Datcha!!!! Last weekend we were invited to our driver's datcha (house outside the city). We all went and had a blast! It was very interesting to see how they did things, like getting there--we literally drove through 1 to 2 feet of water to get there (since there has been so much rain, the river Ob has flooded). Once there, the kids played out in the garden, while Igor cooked shashlik--which is somewhat like our shish kabob. All the food was amazing!!! after we ate, we took turns going in the banya (or sauna, as we would call it). I haven't ever done that before, and it was quite an experience! I really liked it and hope we get another invitation to go back :)

Samatlor Nights Festival in Nizhnevartovsk!! These are pictures of the festival that was held this past weekend. It was held to celebrate the "white nights" here---when it doesn't really get dark... Now, all of these pics were taken in the morning, around 11am, but it looks about like this at 3am too! Right now it is semi dusk from about 12am-2am... It makes it hard to sleep, but we have now put cardboard in our bedroom window so it helps make it darker, and easier to sleep--plus it looks great :)!

In these photos, you will see a woman who is part of the festival, and is dressed in a traditional russian costume. Also shown is a monument at Victory park, kids walking to the festival together, a beer tent (these are everywhere in the summer), the stage in oilman's park (the #35 is for the number of years Nizhnevartovsk has been a city), the petunias erected in oilman's park--they are in the same place they put the Christmas tree in winter. Oilman's park is also where the ice sculpture pictures, and slide pictures I took this winter.

The weather is finally improving :) The trees are getting leaves, and you can even go out without your really heavy coat on! whoo hoo! Actually, i was thinking about how Lee had told me how they didn't ever mow the grass in Nizh, and I just couldn't imagine why not, and how ugly it must look. Well, now I can somewhat appreciate why they don't....you are just sooo glad to finally see green, that you don't care that it is mostly weeds, and you certainly don't want to cut of any of the precious green! Hence, i suppose, the reason why the grass looks what we americans would consider shabby. Today, though, for the first time, I wore flip flops--with jeans of course, because it is too cold to wear shorts, but i didn't think i could make it anonther day wearing my "siberian summer shoes" which are sherpa lined merrell clogs :)

The next pics are of paul. The first one is in front of a statue that is out in front of a school. The others are of him on the window ledge. This is one of his favorite places to be. He watches everything, and says, "doggie...har (car)...wow" over and over and over :) He now can tell you his name...which he pronounces "boll" and he can tell you he is 2--we taught him that because we thought it might take him until he was 2 before he could say it :)

Tonight begins the samatlor nights (i think that is what it is called)--it is the white night festival. Monday and Tuesday are holidays for celebrating this, so everyone has to work on saturday. We will take the kids out for some of the festivities, and will get some good russian pics for you to see.

Beach Party in Siberia!!
Last weekend, Chris hosted a beach party at his apartment. We had a blast, and the weather was perfect---windy, rainy, cold and, of course, snowing some too! Well, at least it was warm inside, the company was good, and the decor made us feel like we were elsewhere :)
I think next up is a toga party---so we will see :)