Feeling at home
This morning I got up early after falling asleep very late. (too much coffee at the birthday party last night) I was able to wear jeans, and socks with shoes today. It was 21 degrees and down right cool. My driver picked up Alex and myself to go to the bazaar today. The boys stayed home and watched a DVD as they do not like going to the bazaar because all the vendors try to touch them and talk with them. Boys here are favorites, and especially blonde boys seem to be unique to Uzbeks.
Our landlord also shakes their hands, and kisses the top of their heads everytime he sees them. The boys don't seem to mind this as he is our neighbor as well.
At the bazaar today I felt at home for the first time. I realized that during my previous trips I had been so anxious about the purchasing that I had really looked at all the people around me. Today I was able to concentrate beyond the individual vendors, and I have begun to recognize that we are buying from the same vendors, and seem to be offered good prices. Of course if Zenja (our driver) was not there it would not be the case. I tend to spend about 100,000 during one trip.
Today I finally noticed a fountain that was in the middle of the bazaar. I started to see how the women sit on their tables, that the Uzbek women wear Uzbek clothing while the Russian vendors wear modern clothes, that men sit in the middle on their haunches. The same gypsy always seems to find me to beg for a small amount. I usually give her something. I heard the music and the sounds around me. I was amazed at how much my stress of going to the bazaar had cut out my perceptions of these things. Maybe though, it was also the heat in the mornings that distracted me. The coolness allowed me to feel comfortable as I was walking also.
When I came home we started eating the amazingly sweet grapes, the sweet black plums, and the walnuts I had bought. Then we made sandwiches from the fresh bread and fresh ham that I had found.
After that I became somewhat dosmetic. There is no regular tomato sauce available here, so I made it myself as my Indian friend recommended. I simply pureed the tomatos, poured it into a container and froze the mixture. The tomato sauce was amazing! Delicious! I can't wait to make more, and cook with it. I also made a salsa. At my next trip to the bazaar I will have to buy in bulk and begin freezing some vegetables, as they will just not be available in the winter. The first sign of fall for me, besides the coolness was that there was pumpkin and squash in the market.
The boys went swimming today, I napped later because I was so tired after only 4 hours of sleep, and we didn't get to the Latvian work.
Reading the Latvian newspaper online today I read about a Latvian photographer. I found his website, and really liked some of his city pictures. They made me miss Riga a bit. Take a look:
http://andreart.net/?in=0&in0=3&lang=lv&link=Pilsēta&enter=Pilseta
Our landlord also shakes their hands, and kisses the top of their heads everytime he sees them. The boys don't seem to mind this as he is our neighbor as well.
At the bazaar today I felt at home for the first time. I realized that during my previous trips I had been so anxious about the purchasing that I had really looked at all the people around me. Today I was able to concentrate beyond the individual vendors, and I have begun to recognize that we are buying from the same vendors, and seem to be offered good prices. Of course if Zenja (our driver) was not there it would not be the case. I tend to spend about 100,000 during one trip.
Today I finally noticed a fountain that was in the middle of the bazaar. I started to see how the women sit on their tables, that the Uzbek women wear Uzbek clothing while the Russian vendors wear modern clothes, that men sit in the middle on their haunches. The same gypsy always seems to find me to beg for a small amount. I usually give her something. I heard the music and the sounds around me. I was amazed at how much my stress of going to the bazaar had cut out my perceptions of these things. Maybe though, it was also the heat in the mornings that distracted me. The coolness allowed me to feel comfortable as I was walking also.
When I came home we started eating the amazingly sweet grapes, the sweet black plums, and the walnuts I had bought. Then we made sandwiches from the fresh bread and fresh ham that I had found.
After that I became somewhat dosmetic. There is no regular tomato sauce available here, so I made it myself as my Indian friend recommended. I simply pureed the tomatos, poured it into a container and froze the mixture. The tomato sauce was amazing! Delicious! I can't wait to make more, and cook with it. I also made a salsa. At my next trip to the bazaar I will have to buy in bulk and begin freezing some vegetables, as they will just not be available in the winter. The first sign of fall for me, besides the coolness was that there was pumpkin and squash in the market.
The boys went swimming today, I napped later because I was so tired after only 4 hours of sleep, and we didn't get to the Latvian work.
Reading the Latvian newspaper online today I read about a Latvian photographer. I found his website, and really liked some of his city pictures. They made me miss Riga a bit. Take a look:
http://andreart.net/?in=0&in0=3&lang=lv&link=Pilsēta&enter=Pilseta
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