I haven't complained about the weather at all this Winter. The common temperature during the day has been -10, and it really hasn't been that cold, when you consider what Siberian weather could be like. People like to boast about their weather in northern climes (Canadians too) to show how tough they are (perhaps I am doing the same in a reverse way by saying it hasn't been very cold). Two years ago Russia had a very cold Winter, and apparently Novosibirsk had a number of -50 days. But thankfully this has not happened to me yet.
Yesterday it was -30 during the day. It hasn't got anywhere near that all Winter. I decided I should get rugged up a little warmer. I actually enjoyed the weather, as it was crisp. clear, sunny and not at all windy. My body was not cold at all, just my exposed face.
Today, we went out as a family, the temperature was -16, but howling with a wind, and it was far more unpleasant. Temperatures are forecast to hover around -20, which is starting to get cold, for the next week. But traditionally the first two weeks of January are the coldest, and if this is the worst, I will not complain.
Rustam and I headed into town, to check out the cafe scene. We have been told of a cafe where students hang out. We went there and also explored for cafes. There were not a lot of students around yesterday. Many have gone home for a few weeks, some are studying for exams. So we didn't meet any in the cafe yesterday, but we will continue this avenue, as a place to spend time with students in an environment where they regularly hang out.
Last night, we had a couple of students around; an Uzbek and a Sakha girl. The Sakha girl came, because she heard that Sakha boys come! We have had a variety of people come, and we hope that this is starting to build into a regular event. We have high hopes that it will. Remember these students, so that they would come regularly, and that we can share the hope that is within us with them clearly, and that they will desire for the same hope.
The first week of January is a quiet event. January 1st to 7th are all public holidays. This is main street in Krasnoyarsk, it is only this quiet for one week a year. Traffic jams are a regular event for the rest of the year.
I have been boasting about the ice sculptures in Krasnoyarsk for some time. This is just a regular one on the side of the street (still much better than anything Novosibirsk could throw up). It was too cold yesterday and today to spend a lot of time outside, but very soon we have to get down to the big display by the river. Then I can really have a photographic boast.
When it gets cold, you can really see gases materialise in the air. There is not any extra pollution going on here, you can just see it more clearly at 30 below.
Just above the arrow, is our apartment, on the third floor. In the foreground is the local primary school.
1 comment:
and we had to be there two years ago when it was COLD! Glad you're having more temperate weather. Global warming? ;-) Hey, did you know the ten hottest years (worldwide) out of the last hundred years have been the last ten years?
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