The Metro, Mall and A Meal

On Sunday morning, the still-travel-weary and overwhelmed-yet-still-overjoyed Jewells slept in. We got up and got ready in just enough time to make the free morning buffet at our hotel and then we took on "The Metro", Kiev's subway system. Fortunately, we have a Metro stop about 6 blocks from our hotel and, after we walked the 6 blocks, we had to go alone through a dim underground tunnel to get to the Metro. Summer was spooked and sticking to us like glue. Just for fun, I started singing softly, "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" That did not go over well - ha! After surviving the tunnel, we hopped on the ridiculously crowded Metro having to stand the entire ride squished up against a surrounding wall of people. No one talks and few smile - and, no surprise, the Jewells talked and smiled throughout the humorous ride.(See photo of Summer & Steve as the blue Metro pulls up.)

We got off the Metro with our fingers crossed that Steve had read the Metro map correctly and that we had gotten off at the right stop. Summer and I followed his lead. (We had discovered that there was a TGI Friday's - American menus, American food - yea! - in the middle of the city so Steve had read the map and felt confident he could get us there. I was nervous though.) We walked a couple of blocks and turned left where he told us to and then - TA DA! There was the TGIF sign!! I love my man!! (See photo of Summer and me below the TGIF sign.)Sadly, our dinner was a little disappointing (compared to American TGIFs) and quite expensive. I think all things American come at a price in Kiev. We also went to one of Kiev's several underground malls. Right under the hustle and bustle of traffic and taxis are these meandering and almost endless malls for which I highly recommend a bread crumb trail to find your way back!! Some of the shops were no wider than 7 or 8 feet and only you, the attendant and maybe 1 or 2 other people could fit in it. (See photo of Steve and Summer outside some shops.) We then found our way back to the Metro, stood amidst a new crop of quiet and serious Ukrainians, got off at the right stop (I still love my man!!) and then walked back through the Tunnel of Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My - at dusk no less - and made it back to the hotel safely albeit frozen. (See the photo of the chilled Summer and me at the riverside Metro station nearest our hotel.)

Unfortunately, our Sunday night ended on a sad note when we got a call from Steve's family about his father. As some of you know, Steve's Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few years ago. The disease has progressed significantly over the past year and its effects landed him in the hospital for the second time last Wednesday, the day before we left for our trip. During his previous hospital stay, he recovered fairly quickly and returned home after a few weeks. However, the Sunday night call revealed that he had two seizures and his prognosis does not look good. The family is contacting us with daily updates but this has certainly been a challenge for us, in particular Steve, so we do ask for your prayers for the family.

I will try to send another post later today since we have to leave now to meet our facilitator/translator for an adoption-related appointment. YEA!

Sunny