Kiev

Kiev is beautiful. It has been the capitol of Ukraine since 1934 (before then, Kharkov was Ukraine’s capitol). Kiev is a lot like Moscow in many ways: it is a very internationally diverse city, modern, it is well kept and beautified, etc. Anyway, we went to Kiev with my parents. I had wanted to take them around Kiev to show them a little bit of it, since there are more interesting things around Kiev, than around Kharkov. However, I failed to take into account 2 things.

1. It is winter and COLD. And there was actually a very big snowstorm while we were there, which grounded all flights. For this reason my parents’ flight was delayed a full 24 hours.
2. We were all tired after a big holidays.

So, instead, we just spent 2 days enjoying each other’s company inside the church apartment in Kiev. We played games, read, played with the kids, etc. We did get out to see the center and eat at TGI Friday’s (which is a MUST DO when we are in Kiev, since the only other American restaurant we have in Ukraine is McDonalds!). In addition, Liv, my parents and I went down to the souvenir road in Kiev and browsed the selection. We don’t get quite the variety of touristy, yet very traditional, items in Kharkov. However, I think we about froze my poor mother to death. In addition, my parents also babysat for us one morning and Liv, Dave, Dougle and I went out for a brunch and one last time without kids, while they had one last time with just the kids. I LOVE GRANDPARENTS! :)

Our time was great together and it was really nice having those few days where it was just our family. Here are some pictures of us in Kiev. Mom is eating a traditional Ukrainian soup out of a bread bowl in one of the pictures. Not only was it cool looking, but it was great tasting! Another is of some really LONG icicles hanging from a building in Kiev; the men up there were trying to take them off-they had the area underneath them roped off so no one would get hurt from a falling icicle)! There is also a picture of some of the snow we got the night before my parents were supposed to leave. Another is of Dad carrying Canaan, which he did frequently, and in the snow. That is quite a feat, trudging through the slush and snow!