We are having a great time being tourists. Yesterday we went to Independent Square and met another Canadian couple who came the day after us and had their interview with the same results. Unfortunately poor Toni broke a bone in her foot the next morning and had to go to hospital. She is now on cruches so if we thought we had problems imagine what they are having to deal with. The traffic is very busy, and it sounds like Paris with horns going all the time. When the green light for people to walk the traffic doesn't stop you have to just fight your way across. The roads and side walks are full of holes so you have to watch your step. We walk about 45 minutes to get our groceries and the worst part is we have to buy all our drinking water which is very heavy to carry. The city is wonderful, the sites take your breath away. Some of the builings are lovely. Apartments are next to factories new and old all mixed up together. Our apartment looks very old but inside is very modern. The elevator only work at certain times of the day, so when we come home with all our groceries it is hard walking up 7 floors!!!! The groceries are very reasonable and we can purchase most of anything we want. Can't always read the lables but it is fun trying to work out what we are buying. Lots of fruit, and veg. and lots of wonderful flowers. There are people selling veg. at the side of the street and small venders every where in small huts like a cobbler (the size of a garden shed). The people are dressed really up market. No jeans, but lots of mini skirts and most young girls wear 3"heels so you can hear them coming. Don't know how they can walk on them. The men all wear dress shirts and pants and very pointed shoes, made of eels skin. We where amazed at how many exspensive cars there are, like Mercedes and Bentleys. Most cars look new and we can't work out why they are not all bent and bashed up with the way they all drive. They drivers all push in and overtake so you take your life in your hands. Our driver who takes us to the S.D.A. was suprised that we wanted to put our seatbelts on......... He told us that the fine for speeding was $2.00 We told him about our seatbelt law and he said he thought that was a good idea, but still didn't put his on. No childrens car seats, and no helmets even for motor bikes are seen. With all this, we still feel very comfortable walking and could very easily live here. After working hours people seem to congregate outside their apartments with a bottle of something and sit and chat till bed-time. It is nice and warm without the real heat of the day. We have had great storms with thunder and lightning most nights, and they go on for hours. In the morning every things smells nice and fresh. There are new buildings going up every where, and they are repairing roads and sidewalks. It truly is a lovely city.

On Tuesday we where sitting in a lovely park having an ice cream, when we heard English being spoken so we turned around and met a family from Australia. They asked us to join them. They have been travelling for over two months from Paris by train, and wanted to speak English again. It is great to be able to converse when all day you have had a problem to make yourself understood.

Shona and Darren got their little girl Ivanna on Wednesday, so we had the thrill of meeting her at dinner that night. What a great little treasure she is, we fell in love with her right there. We also had a meal last night with them, we are making the most of their company as they fly home tomorrow and we will surely miss them. Late Saturday we will move into their apartment as it is $20.00 (U.S.) a night cheaper, and a little nearer to town (i.e. Mario's). The Wi-fi has not been working every night we go there which is a shame as Paul has taken over 100 photo's of Kiev and has some great shots. It is a shame that Toni and Robert the other couple are on the other side of town, and it takes us 45 minutes to get there, and because of her foot she can't walk to meet us. They also waiting for another appointment. We are still hoping to get Wi-fi at Mario's so that we can send photos, this gives us a good reason to have Mario's wonderful pizza and dessert. Think this is enough for today, next update soon.