I think, I’ll start with the town itself, thought we have spent less amount of days in it then out of it. But of course, it deserves the place on the first pages of the Tales.
The name of the town is foreign-speakers-unfriendly – Ust-Kamenogorsk. It has the Kazakh translation, which is easier to pronounce – Oskemen. But of course, to me it is always will be the first one. The accurate translation of the lengthy name sounds something like “The Mouth Of The Stone Mountains” and in historically means that this is the place where the river Irtysh comes out from the mountains to roll his waters further to the plain. In fact, there are two main rivers there - Irtysh and Ulba and the town lies at the confluence of them.
The History of Oskemen is unpretentious, just like history of any ordinary town in Siberia: it was founded in 1720 as a fort and later - trading post by the expedition that was send in search for the gold fields. Then the first settlers started to arrive – the Cossacks (not to be confused with Kazakhs). Later the town served as a place of exile for prisoners and soon the town becomes fully populated…it is not a big town. Just somewhat 350 000 of population, which is only in 21 times lesser then London, but 3 times bigger then Oxford…small town, anyway…if I’d want to say one word to sum up what is the town of Oskemen, that would be the world - non-ferrous metallurgy center. There are so many plants of all sorts of heavy industry; every family would have at least one member working in it. Despite of industrial character of the town, it is still a beautiful place to be. And I must say – it getting even better now. Few pictures to go with my story:
The name of the town is foreign-speakers-unfriendly – Ust-Kamenogorsk. It has the Kazakh translation, which is easier to pronounce – Oskemen. But of course, to me it is always will be the first one. The accurate translation of the lengthy name sounds something like “The Mouth Of The Stone Mountains” and in historically means that this is the place where the river Irtysh comes out from the mountains to roll his waters further to the plain. In fact, there are two main rivers there - Irtysh and Ulba and the town lies at the confluence of them.
The History of Oskemen is unpretentious, just like history of any ordinary town in Siberia: it was founded in 1720 as a fort and later - trading post by the expedition that was send in search for the gold fields. Then the first settlers started to arrive – the Cossacks (not to be confused with Kazakhs). Later the town served as a place of exile for prisoners and soon the town becomes fully populated…it is not a big town. Just somewhat 350 000 of population, which is only in 21 times lesser then London, but 3 times bigger then Oxford…small town, anyway…if I’d want to say one word to sum up what is the town of Oskemen, that would be the world - non-ferrous metallurgy center. There are so many plants of all sorts of heavy industry; every family would have at least one member working in it. Despite of industrial character of the town, it is still a beautiful place to be. And I must say – it getting even better now. Few pictures to go with my story:
