On the shores of Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul Lake, a family cooks a feast that tells the sad tale of a people's exile.

This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.

Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.