The next big part of the new year here is the commencement
of picnic season. On March 21st
the city here turns into a ghost town as everyone heads out into the mountains
to find a nice spot to enjoy the weather, time together and lots and lots of
food!
For our spot we went about 45 minutes west of the city. We turned off onto a side road that was
backed up for miles with cars. Most
spots the local people like are packed full with other picnickers. The spot we chose was no different! After waiting in line for more than an hour
we took this small, hillside road that was only wide enough for one car. My first thought was how we might get back
out! Somehow it always works out, so I
have learned to trust our friends here.
We chose a spot that was nestled into a shallow hillside alongside a
slow moving stream. It was a bit rocky,
but we were able to find a nice place where we all could settle in and be
comfortable. The challenge for this
pregnant lady was that anywhere I walked was practically hiking, and worse…there
was no obvious place of privacy to make work as a bathroom facility! At one point I hiked up a steep hill with
Scott to find some refuge from the crowds behind a large rock. Let it suffice to say that the process was
not preferable! However, everything else
was wonderful. We enjoyed some wonderful
food, dancing and even playing in the water.
The boys got incredibly dirty, but had a great time doing it.
At one point in the day we found ourselves suddenly
surrounded by sheep! A shepherd was
guiding his flock through the hillside and they completely engulfed us. The kids thought it was so cool! I was a bit nervous because my city
upbringing did not inform me as to whether they bite, would charge us, etc, so
I watched our friends closely and just followed their lead. One of our friends picked up a baby lamb and
let the boys pet it. Although surreal,
it was a really cool experience. The
shepherd was kind of a trip too! I often
find myself saying “what a life we live!”
We headed home early evening through less traffic than we had
encountered at the beginning. It was a beautiful
way to celebrate such a special cultural day!
The rest of this spring continues with picnics almost every Friday. We have discovered that Ethan loves to dance! Pictured below is him keeping up with a big group of guys from our center picnic last week. He loves to get right in there and get jostled around to the music. What a kid! I love that my kids can have these kinds of experiences. I am sure these next 6 weeks will bring with them a few more picnics before we head back to the states. The springtime here is my absolute favorite and I will do all that I can to help it not go by too quickly! Enjoy a few more pictures from our day...
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