Sunday

We had a very nice day today, had two meetings both we enjoyed very much. Very different from what we are used to at home, but nice just the same. Many things are very different here. For instance...some of the things we take for granted... soft beds- enjoy yours tonight because we are sleeping on a mattress that feels like just a box spring at the hotel and here at the apt we have a foam on a sofa bed about 2" think and thats all, the single bed is just a fabric covered bench type bed, no softness there. It makes my back and hips ache. unlimited water use- here they are charged for all the water they use, cold or hot. We can't take a bath and only a limited shower, only here at Tamara's is this limit in place. Every where else it is fine. coffee- all instant here so far, not the same at all, but it does work. food - of course most all of it is different. Some has been good, some not so good, but its all been ok. We can sure survive on it fine. internet use- sometimes easily available, nothing fast enough to upload videos tho, thats why its been all pics reading signs- here we can't read a single thing. Nothing in the metro is in english, all in Russian, all street signs in Russian, if you get lost, good luck finding your way home. wide open spaces to see out- cuz its all tall buildings here, no way to see anywhere. sunshine- wow do we miss that there is none here. All cloudy, snowy today. Just a few of the things we miss. We will get special meetings on Sat and Sun, that will be nice. We go touring tomorrow, tues we will do the zoo that is not far from Tamara's, shouldn't get lost finding it. Then Wed maybe the botanical gardens that aren't too far as well and maybe the coffee museum. Then thurs and Fri are more stay in days, Sat and Sun with Joyce and Stephanie. Then we leave Sunday at 6:30 p.m. from the train station. We arrive back in Pskov at 11:42 p.m. and my understanding is that the coach lady on the train will knock on the cabin door to alert us that our stop is coming up about 35-40 min in advance. That way we won't miss it and if we don't come out she will come back and get us again. I am looking forward to seeing what we can see here, but maybe more looking forward to getting back. Jill should email tomorrow with an update on Braxton, how he is doing etc. I will post pics from touring yest, Tamara took us to a couple places that were beautiful. I took some video, can't upload now, but maybe in Moscow better internet. Have to wait and see.