Kiev hasn’t run out of random after all

After ~1 ½ years here, I’ve been starting to worry that the endearing ‘randomness’ of Kiev is wearing off.  Stilettos to work, parking on the sidewalk & the mystery of the Cyrillic alphabet no longer seem quite as novel.

Thankfully my friend Kirsten introduced me to another fun – AND totally random – Kiev attraction.   In town skiing!

YES - Kiev has its very own ski hill smack in the center of town!

(just 3 minutes from one of my favorite grocery stores - however, Its small scale makes it easy to miss)

But it is a full on ski place – rental equipment…..

‘Ski chalet’...

 (ok, maybe a slight exaggeration for the grilled meat hut at the base)

2 ‘lifts’.... 

A t-bar AND a bobble thing....

And even a snowboard run with ramps to jump....

 (a snow bike!)

For ~$7 we got a 10-trip pass – and as Kirsten computed “at 30 seconds a run, we got a whole 5 minutes of skiing in!”

Super fun & a great place to take kids.  However, we might have to make it a mid-day field trip as the employees warned: it’s silly crowded on the weekends & everyone on the hill is drunk in the evenings!”  

Here’s to the joy of random adventures!  

(Thanks Kirsten!)

Obergurgl, Austria

One of the joys of living in Kiev is easy access to the rest of Europe.  Another joy is recommendations on places to travel from other Europeans (even if they tease us for being the "Americans doing Europe"!)    

A 2 hour flight to Munich + ~4 hour drive & we were in Obergurgl, Austria.

We found a quaint Austrian village with plenty of snow & blue skies...

 (hotels offer a ‘snow guarantee’ through April given the high altitude)

Loads of Brits = the kids didn’t complain quite so much about ski school

(at a much smaller village last year, our kids were the only English speakers resulting in reports of “I don’t have anyone to talk to at ski school”)

That said, our efforts to foster skiing skills, still required a bit of Lego bribery....

 (Thanks to Jen for the advice to push the ski school - even if it requires a bit of incentive!)

Well worth it - now all 3 can hit the slopes with us

Night Tobogganing = slight ‘pee your pants’ risk

We had so much fun, we went out both nights they were open.  

Hilarious – but kind of scary too - a good 50% of the turns resulted in crashing into snow banks.  The boys LOVED it.....

After crashing several times while sharing a toboggan with Logan, Zoe parked herself in the bar at the base for refreshments.  Logan reported his stomach hurt from laughing so hard

Half board = SUPER easy way to vacation & is often the norm at Pensions. 

Same table everyday, an elaborate breakfast buffet + 4 course dinners included with the room

(We loved the cozy Tyrollean vibe.  Uno required to prevent anarchy)

(Quincy ate his weight in schnitzel - often 2x / day)

(Xavier's skiing was fueled by pretzel only breakfasts)

Logan & I fell in love with the shredded & vinegar-ed salad fix ins. 

(Totally delish - but also maybe a sign that we are missing salad in our lives!   Haven't seen a salad bar in Kiev yet)

Fun & decadent - but does anyone really need a salad bar + soup + appetizers, dinner AND dessert every evening?!  

Our jeans are saying NO but - Rookie move – it took till day 6 to learn to decline courses

Cheers to ski vacations, Obergurgl & to the Borks for the recommendation!

What does one see in Tbilisi?

With Logan due in Tbilisi, Georgia for meetings this week, we made a weekend of it to find out what exactly one sees in Tblisi.

Post-Soviet, hilly riverside city

On the way in from the airport, Tbilisi’s Soviet past was obvious…….

And their statue sure looks a lot like ours

(However, while ours holds a sword & a shield - theirs holds a sword & a bowl of wine - to greet those who come as friends!)

Inside the center, there are nice cityscape views, ….

And lots of visible modernization….

However step a block off the main drag & you see the ‘ancient’ (Quincy's term) backdrop – almost Mexico like

Yummy Georgian Food

The khachapuri (cheesy bread) is everywhere & delish

(So fun to have restaurant recos from friends who used to live here.  Thanks Sydney!)

The khinkali (dumplings) were also delish….

(While not photogenic, they really were yummy.  Xavier reported "the first bite tastes like eating at Chipotle."  HIGH praise!)

Random fun

Zoe was so adamant we HAD TO go to the Ferris Wheel (you could see it from our hotel), she didn’t relent until we pinky promised we’d go the next day.

What appeared close, was about a 20 minute cab ride through windy roads & rural parts…

But worth it - we were all surprised to find an entire (& totally random) amusement park...

The entrance..... 

Vendors keeping warm with an open fire on the sidewalk...

The climbing structure...

(yes - a crappy shot & a foggy day too!)

Ultra Friendly people

We found the Georgian people greet you as if they have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.  In place of unsolicited parenting tips from disapproving Babushkas (Kiev), the kids were met with approving smiles, comments about how beautiful they are & pats on the head.

The bellman even suggested he give the kids a ride too...

More Developed?

I had heard that Tbilisi was a smaller, less-developed Kiev.  But a few things made me wonder......

Boxed baking mixes & sprinkles at the grocery store.....

And even THIS  at the airport!

(Q is glum because he just realized "Even TBILISI has Burger King!  And Kiev doesn't!)

Smiles restored via apple pie & ice cream

Net, net, it’s a neat old city that appears full of optimism & potential.

So here's to Tbilisi & exploring the neighborhood

  

Breaking out of the icy arms of January

I can't say I am sad to bid January farewell. 

The 'flu plague' that hit the States made its way here too.....

We've averaged 1.4 kids home from school sick every day for the past 3 weeks...

(although some days, the illness level was questionable - one day X & Z were making forts 3 minutes after the bus left)

The 'December dump' (snow) + freezing January temps has created basically a giant urban ice rink in Kiev.

(our driveway is deadly - Logan & I have both bit it on this sloped sheet of ice)

The ice path on our road has gotten so deep you hardly need to steer - just bump down the track like a Disneyland car ride.

The problem is cars parked too close to said path.  This car frequently parks right across our street - next to a jagged ice rivet....

The other day, after 4 unsuccessful attempts to pass (kept skidding closer), a street clogging with cars waiting for me, I aborted my mission, backed up & went home....

...snapped my handy Snow Tracks onto my boots (thanks Karen!) & walked down the hill

(amused the workers who observed the whole thing immensely)

Thankfully, Kiev has a pretty efficient Metro system

And for a retail girl like me, just entering the station is a treat.....

You can get it all!  
Fruit....

flowers...

toys....

Your winter wardrobe!

In addition there's the surprising contrast of Soviet architectural elements...

...with in-your-face marketing installations

And while escalator bottle necks & crowding can make one question safety....

....rest assured - there is emergency safety equipment!

(reassuring, right?!)

And upon your exit, you can calm your nerves with a cup of jo & a smoke

(stands like this are common - sell instant coffee from a thermos & smokes by the individual cigarette)

But alas, with only a day left of January, we can rejoice - today we saw PUDDLES!!!!

While it may seem foolhardy to celebrate with the first melted snow, I'm gleefully present our forecast....

(4 more days of snow melting to come)

So with that - goodbye January!  Adios, до свидания, good riddance!

Here's to February, being healthy & kissing the pavement