Astana and other weird places

I'd never even heard of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. At least I've head of Kazakhstan. So apparently there's this amazing city full of futuristic architecture out in the middle of nowhere. Actually looks like it might be an interesting place to visit.

It's a big world. We like to think of places like New York, London, and Paris as the pinnacle of city living. While they are all great cities, the world is a big place full of interesting cities. We just got used to Dubai springing out of the desert from almost nothing. They aren't afraid to do bold things. Not only will they soon have a flying passenger drone company, they will have two competing companies. Yes, Dubai will be the first place with actual flying cars, the dream of futurists.

Asia is full of cities with millions of people that most westerners don't even know the names of. They aren't on the normal tourist trails. The world does not stand still. High technology and bold design can show up anywhere on the planet.

We like to think of our major cities as eternal, but they may eventually fade into insignificance. In the 12th century the largest city in the world was Merv. Ever hear of it? It wasn't in my History books when I was in school. The city was located in Central Asia on major trade routes. Now it's not even a memory for most people.

Cities rise and fall. Those on top can disappear in a relatively short period of time. Who knows what wonders the sands of time have buried? It's amazing how much the world can change in the short span of a single human life.

-Sixbears