Sept. 4, 2007
Well, Im back at my dingy little internet cafe, but I actually
kind of like it. Yesterday I paid 40 rubles (that would be about
$1.65) for a hard stool to sit on. Today I paid 50 rubles ($2) and I
get a comfy couch to sit on. Worth the few cents for sure.
We have learned alot in the last two days about Mister Luke.
Yesterday after his morning nap, (it was a beautiful day) we got
him into the stroller and walked down to the Moscow River ( a
couple of blocks) and got onto a boat. It was a double decker
boat with the top part outside with a cover over the top and the
bottom was inside. It was about 1/4 full of people. Not too
many. We rode the boat about 45 minutes to the Kremlin. Luke
pretty much screamed and cried the whole time. He does not like
to be confined for very long. He is ok in the stroller, sort of,
as long as you are moving. He is ok in the carrier I wear if it
is not for too long and if he is happy to begin with (i.e. not
hungry or tired.) I had given him motrin for the teething right
when we got on the boat, but I dont think it kicked in until the
boat ride was over. So Matt and I took 5 minute turns holding
Luke and walking around. That was fun.
We got off near the Kremlin and found our way to the entrance. We
entered on the side of St Basil’s Cathedral. This whole trip we
wanted to get a picture of Luke in front of the cathedral and
maybe use it for an announcement to send out. There were about
300 people crowded around the cathedral and Luke was not happy at
all. We got 2 pics I think with Matt holding him and he was
crying. Oh well. Lets move.
Oh my. Neither of them are happy at all!
So we walked the length of Red Square and over to a park. Luke
was HUNGRY. I sat in the park and Matt and Emma went in search of
hot water for the baby cereal. Yesterday when we went out I had
all kinds of access to hot water and no cereal. Today I bring
cereal and it is the opposite. BUT, they found it. I fed him in
his stroller and Matt and Emma went to find food for us. After that we
walked some more and finally Luke fell asleep in the stroller with
Matt dragging it backward and tilted up so he was sort of lying
flat down on his back. Whatever works. It was about 5pm. Matt
said, “Ok lets go to a Georgian restaurant.” I said, “You have got
to be kidding. You want to take Luke to a restaurant with people
in it?” :) He said, “This may be our last hope for the day.” LOL.
At this point I know that Luke is happiest when he is on the floor
or in a playpen able to crawl about. He has been confined
basically for 4 hours today in the stroller or in the carrier. A
restaurant will be a disaster! BUT, I’m going to follow along and
let this play out, because I am being a good wife. :)
This is when we discover that Moscow is not pedestrian
friendly. We get outside the Kremlin onto the street and all we
want to do is cross the street, but because of the way Moscow is
laid out you have to walk blocks – we never even got that far – to
just cross the street. We gave up before we got there. Moscow
has two hiway loops around the city and then all these arteries,
like spokes of a wheel going into the center, but the arteries are
just surface streets with lights few and far between. Then to
cross these busy streets you find an underground tunnel. Walk
down the steps, walk under the street through a tunnel and then
up the steps on the other side. The problem is these tunnels
aren’t on every block. Im not sure how frequent they are. Suffice
it to say it is frustrating to want to cross the street to your
destination and have to walk blocks to do it. That’s how it is to
go to the grocery story that is next to our hotel.
So. We just went back to the park. I think God was taking care of
me in terms of the Georgian restaurant. And Matt too! We ate
another bit of food there while Luke finished his nap and then
found a taxi back to our hotel. Safe at last. Don’t get me wrong.
I love to travel, but Luke is not yet a baby that wants to just
go with the flow.
Today, after this, I will walk back to the hotel and Matt and Emma
will go out for a bit while Luke sleeps. Then we go to the
Embassy for that interview. Wednesday we go to the Consulate and
pray that we can do that in only one day instead of two so we can
fly back home on Thursday. We will confirm our tickets after our
Consulate visit on Wednesday. Worst case is we don’t fly home til
Friday and actually get to Enid on Saturday.
Love you all!
Allison
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