I actually mean 'tomato'. Kayla for some reason keeps calling it a potato. Kayla has adopted a pet tomato named Tigress. We were at the market yesterday and a woman gave Kayla a tomato. Boy, you would have thought it was a new bike. Kayla has played golf with it and informed us that it doesn't like cookies.
So, it has been several days that have past since our last post. The weather here turned for the worse starting on Saturday and today, which is Wednesday, is the first day we have actually seen blue sky. The weather changes very quickly, we have learned.
We went for a walk the other day because it looked like the rain had subsided for a while. We got to NYC Pizza for our almost daily routine of playtime for Kayla when the sky turned pitch black and started to really pour outside. We waited it out for at least an hour before it lightened up enough for us to walk back to our apartment, about six blocks away. The streets looked like lakes. Needless to say, we were soaked when we got home. Our shoes are filthy from the streets and the amount of dust/dirt. We are dealing with the fact we didn't bring the right clothes. It was hot when we got here and now it's freezing.
On Sunday night, Dan and I were up about 3am. Dan heard a noise outside. We realized that one of the cars in the courtyard exploded and was on fire. There was a lot of commotion, fire trucks and police. The next morning, we could still see part of the mess from the night before. It is now Wednesday and the car is still here. We, of course, had to take pictures.
We also notice alot of young people that like to hang out in the courtyard by our building. They are definitely too young to be drinking beer; however, I don't think there are laws here prohibiting certain ages from drinking.
We went to the zoo again with Nina on Monday. We thought it would be fine - however, I realized just how cold it was as I walked around the zoo in my sandals and lightweight jacket. It was drizzling the whole time and Kayla finally got to use her umbrella that we had purchased for the trip. We realized here that Kayla likes lamb shishkabobs.
Yesterday, Nina and Genrich took us to an indoor play area. There was no advertising of the place on the outside of the building. It was on the fourth floor of what looked like an office building - you would never guess that there was an indoor playground there. It had lots of play areas for the kids, a restaurant and tables for parents to sit.
It was September 1st which was the first day of school for the kids in Novosibirsk. Several classes were there with their teachers and parents - the place puts on a little play/skit that included Harry Potter on stilts and a clown act. I understand that a lot of the content was around learning, manners and school. The kids liked it and so did Kayla. We were still there for the second round of the skit/play which Kayla very much wanted to be a part of. It was mildly expensive (250 rubles per kid = $7.50), but well worth it - lots to do and the food was good.
Afterwards we went to the market (where Kayla got her buddy, the tomato) to do a little bit of shopping. I bought a Matryschka doll for Nick and a whistle for Kayla. Nina purchased a beautiful painted, wooden comb as a gift for Kayla. We bought some meat in the market - it is all open and as you can see by the pictures, they butcher the meat with an axe on a stump of wood, all in the open. The market is so very different from anything you would see here in the states. Yes, the fish mostly still have their heads on.
We also stopped by a drugstore in the marketplace to purchase diapers. The drugstore is all enclosed and the size of a large closet. Nina talked to the druggist through a small window. They sell diapers mostly individually because many people can't afford to use disposable diapers all the time. Overall, we found grocery shopping a little cheaper than in the states, but again, that depends on the items.
Today, we are going to pick up some warmer clothes for Kayla and then we go to Nina'a apartment for dinner. It will be nice to see her place. We went once last May after the Russian Folk Dance.
Enough for now. Talk to you all soon.
Love,
Sue
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