The First 90 Days

Hello everyone! We've been a little quiet of late since we're trying to keep up with two energetic new additions to the family.

Today's post marks a couple milestones for us: The anniversary of our first posting (30 Dec 2006), and that today is the 90th day that we have known our children.

We wanted to get this post up today to mark those milestones, but being New Year's Eve, it won't be finished today. Besides, we have to sort through all the photos from the past month and pick put some great ones to post.

Ninety days. Is that all? It almost seems like more than that since we have been home, but a quick check of the calendar proves it correct. 9 am on October 3rd is when we all met for the first time. We had only a slight advantage over the children since we had glanced at their school folders, although we couldn't understand much of what was written there.

Wow!

It's harder to imagine that we have been home just over five weeks now, just 40 days. It hasn't been all peaches and cream. There have been a few tears and several time-outs, but all in all, the past few weeks have been remarkable. Hopefully the pace keep up once the kids discover that the flood of parties and presents quickly comes to an end once we move into January. We look forward to a day in the not too distant future when they can truly communicate their thoughts and impressions to us.

Meanwhile, we had a great Christmas and had a chance to visit both sides of our family:









In front of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC along with Granpa B.



The deer in Grandma P's front yard.















Decorating a gingerbread house and getting a little help from Bob (who insisted the kids were not opening their gifts fast enough!)

We'll post some more updates soon!

To our friends who have completed their adoptions: We hope your families are coming closer and growing together.

To our friends who are still working on the adoption process: May 2008 bring you to realize your hopes.

And to everyone: May 2008 be a Safe, Prosperous and Happy New Year for you!

P.S. Don't forget Antares Orphans, www.antares-orphans.com

A busy first week back home

Dec 2nd, 2007, Day +11

Has it only been 11 days since my last entry in the trek journal? In some ways it seems like more. In other ways, less. Sorry about the long post, but we have a lot of catching up to do.

Perhaps the one thing which makes it harder to gauge time is that our internal clocks are still working to fully adjust to the 12 hour time difference, but we’re almost there. We’re sticking to our “Early to rise and no nap” rule, so Kate and David have done better than we have. Our “problem” is that once the kids are in bed, we still have a few things to do before retiring for the night, which put blogging at the bottom of our To-Do list.









Our first week and a half home has been mostly great, with just a few 10 minute Time-Outs, and no major issues (knocking on wood, plastic, glass, and anything else to ensure things continue to go in that direction!). We didn’t waste any time getting engaged with “routine” activities at home. It helps to have other kids to play with in the neighborhood when the weather is nice. Regardless, we have all been busy and ready for bed early in the evening, even Bob (our exuberant golden retriever).

In an effort to “catch up” on our blog (no entries since returning), we’ll forego most of the details and hit as much as possible in outline form.

Thursday: Thanksgiving, Church, playing with neighbor kids, and dinner (strange foods)
Thanksgiving Day morning, we went to church where Kate and David received Monsignor’s welcome. He was talking about being thankful for what we Americans enjoy and that some people had even more to be thankful. Both were a little embarrassed, but enjoyed the extra attention. Rather than our usual family crowd, we enjoyed a smaller feast with just the four of us plus our neighbors across the street, Kevin and Andrea. The kids were real troopers and tried most of the foods on the table, but ended up eating mostly mashed potatoes with gravy and cranberry sauce. Perhaps there were just too many choices.

Friday: Meeting more neighbor kids, Doctor, I-Hop, and shopping (Terrible Twos)
The weather Friday morning was pretty nice, so we spent a bit of time outside hanging Christmas decorations while the kids played with neighbors. One family gave them both bicycle helmets and another gave them razor scooters, so there were a lot of kids out and about. The fun couldn’t last all day though. We had an afternoon appointment with Dr Lana Yanishevski at Laurelwood Pediatrics. Who’da thunk that we could find a Russian speaking doctor who would be available on the day after Thanksgiving so we could get our TN School Immunization Records up to date in time to start school on Monday? By the time we got through the exam, shots, and blood drawing, we had been at the doctor’s office for two hours. As a reward for their excellent behavior, we took the kids to I-Hop before hitting Target for some clothes shopping. Most of the “Black Friday” shoppers must have tired early, so we were able to get a decent parking place and shop without the frenzy we had seen on the news channels earlier in the day.

Saturday: First play date & more “strange food” leftovers
Saturday was cooler, but we still made it our for a play date at the park. Soccer and Football were the main activities, but both kids did try tennis. After a lot of ball chasing, they went back to the more familiar sports. Dinner was an adventure. Neither could remember which foods they did or did not like on Thursday, so there were many changes from the previous list.

Sunday: Church, Trying on new clothes, Divide & Conquer
Church again! It will be an interesting conversation some time in the future when we can discuss their first impressions of America and Americans. As far as they know, we don’t work (after all, we took all that time off for the adoption trek), we eat a lot (many big feasts), and we go to church a lot (we also took them to church while in Petropavlovsk). After church, we spent some time going through the various school uniforms and other clothing which friends have given us. There is no doubt that they like their new school uniforms more than their old ones!

We really appreciate that since we are trying to build full wardrobes from scratch. Lastly, it was time for Cathe and I do split up and tag team with the children. When they get tired (or tired of whatever we want them to do), they begin cutting up in Russian, so it becomes hard to stay focused on task. We made though, and even got both children cycled through the shower so they would be ready for their first day of school in the morning.

Monday: First day of school & First day of homework
What a day! Both kids were real troopers and both classes welcomed them enthusiastically. In addition to dictionaries, Google Translator was a real help.

Tuesday: Health Insurance and Social Security registration
Two more big steps forward! (Had to get the kids enrolled in the health insurance plan since we already had their first doctor’s visit!)

Wednesday: First school Mass, Rough day at school for the kids (Learning new rules and about how kids here play.)
We were reminded that although things are going very well, we still have many items and behaviors to address. Cathe got a frantic page from Kate’s teacher at lunch time. Kate’s lunchbox was in the cafeteria, but no Kate. Panic was short lived. It turns out that Kate had just made an unannounced trip to the bathroom. Meanwhile, out on the playground, David was caught up in some Monkey-See/Monkey-Do activities and made a few minor social faux pas. Kids are kids everywhere. A couple boys convinced him to do a couple slightly embarrassing things and got a couple laughs at his expense. Fortunately, that came to an abrupt end before any feelings were hurt.

Thursday: Early morning meeting at school, Working out with Google Translator
Thursday morning was our first meeting with the Principal and all of the other teachers to assess how things have gone the first few days. We discussed which classes the kids would be accountable for as well as what our expectations for the remainder of the marking period are. We are truly blessed to have such a supportive group of people to work with while we help the children adjust while they learn a new language and culture.

In addition, we shared some of our tips and techniques for communicating, including our “50 Questions” via Google Translator approach. Both Kate and David are very bright and are catching on quickly. They also know that they have to be constantly on best behavior since mom works just down the hall and will surely hear about anything going on. It was a long day. To celebrate, everyone had ice cream after dinner except Cathe (she went to bed early).

Friday: Meeting more neighbors, Meeting up with Lynn, and Artwork on Antares Orphans
Another great day! Since it was nice outside, a lot of folks were out for evening walks to look at Christmas decorations. We were still hanging a few wreaths, but paused to greet everyone passing by. One little girl from around the corner really impressed us. She had seen the stork sign in our yard, so she learned how to say “Welcome to our neighborhood” in Russian. Kate and David were very pleased. Just as we were wrapping up, another Memphian who had adopted from Petropavlovsk arrived. Masha had also been her translator and had sent a small package back with us.

After Lynn and her boys left, I was browsing the Antares Orphans web site (http://www.antares-orphans.com/) since we intend to sponsor a couple children with Kate looking over my shoulder. She was excited to see photos of several children who she recognized. Clicking through the activities page, we were also pleased to see her entries in the annual Artwork Contest.

Saturday: Clothes shopping, yard work, Bartlett Parade
It was a busy Saturday for us. Cathe and I tag-teamed with the kids to get more than a few things done. Since the weather was pretty warm, it gave us a chance to plant winter flowers and replace a couple shrubs which didn’t make it through the hot, dry summer. David got some brownie points for helping vacuum up leaves for a neighbor who is out of town, then continued on to vacuum up the fallen leaves in our front yard. He was excited to use our lawnmower and bagger.

After planting fall flowers, it was time to get ready for the Bartlett Christmas Parade. Neither Kate nor David had been to a parade before, so they though the marching bands and floats were pretty “Glasna” (I think that means “cool!”). He duly informed us that he wants as drum set for Christmas and wants to join the band. We’ll address that topic later!

Meanwhile, we saw several floats unique to the Midsouth: Several Elvis’ and floats made from boats: Just hang some lights on your pontoon boat and pull it along!

Sunday: A rainy afternoon, movies
After church, we swung through Costco to pick up a few things. They have now added Churros to their growing lists of things they like. While Bill was catching up on the monthly bills (and two months of data entry into Money), the kids cycled through a couple activities. Although unusually warm, it was a rainy day, so no playing outside. Instead, we watched a couple movies: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Although the language was a bit beyond their understanding, the physical comedy in both got several laughs.

We still have a long way to go, but we’re all working hard to make it through the tough spots.

The Longest Day

Day 57 - Finally Back Home!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we're home. We'll be busy with the holiday and unpacking, so it may be a day or two before our next post.

Have you ever wished for a couple "extra" hours in a day? We got them today while traversing 12 time zones en-route from Almaty to Memphis, making the actual calendar day today 36 hours long for us. Unlike our two-night trip to Kazakhstan, we took off from Almaty in the morning daylight and landed in Memphis in the waning evening light, a little over 20 hours later, but still the same day.

We were up at 4:30 am for a 5:30 am pickup. The flight delayed a few minutes leaving Almaty due to fog, but made up for lost time on leg 1 to Amsterdam.

During our 3 hour layover in Amsterdam, we had our first McDonalds experience: Blizzard Ice Cream treats! (we were too well fed on the plane to eat anything else).

Leg two to Memphis was a long one since we were burning the candle at both ends and in the middle by then, landing safely in Memphis at 4:50 pm (local). After a brief trip through customs and immigration, we headed to the baggage clain, then toward the front door where we had an official greeting team awaiting our arrival, finally arriving at home just before 7 pm.

It's great to be home!

Thanksgiving day will henceforth have an additional special meaning for us.

Exit Visas and Empty Pockets

20 Nov 07, Tuesday, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 56. Major events of the day: Waiting for “The Call,” Consulate Appointment, Settling Bills and Packing

Morning Weather Report:
Almaty weather: 30, feels like 30, with a projected high of 44. Probably the clearest morning we have had so far.
Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 58, and heading up to 72. Unseasonably warm. Hopefully the good weather will hold out a few more days!

The weather is turning cooler in Almaty. There is a strong breeze blowing from the south over the mountains. We can still see the mountains, but the clouds are moving in. The forecast for the next few days is not too bad, but it is getting cooler. Although the 4pm high of 50 exceeded the forecast, the winds from the south (over the mountains) are bringing a dampness .

After getting back to our apartment late last night after having dinner and visiting with Suzanne and Hilton, the children went right to sleep with only one request for a bedtime snack (Dad declined the request). Soon there were sounds of peaceful deep breathing and I was able to catch up on a little correspondence before calling it a night myself.

This morning’s wake-up call went smoothly as well, without too many “duck-and-cover” attempts by the kids. David actually hopped right out of bed and plugged himself into cartoons while I checked e-mail. Kate was a little slower to rise, but also got up without too much complaint. The sounds of activity and cartoons was more alluring than the call of her pillow, so she too was up and at ‘em.

The rest of our morning was spent doing laundry and some packing. As soon as everything is dry (I pushed the drying rack next to one of the radiators to help speed the process), I’ll finish the process. The hardest part is to distribute heavier souvenir items between bags while getting everything in. Although Cathe and I emptied one suitcase when we distributed gifts, we acquired many other space-consuming items. It’ll be a challenge for me (Cathe’s much better at this part than I am), but I think I’ll squeeze everything in while preventing breakage.

Not much of a morning walk today since I wanted to be around to get the confirmation call that we had our 3 pm US Consulate appointment set. After getting used to having an A++ team in Petropavlovsk, I have to express my disappointment in consistency of communications since arriving in Almaty. So we waited, watched some TV, checked e-mail for updates, waited, and watched some more TV.

I have a nice, but mostly unread book which I could easily spend a few hours progressing on, but my schedule is not the children’s. After being in a regimented environment with strictly adhered to schedules, my schedule is now driven by theirs. It’s sort of like the first couple weeks we were in Petropavlovsk when Cathe and I were adjusting to being 11 hours out of sync (now 12 with the end of DST). Just when I thinking things are settling down, we suddenly have a wrestling match, or balloon fight, or two hungry kids. I’ve already warned Cathe that I get the first couple weeks “off” since she has been enjoying a lot of peace and quiet!

Finally, we received a call that we would be picked up at 2:30 to go to our appointment. We could have walked over since the US Consulate is now located in the brand new high-rise bank building next to the Ramstore. We checked in and I headed to the cashier’s window to pay up another $760 ($380 x 2) for entry visas. Thankfully they accept plastic, because our once fat cash supply has dwindled after almost 2 months on the road. It’s a good thing that I brought more than recommended since we were initially going to a small remote village or we would have run out of cash. Although I only tried a few ATMs, all rejected my cash card.

A couple minutes later I heard our names called and we went to Window 3 for our interview. Since our Dossier and supporting paperwork were thoroughly complete (more complements to the Petro Team a la Masha!) we only took a few minutes with Jeff, the VERY helpful Consulate representative, and the process was done. Both children now have shiny new immigrant visas installed in their passports!

After returning to the apartment to drop off paperwork, we headed right out the door in hopes of ice skating and internet connectivity at our favorite local venue. I got a good signal and connected right away, but sadly for the children, it was time to “defrost” the skating rink. Apparently they add a little water each evening to dress the ice, then melt it back once a month since they don’t have the equivalent of a resident Zamboni. Instead, we each had some ice cream and a Domino’s Donut (which bears an uncanny resemblance to Dunkin’ Donuts, down to the color scheme).

Back at the apartment, we celebrated with a feast in an attempt to clean out the last of our grocery stores. I considered the full plate of bread left at the end of our meal as “complements to the chef”! At least we have a good starting point from which Cathe and I can work in a greater variety of foods in search of the same results.

The last business transaction for the day was to settle the bill for our Almaty stay with Oleg. Everything was ok except an additional expediting fee on top of what was already worked into our fee schedule. We’ll have to do some checking there, but at least we’re ready to head home.

On that note, I’ll wrap today’s entry and get this post online (using the last of my Nursat minutes) then back to work on packing while trying to get the kids to sleep after an very expensive day.

A Night at the Museum

19 Nov 07, Monday, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 55. Major events of the day: A Night at the Museum, Meeting up with Suzanne & Hilton, Waiting for Passport Registration and dinner at the American Bar & Grill

Morning Weather Report:
Almaty weather: 25, feels like 19, with a projected high of 49. A cold, crisp start to the day, but the sun’s rays are pretty warming. I bet the UV index is up though. The sunshine feels very warm!
Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 57, and heading up to 70. Hopefully some of that weather will be around when we return!

Ok, we didn’t spend the night at the museum, but we did walk by when going over to meet Suzanne and Hilton for dinner. It was really well done with white and colored lighting. It’s a good thing that it gets dark early this time of year or we would be missing out on a lit of neat scenery! Though not up to re-doing some of our day time marathon treks, there are a few places I would like to see at night. The Little Eifel Tower was neat to look at too, with its own changing colored lights. Ночь в Музее (Night at the Museum) has quickly become one of the kids’ favorites.

We enjoyed a nice quiet morning around the apartment without having to rush off somewhere. The kids really enjoy our breakfast routine. Forms were filled out and paperwork was reviewed last night with Oleg, so today would be a day of waiting and rest. Our main plan of the day is to meet up with Hilton and Suzanne who arrived from Petro yesterday along with their new son. We have really enjoyed their company through our process and know they have felt the same.

The Nursat iCard I bought Saturday is working out well, filling in for those times when I cannot find a good signal at the Ramstore. The rates are a little expensive by US standards, but are a lot better than paying a big phone bill at the end of a stay (and 15-25% less expensive too). The purchased units can also be used for phone calls home (~$0.35/minute). I had heard about the phone card while in Petro, but never used it. Families traveling to Kazakhstan in the future should consider getting one. I could have saved a little on the connection bill and can also call home at rates far better than Kaztelkom… Anyway, I was able to chat online with Cathe for a few minutes this morning before she went to bed. Being 12 hours out of sync is a real pain at times though.

This morning while I was catching up on e-mail, the kids were drawing and coloring quietly. The past 8 days for the three of us being completely on our own has been a real growing and bonding period. The only thing missing is Cathe, but we stay in daily contact and occasionally get a good enough connection to actually talk back and forth without too much delay. Google Translator is really working well for us. Both kids were happy to have a note from mom waiting for them after breakfast. The more I observe and learn about our kids, the more impressed I become. They are also having a lot of fun with me and my limited Russian, but occasionally I totally surprise them with side comments. I am still having a lot of trouble with “kid chatter” though, but try not to let it be too obvious by answering back in English when I’m totally lost as to what they’re asking/saying. They’re very bright and are catching on quickly. I have now been officially dubbed “Niz Nika” by the kids, which means, “The man who doesn’t know.”

We finally contacted Hilton and Suzanne and arranged to meet at the Ramstore just after lunch time. Both Kate and David were happy to see them and to know that we are keeping in contact. It’s also fortunate that our annual Christmas travel loop will allow us to stop and visit for a little bit over the holidays as well. Without good people and good friends, the last two months would have been much more difficult. Meeting other wonderful people during our adoption trek allowed us some “time out” when we could think of other things than just our adoption process and it was nice to have “outside” conversations so Cathe and I didn’t “get tired of each other.”

I have to say that we have been blessed with two absolutely wonderful children. Hilton and Suzanne arrived a couple minutes before we did and cornered a good table. We chatted for a few moments then both pulled out laptops to check the connections (the standing agreement I have with the children is Internet Connection for me = Ice Skating for them).

Then we noticed there was only one person on the ice and he was definitely not skating. Today was rink cleaning/Ice repair day, so no skating for the kids regardless of connectivity. 8-( The gods must have been frowning on us all, because neither Hilton nor I could connect. Kate didn’t mind since she was helping Suzanne with her new toddler, but David was distraught. He handled it well and helped entertain the youngster while the adults chatted. They also had a new baby “to play with.” Kate did a most wonderful job with helping out while the guys chatted. Even though the rink was closed, I have to say that I think both kids did better at being patient and non-complaining than most other kids their ages.

We have enjoyed many dinners with them as well as comparing notes on various things we had seen or done. Today, we were all happy just to be in a food court where everyone could get what they wanted without having to go too many directions. We also saw “Domino Donuts” whose packaging bears an uncanny resemblance to Dunkin’ Donuts. The food court also offers many choices. Looks like the old Mc John’s has been replaced by BURGER.

We had some fun trekking through the supermarket area as well. I didn’t see "BARF" soap (Hilton tells me it is a dishwashing detergent), but I did see “Mr. Proper” general purpose cleaner. Perhaps you will recognize the packaging.

Back at the apartment there was a note on the door to call Oleg. Houston, we have another paperwork problem. The Kazakhstan Dept of State wants a Power of Attorney saying that Cathe approves of everything I am doing before they will release the children’s passports. If the passports are not registered and released, then we cannot complete our US Consulate visit (Embassy has moved to Astana). I hope that the modern marvel of internet communication will save us any further delay. Cathe wrote a quick POA and had it notarized, then e-mailed it to me. Hopefully the government will accept it. Otherwise, Kate, David and I will be “stuck” here a while longer with the added expense of changing plane tickets ($200 each) and extended apartment rent at $110 per day. Keep us in your prayers that all the roadblocks come down quickly and we can proceed home.

One of Oleg’s partners came over and collected a few more documents. Thankfully, I brought my own copy of all of our Dossier’ documents, although not translated or apostilled. The scanned POA plus my new extended visa (original one expired last Saturday) will do the trick.

Hearing nothing further from Oleg by 7pm, we headed down the hill to meet up with Suzanne and Hilton at the American Bar & Grill (thanks again Kathy!). Their son was finishing his dinner as we arrived. It’s amazing how regimented the children’s schedules are at all age levels. The baby was cranky at the exact time he should have been in the process of being fed. Go figure! My schedule (our schedule) has revolved around the stomach schedules Kate and David have been accustomed to. The big time change we will be going through in a few days will throw them completely out of sync!

Today I saw another new side of our children: Both are very caring and outgoing toward younger children. Kate wanted to help with the baby as did David. Although I know that there are some areas we will have to work on as a family, there are others in which they truly amaze me.

Keep us in your prayers that our latest paperwork issue is quickly overcome.

Apples Are From Kazakhstan

18 Nov 07, Sunday, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 54. Major events of the day: American Burgers, Orthodox Church, and up to Kok Tobe

Morning Weather Report:
Almaty weather: 41, feels like 38, with a projected high of 46. Another crystal clear morning which turned into a foggy/hazy afternoon
Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 50, but heading back to 68. The Memphis low was warmer than Almaty’s high!

It’s a long entry, ‘cause we had a adventurous, fun, and busy day…

Yesterday evening after dinner, we headed back out to do a little more shopping. I had seen a computer store across the street from the Ramstore and figured I could pick up some keyboard stickers so we could set the computer up so the kids can type to their friends. In addition to a set of stickers (~$3.50), I picked up a keyboard for about $8. Now that’s a deal! (Another thing I learned recently is that it’s easy to set up the computer for Cyrillic by just going to System Help and typing in “Language.” A few keystrokes later and David was typing a note to Cathe in Cyrillic.)

After picking up the keyboard and stickers, we made another visit to the Ramstore. In addition to milk, we needed new shoelaces for David. He had been leaving them untied and was stepping on the ends, eventually stretching them to the breaking point. We scouted the entire store then found a 12-pack of assorted laces which we were able to make work. While on the wild goose chase, Kate found a Golden Retriever notebook which bears a striking resemblance to Bob, our Golden Retriever. We added two to the shopping cart.

Today’s trekking adventure started at high noon. After a quick lunch, we were on our way out the door. I had an optimistic route in Google Earth, wanting to find a couple churches along the way. Kathy from Louisiana also told me about a place to get a good hamburger (David keeps asking for Gam-boor-gher, but really means any meat and cheese sandwich, which he really likes). We were also hoping that the funicular would be operating and we could go up to the city overlook.

Zig-zaging our way from the apartment, David kept asking “Ice, Papa, ice?” meaning he wanted to know when we were going to the Ramstore while Kate wanted to know when we were going back to the apartment. I responded “Maybe” to ice skating, but “Yes” to ice cream. Neither was thrilled with my plan for more walking today and I had a near revolt on my hands! If either had known their way back, I’m sure at least one would have disappeared. We passed by an open trench where some work on the steam pipes was obviously in some stage, and noticed a cat comfortable curled up (there was still ice on the puddles when we left the apartment). Not too long after that, we passed a Big Apple and had to stop for a picture.

We walked by a movie theater which is showing some high-class American movies which accurately depict our culture. In addition to the movie billboards was another camel. I’m beginning to think that Almaty must have done something like Chicago and other major cities by setting up displays of fiberglass statues following particular themes (Chicago’s was Mickey Mouse) decorated by various well known, and lesser known, artists.











This one was interesting because it was painted with a pair of painted-on jeans shorts on which had a Beatles ticket sticking out of the back pocket. It was odd enough to take a picture of (besides, digital “film” doesn’t cost anything). I would learn more of its significance later (the Robbins book also mentioned the Beatles and how youngsters in the 60s and 70s would listen to their music although it was officially banned by the government at that time as being “subversive”).

Had it not been for Kate’s request to find a restroom, we would have missed the American Bar & Grill, which Kathy from LA had mentioned (Louisiana, not Los Angeles). Turns out that the restaurant is in the upstairs area over the movie theater lobby. You would have never guessed it from the main street side. The kids picked from the kiddie menu while I has the “Classic Hamburger.” Kathy was right, it’s just like something from Fudruckers, and the fries were great. The kids liked the décor and I had to admire the Heinz Ketchup.

One goal accomplished, my next sight to see was the Russian Orthodox church in the middle of a park area. I knew we were close when we saw several wedding processions. You have to admit that they really do weddings and receptions with style in Kazakhstan. We saw another Lincoln limo and a Rolls Royce limo and headed into the park. The church is absolutely beautiful. Anyone visiting Almaty should stop by to see it. Inside is just as ornate. As we were enjoying the interior decorations, a priest came into the main area and began a wedding mass. Although we did not find the church we were looking for, we did attend church today! The gift shop also has very reasonable icons available for purchase. We added several to our souvenir collection today.

After Mass, we saw our first Christmas/New Year’s tree of the season. I’m sure they’re popping up everywhere back home since we’re just a few days from Thanksgiving. We can hardly wait to be home! Another of today’s goal’s accomplished!

Up to this point, the kids had been great. Now we were back on the verge of rebellion again, with Kate wanting to know if we were now heading back to the apartment and David alternating between Ramstore (ice skating) and a trip up the mountain. When either asked, “Which way?” I could honestly point in the direction we were traveling because everything was now on the way back to the apartment. Fortunately, the Gondola cars came first, but unfortunately they were not in operation due to the winter schedule. However, the bus was in operation! So, for 500 kzt each we could get a ride to the top (but as we found out later, that’s each way, but more on that later).

The view, despite the foggy haze, was spectacular. Although we could not see much of the city below, the Tien Shin mountains rise to the east and south of the city, giving a rugged, snow-capped view. We’ve now seen them early in the morning when the air is clear. The first thing we did was have our picture taken in front of a big bronze apple. An interesting side note is that tulips and apples are though to have originated in Kazakhstan. Since the “Silk Road” trading route passed through southern Kazakhstan, both items made their way to Europe. Google the topics for some interesting reading.

The kids were still insisting that the wanted to go back down so they could go ice skating, but we made up for that by going on the bob-sled run. It’s like a roller coaster, but you get to control the speed with a brake. The track snakes down around the nearest tower. No loops, but it is a really great ride!

There are also shops at the top, so I picked up a few more souvenirs, including another hat. The kids had fun with the shopping, but that all changed when we discovered the petting zoo. There are several varieties of birds and animals on display. I really enjoyed seeing the falcons while Kate and David enjoyed feeding the deer.

Then I had my second “Beatle Sighting” of the day in the most unlikely of places. Life-sized bronze statues of the Fab Four on top of a mountain in southern Kazakhstan. Who’d a thunk it?

Back to the bus tickets… We waited for the shuttle bus to come and shoved our way onto the first one, presented our tickets, and were told, “You need to be on the other bus.” Oh. So we got off and waited a few more minutes while enjoying a nice sunset. Then the bus came and we were informed that we had purchased one-way tickets. I was thinking it must be something like the Egyptian camel rides and decided against shelling out another 1500 kzt to ride back down. Besides, I had been taking a few things in on the way up and noticed that there was a bus station at the bottom of the hill which had buses passing right in front of our apartment, so I turned down the driver’s offer to sell us tickets on the spot. Advice to other Almaty visitors: Catch either the #95 or #99 bus for 40 tenge, then spend the 200 or 400 tenge for the small bus to take you to the top. A great deal for less than $5…

When I turned down the driver’s offer of tickets, David was miffed. He thought that we would be walking all the way back to the apartment. He and Kate were getting tired, cold, hungry and cranky by this point, but I weathered their storm. Besides, it was literally all downhill fro this point! Instead of the 1500 kzt ride back to the tram terminal which would have been followed by a 20 minute up-hill hike, we ended up with a total of 80 kzt expended which got us within 200 yards of our apartment (40 for me and 20 for each child since they’re half-price). Ok, so I wasn’t such a bad dad after all, and I save a few bucks on top of that.

Just as I was putting the finishing touches on dinner, Oleg called. He wanted to come over to put the finishing touches on our paperwork for the US Consulate interview. Now all we need are the children’s passports and we can go home.

Out and About

17 Nov 07, Saturday, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 53. Major events of the day: Another long walk, Connected!, and Another Dinner Milestone

Morning Weather Report:
Almaty weather: 30, feels like 30, with a projected high of 47. Sunny, with a good view of the mountains to the south.
Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 46, but heading back to 68. That’s a little nicer than the first week of October when we met the kids!

This morning started out cold and crystal clear. Although sunrise is earlier here and it does get light earlier than Petropavlovsk, the sun doesn’t peek over the mountains until about an hour after official sunrise. Once the sun’s rays reached us, temperatures quickly warmed up and it felt much warmer with the sunshine, so we headed out on our day’s adventure a little after 10 am. There was still a little ice in some puddles, but it didn’t last long.

Since the kids were “just the right amount tired” last night at bed time, I want to keep up the walking routine the next few days to keep everyone’s activity level up. At first, Kate was keeping up, but wasn’t happy with our adventure since she didn’t understand we were just sight seeing. After the second or third “neat thing,” she brightened up and started asking, “Where next?” knowing the promise of a coveted visit to the Ramstore would be our last stop before going back to the apartment. Reviewing our trek on Google Earth, we covered at least 4 miles along the way. It’s a good thing they don’t know it’s exercise!

As we were starting out, I took a picture of our apartment building (our 2nd floor apartment is barely visible over the construction barricade) to catch the evolution of the city. In front of and to the right is a much older two story apartment building. Behind us is an ultra modern high rise, and several more buildings under construction. I don’t think our apartment building will be here much longer before being replaced.

My intended mission today was to find where the gondolas “land” so we can go up to the city overlook. We had seen one of the towers and a gondola car from the SOS Clinic window, so I had a rough idea where we needed to look. Along our path we saw a lot of road construction. In fact, the road close to us doesn’t even show up on Google Earth. The main road (the non-existent one) bypasses major intersections by going under them. Traffic congestion here is on par with New York, and there is a lot of gridlock. It’s very understandable to see why our driver took a long way around to avoid some of the intersections which we have seen on our walking adventures. In addition, we saw one of the local gas station chains called SINOOIL (at first glance I thought the sign said, Sin Oil), where regular is priced at 85 kzt/liter, which works out to about $2.70/gallon.

Continuing on, we found the local Боулинг (bowling) center. From the sign, I would guess that they also cater to children with the “Cosmic Bowling” sessions. Given the building activity around the center, I don’t think it will be there much longer before being re-zoned. It’s in a prime location, near the financial and up-scale fashion district.

Finally, after actually walking completely around it, we found the Funicular station. We could see a few vehicles out front, but the gondola and cables didn’t appear to be working. Sad, because I would have really liked to have taken the kids up to the overlook. A bit of fog and haze had moved in since we began our walk, so I suppose it was ok after all because we wouldn’t have had a good view. We’ll keep that on our “Things to Do” list since we have three more days to fill with activities before we leave (including the day we’ll visit the US Consulate to get entry visas!).

On continuing trek toward the much anticipated visit to the Ramstore we walked through the gardens outside the performing arts center, ok, the now empty flower beds where things will be planted again in the Spring, and saw another camel statue. Photo opportunity!

Hilton and Suzanne, new adoptive parents and now our new friends from Virginia, have a friend who has a Hummer back home. While in Petropavlovsk, I saw a few and got a few great shots of a brand new H3 in front of the Black Jack Café. Today we saw a wedding procession comprised of a Hummer Limo and not less than a dozen Land Rovers, all decorated with flowers and ribbons, waiting to turn onto the road leading to Republic Square where we had seen a procession of limos yesterday. Since Cathe and I didn’t get many pictures from our wedding, maybe we’ll do something similar for one of our milestone anniversaries!

Finally, we made our way to the much anticipated Ramstore. I’m not sure who was hoping more for a good internet connection, me or the kids. Both crowded close as I pulled the laptop out of my bag and hit the power switch. Despite all the activity around us, it was as quiet as Get Smart’s “Cone of Silence” around our table. As soon as David saw the “connected” icon in the system tray he immediately launched into his rendition of the Happy Dance. Even though we had trekked well over three miles by this point, both were eager to hit the ice for an hour, and I was happy to have a connection! (I did buy a Nursat iCard today, so I have 7.5 hours of dial-up time to use from the apartment at 175 kzt/hr (~$1.50/hr)). Plopping down at a rinkside take I went to work, and they went to skating.

After I was done synchronizing my e-mail and updating yesterday’s blog entry, and the kids were further worn out from skating, we headed to the store to pick up a few groceries. Both kids are really getting into the shopping routine and are paying more careful attention to what we select since they know it will end up on the table as THE choice of the day. Side note: both Cathe and I agreed that we will make one menu selection for the particular meal, like it, love it, hate it, whatever. We also know that tastes, both ours and the kids’, will take a little adjusting as they venture into the unknown realm of perhaps too many choices. Anyway, we selected some more tomatoes and cucumbers to make a salad, as well as a sack of potatoes, and headed back to the apartment (Cathe: Slug bug silver, parked in front of the store).

As I prepared dinner, I knew that some of the kids’ favorite food items were on today’s menu. My suspicions were confirmed when we were clearing the table and most of the four pieces of bread were still on the plate. That has been our most visible sign of what they do or do not like since they are pretty good about not complaining about things they helped pick out. One of our family ground rules is that the kids need to tell us when there is something they do not like. Another ground rule is that they need to at least eat a small portion of anything we prepare since they may end up liking it anyway. For example, Kate indicated that she didn’t like cheese. But, as it turns out, she really didn’t like a particular type of cheese which was often cut thicker than she likes. Kate devours the type Masha helped us pick out, which is a softer and milder variety. The tomato and cucumber salad also goes quickly. It’s nothing more than sliced cukes and diced tomatoes with some Lowery’s Seasoning Salt (there was a jar in the cupboard) and mayonnaise stirred up together. We will be making that dish often at home!

Thus ends today’s journal entry. It’s nice to be able to know there are only a few more days until our flight home!

A view toward the southwest. I count at least 10 construction cranes in my limited view, and it was a nice sunset.