For every person, such an event feels like a small miracle. One wakes up in the morning, looks out the window, and everything is white as far as the eye can see! Only yesterday the world was grey and dull, but now, in an instant, the streets and trees have put on dazzling white garments, and everything has changed – the brightness of light, the purity of air and the uplifted mood it brings. The white covering resembles a clean sheet of paper, from which it is so pleasant and reassuring to begin a new life.
Generations of Ashgabat residents know the feeling of long winter anticipation for the first snow. Such is life in the southern latitudes, even in an extremely continental climate, where snowfall is rare. And when it does arrive, it remains only briefly. Therefore, the joy of experiencing winter’s charms is often fleeting. Yet this ephemerality makes the pleasure of sledding and snowboarding, snowball fights and making snowmen all the sharper and more memorable.
Children, of course, rejoice at this climatic gift more than anyone else. The walkways of the capital’s parks and esplanades fill with the ringing chatter of young voices and joyful exclamations. Some roll a giant snowball in preparation for sculpting a fairy tale figure, others lay down an icy path for speeding across open space, and still others have already launched rapid-fire battles with snowball of impressive calibre.
Representatives of older generations do not lag behind the youth. They may be less active in snowy amusements, but they draw no less enjoyment from this winter wonder. What could be more delightful than a walk in the fresh frosty air while in such an uplifted mood?
Yes, snow and frost certainly pose challenges for those unaccustomed to working in such conditions. Drivers, who by definition have little experience with winter automobile tires, must double their caution and attentiveness on the roads. For public utility workers, an unexpected snowfall becomes the most demanding test of professional competence.
Yet these inconveniences of the cold season cannot compare with the instinctive human joy of witnessing the first snow. The renewed beauty of transformed streets, buildings and trees is enchanting, as are the grandeur and magic of the fantastical landscapes. Here, indeed, lies boundless room for the creativity of amateur photographers. Countless reminders of the unforgettable and joyful moments of this brief snowfall will remain in the electronic memories of smartphones.
On the global climatic map, Turkmenistan appears as a sanctuary where winter with severe frosts does not linger. Quite the opposite, the eastern (Turkmen) shore of the Caspian Sea, with its very mild winter temperatures, serves as a traditional wintering site for many species of birds. As a result, snow remains an exotic event in the country rather than an ordinary aspect of daily life.
However, the rarer the gift of nature, the more precious it becomes. And so, each winter, the inhabitants of the country – in both cities and villages – will once again wait with bated breath, hoping to witness the miracle of nature’s transformation and to immerse themselves in a short yet unforgettable fairy tale of a winter’s dream.