A Visit to the Countryside (Back in Uzbekistan)

"Turn left at the old soviet rocket launcher"

     September 1 is Independence Day in Uzbekistan, the day 24 years ago that Uzbekistan became its own country, no longer a Soviet republic. It is obviously a national holiday, so schools are closed. I celebrated the holiday with some other teachers by having a picnic in the Uzbek countryside. We piled into two cars for the convoy. Luckily the car I was a passenger in had super-navigator Renee in the front seat, with her trusty GPS. 

     Before we even left Tashkent, we were stymied by a road closed for celebrations. No worries, we backtracked and zigged and zagged and made our way to the highway. We blew through the police check (the yellow 'foreigner' license plate has some advantages). We drove through extremely dry landscapes, past corn fields, cotton fields, and vineyards, all looking parched. 

     When we reached the village of Nevich, we got a tiny bit lost again. We followed people who looked like they were going to a party (carrying covered plates of what was most likely plov), thinking they might be heading to the river's edge. It was a good choice, because we did eventually make our way to the river. 'River' is an exaggeration. Apparently in the springtime it is a rushing torrent. Today it was a very cold wading pool. 

This may or may not be an old soviet rocket launcher. 

dried cow dung (taken with the macro lens)

still playing with the macro lens

no idea what this mysterious building is or was

beautiful murals on the outskirts of Tashkent

    

Back in Canada

Pinery Provincial Park

The expat lifestyle means that you don't get to spend much time with friends in your home country. Which means that the time that you do get together is all the more precious. My friend Christy has been in my life for more than ten years now. We met when we were both working on our Master's degrees in Art History at Queen's University. Christy is one of those people that you really really want in your corner. She is loyal, and fiercely protective. We make a point of having a little holiday together whenever I return to Canada. This summer we went camping at Pinery Provincial Park, on the shores of Lake Huron. 

Christy is one of the most competent, organized people I know. She supplied the camping gear and the camping expertise. I supplied the....sparkling conversation? Christy even has a solar-powered radio!

 

 

 

Before going to Pinery Park, I bought a new toy, a macro lens: 

The bark of a tree

Bug poop