19th Birthday of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, Photoblog, Politics and SocietyOne Comment

Just like any other holiday in Kyrgyzstan, the Independence Day celebration starts with prohibitions. Here you can see a roadblock, which cuts of one of the main streets. Several roadblocks all over main streets of Bishkek usually create traffic jams.

Another prohibition is access to the main square for the time of President's official speech. Access was limited for people with some permissions, but as usual, people with government and law enforcement badges could pass through easily.

At 10 am in the morning, there were more police then people.

They blocked people without permissions and most of them (including me) could not even hear President Otunbayeva's speech. Her stage is located in the far right corner on the photo.

So people just had to stay in the sun and wait while the President finishes her speech and officially opens the memorial to the Victims of April 7 events.

On the positive side, it was a good day for this lady who sells gas water with syrup (or without) from an old Soviet water machine. It was very hot and a cold water was in demand.

and for this photographer who makes photographs for 40 soms a piece.

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Ice cream ladies had their day as well. 35 degrees of temperature were surely helpful.

It was the day when children finally get the proper attention from their parents.

... and they can be with them all day long.

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Parents can also have some fun while kids are splashing in the fountains.

or just go and get refreshed in the fountain as well.

Departing the square, I noticed the cover on the fence, which was damaged during the April events. It is was not fixed yet.
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