Here at Last
Greetings from Khabarovsk. We arrived safely on Saturday night, checked in, walked a long way to dinner (pizza and bilinies – a.k.a. crepes or Swedish pancakes) and a long way home. With the help of eye masks and ear plugs we slept. The parties outside kept Jamie up more than they did me. At about 7 am the parties stopped and the church bells started.
It is Easter here: Christ is Risen! We have not yet gone to church, though we may later. Apparently services go all day and people come and go as they can. I brought my shawl to cover my head when we go.
We got up early (7:00ish) showered (great water pressure) and had breakfast. Porridge for me (not quite as good as Scottish, but that is a high standard to meet) and Jamie had an omelet. No comment on the omelet. Then we went to market and what fun we had there.
Most of the vendors are Asian and seemed very eager to practice their English on us. Usually they didn't work up their nerve till we had passed, so our market stroll was punctuated with "Herlo how are you today" tossed at our backs. I'd turn and answer and they would beam at us. There is something really fun about exchanging real smiles with people from whom we are otherwise so very distanced. We bought a few things, a cap, a scarf, some fruit -- only the sort you peal -- and best of all, found a cobbler to mend my shoe. He used a hand-crank machine to stitch the offending piece back on and charged me 100 rubles for it, which I think is about 4 dollars.
We are disappointed to learn that we won’t visit the orphanage until Wednesday. I am feeling very sad about this, but am trying to be flexible. This, as you may know, is not easy for me.
Tomorrow we get picked up at 12:30 for blood draws and a visit to the psychiatrist. I feel as if I am in a novel.
I’m going to start a new post, labeled questions and answers. If you are dying to know something I have not mentioned, ask it there.
Best,
Suzanne
edited to add that the blog program has labeled this as Saturday, but it is indeed Sunday here.
edited for random acts of spelling
edited to add pics
2 comments:
I just found your blog through Lisa's and I am so happy to see your posts -- it seems you are off to a great start! The doctors will be a breeze -- just remember to say "No" if they ask you if you have "fits". I am sorry you are going to see the kids until Wed. -- but I'm sure it will be worth the wait after so long. Glad to hear the snow is gone -- the melting alternating with freezing that we had made everything pretty muddy and slushy. The party noise kept me up but we only had it on Sat. night (as you did) and then again on Friday -- by then I was so tired it didn't keep me awake. I'll watch for more news. Know that you all are in my prayers. Best, Catherine
Hi Catherine,
We got your old room; thanks for the good advice. You are so right about us not fitting. Jamie would have had to sleep sideways and I would have had a wee corner of the bed.
We had the narcologist and psychiatrist today, and the blood draw (blech). They were very efficient.
Suzanne
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