Sightseeing In Kiev

Dobrye' dyen! This is the English transliteration for "Good Afternoon" in Russian. Our first full day here (Saturday) was so exciting but yet very overwhelming as we felt like three fish out of water. As I mentioned, Kiev is a very large metropolitan city and people are VERY busy and in a hurry here. Anytime we were outside of the hotel, people and cars were buzzing by us with Russian-speaking voices and horns (ha!). And we must have had "American" stamped on our faces because we definitely got lots of second looks. But this country seems fascinated with anything American so maybe they were just fascinated by us - ha again! It is surprising how many American things, words and photos you see here - American actors, American music and even McDonalds restaurants are everywhere! We were told there are over 50 in Kiev!

Before I share our Saturday fun, I just have to tell you about the wonderful but unusual hotel we are staying at until we leave Kiev. (I will try to take a photo of it later and send it in a future blog.) It is called the Bakkara Art-hotel and it is actually referred to as a "floatel" rather than a "hotel." It is a former cruise ship that has been converted into a hotel and is moored on the bank of the Dnipro River that runs through Kiev. So we are actually staying in a cruise ship that has been renovated into a contemporary Western type of hotel. All guests enjoy a free (and quite lavish) breakfast buffet each morning so this worked out great for a family on a budget since we just eat the free breakfast around 10:00 to 10:30 am, skip lunch and then have dinner thereby only paying for one meal a day. And it is a cool place too! (See photo of Summer and Steve on the "floatel's" outdoor deck for riverside dining.)

Saturday started with a call from our facilitator/translator Nastya. She had told us on the ride home from the airport on Friday that she was taking another host family turned adoptive family on a sightseeing tour of the "Pearl of Kiev" the next morning and invited us to join them. We took a taxi and met them at the Kyivo-Pechers'ka Lavra, a working monastery in the middle of Kiev that was established in 1051 by two monks to spread the word of the Christian religion throughout Kiev. (See photo of us with Nastya at the monastery.) I cannot describe the spectacular and humbling experience of visiting this monastery. I expected a one-hour visit of a few buildings and a church but it was SO far beyond this. The churches and buildings on this sprawling hillside campus were absolutely breathtaking. (See photo of one of the churches.) And the interiors of the churches were indescribably beautiful with detailed paintings of saints, angels, Christ, Mary, etc. Nastya knew so much history about this place and she kept us spellbound. It was so interesting to see all the tourists mixed in with the occasional passing monk in his black robes. We also got to enter the catacombs while we each held a candle to light our way. Because this is a hallowed and reverent place reserved for burial of only select monks, all women are required to wear skirts in the catacombs - which is why Summer and I had to "rent" skirts before we entered the catacombs and our heads had to be covered so we had to wear the hoods on our coats up over our heads. (See photo of Summer backdropped by the river and some church spires.)

I would say the most interesting experience of the day was attempting to use the women's facilities while at the monastery. I stood in a short line of Russian-speaking women waiting my turn. One of the women moved forward and opened a stall door and my jaw may have actually dropped before I bolted out of the bathroom. The public restroom facilities for women are basically basins built into the floor that you stand or squat over - that's right, no toilet, no seat! Nastya called them "squatty potties." Yes, I guess I am a spoiled American and, on this issue, I am fine with that!

Our Saturday ended with a taxi ride to McDonald's with a driver who couldn't speak a lick of English - always a ride of faith that he is actually going to get you where you want to go since you have no idea where you are or what any of the street signs say. And it is too weird to be in a McDonalds ordering food with Russian-speaking cashiers and a menu that is in Russian. (See photo of Summer at McDonald's and note Russian menu and the Russian on her balloon.) Thank goodness for the photos of Big Macs and Double Cheeseburgers that allow you to just point!

Today, we went to the State Adoption Authority (SDA). I also bought a guitar today and it cost $230 hyrvnia!! Read tomorrow...for the rest of the story!

Sunny