http://www.tcj.me.uk News from... Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:48:29 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Sorry for the silence of the past many months! While you wait we thought we'd share some more horse-related photos 1796 http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=58 Hi all, Sorry for the delay, I know you've all been itching to see some photos from the Noorus holiday here in Bishkek. Noorus is the celebration in the middle of March of the start of spring; I think it's of persian origin. We went with a Kyrgyz friend ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=57 Spring has announced itself resoundingly with a 25 degree jump in temperature and our first rain since arriving in December. Our garden emerged from its grubby crust of snow and the first crocus burst forth within days. 1664 But before all that, in February, we travelled East in our Big ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=56 Last weekend we went sledging at a very popular spot outside Bishkek. There were kids on tractor inner-tubes or scraps of lino careering down the icy slopes, horses cantering about, people pulling handbrake turns, all converging on the snowy car-park scattered with empty vodka bottles and family picnics lavishly ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=54 In fact we’ve been here for six weeks already but everything still feels so new that writing anything substantial about the country feels premature. There is one fact however that we can state with confidence: It is cold. 1627 Apparently the weather turned cold on the weekend we arrived, and it ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=53 Well, we've been utterly rubbish at updating our blog recently. Somehow it was always busy during the summer – so many people came to visit us and we had such fun on Alpine walks with Z and Sandra, canoeing on Ljubljanica with Jo, rowing on lake Bled with Helen ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=52 It is with heavy heart that I follow the news of the 'Saffron revolution' in Burma. One image, one monk who came close to the camera, with calm and determination in his face, stays in my mind's eye. This morning I got an email from friends in Northern Thailand, forwarding messages ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=51 Last night’s plan to go and watch Casino Royale up at the castle (outdoor cinema, part of the Ljubljana festival) was quite spectacularly interrupted by the most dramatic thunderstorm. Sudden gusts toppled sun umbrellas and cleared the cafés, the sky went black and the thunder raged. After a while ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=50 We’ve been meaning to write an up-date, or at least get some photos up, for a very long time now, but our good intentions have been buried under a seemingly endless string of holidays and visitors over the last two months; can’t think of a more pleasant reason. There are ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=49 Just back from Savinjska in northern Slovenia - had a weekend walking in the valleys, skipping through meadows, kayaking in river Savinja and staying at this fabulous farmhouse where breakfast included three different types of sausages.1454 Got caught up in a few thunder storms but weather generally bizarrely hot. Not sure ... http://www.tcj.me.uk/?p=48