Archive: January, 2010
Although the Constitution declares that the Kyrgyz Republic is a secular state, it may be surprising that a number of religious holidays are commemorated. As the majority of the Kyrgyz, themselves, are nominally Muslim, it is understandable that amongst the national holidays are Muslim festivals such as Orozo Ait and Kurman Ait. What might be [...]
Christmas has come and finally come … and gone. It’s has always been a hectic time of the year and, especially in my time as a school teacher, I was all too familiar with the traditional build up to Christmas – and the round of special events to mark the occasion.
These two terms are often used interchangeably although they have quite distinct meanings. The world’s weather patters are a dynamic system which is in a constant state of change and flux. In the past the world’s climate has changed due to natural causes, but more recently the term “climate change” has been used to refer [...]
The “tourist season” in Kyrgyzstan is traditionally in the summer months – from mid-June to mid-September. This is when most people visit – especially those from the countries of the former Soviet Union who spend their holidays on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul. The days are warm – indeed they can be hot – [...]
Apparently the United Kingdom is currently undergoing the coldest winter it’s experienced for over a hundred years. I have just listened to a news report that commented that the country is under the grip of “Siberian Air”. Siberia has a reputation for having cold winters, which is probably quite a fair representation as temperatures of [...]
Christmas is not the only festival that we experience a surplus of in Kyrgyzstan – there’s also New Year. The history of the Calendar which we use is a long and complex affair. At present we tend to mark the beginning of the New Year on 1st January. It has not always been so … [...]
