A day of Rest

Major events of the day: Church and a visit to the Museum of Northern Kazakhstan

Today was an adventure. After waking up around 3 am (our internal clocks still have not adjusted), we were at least able to fall back asleep for another couple hours. It's getting easier to make it through the day without feeling the need for an afternoon nap.

We attended 9 am Mass at a small Catholic church on Constitution Avenue, across form the Dept of Education. We were able to follow along with the services, but did not even attempt to sing. There were only a dozen or so attendees and the service was short, but very nice.

The weather has gotten chilly again too. We both wore sweaters, but could have also used light jackets. Only the fact that we were walking at a brisk pace kept us pretty warm. We have also noticed that inside most buildings is pretty warm, so we have to peel off a layer or two to stay comfortable.

This afternoon we visited the Museum of Northern Kazakhstan. Very interesting even if we couldn't read the signs. It's a combination of a natural history museum with some wildlife displays, some prehistoric, and the rest going through the colonial period into WWI, WWII, and the formation of Kazakhstan as its own country. For those who will be visiting Petro, it is well worth the price of admission, less than $2/person. I would also recommend bringing your translator or dictionary to catch the finer details.

This evening we'll be packing up, getting ready for our trip down to Airtau. Our translator says that it is about a 4 hour trip, so we should be arriving around noon. Tonight it will be hard to sleep since we are both excited about finally getting to go to the orphanage tomorrow.