More Kazakhstan Weirdness

Wild Blow Outs

Ok, this is the situation. The Ice Hockey here in Kaz.

Men's Tourney....just imagine how small a team, how poor a team, Thailand could put together in Ice Hockey. Ok, have you got that image in your head? Thai National Ice Hockey. Well they just beat Bahrain 29-0.

Bahrain must be really shit.

They also lost to the United Arab Emirates 25-0. In fact most games in the second division of the Men's Second Division are blow outs. Kyrgyzstan will win it. Thailand second.

But in Almaty I am calling Women's Ice Hockey this week and it is great. South Korea are the only really weak side but they have an amazing goalie and they try soooo hard. Shin, the goalie, faced 101 shots against Kazakhstan and allowed 11 goals. 90 saves in one game! SK lost 10-0 to Japan and China, 11-0 to Kaz. I spoke through a translator to their captain Boyoung Choi, who is a ref back home and a big able d-man on the national team. She said she was happy with the results as they were better than losing 27-0 to Japan like they did three years ago. She was looking forward to the final game against North Korea because she thought they had a chance to win. I have seen North Korea play and I'll tell you something; they have no chance of winning that game.

Even if Shin makes another 90 saves.

This is already more than anyone has ever written about South Korean Women's Ice Hockey in English, so I'll stop now. Just a mention for Chearyung Ko and Kyousun Lee who are nice little players. And some photos of Sojung Shin; Great Netminder. A Star.

Sojung Shin

Place of Work

The Baluan Sholak Sports Palace, named after local weightlifter, is where the hockey takes place in Almaty. As usual it is a misty morning. This place has been sort of done up at the last minute but is a pretty nice arena inside. 5,000 seats and nice marble steps but no walkways at all so everyone has to sort of squeeze in like a cinema. Even us as there is no way up to the commentary box without having to shuffle past spectators.

Next to the shopping centre and two minutes walk from Astana Hotel. 

This was my office for seven days, and the home of thrilling hockey, bad coffee and new friends. 

Day 2 & 3 Slow Wireless

Very nice Thai curry at Namaste. But why the chips?

China v Japan

Match of the competition so far. So full of drama. China all over Japan and ahead after 1 period, but Japan dominating second outshooting opponent 21-3. Right back in it they got two tips in from blue line shots to take a 2-1 lead, but the first line of China are so good and Rui Sun decided the game belonged to her in the third period. China came back and led but Japan somehow levelled in the dying moments to force overtime....sudden death, but with the most influential Chinese defenceman, Qi off the ice injured and Sun in the penalty box we had 4 on 3 in OT. Tomoko Sakagami got a puck close in and there was only one thing she could do to score, find top corner from the angle, which she did. 4-3 Japan. Just watched the highlights back. I sound very excited on the commentary.

Day 3

Unusual items at the breakfast buffet of the Astana International Hotel:
1. Broccoli
2. Chicken
3. Beets
4. And making its first appearance at any dining facility after three days, fresh bread

Days two three four etc

If my laptop had not blown up and blogger.com wasn't do difficult to get into in Kazakhstan I would have posted some pictures of Almaty weirdness and ice hockey...but my laptop blew up and the media centre here is sort of strange.

But. This is a really good competition and the locals are loving it. So you can't get a good coffee and unless you eat chips you will starve but when you are watching Japan go to back to back overtime games you know this is real. Pictures when I can but for now we have Kazakhstan coming from two goals down before beating Japan in a penaly shoot out and then taking China to ot and winning in sudden death 4 to 3. China have two players called Sun and Qi who are just amazing. They kind of stand out because so many players are crap but they are proper. But through injury and penalty they missed ot and Japan did it. Great drama. Pics and more if I can get online.

Going to sit outdoors in freezing temperatures and watch Bandy tomorrow.

In a turnabout from usual advice my wife gave me some jet lag advice. Don't go to bed too early and drink vodka. God love her for that. And vodka is cheaper than Coca Cola so I gave it a go. Big success.

On the iPhone this is probably costing £££ in data so no time for a spell check so sorry about typos.

This was meant to be a placx for pics...some soon. Maybe from the mountains where I am heading on my day off.

S