Since the last set of pictures appearing on this blog was taken, we have had some pretty heavy snowfalls and the temperature has dropped considerably.  Yesterday saw the mercury climb to +1 degree Celcius, the first time it has gone higher than freezing in a fortnight.  The week before last, the temperature barely got above -7.

This change in the weather meant I was for the first time able to take part in yet another traditional Russian pastime: the snow barbecue.  This is identical to an ordinary barbecue but it takes place in the snow, and instead of wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops you wear Arctic exploration gear.  Beer is drunk in much the same quantities as in any normal barbecue, except in snow barbecues you don’t have much trouble keeping the stuff cold.  Here are some pictures from the afternoon.

The view was nice…

..as was the little stream running past the spot where we set up.

The men prepared the barbecue…

…whilst my wife helpfully built a snowgirl…

…and I played with the air rifle one of the Russians had brought along.

At first, the sun kept things fairly warm…

…but as the sun went down, some warmer clothes were required.