their
primary accommodation has waned. My burning desire to stay in a yurt thus took
us to the Aul Resort, approximately 35km from the centre of Almaty.
This was not your back-in-the-day,
how-the-Kazakhs-used-to-do-it yurt experience. From the TV and hot shower
inside the yurt, to the swimming pool outside, this place had much to give it a
5-star rating. There was a price to match, but the size of each yurt meant that
it would become more reasonable if a group all stayed together.
Sitting outside our yurt, we had a
breathtaking view of the rolling hills with ominous mountains lurking behind.
Other Kazakh items, such as a swing and a pretty tea set, added to the relaxed
ambience of the resort.
The remoteness of the camp can be
highlighted by the fact that we had to walk close to two kilometres in order to
find a shop. Any shop. This does have its advantages, however. We were able to
roam freely through the fields of bemused farmers who were tending to their
livestock. Our nostrils buzzed with the contradictory smells of fresh manure
and flowers. A fresh breeze occasionally whipped through to cool us down as we
scaled the hills. Essentially, it felt like the British countryside.
So, to the big question of sleeping in a
yurt. It’s…very comfortable, cosy and ostentatiously cool. Snug as a bug in a
rug.
It’s clearly not a real yurt experience. Did it have to be? No. Was it worth it?
Absolutely. A very relaxing stay and a worthwhile activity in verdant
countryside such as this. Definitely a box worth ticking off whilst staying in
Kazakhstan.
Love you all,
Matt
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