Photos from Kyiv and Lviv

Obviously in no particular order here are pictures of us in Kyiv. Us at the ballet, one of many and I mean many cathredrals at the Lavra which is a Christian catacombs. The actual catacombs were closed by the time we got there but the monks were being called to prayers and running through the snow with lots of bells ringing. Mark and I in an ice storm. It was snowing ice crystals and it hurt! My hair was literally frozen by the time we got back to our place. And then there is us at the store with the Leavitts helping them get household items. This picture shows how many Americans and Ukrainians it takes to figure out what is clorax on the shelves behind them. It totaled 4 Ukrainians and at least 2 Americans. Whew. Ok there is lots more to show but there is only so much I can download at a time on the internet here in Lviv. We got to Lviv by train (6 hours) late last night. It was midnight by the time we got out of the train station which is how most of the days are going around here. We seem to arrive after midnight everywhere we go. But after 6 hours of having to listen to Tom Cruise movies blasting from the tv on the train to the whole car with Tom speaking in Ukrainian of course or a Ukrainian voice over telling us what was going on (thank heaven for IPODS!) I really didn't mind the 4 flights of wooden stairs we climbed to our apartment (By the way never judge your hotel or apartment by the way things look from the outside...I'll explain later)I knew there was a toilet up there and I was so glad to be getting to it. I wasn't about to use the offered facilities on the train. (Ask Missy she can explain that one) Dad is getting ready to teach. He will teach two classes back to back today and I will go. We just walk to the University. I am excited to see Lviv in the light. By the way boots are a must. You walk everywhere and in deep snow most of which has the consistancy of a giant slurpy. A dirty slurpy. However Ukrainian women wear spiked heeled boots and don't fall. Amazing. And they love their fur. I stand out like a sore thumb in my blue parka. But I am warm and I don't care. You know you look very American when your Ukrainian interpreter meets you at the airport and walks right up to you and starts talking to you. Hmm ...do we look like funny Americans or what? Iegor is really nice by the way. He was very impressed that we only had carry on luggage. I know especially why now. He always grabs my suitcase to handle it for me and that includes carrying it up 4 flights of wooden stairs at midnight. They are such kind and gracious people to us here. Ok more later. Got places to go, pictures to take and bottled water to find.