Catch Up Days - [10]

Moscow homestay - Our room was to the right of the door that has the light overhead
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I decided to put numbers on these logs because some people came in the middle and are unsure as to the progress. I'm not going to go back and number the past issues, but will try to number from now on. This is the 10th [10] by my count.

Since we have the luxury of time for a few days in Mechelen, we're going to catch you up on a few events that happened while we were in Russia. REB is here telling me, "Tell them this, tell them that." So I have my work orders.

I was so tired, I wanted to cry;

Looking left from Moscow homestay
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When we arrived in Moscow at 1:00 am, we were given a written itinerary with dates and times of our activities in Moscow. We knew when we were to be picked up at our homestay by the guide, when we were to be picked up at our homestay by the driver who would take us for a tour of Suzdal and Vladimir.

Anna, a very sweet young woman, arrived at our homestay at 10:00 am and off we went like puppies trying to keep up with her as she led us to the Metro station throughout the queue and onto the correct train for downtown. We followed her all day (some of those pictures will be in this issue). During that time we had to ask, "Please can we sit and have some food? Please can we just sit a minute?" The Russians can go day and night on their feet with no food or water! After such a long day we got back on the Metro and she told us that she would change to a different train in two stops to go to her home. We were to stay on for one more stop and we would be back where we started. Okay? Okay. No problem.

Looking right from Moscow homestay. Always know where you live!
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No problem, that is, until we came up from the Metro and had to remember how to get back to the homestay. We agreed on the first couple of streets but we came to one intersection where REB said, "We didn't cross here." I thought we did and that if we continued down that street to some trees I saw in the distance we would be home. REB disagreed. "We didn't cross this street,"he said. So we went up and down little streets trying to remember landmarks we'd never seen before. I was so tired, I wanted to cry; just sit on the side of the road and cry. My "dogs were barking" and I was hungry. The really, really stupid part was that we had not brought the address or phone number of the homestay. We couldn't even ask for help because we had no idea what to ask. Stupid rookie tourist mistake. This went on for the longest 45 minutes of my life until I convinced REB to cross the disputed street. Then he began recognize buildings. By this time I wasn't sure of anything and I doubted every familiar sight. But (and I want you to pay special attention here) when we came to the trees I'd pointed out earlier, we found the drive way that let to our homestay. REB recognized the street vendor near our door. Hurrah!

Fritte truck in Brussels with me and Ralph E
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We never left this homestay or the future one in St Petersburg without the address on a paper.

Now to present day: Yesterday REB, Ralph E and I went to Brussels. Ria stayed home to do some work and rest as she has to work during the week. We went to the Atomium (symbol of 1958 World's Fair). The line was long and hot so we went instead to "Mini-Europe" a little land sponsored by the European Union (EU) to promote famous and beautiful location throughout the conference. The models are all made of Legos.