This is the mud washing station for boots/shoes. Every building has one or two of these by the entrace door. The bucket on the side is full of water, and you use the stick with a rag to wash off the mud on your shoes. The stick was not present at the time of this picture!!
north of the city. We saw animals walking around; sheep, cows, horses, and the most exotic of all; camels!! But the roads themselves were also pretty fascinating. Well, out of town it was pretty normal, with the usual huge wholes in the asphalt, and no lanes really, you just make how many 
lanes you want. But further out in the outskirts of town the asphalt stopped and the hard mud began. And with some rain now and then, the roads get pretty bumpy… So then you just make an alternative road on the side of the road, out on the steppe, pretty bumpy there as well, but at least there are no mud-mountains. 
Our bus driver was extremely good, he manoeuvred the bus up and down and around, and not even I got bus-sick, pretty good!!
We had a great day out! First 4 hours in the office, from 7 til 11, then the buses came and drove us 1,5 h up river. It was a really good outing. 
The best of all was to have an almost "normal Sunday". Doing something else than sitting in the office all day was the best part of it. We had good food on the BBQ, wine and beer, nice location, good atmosphere, our very own yurta, some long tables and benches in the shade, 
a "lounge platform" with flowery mattresses to sit on, scary outdoor toilet-shed, fun and games. 
Luckily for Kristin and I, last weeks planned 16th of May/Spring picnic was cancelled due to unstable weather forecast. But tomorrow's weather forecast looks good and supplies are stacked up and ready! 
Looking forward to some hours work, and then the rest of the day spend on a riverbank upstream the Ural river, enjoying the good company, food and maybe a beer or two...!
The girls are in Amsterdam again. And this time we are testing out hotel The Grand. So far so good I must say. We are now in our white fluffy robes, drinking champagne and eating our "chocolate on the pillow". Life is sweet today! Great way to end a very nice national day! Maybe we are lucky and the ash cloud is back tomorrow.... it delayed us one hour today, but Schiphol opened again this afternoon, just in time for us to fly to Amsterdam! Skål and have a nice last hour of 17th of May!!
Two weeks at home have gone by too fast. The bags are packed and flowers are watered. But there is one more day to go, and it is not just any other day, it is the national day! Hipp hurra for 17. mai! Kristin and I will get on the airport express-train in the afternoon. But before that there is parade, ice-cream, cakes, fun and games. Hipp hipp hurra!!
Günaydin/Good morning Istanbul! We have now almost completed our great Kz trip. Just one more flight to go. We have had a super trip! To sum up: lots of beautiful nature, great people, and some rug shopping!
