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Kazakhstan
A trip to the steppes of Kazakhstan.
Don't
plan a vacation to visit the Soyuz launch site. Even the name of
the
city is a lie. "The name Baikonur
is misleading. The former Soviet
Union used the name and coordinates of a small
mining town, Baikonur,
to describe the location of its rocket complex. In fact,
the launch
complex is about 322 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the mining
town near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan. This misrepresentation was done
intentionally
to hide the actual location of the launch complex."
"The most common crimes foreign tourists encounter are purse
snatching,
pick-pocketing and mugging. Pick-pocketings or robberies
occur most frequently
in the vicinity of Western hotels and at open-air
markets, including the central
open-air market in Almaty
(known locally as the "green market")".
"Americans
are advised to exercise caution in the vicinity of hotels
and when shopping.
The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that
Americans do not carry large sums
of money on the street.
There have also been multiple reports of robberies in
Almaty residences
occupied by American citizens."
"Be wary of persons representing themselves as police or other local
officials.
It is not uncommon for Americans to become victims of
harassment and extortion
by law enforcement and other officials."
Kazakhstan, not a place
you want to visit.
Go
to Space Flight page for more information
U.S. Consular
Information Sheet
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