My B'day Continued...

So after lunch, my birthday (Thursday) continued to be so much fun. Just before work was over, I went to a cake shop to get the cakes. Aizada and Olga recommended a certain shop not far from work because they make the cakes there and have refridgeration to store them, so the cakes are always fresh and nice. I agreed and asked them to recommend what type of cake as well b/c cakes here are so different than in the U.S. They told me that they would send Stas with me and would tell him what I should get. So it was perfect.



B'day Girl with B'day Cakes: Here I am with the cakes we got, both of which were yummy.



Asel Cutting: Asel cut the cake for us and set out the plates and all. She is so much fun, always laughing and smiling, and that girl is very on the ball with work. If you need her help, she will take care of things immediately.

Cake Eaters: Here are some of my coworkers enjoying the cake. From left to right, they are Ludmila (she is the one who is the great dancer), Valodia (he saved the day when that drunk couple wanted to share the apartment with us in Balakchy), Roshanna (she and I swam together the first time I went to the pool; she is so cool), and Olga (she is a lot of fun and speaks excellent English; we've gone to lunch together several times and plan to shop together sometime soon).

So Thoughtful: At the office party, Aizada presented me with another bunch of flowers, this one from Mercy Corps, as well as a certificate thanking me for my work and expressing good wishes for my b'day, and a handmade felt yurt. I was so honored.

Gifts: I'm posing here with the flowers from Mercy Corps and Kompanion, as well as the yurt and a felt purse that Tanya, the head lawyer, gave me.

A Boy and His Flowers: John used my computer to call his fiancee, Kelly, and it was so funny to see him at this desk covered in pink flowers. I just had to snap a photo.

Dinner: Right after work, a group of us went swimming in that nice nearby pool. Then Dad, John, Sarah, and I went to Jalalabad for dinner. It's my favorite restaurant in Bishkek. We had salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, varainegee (little half-moon shaped pasta stuffed with mashed potatoes), logman (noodles with meat, broth, and veggies), and shashleek (shishkabob). It was so delicious, and only about $18 for the whole meal.

Dad and Me: Here dad and I smile at dinner.

Soooo Attractive: John picked his teeth with a toothpick every time I raised the camera, and in this shot, Sarah stuck out her little pointy tongue. So funny...

Dad and Me: Dad and I smile at Navigator, where we went for drinks and dessert and a hookah!

Me with the Hookah: Here I am smoking the hookah... Apple tobacco, yum.

Sarah and the Hookah: Here Sarah puffs away...

Smokin' Bec: You can see the smoke here!

Smokin' Sarah: This was my favorite hookah photo: cute of Sarah and a great shot of the smoke!

A Happy Time: All in all, it was a fabulous birthday.