In Kiev

It is 10:15PM in Kiev right now. We thought we'd arrive at 6AM but were wrong - that was US time, not Kiev time. Our flight arrived around 3PM Kiev time - on Saturday.

Since our last post during the 6 hour layover in Dulles airport, we had several fun times. We met a really nice lady who switched seats with us on the plane to Frankfurt, allowing us to sit together. Miss_A further discovered the wonders of having the Peep pillow. She sat next to Passenger McStinksalot and found that either Peep or Peep's floral pillowcase smells like tangerines, and if you throw the airplane blanket over your head, you can make a sleeping cave and then if you nuzzle your nose into the Peep pillow you can protect yourself from the person next to you. Then to get to sleep you can imagine the stewardess saying over the loudspeaker: "Would Passenger McStinksalot please come to the front of the plane where we have a hot sudsy shower ready just for you!" Mr_S was spared. 11 hours later we were boarding the flight in Kiev and had hooked up with a cool family from Raliegh doing what we are doing. 2 hours later, we landed, met Svetta and 2 nice drivers and were off to the Billa grocery store. It is in many ways nicer than some US grocery stores, we thought. Everything was neat and clean and fairly easy to identify. The variety was outstanding. They have an easier system for putting tags on the veggies you buy (Wegmans should learn from Billa). We found all the food and supplies we needed for the next four days here. We are staying in a very comfortable downtown flat. The kitchen is so quaint and nice - the stove is a 2 burner on top of the counter and the window has a large bay holding 2 plants (Miss_A loves plants in the kitchen!) They sell cherry juice here, something you don't find in America, so of course we bought some! Like our predecessors, we enter our flat after going through 3 heavy solid steel locked doors. And, the elevator is 2'x2' inside: a mini elevator! We are comfortable, safe, and going back to sleep now. When we figure out how to post photos, we will. More soon! Baca! (Bye!)