Away from my legal work and the constant traffic jams in Jeddah lies a splendid paradise in the east with a unique history, beautiful mountains and rivers and great modern architecture.
I was lucky when my friend in Almaty called me to attend his wedding in May 2006. I had never visited Kazakhstan before and had little idea about what the country looked like.
Back in 2006, I was involved in the mining industry and a business forum in Karaganda, Kazakhstan was also taking place so I visited both Almaty and Karaganda.
Kazakhstan is a central Asian country that broke away from the Soviet Union in the early 90s. What amazed me was the international flavor of the people I met in Almaty and Karaganda. People from all over the world are visiting and investing in Kazakhstan.
Following my first trip, I became a frequent visitor with at least one trip every year. The reason being that I simply became convinced that no other country could match the beautiful touristic opportunities available in Kazakhstan. To name a few, the beautiful Tien Shan mountains surrounding Almaty, the Big Almaty lake, Koktobe and Medeo skiing resort offer breathtaking natural sights.
I was even more impressed when I visited Astana in 2009. Astana is the new modern capital of Kazakhstan with skyscrapers and fancy 21st century architecture. While the former Soviet city Almaty is the vibrant business center of Central Asia, Astana gives pride to Kazakhstan with its spectacular modern buildings.
Kazakhstan is a country with mixed ethnical backgrounds. To give you an idea, it has 150 different nationalities living in peace! I have been in Kazakhstan on seven occasions and every time impressive new developments make me believe the impossible is possible. Yes the incredibly fast development of Kazakhstan establishes a precedent that many countries must follow!
- Naief Al-Rawaf is a Saudi lawyer based in Jeddah
