Four Hour Walk

Hello! We just got back from about a four hour walk. Well, we ate dinner in there too. We walked past the bowling alley. Wade wanted to go in just to see it, but I thought we'd wait and go in with Vika sometime. Then passed the outdoor/indoor market my dad and I explored on the last trip, then walked for awhile until we came to the grocery store we used to go to when we stayed in the Azimut, turned and walked along one side of the Kremlin wall, turned left to the entrance we took last trip to enter the Kremlin, but it had a big red sign with an arrow on it indicating that that entrance was closed, so we kept going. Along the next side was the pretty, parklike area that had the jewelry store we went to last time, so we walked around there. There were teens with Russian flags draped around themseleves, or they were carrying them and some had put them on their cars. It is Russia Day today, the equivalent of our Fourth of July, celebrating their independence in 1990. It was fun to see the people celebrating and taking pride in their country. I asked Vika if there would be any fireworks or parades or anything. She said yes in Moscow, but not here. While we were in the parklike area we went into a small mall and checked out a few clothing stores. (saw some cut swimsuits and a pair of pants I liked, but didn't buy anything-still not confident enough in my Russian language skills)Then we found the last side of the Kremlin and it was open so we went in. It was so under construction that it wasn't much to see. Even the church we went in and bought necklaces in was roped off. So we left pretty quickly. We then were quite close to the French restaurant that we frequently went to last trip, so we headed there for dinner. I asked the girl for the English menu. She said, "Nyet" I began telling her, (in English so I'm sure she didn't understand a bit of it) that I was here 6 weeks ago so I know they have one English menu. Then she did say "new, new menus" OH NO! So,they have new menus and no one has translated one into English! And, I didn't bring my translation book because I knew we were going there and that they had an English menu so I didn't think that I needed it! Well, I can read it pretty well and remembered that I liked the salad called the Freshness salad (the only salad I've found in Russia that has lettuce in it)So I flipped through the (10 paged) menu and found it! We both ordered that, motioned with our hands to help her figure out we'd also like some bread and ordered Coca Cola (the same in both languages!) and it worked! We got exactly what we wanted! But there were so many other things I liked there that I'm not sure how to order now. So, I don't know if we'll go back there again or not. Then we walked back, but stopped at the big mall, the Astor. We went up to the second then third floor just to look around. On the third floor is a children's area with a ball pit, climbing rope, etc. for free, an air hockey table, water shooting game, and another game for 5 rubles each (about a quarter), a sizealbe children's store with toys and clothes, and a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Shop. We'll definitely be there a lot when we get possession of Jill! Then we went back to the hotel. All in all about a four hour trip, but the weather is nice, about 85 but no humidity. The one problem is the bugs! There are like little gnat/mosquito things everywhere! Tomorrow we will remember to use the bug repellent wipes we brought along. If we use them at the orphanage on us and on her, maybe we can stay outside longer. Until tomorrow....