Friday June 8, 2007

 

Katie (our Peace Corps friend—she said it was okay to name her so we are not "blowing her cover") met us at the hotel and together we took the 45-minute bus ride to the lavra.

 

In Ukrainian the place's name means the "Mountain of Light". In Russian it's "Mountain of the Slavs".   A very beautiful complex carved out of the white chalk cliffs overlooking a very scenic (and reportedly very polluted river). It has significance to both religious and secular society. Formed as a monastery nearly a thousand years ago, Monks continue the contemplative lifestyle on the grounds today. There are a number of chapels including one located in the caves (the burial location for the Monks). Sadly, the churches and caves were all closed to visitors today. We hiked up the mountain past a memorial to an artillery spotter from "The Great Patriotic War to Defeat the Fascists" (WWII)   -- the mountain was a key battleground between the Soviets and Germans.— up to the chiseled Soviet statue of Artem. While the Soviets left the monastery intact, they wanted to be sure to have an icon of the State rising above the Icons of the Church. So Artem and a memorial to the battlefield dead, towers above the Monks.

 

****** Food Alert*****

We broke our "street food" rule and dove into the goodies in the "souvenir Rynok" on the way out of the lavra. Yummy pastries filled with caramel and apple and jam. Plus "Sharma" (kinda like a gyro or a doenner kebap but with mayonnaise and ketchup rather than the cucumber yogurt sauce) It was really tasty and hopefully it will not require that we break out the Cipro.

 

After the bus ride home, we said goodbye to our new friend and wished her well as she set off on her summer assignment to teach at an English camp in Crimea. It was so wonderful to run into Katie; we know so much more about the area and have a much greater understanding of the amazing work the Peace Corps volunteers perform. Thanks Katie!

 

 

We changed clothes and eagerly headed to the orphanage for our afternoon visit. Daniil seemed a little off today. Not sure if he is getting sick, did not nap well, or if missing our morning visit just threw him off, but he was very tired and a bit grumpy this afternoon. He WAS very excited to get his gifts from Katie—he LOVES his Mickey Mouse ball-cap, bubbles and he spent a good while this afternoon playing with his crayons. We fed Stimpy some sausage and cheese (which Daniil shared). He ate his banana and it was time to do the rounds at the orphanage. It was a beautiful afternoon and all the kids were out. That meant that we were stuck sitting on the concrete stoop--- That was until Luba (the orphanage director) came out. It seems little boys will get sick and women's ovaries will freeze if one sits on concrete. No, really—it's true—honest. So not wanting to be responsible for either of those tragedies, Luba moved us to the world's most uncomfortable bench by the main door of the orphanage. Tragedy averted!

 

Daniil did have fun today with some imaginary play today. He used his gift bag and packed "soup and bread" for his lunch and headed off to "work"--- he walked around the hut and greeted mom with a hug after a hard day in the coal mine. Mom asked for some Khleb (bread) so he headed to the "store" to get some—repacked his lunch bag and headed off to the mine again. – very cute!

 

We had a nice chat with a nice older woman waiting for the bus today.. Some English, some German and some Russian and we were able to tell her about Daniil and she told us about her life. Her husband passed away a few years ago. She comes here for the curative powers of the salt lake and mud. She is a very young looking 71 (Ukrainian women do not usually age well) so I'd say the spa works!—We are headed there tomorrow during our noon time break with Lera for some sun, salt and mud!

 

We stopped at the "mega-mart" and got a couple of chicken breasts and some salad for dinner—we figured we better take it easy after our big day of "street food". Tomorrow will be a "splurge night". Katie told about a Khazak restaurant here in Slov'yansk called El Dorado. They have an English menu (good news since we do not know the ethnic cuisine of Kazakhstan) and it supposed to be great!

 

Enough babbling—gotta get to bed- We are getting very nervous about court on Monday and neither of us are sleeping well. Need to listen while the sandman calls!

 

PEACE

 

Jim and Mary