Last Day of Vacation

Scott and Craig in Scott office.
Scott, Craig & BriAnna.
Craig in the bath.

Well my vacation has come to end. It has been really fun and I have really enjoyed myself. Kiev was great and so was Germany. It was great to be able to visit new places and meet different people. See you all when I get home.

Black Forest

Me and Craig in front of the statue of some animal not quite sure who it is.
Craig was a trooper for the long time we were in the car this is him asleep on the way home.
Me and Craig in front of the world largest waterfall.
Another one of me and Craig.
We hiked pretty far up Craig did walk or run most of the day.

The Black Forest scenery was quite pretty. Green and lush and lots of trees. Just one more full day of my vacation left. We are shopping tomorrow and I am repacking and boxing some things up to mail home. Hope to see you soon.

More vacation photos!

Here is Scott and BriAnna with their new grandfather clock it really is a cool clock!
Me in front of the largest wine vat in the world. Melissa this is for you. Dont know if it is red or white.
Craig and BriAnna at Heidelberg Castle.
Cool knight from the castle
Castle was destroyed not by war but by lighting it burned for 4 days and 3 nights.
Old and new Germany.
This is a headstone from the Lviv cemetry. He must have been a worker.
Me in front of a church in Lviv.
Craig at home today August 29th. He really is a cutie!

Scott and BriAnna have been wonderful hosts. BriAnna took me to a castle today with Craig he was quite the trooper. Well folks Germany is really a pretty place. Today I had real Germany weather. It rained this morning then quit and the sun come out but right in the middle of touring the castle and surronding area it really began to pour. By the time BriAnna got back from the car with the rain coats it quit raining. Tomorrow we are off to the Black Forest.

Update

Just to let you know as of yesterday (Monday) I am in Frankfurt Germany (with Scott & BriAnna). I will post more pictures and stuff soon. Love and miss you all.

More Pictures

This a cool headstone from the Lviv Cemetry. Doesnt it look like Joseph Smith?
This was in the back side of the cemetry honoring the dead from the war with Poland about the same time as WWI. It was just rows and rows of crosses.
Another headstone I label at Judgement Day.
Grandpa with grandchildren.

I leave for Scott and BriAnna tomorrow morning. My time is Kiev is at end. I had a really good time Alice and Dale are wonderful hosts. You should come and visit them.

More Pictures

This is how people in the countryside travel I saw a lot of these in our car ride thru Western Uk. more about that later.
This is Alice and I in Lviv in front of the guntower.
Having lunch at a cafe in Lviv.
Alice and Dale in Lviv.
Anna and Alice across the street from the chocolate house.
Alice and I in front of the chocolate house yes there is a chocolate house so I had to go there.

trip

Hi folks

Just a note to let you know that we are going on a trip to Lviv for 3 days. I will be back Saturday. Will update then. Have a good rest of the week. Love to all.

New Pictures

At the Bell tower at St Sophia today.
The top part of the St Sophia Catherdal
Man playing instrument at St Sophia not sure what it is playing he also sang he was good.
Me in back of St Sophia they would not let you take pictures in the museum it was built in the 11th century.
Did not site see long today. I was tried and Alice had to work so Anna took me around she is really nice and speaks english.

Update A

This is the room in the war museum that honor the dead on both sides of the wall there are just rows and rows of pictures soldiers, families, all they could find.
This is a picture of what we call Big Momma at the war memorial not sure who she is suppose to be.
This is Alice and I by the fountain in town.

update

Sorry folks

I know it has been a couple of days since I posted. We have been on the run for the past few days. We have walked more miles that I think I have walked in my whole life. But it has been fun. We have gone to the Cherynbol musem, Miske Palace, an art musem, and have gone to a village outside of town to see how some Kiev people live. Some of the houses had not running water they have a well that they go get a water and an out house. The do have lights. Plus some of the houses have a dish for TV so that was funny. Tomorrow I go out some more with Anna then Alice has the rest of the week off.

Wednesday we leave for Lviv stay til Saturday then I leave for Germany on Monday I will miss Axel by just hours. So have a good day Love to all.

The first picture is of me and Alice at the Kiev Fortess
Second picture is Russian scupultre at the War Memorial
Third picture is me at the front of the Cherynbol musem
Last picture is me and Anna at War Memorial in front of the trucks

These are the 2 pictures that would not post the first time the one on the left is the church at Perchersk I thought it look cool. The second picture is on Anna who went with me today so that I could have some company and not get lost.

Site Seeing 2

in the minuature musem & beside the bell

Today I went out with Anna Alice's housekeeper because Alice had to work. We went to the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical & Cultural Preserve. It is a combination of church's, monastery and museums. We first went to caves that are underneath the church were several saints and buried really not buried just wrapped up and put into glass coffins. I could not take any pictures of that. We had a guide but all she spoke was Ukraine. So of course I did not understand a thing, but we just followed the crowd Anna tired to translate for me but some of the words she had a hard time trying to think of the English word. First we went into a church your head had to be covered, I was wearing a hat so that was okay if not they sold scarves there. They was this huge painting on the wall about death and the 20 or so deadly sins. Not a happy picture. Then they took us down this really small staircase with a candle for light and you walked by either pictures or the dead bodies (in glass coffins wrapped up in very ornate robes) people would go by and pray and kiss the coffin or the picture. These saints to these people are consider really holy. They say that when they died they did not decompose but just dried up so that meant they were blessed by God. It is pilgrim place that all the church members go to to pray and reflect or just to go. It was quite busy. Then we went next door to a series of museums that they have there. We went to the Book and Print one that was all the old books and printing presses. Then we went to one that had old outfits the people use to wear they were cool they would not let me take pictures unless I paid. I did not pay. Then we went to one that had old jewelry the rich noble people use to wear. The cool one was the miniature paintings that were put under a scope so we could see them they were about 25 of them that was great they workman ship was great.

Site Seeing

St. Michaels
The Church at the Museum
On the balcony just before we left. Anna took the picture.


Today Alice took the day off and we went out to see Kiev. First we took a taxi to the museum of Folk Architecture and it was a scary taxi drive. I swear they make their own lanes. At this place they showed how houses were in different times. Like the ones with thatch roofs and no windows to churches. It was really quite interesting. They had windmills and flowers. Some were open, some were not but we were not allowed to take pictures inside but I really don't know why. Especially at the church's. Then we went to Outdoor market that is where most of the people in Kiev shop Mall are expensive. Then we took a funickula (a cable car that goes up and down) to St Michaels, the church that the Russians destroyed in 1937. They dismantled it then blew it up. In 2000 they finished replacing it.You can still see the old pieces that were left there. Huge concrete- like pieces. The we went to MacDonald to get ice cream. Yes there is Mac in Kiev. It was a big one too. Then we went to a Soviet Dept store called Zum. Still more stairs. Alice and I walked a total of 10.11 miles today and burned off 800 calories. But I have not a candy bar since last week. Then we came home. So that was the first day of touring.

My luggage 2

At first I was told that the driver forgot my luggage this morning at the airport and I would not get them til after 6pm. I was so bummed but then they called back and told me they would be there within the hour. And they were so now I have my luggage and can wear clothes not just sweats. Tomorrow Alice has the day off so we will go site seeing. Talk to you later. love to all

My luggage

Hi

I was so exicted to get my luggage today. At first I did not think I would get til tonight because when I called they said the driver forgot my luggage and would do it when he got back. But they called back about 1 hr later and said to expect it in 1 hr. So I finally have all my stuff. Now I am just waiting for Dale and Alice to get home from work. I took Copper for a walk, but that is really all I did today. Well write more later. Love to all

My arrival

Hello Everyone

Here I am in Kiev. I got here on Saturday Dale and Alice were there to pick me up. Too bad my luggage was not. Yes the airline did not get my luggage on the plane in Munich (but hopefully i will get it today or tomorrow) but considering I had like 10 minutes to get on my plane I am not surpised. The flight from LA to Munich was not bad I able to get some sleep they turn off all the lights and have everyone close there little windows because we were flying over Canada and it was morning there. My ankles were swollen I think because I did not get enough water. LA airport was not bad it took me 2 hrs to check in and go thru to secrutiy the reason I only had 10 minute to make my connection is because the flight out of LA was a 1 hr late taking off. We have been to church and back Alice has a nice ward everyone was friendly. Here are some photos of me yesterday and me today. Will write more soon. love to all.
The first picture is me at the airport trying to get the address to send my lost luggage to , then @ Alice apt the day I came, the third one is me on her balcony today. Plus I called, and my luggage has been found should be here tomorrow. I am so happy!!!!

My Trip

Hello Everyone

I am off on my trip now. The car comes to pick me up at 11:30 am. My boss hired a black car for me. They will take me and pick me up at the airport. I will write more when I get to Kiev tomorrow. Hopefully the airport has calmed down some. Talk to you soon.

Love Donna

lazy by the pool

I got these picture from Fred who got it from BriAnna I thought it was just to cute. This is Scott's son Craig Joan first grandchild.