We think it is hilarious every time we see this. You can apparently buy a door on the street. In fact, one time we looked a little closer and it looks like the door to our apartment! The old door is also still here…
Darryl asked someone at work about the fireworks. We learned that buying fireworks is extremely easy and cheap here, and there are no laws about where and when you can set them off. So for parties, weddings, etc, people set off fireworks. We’re told there will be a ton on New Year’s. I said before that I was tired of them. Well, I’ve had a change of heart! I love seeing them, and we’ve been seeing some just about everyday for the past week. Now when we hear them we race to the window to see, and also to see where they were set off. There have been several from the round about in front of our building.
The other day on the metro a man came up to Darryl and asked if Kathryn was his daughter. When Darryl said yes, he then told Darryl that Kathryn’s shoes were on the wrong feet. This we knew – Kathryn likes to put her shoes on by herself for church, and since Darryl carries her on his shoulders the whole way (except the metro ride part), we didn’t worry about fixing her shoes until we got to church. People are always telling me that Amelia’s eyes are covered by her hat. This I usually know, and I keep it that way because she is sleeping. And a man stopped us yesterday to tell us that Kathryn’s pants were not pulled down to her ankle. I would never tell anyone these things, and I think it is pretty funny that people actually bring it up. We’re assuming its a cultural thing.
Here are two pictures of the metro. It is really quite convenient – except for the two kid thing. But with both Darryl and me it is fine. And people always move to let us sit down when they see we have kids. It is a major part of the experience here, I think. One picture is of the escalator, just to see it full of people and how long it is. The other picture is trying to show all the people after the escalator – you can see them kind of in the background.
We haven’t been able to capture a picture of it, but one popular hairstyle here is the female mullet.
When we first arrived, I mentioned some stroller woes, mostly that the city seemed very stroller unfriendly. Luckily we moved out of downtown and to a nice family neighborhood with more strollers than I have ever seen before. At first I gawked at and mocked the strollers here. They seemed enormous! I am generally not pro enormous strollers. That’s why I really didn’t want to get a double stroller (which I now love and use just about daily). Anyway, the strollers are quite large, and especially the wheels – huge. But after seeing them in action, I have a great appreciation for these strollers.
Even though I say we live in a stroller friendly neighborhood, the pathway/sidewalk is not smooth, and we have to go up and down curbs a lot. While I’m huffing and puffing pushing my stroller over all the bumps and up and down curbs, the Ukrainian strollers glide over the bumps like nothing. And with a little push on the handle, the front wheels pop up to go up and down curbs. It looks quite handy. There are some of the same brands of strollers that we find at home, but the strollers are very different. We find it interesting that strollers are made to meet the needs of a stroller here.
Here are a couple pictures of our market and bread place. The third picture is of the grocery store near us where we shop.
