I just have to say it… I love Eastern Europe; the strange smells, dour faces, large concrete apartment blocks, and the sheer generosity of strangers.
Carson and I had a fantastic time with our friends in Poland. They are two missionary couples living outside Katowice and Krakow working with youth groups through local churches. Their ministry has been incredibly blessed, and has grown throughout ten countries in Eastern Europe. If you’re curious, go to their website, http://www.josiahventure.com/. They were unbelievably hospitable, opening up their home, food pantries, and use of their cars.
Friday night, us two vagabonds boarded an overnight train to Kiev, the capital in eastern Ukraine. Although whether I would make it on the train was up in question for a bit… You see my passport has had its fair share of wear and tear over the 6 years I have had it. Unfortunately, it started to tear quite a bit over the last few weeks, leading the Polish customs officer to tsk at me like a little child for about 20 minutes as he told me to get a new passport and that he couldn’t accept it. Easy for him to say when we are 8 hours by train from the American embassy, in a border town at ten in the evening. After smiling quite a bit (and considering whether to bribe him or not), he let me through with a stern “Nowy passport!!!”
That night, we shared a sleeper train with two Ukrainian businessmen. My polish translated well enough to their Ukrainian, and we shared a meal of bread, sausage, tuna, and… just to confirm the stereotype, vodka. Carson and I increasingly did a good job of telling them it was really strong, and that we didn’t want any more… but they sure are pushy!
We made it to Kiev in the morning, without a place to stay, thinking it would be similar to Krakow, with hostels trying to get you to stay there. Stepping out of the train station, I felt as if I had gone back 10 years in time. English was no where to be found… anywhere! We wandered around with our bags before finally finding an internet café where we looked up a hostel on the outskirts of the city.
That night we watched a concert in Freedom Square, the place where Ukraine held its Orange Revolution just a few years ago, and toured St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Despite our initial impression, the city really grew on me, it has a very unique feel to it. We slept well in our hostel, except for the *cough* noise disruptions *cough* coming from the other room; ear plugs are amazing.
Last night we managed to somehow buy the right train tickets on the overnight train to Moscow. Apparently many Americans do not casually take a train from Kiev to Moscow, because two Ukrainian FBI-equivalent agents entered with customs to inquire as to why we were there. Our very friendly Russian roommates helped us through the night.
In another show of amazing Eastern European hospitality, our two new Russian friends, offered to rent us a room in their friend’s apartment. When we inquired how much, they stated “Free, of course! Us, Russians are very friendly!” Boris, the one who speaks English well, is a doctor at the hospital in Russia.
And here I am now, enjoying the city of Moscow. The city I have read about in spy novels and history while growing up. In all honesty it fits my stereotypes well, large imposing buildings, stars, hammers, and sickles adorning buildings, monuments, and other misc. goods, as well as a dreary overcast sky and chilly weather. I love it!
I went to the Embassy today to try and repair my passport… apparently a “mutilated” passport is actually illegal to use, but it takes a week to get a new one, and my visas for Russia, China, and Vietnam would not transfer… so cross your fingers and pray that the customs officials at the Russian, Mongolian, and Chinese borders are friendly, or bribe-able. If I can make it to Beijing, they can repair my passport there.
Da-shve-dania my dear readers, more pictures will be posted soon of Poland, Ukraine, and Moscow.
Carson and I had a fantastic time with our friends in Poland. They are two missionary couples living outside Katowice and Krakow working with youth groups through local churches. Their ministry has been incredibly blessed, and has grown throughout ten countries in Eastern Europe. If you’re curious, go to their website, http://www.josiahventure.com/. They were unbelievably hospitable, opening up their home, food pantries, and use of their cars.
Friday night, us two vagabonds boarded an overnight train to Kiev, the capital in eastern Ukraine. Although whether I would make it on the train was up in question for a bit… You see my passport has had its fair share of wear and tear over the 6 years I have had it. Unfortunately, it started to tear quite a bit over the last few weeks, leading the Polish customs officer to tsk at me like a little child for about 20 minutes as he told me to get a new passport and that he couldn’t accept it. Easy for him to say when we are 8 hours by train from the American embassy, in a border town at ten in the evening. After smiling quite a bit (and considering whether to bribe him or not), he let me through with a stern “Nowy passport!!!”
That night, we shared a sleeper train with two Ukrainian businessmen. My polish translated well enough to their Ukrainian, and we shared a meal of bread, sausage, tuna, and… just to confirm the stereotype, vodka. Carson and I increasingly did a good job of telling them it was really strong, and that we didn’t want any more… but they sure are pushy!
We made it to Kiev in the morning, without a place to stay, thinking it would be similar to Krakow, with hostels trying to get you to stay there. Stepping out of the train station, I felt as if I had gone back 10 years in time. English was no where to be found… anywhere! We wandered around with our bags before finally finding an internet café where we looked up a hostel on the outskirts of the city.
That night we watched a concert in Freedom Square, the place where Ukraine held its Orange Revolution just a few years ago, and toured St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Despite our initial impression, the city really grew on me, it has a very unique feel to it. We slept well in our hostel, except for the *cough* noise disruptions *cough* coming from the other room; ear plugs are amazing.
Last night we managed to somehow buy the right train tickets on the overnight train to Moscow. Apparently many Americans do not casually take a train from Kiev to Moscow, because two Ukrainian FBI-equivalent agents entered with customs to inquire as to why we were there. Our very friendly Russian roommates helped us through the night.
In another show of amazing Eastern European hospitality, our two new Russian friends, offered to rent us a room in their friend’s apartment. When we inquired how much, they stated “Free, of course! Us, Russians are very friendly!” Boris, the one who speaks English well, is a doctor at the hospital in Russia.
And here I am now, enjoying the city of Moscow. The city I have read about in spy novels and history while growing up. In all honesty it fits my stereotypes well, large imposing buildings, stars, hammers, and sickles adorning buildings, monuments, and other misc. goods, as well as a dreary overcast sky and chilly weather. I love it!
I went to the Embassy today to try and repair my passport… apparently a “mutilated” passport is actually illegal to use, but it takes a week to get a new one, and my visas for Russia, China, and Vietnam would not transfer… so cross your fingers and pray that the customs officials at the Russian, Mongolian, and Chinese borders are friendly, or bribe-able. If I can make it to Beijing, they can repair my passport there.
Da-shve-dania my dear readers, more pictures will be posted soon of Poland, Ukraine, and Moscow.
3 comments:
I'm so glad you made it there! with help of your new eastern friends, of course ;) praying for you guys
hey dude,
glad you made it to moscow! your a crazy kid. i'm interested to hear about the trans-siberian train ride!
Nice! You're my hero man! Rock on!!!
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