6/30/07

I must apologize for my last beer induced interlude. I will attempt to be more serious and focused after receiving several emails referring to my beer comments as inappropriate for children as well as adults. (I am not sure who that leaves, so I advise that no one actually reads any more beyond this sentence.)

In addition, several issues were raised about the description of the “ladies of the evening”. To correct that perception, I did not say the women ARE ladies of the evening although some may be, I simply stated they often dress similarly.

So what have we done for the last few days? We decided to forage from out quaint centrally located apartment all the way to the wild section of Podol. The Bohemians live here……we think. Though we were only on the fringes or Podol, we plan to explore this further hoping this is where the non-tourists hang out. Since we have been here so long, maybe we will have a chance of fitting in within this part of Kiev.

Being a tourist and having absolutely zero chance of ever being seen otherwise in a country where the average women weighs something like 14 pounds and the average male about 120 pounds (luckily the men’s weight is distributed in their general belly section), maybe we will have a better chance to fit in with the locals. After all, somewhere over the last 20 years our svelte-ness has escaped us much to our dismay. Don’t know how it happened, just looked in the mirror, one year - svelte – 20 years later, not svelte. Quite puzzling really!!

Despite our tourist garb, Merrell walking shoes, cargo shorts, shirts that advertise we are from some other place on this planet (or even beyond), we walked into several of the expensive shopping stores where the clerks are dressed, well I hate to say it, like the girls mentioned above. The sales clerks are wearing size 00 or smaller mini/micro/teeny-weenie skirts covering their Lilliputian 6 or 8 foot long gangly legs. Thinking that we may be treated as some weird looking aliens since we are wearing an alien kind of bag on our back that straps around our shoulders, we venture forth into the maelstrom of clothes. We figure these sophisticated, well dressed sales people will leave us to our own quest.

Much to our surprise, we were inundated with help from these beauties. They saw our American flag on our backpack!!! Between you and me, there is something these people want from us impatient, inappropriately dressed and bad smelling foreigners. You know I am not sure, but I think it has something to do with our MONEY!

Can you believe this evolving economy wants money from us spoiled, overbearing Americans? And yes, I may not have all my oars in the water, but yes, they want us to spend our money. So we obliged. I whip out my security wallet, which is carefully attached to my belt to thwart any attempt by a pickpocket to steal me blind, and grab a stack of cash while shuffling credit cards. So we start off our search hoping to obtain some clothes for Molly. (Yes John and Keri, we actually underpacked this trip!!) Size 0000, size 000, size 00, size0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and then it stops, just stops. There are no larger sizes anywhere in this store. So I am with these lovely ladies trying to explain that we may want something like a size 6 at least or maybe a little bigger. That is when I realize, we are truly, truly aliens here. So being rather embarrassed, we slink out of that store to the next. We did better; they went all the way up to size 10!! We were ecstatic. But bad styling. So after romping through several more stores, we actually see a section in a store that says Columbia Clothes. We were home ahhhhhhhhh. We go in and find what we need. Success.

So after our shopping extravaganza, we head out to get the flavor of the sights. Traveling to Northern Europe, Southeast Asia, Canada, Mexico, it just amazes be how much influence America has on the world. We are so insulated from it our large and capacious homes. We have it so lucky and truly do not understand our plight. If we want something done, a needless product to buy, or the latest gizmo, we just go out and get it. No waiting. Instant gratification. Here, as they slowly switch from the oppressive state-supplied economy of the Soviets where graft, bribes and deals got what you wanted to a more capitalistic based economy, they are stuck between the two worlds from both a psychological and logistical demeanor.

For example, our apartment, which is modest by our standards, has a great location in the heart of the city which we relish. When we got here, the temperatures were in the mid to upper 80’s with humidity. Being Americans and bathed in air conditioned homes, we naturally expected the AC in the apartment to work. (Yes Kerry we have AC!!!) It did not. So after several requests, they show up about 3 days later. The AC unit was there, it had all the parts and pieces, but it just was not hooked up. So they fixed that. That is what we find. Most of the things are all half done. Light bulbs missing, stoves not turned on but fully functional, lights in ceiling with only half of them with the wires actually connected. It is not they do not want them to work; they just do not have the money or time to get repair people here. This lack of resources translated into our laundry.

We originally thought we would only be here in Kiev for a few days and then travel to the orphanage in another town. So, laundry was not an issue. Since we have been here almost two weeks now, despite our efficient bathtub washing of our clothes with our feet, they just did not seem so clean, and kind of starting getting that “we need to be washed for real” smell. So we figured we will load them up and take them to the laundromat. So we Google for laundromats, nothing, we talk with people around here, nothing. Call information, nothing. Now we see some really nice dressed people around here in clean clothes, so where do they wash their clothes? Yes, in their bathtubs we are told! We scratch our heads. They must have better cleaning feet than what we have. Must be better technique. Washers and driers are an extravagance. Only the wealthy have them.

So finally after four or five days or trying to resolve our stinky clothes situation, the landlord comes and gets our dirty clothes and will clean them for us. It is these little inconveniences we take for granted as Americans. Little annoyances like this will not be an issue back in the USA. We have bigger concerns like getting the Apple Iphone. We truly lived into our reputation as decadent and spoiled Americans on this laundry escapade.

So here I am getting to wordy and relaying totaling useless information once again. However, I did warn you earlier not to read any more!!
So enough of my dissertation. Just a few more pages of observations. (I mean it, no more than 3 or 4 or so.)

While walking out and about, I thought I might share some of the dichotomous sights I saw. You all know me and how I look at the world with some skepticism and humor. So I tried to capture some candid shots of the local people and sights. As the economy loosens and the truly entrepreneurial bring forth and multiply (there it is again, that Biblical stuff. There really are many churches here including a holy set of caves containing the skulls of monks and ascetics that have been collecting for centuries. The locals believe praying in these caves with these holy skulls bring miracles, good health and salvation. Eastern Orthodox priests take in the patrons for a small donation. We got in the line with the throngs as you know I can use some salvation, however, we were not clothed properly. I needed long pants, and no backpack. Molly needed a head scarf and more subdued clothing.)

Okay, back to my little tour. Throughout our travels, I have seen few American stores. No Wal-Mart, no Starbucks or 7-11s, (Grant, no Peets Coffee), no Macy’s, no Kmart or Target. Oh they do suffer here so much!! However, they do enjoy the finer culinary traditions of McDonalds. Though, not as prevalent as in our country, they are well placed. Check out the pictures on our Picasa link: (McDonalds Church)
http://picasaweb.google.com/Mcubedpictures/6302007BlogPictures


After walking and watching the people, we came upon this cute 10 or 11 year old girl selling trinkets and flowers near the River Station. Once minute, she is pretending to be handicapped complete with crutches to garner sympathy, I mean more money. Then, her father tells her to go up the stairs and sell flowers. She puts her crutches down and bounds up the stairs with the athleticism of an Olympic high-hurdler. She so represents the people here, doing what they can to get by: Picasa (Girl Peddler)
http://picasaweb.google.com/Mcubedpictures/6302007BlogPictures


Then, we ventured upon an old woman, rummaging through the trash to get bottles or whatever. Ukraine, despite its new found economic freedom, still labors with high alcoholism, homelessness and destitution: Picasa (Old Woman and Trash) http://picasaweb.google.com/Mcubedpictures/6302007BlogPictures



As we continued out walking tour, we found a monument, one of many sprinkled around the city. Here is one of the more prominent monuments and comfortably nestled at the bottom of the edifice, a homeless man with his trash bags of belongings lays front and center, kind of cogent, kind of not. Meanwhile a nice looking young couple is hoping for a photo op. The woman nicely asks the man to move and he responds with some Ukrainian or Russian “#4@@&&66^^fRRGYJJ”. Next thing we know, she and this bum get into a shouting match, from which, she gives up and slinks away while the vagrant proceeds to pass out. Quite enjoyable actually. Picasa (Vagrant1 and Vagrant2)
http://picasaweb.google.com/Mcubedpictures/6302007BlogPictures

So to end this obtuse interlude, I do not want you to think that this beautiful country is only full of charlatans and vagrants. So here are a few pictures of the beautiful people. We are off today for another adventure in adoption land. We wait with anticipation and trepidation for tomorrow and Tuesday as one of those two days will tell us if we stay or go.

Take care all
Love Michael and Molly

Picasa: (Beautiful People 1,2,3,4,5 and 6)

http://picasaweb.google.com/Mcubedpictures/6302007BlogPictures