My Adventures Where in the world is ….

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.

Well, today was a good day to go back and see the Botanical Gardens as the office was closed for cleaning and it was a cooler day than some have been lately.  We took the tram out to the end and walked to short distance to the Gardens.  When we got there the gate was open and we walked into the building at the gate.  There was a woman at a desk and we asked if she spoke English – no.  I used hand gestures to ask if we could go in.  I thought maybe we had to pay but it is free to go in so we went out the other door and into the gardens.  We headed first for the atrium which we could see from the road but there was a sign on the door pointing to the left so we walked around and there was no other door.  We ended up back at the front door and wondered what to do as it appeared to be locked.  In a few moments it opened and three men came out.  With them speaking Russian and us speaking English we managed somehow to communicate that we wanted to go in.  One man made a phone call and called inside for a Vera.  Soon she came out and invited us in.

What a wonderful adventure this was for us.  She spoke a little English.  “My name is Vera. If you not understand say so.”  Then she took off in Russian describing what we saw.  From time to time she would add English, “This tree 52 like me.” But her enthusiasm and obvious love of the plants in the Atrium was wonderful.  It was a delight to be in her world for a few moments as she took us all around and up the stairs.  I almost hated to leave.  Here are some pictures I took (not all of them – I took far too many) to give you a flavor of the Atrium and the gardens around it.

The Atrium at a distance.

The Atrium closer. It is actually a very old building and not in the best shape but so interesting.

Our first look inside.

Maybe you will know some of these trees and things – I don’t know most of them but it was so cool to see them all. This section is called tropical.

Looking way up

It is another world inside.

This is a Mango tree. The kind of backwards 7 is a g.

So much to see. I am just going to upload pictures with a comment here and there.

Orchids

Now we are going upstairs and looking down into the subtropical area.

And up as well.

On the left is what she called “Africa” and in the middle and right is “America.”

 There was a banana tree that was huge and a “baby banana tree” as well.  One tree she said was 90 years old.  Imagine growing inside all those years.

Next we went outside and walked around the area.

Here is a rose garden perhaps protected by the statue standing out there.

Maybe grapevines????

Even in the middle of the gardens in the middle of the path is a manhole cover. Who knows what is under this. They are everywhere here.

So I hope you enjoyed seeing Dnepropetrovsk’s Botanical Gardens with us.  We enjoyed our visit there.  On the way home we stopped at another Renok – a much more upscale one that we have seen before and bought some blueberries, some green onions and some radishes.  Then we walked home.  It was a great adventure for us.