BIG Barakholka Market

Barakholka Market, on the outskirts of Almaty, is hard to describe. Actually, easy to describe, impossible to imagine, unless you've visited. The place is a low rent, flea market type of rat maze that stretches for dozens of blocks, mostly with vendors overflowing their shipping container shops. Kind of like this place in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

Oof. A typical aisle of stuff. Looks like we're in the toy section. Stay together!

The shipping container architecture is no novelty. The ready made rooms are used both for store display and stacked storage. Checking inventory. "I think it's behind the other box." Best of luck.

This guy will sell you art, as long as you want a monumental theme.

Barakholka is so big, vendors specialize in certain product lines and also group themselves in the same areas. Get stuck. A tape store in tape row. Holiday decorations vendor.

Store selling big stuffed animals. Open on a slow day, room to spread out.

Sometimes you can only afford half a container and your shop is a tiny cave. Stock it well. Mannequin, looking aloof, no matter the location.

Another day, another sea of boxes has arrived. The modern Silk Road, still China supplied.