Have you tried everything in Almaty?

Thin-sliced horse sausage on white bread is standard dastarkhan breakfast fare, not a dare.

This icy, vinegar-and-mustard-oil cold noodle soup gets eaten even when Almaty is freezing.

These fried dough puffs show up at every dastarkhan spread, meant for pulling apart by hand.

Sit low on cushions over green tea and plov the way extended families do, no rush allowed.

Refusing a host's offered tea is impolite - a light touch to the cup politely signals you're full.

Locals treat the Medeu-to-Shymbulak stair climb as a weekend workout, not a tourist stunt.

Wander the pedestrian street past street musicians and caricature artists as the evening crowd builds.

Locals flip languages mid-sentence constantly here - it signals nothing political, just daily life.

At any gathering, respect titles and first-served food mark the age hierarchy - don't interrupt an elder.

Beat the afternoon crowds to see the turquoise alpine lake before its color shifts through the day.

Kymyz, kurt, dried fruit and cuts of meat locals buy for special occasions, not supermarket runs.

Sit near the wooden cathedral where elderly locals play chess in the shade for hours.