This afternoon we took a little field trip to go and buy our Plane tickets to Almaty for this coming Tuesday afternoon. So there it is, a definitive date for leaving Astana.

When exactly we will leave Almaty is still up in the air. We have not given up hope of leaving Christmas Day just yet, but it is looking less and less likely unfortunately.

This is the Kazak version of a rear facing child seat. Notice the fully adjustable two point restraint system - otherwise known as Dad's hands.



After getting our tickets, little Aitugan was doing so well that we decided to make a run over to the Bayterek (see tall spire thing with Ball on top in the Astana Tour entry). As we previously mentioned the Bayterek is a favorite stop of the wedding motorcade processional, and when you combine wedding attire with ice rink making, well let's just say that Larry, Moe, and Curly couldn't have written it better.

In the shot below our newly wed couple is proudly making its way from the Limo to the Bayterek entrance when they discover that a crew is working feverishly to ring the monument with two concentric 4 foot tall ice block walls and flooding the ring to create a skating surface (our best guess).



Apparently keen to demonstrate to his new bride that she had chosen well, our groom gallantly hoists said bride up in his arms and confidently takes to the ice covered wood planks that have been specially designed by OSHA to cross such slushy predicaments.

I am ashamed to say that I didn't see it coming - hence no action shot - but just a feet from relative safety, the groom slipped, and down went the pair into an inch and a half of semi solid water. I got my camera up just in time to preserve a little of his last ditch effort to salvage his pride - and bride - and scramble to drier ground.



Recognizing the folly of his ways, the remainder of the wedding party opts for the equally precarious 'bridge of death'.

Let's just say that they have a different sort of legal system here as this particular government building's entrance necessitated this tenuous approach (shown here being expertly navigated in a specially designed ice boot with needle sharp heel pick)



followed by a dozen or so custom built Teflon covered stairs



leading to a guardrail free 30-foot long snow covered 'Formica Challenge'



and finished with the downhill stair crawl.



Here our heroine Aitugan demonstrates her unflappable confidence in her mom by meditating in her newest yoga position - Inverted Superman.



Immune to the comedy, the flooding continues.



Because jumping off of regular stairs isn't dangerous enough!



This was one of 7 different wedding Limos parked out front while we were there, each with the requisite pair or wedding bands affixed on top.



It was interesting to watch the sculpting and fitting of the blocks and to see the combination of power and hand tools being used. This ice assembly is separate from the Ice City that is being constructed over behind the aquarium. We drove by that today, but they still have a ways to go. Hopefully we'll get back before we leave, as I would love to walk throughout it and see the work.



What can I say, I love watching her sleep, and this was especially nice as it was her first nap in the car. It certainly gave us hope that she might sleep at least a little on the plane ride. She was up for 5 hours this morning before taking a brief nap.

The little girl you see below also took 6, yes we counted, 6 poops today. Who knew that was possible? She even managed one while we were changing her diaper. Additionally she peed twice while we changed her diaper today. To put it mildly, it was a busy day in our make shift changing room.



This last photo of the day is from atop the Bayterek where there is an imprint of the President's hand in which to put your own whilst making a wish. This is the main reason for the wedding day pilgrimage - to have your photo taken while making a wedding wish.

Take Care.