We couldn't see Nick today, so we get it arranged to take a day trip to Odessa. Oleg, our trusty driver, was back today after a 2 day shift at his real job as a firefighter. He took us to Odessa, and we met up with his daughter who translated for us two weekends ago.
We started our day with lunch at a sports' cafe called Buffalo 99. It had the feel of more of an English pub than a Buffalo Wild Wings, but we weren't being picky! The food was pretty good. I got a cheeseburger. Chili's has nothing to worry about, but it was good enough to keep me going for the duration. Denise got fajita's. Not bad either.
It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the mid-40s. A perfect day for sightseeing. Odessa is a relatively young city by European standards. It was founded in the late 1700s (although there are ruins that date back to ancient Greece). There are distinct French and Italian influences in the architecture that come from European governance under the Russian monarchy.
The city has the reputation of being a fun-loving place. In fact, it is said in Ukraine that Odessa is the home of humor. We found the mood and atmosphere unlike any other place we have been in Ukraine. And, I have to say we were more comfortable there than in any place we have visited here. I would love to come back sometime and see the city in the summer. I am sure that it is a wonderful place in the summer when it is in full bloom.
I'll post some pictures later. We took a ton.
We are hopeful of at least being able to see N tomorrow. We are praying that he is at least well enough for a short visit. Tomorrow marks day 8 of the waiting period. I think it is really the last day for all practical purposes. The last two days are Saturday and Sunday when no petitions can be filed with the court. We are anticipating Monday as the beginning point of the next flurry of activity!
We'll post the pictures and some more later.
Blessings,
Rick
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