Burabay

When I was in high school I went to to Burabay with my classmates for summer holiday. And know I will be happy to share with its beauty Burabay is a district of Akmola Province in northern Kazakhstan with fantastic mountain land. Gorgeous pine forests, cliffs formed of neat gigantic natural bricks, and fantastical shapes of peaks separated by serene lakes makes this place even better. 

Nature has generously scattered precious gifts from its treasury around the Burabay area. One of them is 

"Zhumbaktas" (stone-mystery), as well known as the "Girl-old women". If you look at this rock-iland from different points, you will see different pictures. From one point it looks like the profile of old woman, on the other point it looks like a girl with her uncurling hair.

The interesting thing in Burabay is that every rock has its own legend. One of my friends told me the legend about a mystery rock in the middle of Lake Boroboe. Legend has it that the army of Ablai Khan took an Oirat princess captive and forced her to marry a Kazakh warrior. She fell deeply in love with one warrior but the others were jealous. So she said that she would marry the man who could shoot to the top of a rock outcrop near the lake. All failed the first time, but her love hit it on the second try. The rivals killed him so she flung herself in the lake and became Zhumbaktas (Mysterious Stone). When I heard this legend I felt really sorry for that girl. 

When I was walking and looking at this pears, I felt like I was in paradise. It is hard to describe with written words. Even the thousands of books will not be enough to portray its beauty. I am proud that I live in such beautiful place.

Concern of food

            When I first came to USA and saw the food American people eat, I noticed that Kazakh and American foods are very different. Food in Kazakhstan includes a variety of breads, soups and smoked horsemeat sausage that is popular from long years. Meat is traditionally the most important component of Kazakhstani cuisine and meat dishes are prepared using lamb, mutton or beef with savory seasonings and vegetables. However, as I noticed, in USA the most people prefer to eat fast food such that hamburger chips, sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs. Also, in USA there are a lot of people who eat at their cars, or on the way to work, but in Kazakhstan most people eat at home with their family or in the restaurant.

            Kazakh people pay a lot of attention to meal they eat and there are a lot of sayings, which proves this. Sayings “One can be senior in age, but nobody senior of food” and “Food is man’s support” are clear examples to this. Also, we try to use fresh and nutritious food and usually avoid eating fast foods. For example, drinking made from fermented camel’s milk, known as “Shubat”, is fat and nutritious and often served as medicine.  “Kumis” which is respected beverage among Kazakh; also considered useful for health.  And it processed in either of wood or leather dish, so it has pleasant aroma.

              Also, we show our respect to quests by cooking our special traditional food, which is mainly, consists of cooked meal, called “Beshbarmak”. This name translates as  “five fingers” and this delicious is eats using our fingers. Boiled meat is served in large uncut pieces. The host cutes the meat himself and treat every guest: pelvic bones and shank for honorable old people, brisket for son-in-law or daughter-in-law, neck-bone for girls and so on. The most honorable guest received particular method cooked head of the ram.