Hello everyone!
Here we are back in Russia after a long trip. To be honest, I am not in a good mood yet: the grey weather, lack of bright colours and fatigue from the road are taking their toll. I think I have become slightly depressed. A lot of unfinished business has accumulated during the six months of absence, but I can hardly force myself to do at least a couple of them. Most of the time I just lie in bed and... do nothing. Perhaps it is acclimatization, or maybe I just need time to reboot. But one thing is for sure: soon I will have to get to work and start saving for a new trip!
By the way, I still haven’t taken out my favourite Sony camera to take at least one photo in Russia. There is no desire yet, and without inspiration, good shots will not work. Scrolling through the gallery on my phone, I came across pictures from Kazakhstan - a cozy authentic shop. By the way, I took these photos not with a camera, but with a phone, so the quality is not quite the same, but I still want to share them with you!
This small shop in Kazakhstan was a real find. They sold goods that reflected the national flavor: carpets, fur products, jewelry, clothes and even shoes. According to the seller, almost everything was made in Kazakhstan, and more than half of it was handmade. I don’t know how true this is, but it sounds convincing, so let’s believe it!
The photos from the phone, of course, do not convey all the beauty as well as a camera could, but even on them you can see how bright and high-quality everything is. I especially remember the fur products and patterned carpets - they look like they keep history in themselves. Some things raised questions: for example, I still did not understand what certain items were for.
The store also had slippers with pointed toes, bent upwards - typical footwear of Central Asia. I have seen these in other countries in the region, and they always attract attention with their unusualness. And on the shelf there were… Russian nesting dolls! What a surprise.
My son was delighted with the display case with bladed weapons - he was simply fascinated by the daggers and sabers. My wife could not tear herself away from the bracelets with fine carvings and bright stones. Everyone found something to their liking.
I was very impressed by how carefully the Kazakhs preserve their culture. Their traditions, patterns, crafts - all this is so unusual for the European eye, but at the same time incredibly attractive. Such places remind us how rich and diverse our world is.
And finally, I want to share a musical discovery. Recently I came across a song by the group AY YOLA - the composition is called Homay. This is a Bashkir group, but their language and melodies are very close to Kazakh and Kyrgyz. The cultures of these peoples are really similar, and it's not surprising - after all, once we were all part of a huge country, the USSR. Listen, if you haven't heard it yet - it's very atmospheric!
I'd be glad to hear your comments: what do you think about the shop? Maybe someone has also been to similar places? Share your impressions!
I write my texts myself, correct mistakes and translate via ChatGPT (which is not a violation on Hive)!
All photos were taken by me personally - I am a beginner photographer, so I ask professionals not to judge strictly.
Thank you for sharing these moments with me! Until new stories and new holidays!
Camera 📷: Sony Alpha 7 IV full-frame
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 70-200mm F: 2.8 GM OSS II
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 20-70 mm F: 4 G
Processed 🛠: Lightroom
photo by openai
