Clarke:
Departure day from Kyiv! Das Vedanya!
Our sweetheart is a little sleepy head and slow to wake. I,
on the other hand, was up at 5:14 am watching the neighboring construction
trailer blazing on fire form our 15th story windows. After ten
minutes of watching the workers struggle with a garden hose, it was an apparent
loss. The 10’x20’ trailer burnt to the ground. Black smoke rolled up from the
complete destruction. Liquid metal was rolling off the metal roof like lava
from a volcano. Just then, two very small pumpers arrived with dim lights and
blue siren lights. There were no audible sirens. Though I could hear their
engine running and voices shouting, I was very removed with my birds eye view.
Having experience in firefighting, I was a little amused by the keystone cop
performance.
I looked across the river a ½ mile or so and noticed the
clear visibility of lights. The first commuters were boarding the Metro train
for work as I jumped in the “sit” shower. In only 10 minutes, the visibility
was down to meters, and the ground covered in white. Big fluffy flakes were
coming down at an amazing rate! Today is our day to leave for Warsaw and we
hope the snow doesn’t slow us down!
We had our appointment at the US embassy this morning. We
were pleased with our US citizen preferential treatment at the Embassy,
skipping past the line of Ukrainians standing in a frozen white line. The snow
was making us all look like snowman in the short walk from the car. Our visit
is short, as we authenticate a few quick documents. (court decree and regional
adoption papers) we were told to deny any “bribing” if asked and were glad that
we weren’t asked. I wish I had all the “expedite” fees for Natalie’s college
fund!
Valery slips and slides his way in his 74 Volga, as our taxi driver
today. He states that they haven’t has a late snow of this magnitude since the
death of Stalin. I choose to keep silent, thinking that perhaps Sadaam Hussein
has truly been killed, as reported on his squealing car radio of the BBC. It
isn’t a personal wish, but rather an inevitable stage in the US led fight.
We have lunch “dinner” which turns into breakfast because it
is before 10:00 am. The “Arizona Grill’ is a wonderful, westernized departure
from oily foods and cabbage! I have the eggs benedict and am amazed that it
tastes so wonderful. We arrive at the airport nearly 3 hours early, and are
blessed by the break in the storm. Nearly 5” of heavy wet snow was accompanied
by ¼ mile visibility just and hour before.
We are a bit annoyed at the 2-hour
line standing process of bidding Kyiv farewell. Natalie does great on her first
International or otherwise flight.
We are so relieved to arrive in a westernized society. We
run into to other American couples before de-planning. One couple is Troy and
Janelle Schaffer, who we have been corresponding to via e-mail. They have
adopted a beautiful little boy of 14 months from Zaporozhia. The other couple
is leaving empty handed, and we are saddened by their news. Their spirits seem
ok, considering.
We arrive at the hotel and are in heaven! We choose the
cheaper option of Holiday Inn for $150.00 USD a night. Natalie engages in play
of nurse/caretaker with the ice bucket and hotel coffee cups and saucers for
almost 2 hours. She looks like she is playing waitress, with the exception of
the harsh words shouted at the person and the receiving end of the modified
“tea-party.” We are ecstatic as she occasionally says “spaceba” (please) in
her play. She realized that it slipped out, and is clever not to reward us
again with the word we have begged her to say for nearly 5 days. She is feeling
playful and engaging.
She finally is willing to slap my hand when I ask for
“give me five!” I am so happy! I start
dancing!
Kris:
We are waiting at the
airport. There was quite a snow storm/blizzard this morning. We were a little
worried about the airline canceling the flight, but it stopped snowing and
hopefully things are ok! This morning, Valery picked us up at the hotel at
7:30. We had an appointment at the US embassy this morning. It was so snowy! We
went to the front of the line and by passed about 50 Ukrainians waiting in the
snow. We were searched and went to our meeting. All went well. We ate breakfast
with Valery at the “Arizona Grill.” Valery was actually personable and sort of
pleasant. The restaurant was great because they had American Food!
Our flight out of Kyiv went well. We were the last ones on
the airplane. I seriously thought we were not going to make it. We stood in
line forever for the ticket, and security! Natalie kept saying “peeza” and I
kept telling her to wait. Poor thing. However, we made it up the stairway into
the plane just in time.
Natalie was an Angel for her first flight! She was
fascinated by the magazines and even got to look out the window. We were so
excited to finally be on our way home.
We checked into the Holiday Inn. It was first class! We even
had bathrobes and a phone in the bathroom! Natalie entertained herself with the
coffee cups and plates from the room for hours! It was nice to be in an
“Americanized” hotel again. (showerhead on the wall!)
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