First Impressions of Kazakhstan

On my first visit to Atyrau, Kazakhstan I had some unforgettable experiences. One of them was when we went to an outdoor market where there was fresh fruit and vegetables. There were also different types of meat and fish. When I ventured into the meat area, I was mesmerized by the sight of what looked like a barn. As I got closer, I noticed blood on the ground. As I got to the entrance a wheel barrow went right beside me carrying different parts on a cow. There was cow heads everywhere you looked. There were also full slabs of beef hanging on the walls. It took me back that these things still existed. At least we never have to see how things are cut back home. In the back of this room was a man cutting the meat with an ancient looking axe on a 2 foot wooden block. I just had to take a picture even though it does not fully capture the experience. After I took a few pictures I was greeted by a worker with a firmly raised middle finger. That was my sign to leave. I walked out thinking it could have been a sight in a movie, but not real life. All the other experiences I had that trip put me in the right mindset to lower all expectations. See the pictures and look closely.