After several failed attempts to line up a company to fly Sierra as unaccompanied cargo it was decided a while ago that I would have to fly to Kyiv and get her. The one glitch was, the planes that fly into Ljubljana are small and can't always accommodate a large dog and everyone's luggage so I had to fly in and out of Munich, Germany, a four hour drive away.
Saturday morning we got up bright (well grey) and early, shoved Keenan in his car seat still in his jammies and headed up to Munich. We drove through Austria, lots and lots of big long tunnels, then got stuck in traffic a little ways outside of Munich. We were pretty sure that I wasn't going to make my flight but I managed to huff, puff and waddle my way through the airport just in time to make my flight. Eric and Keenan stayed the night in Munich.
I arrived in Kyiv to some nasty nasty winter weather, freezing rain was falling and by the looks of things they've had a very snowy winter. Snow was piled up everywhere! Kyiv isn't very good at plowing roads and especially not good at shoveling sidewalks so there were cars on the sides of roads that looked like they were going to be there for quite awhile. It seemed crazy to think that in one day I had been in four countries.
Sierra was excited to see me but kept looking past me for Eric and possibly for Keenan. She really perked up when I put my phone next to her ear so she could hear both Eric and Keenan talking to her.
4 am the next morning a driver came to pick Sierra and I up so we go back to our new home. Wow, getting a dog out of Kyiv is quite the process, in addition to the shots and rabies testing she had done earlier once we got to the airport I had to take her upstairs to a vet who as far as I can tell just copied information off the papers I already had to a new sheet which NOBODY even looked at. Then I had to go check myself in for the flight but the ticket lady held my boarding pass while I had to go to a different counter to pay for Sierra ticket. Once again by the time I made it through security to my gate it was time to board. Grrr... so much for leisurly sipping on a latte while reading from my nook (e-reader), which by the way is very nice to travel with it. It fits so easily inside my purse.
Sierra was super excited to see Eric and Keenan. Keenan ran up to me with a couple of big red roses, since it was Valentines day and gave me a big kiss. Eric later told me that he let Keenan pick out the flowers and give the cashier money but then told him that the flowers were for "Keenan, not Mama".
The drive back to Ljubljana seemed much much longer as Keenan was one cranky kid. He was in that mood where he just doesn't know what he wants so he just cries. Thankfully he finally just fell asleep.
It's nice to have the family all together again... at least for a few weeks. Keenan and I go back to the States in about 4 weeks.
Showing posts with label Kyiv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kyiv. Show all posts
February 15, 2010
September 27, 2009
Change in moving dates
We just got the official word that we will not be arriving in Ljubljana, Slovenia next July but this January! As in we will be moving out of Kyiv in a very short few months. It is a bitter sweet feeling as I feel I'm just now getting adjusted to everything and feeling settled, plus I have really been enjoying working at the health unit part time. But, at the same time we are very excited to try out a new country and experience a new culture. Plus I am also looking forward to a smaller city, I am not a big city girl!
This also means that we get the unexpected bonus of spending Christmas and New Year's in the States with our friends and family!
This also means that we get the unexpected bonus of spending Christmas and New Year's in the States with our friends and family!
September 5, 2008
To the Lavra
For Labor Day we spent the better part of the day at and getting to/from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, better known as just The Lavra. For most of the following information I am consulting my guide book appropriately titled "The Kyiv-Pechersk National Historico-Cultural Preserve." What is this place you might ask? Its a monastery and is considered one of the major sacred places of Orthodox Christianity. Its golden domes have been around for almost a thousand years. The monks lived in undergrounds caves and later after they began to live above ground the caves were turned into burial places for the Lavra hermits, the Cathedral elders, famous clergymen, and distinguished persons. Throughout the centuries the monastery has suffered from both natural disasters to wars. They have done a lot of rebuilding and restoration.
This is one of the entrances, this church was built in 1106-1108. The monastery is surrounded by fortification walls and here in the picture is Keenan NOT wanting to pose. Our plan was to get to the Lavra early in the morning and be home around noon. We ended up with a somewhat late start then after a LOT of walking and one ride on the Metro later we finally arrived. Keenan was completely done being held, as he hitched a ride there in a carrier on me, and pretty done in the listening department as well. As soon as I got him out of the carrier he pretty much took off. He ran around in circles yelling (happily), wanted to pick up any stray pebbles or trash on the ground and if we wanted to go left he took off to the right. He then would kick and scream (not happily) when we chased him down and carried him in the direction we wanted. He finally started to cooperate with the first sighting that we had a goodie bag filled with raisins and captain crunch cereal.
This is the other side of the entrance inside. (Not sure why this is typing in blue??) (Not sure why it types in blue but publishes in pink...)
This is the Dormition Cathedral. This church was destroyed several times throughout the centuries and everytime it was rebuilt and redorated. 
This is the Great Lavra Bell Tower. The guidebook ways it is "one of the finest creations in Ukrainian architecture". I'll just take their word on it.
An extra bell? 
Here's Keenan not interested in touring the rest of the monastery grounds because steps are just too fun to climb up and down on.
The inside of one of many churches.
We did go down into the labyrinth of Caves but, only a small portion of. The caves are free to tour but you must purchase a candle (very cheap). Women have to wear scarves on their heads and skirts, I didn't know this so I got to "borrow" some from the pile.
The Lavra was pretty large with quite a few buildings and museums to go through. Most of the museums charged an extra fee and since we were short on time we didn't go through any of them. The grounds were beautiful. As we walked around occasionally we could here the monks chanting in prayer.
Keenan had fallen asleep on me earlier as soon as we finished a bite to eat and was ready to go again when we finally made it back to our apartment around 2.
This is one of the entrances, this church was built in 1106-1108. The monastery is surrounded by fortification walls and here in the picture is Keenan NOT wanting to pose. Our plan was to get to the Lavra early in the morning and be home around noon. We ended up with a somewhat late start then after a LOT of walking and one ride on the Metro later we finally arrived. Keenan was completely done being held, as he hitched a ride there in a carrier on me, and pretty done in the listening department as well. As soon as I got him out of the carrier he pretty much took off. He ran around in circles yelling (happily), wanted to pick up any stray pebbles or trash on the ground and if we wanted to go left he took off to the right. He then would kick and scream (not happily) when we chased him down and carried him in the direction we wanted. He finally started to cooperate with the first sighting that we had a goodie bag filled with raisins and captain crunch cereal.
This is the other side of the entrance inside. (Not sure why this is typing in blue??) (Not sure why it types in blue but publishes in pink...)
This is the Dormition Cathedral. This church was destroyed several times throughout the centuries and everytime it was rebuilt and redorated. 
This is the Great Lavra Bell Tower. The guidebook ways it is "one of the finest creations in Ukrainian architecture". I'll just take their word on it.
An extra bell? 
Here's Keenan not interested in touring the rest of the monastery grounds because steps are just too fun to climb up and down on.
The inside of one of many churches.
We did go down into the labyrinth of Caves but, only a small portion of. The caves are free to tour but you must purchase a candle (very cheap). Women have to wear scarves on their heads and skirts, I didn't know this so I got to "borrow" some from the pile.
The Lavra was pretty large with quite a few buildings and museums to go through. Most of the museums charged an extra fee and since we were short on time we didn't go through any of them. The grounds were beautiful. As we walked around occasionally we could here the monks chanting in prayer.
Keenan had fallen asleep on me earlier as soon as we finished a bite to eat and was ready to go again when we finally made it back to our apartment around 2.
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