International Women’s Day in the republics of the former Soviet Union and Russia is a big deal! I think it started to celebrate and encourage women to work in industrial factories with the socialist government programs and ideals. Today it has morphed into a cross between Valentine’s and Mother’s Day. Uzbeks love this day and women enjoy receiving flowers, chocolates, cards, and being taken out to dinner. There are also women’s gatherings all through the city. We went out last night for a drinks and a light supper at Lambic Restaurant here in Tashkent. Of course there was the complimentary champagne for the ladies, so we needed to take a photo. We had a ton of laughs, conversation, and people watching at the restaurant. Lambic is an excellent restaurant specializing in Belgian cuisine and Belgian beers. Nadia and I reflected on the secular lifestyle of Tashkenters. It was nice to see groups of women enjoying a night out with their girlfriends.
My friend Aaron and I hiked through the Aksakatasay River Canyon in the morning. We switched between climbing the ridge and snaking our way up the narrow canyon along the river. It was absolutely gorgeous and a fantastic way to spend a Sunday. One of the most memorable moments of the hike was being stalked by a cow! We think it was triggered by my dog Obi’s bright red harness. The cow menacingly followed us closely and was sneering and mooing. I picked up Obi and picked up a large rock, and was ready to become a bullfighter and go for the cow’s eyes. We didn’t want to be gored by a cow in the Tien Shan Mountains of Uzbekistan. My phone died, but we estimated around 12 kilometers, and we topped out at 1,450 meters. Besides a rider on horseback and a shepherd tending to his flock, we were the only people on the mountain. Our dogs love exploring the mountains and we will both miss the beauty of the Tien Shan next year. I am making it a point to get out more this spring.
Bill's Blog 