Hinkson Family Circle

Our flight was delayed but we made it a few hours later than planned. The taxi cost was $70 to get to our hotel near the city center and so we took the metro which got us there really quick. I decided in the first 10 minutes that I like Russia way better than Ukraine. Everyone is so nice and it is newer and cleaner and maybe that is why people are happier. People were helpful in a lot of ways all day and actually wanted to help us. It was such a contrast to being glared at by ridiculous looking women with orange hair like in Ukraine. I am really liking Russia.

It only got better when we got to our hotel. We walked the couple of blocks from the subway and there was our hotel a gorgeous brand-spankin' new Renaissance by Marriott. (Sonya if you are reading this you may want to skip past this part as it will be graphic with the details of comfort here.)

I will post pictures of this glorious room. It is like an oasis in the desert that our life has been lately. It is such a needed blessing as we are even more homesick with Dave almost home now.

The whole place smells so new. The beds are SOOOO soft and the shower has a rain shower and a normal mounted to the wall/hand shower. There are WASHCLOTHS. Big fluffy white ones like home. I have not seen 1 washcloth in all of Ukraine and have had to wash my face with a baby wioe every night. There are big fluffy white towels and big fluffy white bathrobes and slippers and new SOFT bedding and OH what a wonderful surprise!!!

After we jumped up and down about our room, we took off on the metro to Red Square (the Kremlin.) It was amazing. We got there just in time for the changing of the guard. We did a quick photo snapping of the main attractions and then got caught in a huge rain storm. It was pretty cool. The pictures may not be ideal with lighting but they are unique with the storm brewing in the background. When it let up a little we ran to McDonalds and had an American dinner and then went back to the hotel soaked and had a hot shower and are enjoying hot chocolate. What a fun day and a nice break. Tomorrow we head to Omsk in the evening. The hotel was kind enough to allow us to check out at 6 pm so we can see more here without lugging our stuff. They have free internet in the beautiful lobby. Our internet doesn't work from Ukraine but the phones seem to be able to receive incoming calls.

Tonight we head to Omsk for a couple of days and then to Novosibirsk for a couple of days and then to Krasnyarsk (these are in Siberia) It is supposed to be a bit more primitive so I hope we can get internet there. So far I Love Russia!

All is so well, I can't believe it

PS I found a wonderful letter from Dave left in my notebook. Of course this resulted in my bawling on the plane. He is such a wonderful husband. I am definitely the luckiest girl in the world.