Friday, Saturday and Sunday

On Friday, Cody and I went to the water park. I gues that this is where the long Marshriutka ride paid off cause I already knew which one to take and how to get back. It took almost an hour to get there and I was hoping to run into the Steen's. I was expecting Water Country USA and it was actually a lot nicer is some ways. It cost 175 rph to get in (about $23). First of all – it wasn't crowded as I thought it might be considering how hot it was. There is only one dressing room full of lockers. There are booths around the perimeter to change in. The rest rooms are separate at the end of the building and are nice if you ignore the fact that the door is wide open and you can see down the row of urinals!!! There are two huge free form pools – one is a little more family

oriented and the other has a huge bar (not in the pool but along one side). The family oriented

pool has huge mushrroms with water flowing over the top of them like water country.

The water rides are much more I wish I had pictures – maybe I can find some on Google Earth.

The platforms and areas around the pool had the same slick tile they use in all the bathrooms here. It has sharp edges and I cut a toe on it. I also about fell a dozen times. They have no

liability laws here evidently!

Modesty is not a priority either. There were no one piece suits for the women and there were an abundance of thongs. There was some topless sunbathing by the family pool and I was the only

male wearing a suit to my knees. Every other male had a rather small speedo. Glad I left my camera at the apartment. A bunch of small kids with speers kept following me around and saying “Thar she blows!” in Russian!

Overall, it was great!

Then we went to the Rio Restaurant for supper. They misunderstood Cody's order (the same as mine) and it took two hours to get it!! My patience was wearing thin! The food was good though!

On Saturday, we left for Huliaipole to get Katia. We went to the bus station about 10 AM and caught the 10:20 to Huliaipole. It arrived at 1330 and we took the only available cab to the orphanage. I had him wait while we wrote out and signed a petition to take Katia with us. We got back to the Bus Station and had to wait 15 minutes before they could tell us when the next bus to Berdyansk was – it was in 50 minutes.

It was hot before we left Berdyansk. The buses are not air conditioned and the only window that opened was the driver's door window. There were three vents on the roof that supplied air when the bus was moving – but at three stops where we waited for 15 minutes each, we baked.

There are only three trees in Huliaipole and none of them are near the bus station. It reminded

me of one of those stage stops in the old west where the only shade was inside the building but the air wasn't moving there. I had to use the toilet and it was a metal outhouse behind the station. I can hold my breath for about 180 seconds!!! Then we were on the bus back at 1620. It was the same bus we took up!!! Got back in just an hour and a half and headed straight for the hotel to eat cause it was air conditioned and the food is good. Katia only had strawberry crepes – I on the other hand, was starving and had fried salmon and fries and a nice cold piva!!!

I called Oles to see what arrangements he had made for Katia to stay at the orphanage – Cody is staying there and Katia cannot stay with me alone at the apartment. He made a quick call to Galena Anatoliva and viola – Cody is staying at the apartment too!!

On Sunday, we got up and took the Marshriutka to the Hotel for breakfast – what? You thought I was gonna cook? Get real!!! Cody had the same american breakfast I had including the coffee and Katia had american fries and orange fanta. Then we walked down to the sea.

I bought Katia a pair of sunglasses and it was a hoot watching her try them all on and the two salesmen trying to convince her which pair she needed. She definitely got a good pair – here are some pictures.