Random bits

So Sunday night my Air Uzbekistan flight lands in Almaty. (No, it wasn't some rickety Soviet-era two prop. It was a brand-spankin' new Boeing 757-200. With announcements in Uzbek, Russian, and English, and the drop-down video monitor safety briefing in English and Russian.)

As we're waiting to disembark, the disembarkation music goes on. As it starts playing and I realize it's "Summertime and the Living is Easy," I started thinking about the choice of music. Maybe they are subliminally promoting summer tourism in Uzbekistan? Perhaps they have some American or EU advisors on staff, encouraging them to seem worldly? Who knows? Regardless, the tune put a smile on my face. Yet another reason for people to stare at me because it is so painfully obvious (glasses, clothing, watch, shoes, lack of excessive makeup and shiny accessories) that I'm not one of them.

This morning I was running late, so hopped in a cap. The Gypsy King's "Volare" was on.

I would hazard a guess that I hear Kazakh music about 10-15% of the time I ride in a cab. The rest of the time it's either US Top 40, Russian pop music, or some other type of music. Globalization: good or evil? Tawwwk amongst yahselves.