Nauris!

Happy new year, yesho raz! This is the fourth new years holiday and the last, as far as I know. You've got the main event on Dec. 31st/Jan. 1st closely followed by 'old new years' (you know, back when the whole western world except Russia changed its calendar in like the 6th century or sometihng). Then there's Chinese new years which is why I got a dozen tiny dogs as gifts.

Today is Nauris (aka Navro'z in Uzebekistan). The new year officialy started again with snow flurries. It actually got colder as the day went on. I met Alana downtown and we watched the parade. It was full of sad looking vetrans and a sadder sounding band and a bunch of chanting sutdents representing all the universities and institutes in town. There was also a group representing fairy tales. Yurtas covered the square downtown and the main road was closed. A large arena was set up where people dressed up as animals (the gorilla had an uncle sam hat on) chased each other and danced to the very loud pop music. In front of the sports hall a contest was underway--climb a log and grab the prize! It was maybe 20 feet high, but really slick with all the rain and snow.

If that's not a good time, I don't know what is.

Stay tuned for a Kyrgyz revolution anniversary (pray!) post on the 24th and an Andijon post in May.