www.euronews.com The city of Almaty lies to the south of Kazakhstan, a stop off point in years gone by on the Silk Road, the great trading route that linked east and west. Trade and economy are still at the heart of Almaty which was once the country's capital. It is the financial centre of central Asia and attracted some six million tourists last year. History, hot summers and a raft of winter sports on tap are among the top attractions. In the hustle and bustle of modern development Almaty has not forgotten long held traditions like the famous steam baths, the Russian Banya. Some like it hot first thing. Bagdat Yermagambedov has been taking the steam for 30 years. "Its a tradition here and everyone likes to start the week with a Banya to gather energy for the rest of the week, but what is a Russian bath without the steam - its not a bath! It's a great pleasure to come here to the steam rooms to re-charge our energy," he explained. The vast Arasan complex was opened in 1982 and has been hailed as the best 'Banya' in central Asia. If a massage is not for you there are many other ways of ending your visit. Some people like to start the day with a good thrashing; birch leaves pummel the skin and its supposed to stimulate the circulation to take the stress out of the day before you have even started. It doesn't so much hurt as it stings. A morning in the Banya is perhaps the perfect preparation for a visit to the busy Green Bazaar. On the Silk Road it is Kazakhstan's biggest ...

• published: 11 Sep 2012
• views: 8772
• author: Euronews