Summer 2011- Part I: Italy and Language Camp

Hello Family and Friends!

I am back from Italy and from Peace Corps Russian Language Camp and now home in Luhansk for two days before I get back on the train to return to Kiev.  Believe it or not, I do work and I am not just traveling around! Our organization's office is under remodel and I have been working from home between travels!  When I return from my next round of travels- Crimea and Budapest, I return to work in a newly remodeled office!

La nostra terrazza in Rezzonico, Lago Como, Italia

My week in Italy with my daughter, Frances and son-in-law,  Josh, was wonderful.  Fran and Josh found a very good “rent-an-apartment” service and reserved a lovely 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment in a small town on the north-western side of Lago Como, Ressonico.  The kitchen was small but workable, the bedrooms and bathroom were fine, and the terrace with the view of Lake Como DIVINE.  I did not realize how much I enjoyed sitting outside on the terrace/patio and having coffee or reading a book.  California and/or Hawaiian lifestyle… I will not take it for granted anymore.

I arrived late Saturday 16 July, in time to have the first of MANY delicious Proseccos.  Josh is really a wine connoisseur and his choices of wines for the entire week were excellent.  Prosecco labels to look for in the US are:   Altemasi-Trentodoc-Brut, Gancia-Brut,  and Carlo Gancia, Cuvee Platinum-metodo classico.  The Altemasi -Brut was our absolute favorite.  

Dinner "al fresco""

The castle of Rezzonico

The beach at Rezzonico

We lost our view during a rainstorm!

Every day, we slipped into a very easy routine:  exercise in the morning, then have coffee outside on our terrace, and then go out sightseeing, visit a village on the lake and have a pizza or a Panini at the “tavola calda” /small restaurant on the lake.  Home around 6p.m. for hors d’oeuvres and more Prosecco on the patio and then we all cooked dinner and dined of course, on the patio. 

Fran and Josh - ready for morning exercise

Scenery near our small apartiment

Scenery along the road to the top of the hill

Scenery along the road to the top of the hill- almost to the top

Bellagio, Lago Como, Italia

Wine Tasting in Bellagio

Varenna, Lago Como, Italia

Menaggio, Lago Como, Italia

Salumeria!!!

Had to get my feet wet!

Lunch in Gravedona, Lago Como, Italia

Fran and Josh at lunch in Gravedona, Lago Como, Italia

Lunch

We spent one day driving to St. Moritz, Switzerland, as we realized it wasn’t that far north of us.  LOVELY drive, beautiful valley leading into the mountain pass, then a switch back road of about 25 turns  and then a high valley, glorious lakes and then, St. Moritz.  I did not realize the town was so small, built into the hillside.  AND when we were there (July 22)  is was 47 degrees!  We wanted to have lunch with a view of the lake and we ended up finding a glorious 5-star hotel, the KULM Hotel, and wandered into the lobby.  It was warm and the hotel served lunch in the lovely lobby that had a glorious view of the lake.  We had a small, delicious, but expensive lunch - the Swiss Franc to the dollar is quite something! It  was certainly nice to see how the “other half” lives!

Waterfalls - en route to St. Mortiz, Switzerland

St. Mortiz, Switzerland

St. Mortiz, Switzerland

St. Mortiz, Switzerland

St. Mortiz, Switzerland

It was very hard to leave Italy- the weather, the crisp air, the clean villages, the smooth/good roads….and to leave Fran and Josh.   After living in Ukraine for 17 months, it is amazing to see that Italy really works!!! And Italy enjoys having tourists!

The Russian Language Camp was “camp”; I have not been to camp in 40 years.  We had many language classes, activities and sports and we are supposed to speak exclusively in Russian.  It was very good for me to practice Russian again, especially as I had been having way too much fun speaking Italian.  THE MOST EXCITING PART OF CAMP—I have improved my Russian language ability!  I have been graded “intermediate HIGH” level and I WON THE PRIZE at the camp for the person who tried the hardest to speak Russian all the time and participate in activities.  The Peace Corps Staff were so funny when they gave me the prize… I am  the only one they know that speaks Russian with an ITALIAN accent!

Summer 2011: Part II Crimea and Budapest will appear in mid-August.  Until then, I hope all of you are well and enjoying the summer.

A big hug to everyone!

Caroline

4th of July celebration

Hello Everyone,


I hope all of you have had a great 4th of July celebration!  I had a wonderful time celebrating the 4th with a Peace Corps volunteer, Neva Keres, in Neva's town of Debaltseva, Ukraine.


Debaltseva is about two hours west (by train) of Lugansk.  Deblatseva is a small village – about 48,000 people—and exists because it is/was the town with the “UKRAINE TRAIN ACADEMY (school) —where people can learn to be conductors on the Ukrainian trains—or engineers—or repairman etc.    The train station is most impressive and the only highlight of the town.  

Debaltseva train station... one half of this side still needs to be repaired

Debaltseva train station

Debaltseva train station

Debaltseva train station- the ceiling inside the central portion of the station

Debaltseva train station... a very famous WWII painting inside the station

Debaltseva train station - inside the station,
looking out to the train platform and the tracks

Debaltseva train station - a large waiting area
on the balcony are cafes and kiosks for food/snacks

Neva had planned a 4^th of July picnic for her organization and for the children in her organization and she asked me to come help, so I did.  Neva did all the organizing; all I had to do was “play” with the children and bring a little music.  So I did.  

Borrowing electricity so we can have 4th of July music for the picnic

PICNIC FOOD-- CHIPS & COKE

PICNIC FOOD-- GRILLED HOT DOGS

PICNIC FOOD-- GRILLED HOT DOGS- READY TO EAT

We played with a version of American football and then played with Frisbees and played Twister.   

Football- American style

Playing with a Frisbee

Playing Twister

After about an hour of games, we had hot dogs—American style—mustard, ketchup and dill pickles—coca cola and lots potato chips!  We must have had 50 children plus all their parents and grandparents for the American picnic.

PCV Neva (Mrs. Neva to the children) passing the hot dogs

Enjoying USA style hot dogs 

Enjoying USA style hot dogs 

It's hard to believe that the summer is 1/2 over!!!  Next week I am off to Italy to see my daughter and son-in-law.  Then in August, my travel friends John and Pat will come to Ukraine and we will visit Kiev, Crimea and then travel to Budapest.


Enjoy the rest of your summer.  
Caroline

TRAIN TRAVEL

Hello Everyone,


I begin my second year as a Peace Corps Volunteer here in Lugansk this week!  I can tell I have been away home and out of the "flying" travel mode ---- my luggage on my trip home to San Diego had too many large bottles of liquid and my wonderful, little, keychain Swiss Army knife was in the wrong spot.  I have totally forgotten how to prepare for FLYING.


From all my past blogs and telling stories while I was at home (end of May, early June), you probably know that it takes me 18 hours by train if I want to visit an interesting city or go to Kiev to get on a plane.  Yes, there is an airport in Luhansk, BUT.... there is only one flight "in" a day and only one flight "out " a day... and that flight is $300 round trip to Kiev.  The train -- round trip is $40.  The train ticket wins.


As I will be doing LOTS more train travel this summer and during my remaining time in Ukraine, I thought I would write a quick blog on traveling by train in Ukraine, so that you can share my experience!


I travel in Coupe (купе) class-- sort of first class.  There are four berths/seats (two upper, two lower) per compartment, and the compartments do have a door that closes. There are 36 people / 4 per compartment in Coupe class.The other class is Platzcar (платз кар)  Platzcar is a more open seating/sleeping train car.   I am learning that in the summer, even the older trains have air conditioning in Coupe class!!  The only time I was on Platzcar last summer, there was no air  conditioning.    
There is a train conductor for every car.  The conductor collects the tickets, but also will bring tea and coffee (for a small fee).

THE LOWER BERTH/SEAT IN COUPE CLASS

THE UPPER BERTH IN COUPE CLASS.
BLANKETS, SHEET PACKAGES MATTRESSES VISIBLE.
YOU CAN SEE THE SLIDING DOOR

THE IS THE OPEN PLATZ CAR CLASS-- DAYTIME SEATING.

LOWER BERTH, READY FOR SLEEPING WITH THE MATTRESS, SHEETS, PILLOW AND
BLANKET ISSUED TO EACH PASSENGER IN COUPE OR PLATZ CAR CLASS.
THE LOWER BERTHS USUALLY HAVE CONTROL OF THE SMALL TABLE!

Toilets (туалет) are at each end of the car.  

There is a restaurant car on most trains- but I cannot vouch for the food or the beverages as I have learned to bring my own train picnic.

I must admit that I enjoy the train time.  I can get up and walk and stretch my legs, I do not have to worry about the 3 oz. packages of liquid, and I can read my Kindle and relax.

Caroline, and PCV friends Neva and Sue reading their Kindles on the 30 hour train ride to L'viv!

The trains are very prompt and keep to the published schedules-- at least for the last 15 months that I have been riding trains.  However, the best reason about riding the train is looking out the window and seeing the countryside of Ukraine roll by.  Below are lots of photos that I have taken from the train during the past year.

THIS PHOTO, AND THE ONE ABOVE, ARE THE FIRST STOP LEAVING LUHANSK EN ROUTE TO KIEV.
THIS IS A MAJOR FACTORY/STEEL TOWN.

THE FIRST TRAIN STOP FROM HOME/LAST STOP BEFORE HOME - Y
OU CAN SEE IT FROM A DISTANCE!

THE COUNTRYSIDE IN FALL

ARRIVING IN KIEV.
THE VERY TALL STATUE TO THE LEFT OF CENTER IS THE "MOTHERLAND".

FULL MOON LEAVING CRIMEAN PENINSULA EN ROUTE TO LUHANSK
THIS PART OF CRIMEA IS FLAT FLAT FLAT- LIKE NEBRASKA!!!

SOUTH OF KIEV EN ROUTE INTO KIEV.  RAIN STORMS AND
THE GRASS IS REALLY REALLY GREEN.  MAY 2011 PHOTO

MAY 2011 PHOTO  RAINSTORM... UKRAINE IS SO GREEN IN SPRING.

ON GOING ROAD CONSTRUCTION AS WE ARRIVE IN KIEV

CROSSING THE DNIPRO RIVER AS THE TRAIN LEAVES KIEV

FORESTS OUTSIDE OF KIEV

SCENERY FROM THE TRAIN

SCENERY FROM THE TRAIN- AND THE EVER PRESENT OUT HOUSE

FIELDS OF POTATOS AND OTHER VEGETABLES
 PRETTY SOON THE PRODUCE WILL BE IN MY MARKETS

HOUSES AND VEGETABLE GARDENS AS THE TRAIN COMES TO LUHANSK.

I will be traveling to Italy soon to see my daughter and son-in-law -- 18 hours by train to Kiev, and 5 hours by plane from Kiev to Milan!  I will remember how to pack for the plane== only 3 oz bottles of liquid and no pocket knives.  

Friends will be visiting in August and will be experiencing train travel in Ukraine!

I hope that all of you are well and enjoying a wonderful summer!

All the best.

Caroline