My Adventures Where in the world is ….

Usually we stay at home on Sunday evenings but this last Sunday the Elders asked if we wanted to come and see what they did on Sunday evenings in the park not far from where we live.  What we learned is that there is a whole new world out there we had not seen and another way to get up the hill – kind of round about but still another route.  So we looked at a map and got some sketchy directions from the Elders (near the concert stand up the hill) and we headed off to see what we could see.  As we walked we heard the usual music – well not usual but still music and we looked over to the river walkway and the music stand was set up closer to our apartment.  At that moment there was a man playing the saxophone.  He was actually pretty good.  I stopped and listened while Elder Morgenegg hurried back to our apartment to retrieve my name tag which was sitting on my shelf instead of on me where it should have been.

Saxophone player – kind of in the middle between the screens under the branches of the large tree on the left – he is standing up.

As we headed up the road toward the bridge and walkway on our side of the road we also saw a double line of  hare krishna, mostly young women in long skirts with a few men along.  We have seen them before as well.  I didn’t take any pictures as it didn’t seem right but you can perhaps imagine what it looked like.

This picture mostly just shows how busy the walkway is on Sundays – non stop traffic of people walking along. The leaning tree is interesting as well.

As we headed up the little hill to this side of the bridge overpass you can see all the cars – they are actually parked on the side with the wheels over the edging. We wonder if there are damaged undersides due to the way they park.

After we got up the hill we walked up a very nice pathway we had not noticed the last time we were here and it was wide and nicely pave with stones.  We walked up not knowing if it was correct or not but found the concert hall and there were the missionaries across from yet another playground/amusement park with more blow up play houses.  They are certainly popular here.  We enjoyed watching the missionaries and the few members who were there interact with the children and also with their parents.  There was a lot of smiling and laughing.

Can you pick out the missionaries in these pictures?  Hint:  there are six elders and two sisters.

The little boy in blue actually dumped one bucket of bubble mix on the walkway. He had done that on another Sunday evening as well.

The large group gathered to watch.

This one little girl loved chasing them and her baby sister in a stroller laughed and laughed.

A really big bubble.

The concert hall that is on the walkway.

Inside the concert hall.

View across the river from the concert hall.

This is the island in the distance.

The statue on the island really stands tall over the waterfalls.

You can see the ferris wheel with the arches of the southern bridge behind it.

As we were coming in we saw they were sending supplies across on the overhead zip line.

As we were leaving they were loading up passengers to send across.

And there they go!

And they go over there.

Close up.

As we passed the walkway on the other side going home we heard what could easily have been square dance music. I am sure it was Ukrainian dance music and it looked almost like a Virginia reel type of dance they were doing.

We were not gone long but the missionaries and members were so happy to see us come.  We are glad we took the time to go.  We then made our usual Sunday evening popcorn and got to bed at a good time.

It was a good Sabbath day.

An evening walk along the river was just the perfect end to our Preparation Day this week.

As we entered the walkway I was struck but the brilliance of these geraniums. It was the light that was hitting them – they are a brilliant red but the light really set them off.

We walked south to the bridge that goes over the river to the island.

The sun is just starting to go down here.

I took too many pictures of the sun going down and hoped it would be a brilliant sunset, like the geraniums were so brilliant, but it was not – not enough cloud cover to make that happen but it was nice to watch it progress anyway.  I didn’t take a lot of pictures along the way as I have lots of pictures of what is on the island and along the walkway.

The sun continues to go down.

One of many boats we saw out on the river.

There is a small boat and a much larger one in the distance.

Close up of the two boats.

The sun keeps going down.

A young family was flying a little kite.

We have been to the top of this to see this ball memorial but I like the figures climbing up with the sunset behind it.

So as we walked south past the central area of the walkway there was a section actually at the base of the above ball where they had loud speakers set up with flashing lights and music playing.

When we were going into Manhattan to work at the temple they had a yearly dancing time.  I think it was called Summer Swing or something like that.  At first it was in the central area between the Opera house, the Symphony and the Ballet but later they moved it to an amphitheater outside the central area.  The main part was always enclosed and you had to pay to get in. It was crowded inside and outside and there were always people dancing outside as well as inside – because you could hear the music inside and out.

This reminded us of that as there were people dancing.  I think the music was a combination of ballroom, swing, salsa and other dance styles.  Perhaps on other nights it is rock and roll (as that is what we might hear) but on this evening the people were enjoying music not so loud and there were also a lot of people watching.  When we went by the first time on our way to the island there were two couples dancing.  When we came back there were many more.

Here is a far away picture where you can see how much area is available for dancing and watching.

Here is a close up. It is kind of dark but maybe you can get the idea.  The flashing lights are up in the left.  The other lights are along the walkway.

So now we know what is happening.  I think there are a lot of people who like to dance and a lot of people who like to watch.  There was a woman dancing with her little (like two or three year old) daughter and a little boy (about the same age) dancing alone and having a good time.  So cute.

After we got home we heard fireworks again but there were too far north for us to see them outside our windows and it was late so we didn’t get dressed to go see them – probably would have been done by the time we got there anyway.  Good evening!

So every six weeks our mission has Zone Conferences where the three zones in our mission meet for a day and the President and the zone leaders teach the missionaries and inspire them in their callings to teach the Gospel.  Every zone conference is different.  Usually I don’t take my camera but because of a picture I needed for a project I am doing I did this time so here are a few pictures of the missionaries and our conference.

President and Sister Sullivan – our mission president and his wife.

Food is an important part of any missionary gathering. Here they are getting fruit, bread, peanut butter and nutella, and water for a snack. Later we had pizza for lunch with salads and peanut butter and chocolate bars for dessert.

Elder Morgenegg going over the various receipts he received from the missionaries.

Gathering back for more teaching.

These pictures were taken at our branch building in the chapel where we meet on Sundays.

After the lessons were done the missionaries changed for Sister Sullivan’s exercise presentation.  She exercises regularly and encourages the missionaries to do the same (we do every day as we climb our hill and as we go to Church and as we go on our adventures).  It was a difficult exercise video and it really stretched most of the missionaries, including President and Sister Sullivan.

Getting ready to exercise.

A slow start

All worn out and sweaty

Time to clean up

I really enjoy being with our missionaries and feeling their enthusiasm.  It is also nice to have a different day than our normal office day.  It was hot outside but very cool inside.  A good day.

Saturday is traditionally our adventure day.  Since we had a big adventure on Friday this week we decided to go on a small adventure to somewhere totally new today.  We have been to the southern end of the tram loop so today we went to the northern end and went to the ?????? (Voksal) or Train Station/Terminal.  Wow.  It is huge.  The picture just doesn’t show how big it is.

This is the Voksal but the picture really doesn’t give the dimensions to it. This is only the center section.

The tram took us to the northern side of Vokzalna Square.  It is a large square with the train station on one end and other buildings and stores all around.  The tram turns off the main road and goes around the square before stopping and letting everyone off.  There were not too many people on the tram by the time we got there but there were a lot of people waiting to enter when we were getting off.  I think the ride back would be very crowded.  Perhaps a train had just come in and they were all going home.  All around the square are also vendors.  One thing that is very popular from street vendors is Sharma {or shawurma is a Levantine (or Arabic) meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, buffalo meat, or mixed meats are placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day.}  The missionaries love these and they are sold all over.  There are Sharma’s everywhere – kind of like a Walgreens on every corner.  Once you know what they are you see them all around.  They are not all the same and the missionaries definitely have their favorites.  They brought us two a few weeks ago.  It is like a huge burrito with meat, vegetables (including cooked cucumbers) inside.  We enjoyed the ones we had.  There are other vendors as well for things like coffee, cigarettes, ice cream and other foods.

A view of Voksalna Square from the steps of the Voksal.

This huge building seems to be a combination apartment building and businesses. Taken also from the steps of the Voksal.

We went into the Voksal and inside it doesn’t seem as big because most of it is not accessible for people coming through.  There is a large like foyer with one ticket agent in a booth.  There is a sliding door into a waiting area with lots of chairs and a snack bar and other things.  There is also a sign for a WC (water closet – bathroom) downstairs.

We walked around inside and then went out back.  That was another surprise.  We had no idea how many train tracks were behind the Voksal.  As Elder Morgenegg said in his note – there were was one train track right in front of us but it seemed there was no access to the ones beyond.  We walked to the end of the track within the Voksal enclosure and watched a few people get off a train a couple of tracks away and walk across a walkway but how to get to the others????

A freight train that seemed to be just passing through.

A passenger train waiting to go.

How do you get to these other trains?

The tracks and the electric lines go on and on.

When we went outside we found a stair way that went over the train tracks.  There were a lot of people climbing over so we decided to go see what was there.

At the top of the stairs you can see all the entrances to go down to the various tracks.

A view from the top.

More tracks and more trains

The other end of the overhead walkway. Elder Morgenegg wondered what was out there. I let him go experiment.

You can see the walkway becomes a wooden walkway and seems to go on and on. In reality is does end at a street on the other side where people can climb up and cross over the train tracks to go shopping.

After we left the train station we checked out the various malls in the area.  One has a Silpo Market in the basement and assorted small vendors on the first and second floor.  Another seems to be mostly restaurants, including one like the one we had gone to with the Clendenings when they were here.  Then there is one that is two floors of a ATB where we got 10 cent ice cream cones to eat.  We wondered around looking at all there was to see.  Back at the main road we crossed over to go to a large yellow mall.  It had no windows and inside it was just like a huge assortment of small vendors of clothing of assorted kinds.  There were hundreds of stores set up around the outside and inside with “streets” across the middle.  I have no idea how many there were in actuality but it seemed like hundreds and there was a second floor as well of more of the same.  There were people there but not that many – who buys all this?  Amazing in such a poor country to find so much for sale.

Then we walked the maybe quarter mile to the branch to use the bathroom before heading back tot he tram and coming home.  The weather was beautiful and there was a nice breeze so it was the perfect day to be out and about and see what is at the other end of the tram line.