After an unseasonably warm February and a tumultuous March, spring has finally truly arrived in Dushanbe. We’ve had days and days of April showers – so much that we needed to postpone the Easter Eggtravaganza, twice – but the days when the rain stops it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Tulips are my favorite flower. I remember “helping” my parents plant bulbs around the yard as a kid. I had them in my wedding. I plan to fill my garden with them whenever Sean and I get around to returning to the States and buying a house.
Dushanbe also loves tulips apparently. They are native to the region and Tajikistan has historically celebrated Sayri Guli Lola, the Holiday of Tulips. It’s unclear to me whether this holiday is still observed, but I like the idea of two days spent admiring beautiful flowers.
Tajikistan will be 25 this year, and in celebration the city planted 10,000 tulips in all the parks, lining the roads, and just about anywhere else they could squeeze them. While I do think the government could have spent that money more wisely, it’s hard to ignore the beauty they bring to Dushanbe.
great post, lovely pics