Uzbek culture is a nocturnal one, especially during the summer months. I took the photo above in our local supermarket “Korzinka” (basket or trolley in Uzbek) at 10:15 PM on a Tuesday evening. The store was full! If this was America, there would be much less shoppers in the grocery store at this time, with peak times most likely immediately after work on weekdays (4:00 – 7:00 PM) and on weekends from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Not so here in Uzbekistan. I especially notice early mornings, most people are still in bed. I think in part it is the culture, Ramadan is another time that encourages people to sleep in, and in the summer, the hot weather.
Ocean and Nadia are swimming at BeFit Athletic Club here in Tashkent. They have a 50-meter, outdoor, heated pool and they go several times a week. It warms my heart to see them doing something together and of course, exercising. Both of them are looking in better shape.
I had to laugh seeing guys in their underwear while driving in Tashkent. They were jumping from the road bridge into the canal. Swimming in the canals is a Tashkent tradition during the summer. They eschew swim trunks, probably for financial reasons. The current is quite strong and the water cold, but it must feel refreshing as I often see mostly older Russian men and women and then Uzbek guys, cooling off. I don’t know the water quality and there must be drownings because of the swift currents. One of the signs of summer…
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