02 of 11Women in folk costume at Hotel Kazakhstan, Almaty
03 of 11Interior of the Ascension Cathedral, Almaty
04 of 11Women from eastern Kazakhstan atop the Bayterek Tower
05 of 11Private Anton Langovoy (left) from Pavlodar in northeastern Kazakhstan and Sergeant Almas Kasymbekov from the Almaty region, both of the presidential guard in Almaty
06 of 11Khan-Shatyr (‘Khan’s Tent’) Entertainment Center, Astana
07 of 11Almaty’s Kok-Bazaar
08 of 11Almaty’s Ascension Cathedral, built entirely of wood in 1907 by local engineer Andrei Zenkov
09 of 11Kazhinur Kumanay (left) and Sadam Tileu are ethnic Kazakh immigrants from China’s Xinjiang province
10 of 11Nurzhol Boulevard in Astana’s new town, viewed from the Bayterek Tower’s observation deck
11 of 11Soviet-built anti-mudflow dam in Medeu Valley outside Almaty
Visits to Kazakhstan’s capital and its predecessor reveal a large discrepancy in investment but some shared conundrums: are they part of a country that can survive with President Putin circling – and is it even a country?