Aryk Bridges

As lovely as they can be, aryks pose a problem that the city-planners must not have anticipated: if you get out of a parked car along the side of the road, how do you traverse the abyss to the sidewalk? Aryk-hopping has become, for many Almatians, a necessary skill. In response, some entrepreneurs have taken the initiative to build little walkways for their customers, making Almaty perhaps the world capital of teeny-tiny bridges. These can be elegant and wrought-iron, or crude slabs of concrete tossed over the gap. Given design obstacles, locals here are masters at making do and getting by. ​