We're Here!

We made it to our apartment about 8:00AM Sunday (Krasnoyarsk time). We were serenaded in the car to that techno disco beat stuff they play around here, and we were exposed once again to the "speed-pull out in front of oncoming traffic-and duck back into your lane" driving technique that seems to be perfected and expected around here. It's actually warmer here than it was when we we're here in December--a lot warmer. That's good since we're fixing to make our way to the grocery store to by some supplies--I feel like I'm camping.

Our flight from Houston to Frankfurt were on Lufthansa. Very nice--I'd fly them again in a heartbeat. Hot wet towels before a meal, real silverware, real butter, and they actually turn out the lights and it's dark on the plane--and while the Russians seem to like their vodka, it appears that Germans like their wine. Wine was offered before the meal, during the meal, and after the meal. Red or white? The flight attendants just walked up and down the aisle with the bottles refilling as needed. After the meal, an attendant walks down the aisle selling cigarettes--but you can't have that after dinner smoke on the airplane, so I'm not sure what the reasoning behind that one it...

I think we spent $48 on 2 coffees and 2 muffins at Frankfurt Airport (I haven't done the exchange rate on Euros yet, but that is what Doug tells me we spent. How he knows I don't know...) Anyway, I promptly spilled my cup of mocha all over an unsuspecting French Canadian and her suitcase and so I hardly got to enjoy my overpriced purchase. Our gate was moved to what I'll refer to as the dungeon part of Frankfurt Airport--it was on the ground floor, no windows except for the giant revolving door which led you to none other than the busses. Yes, Frankfurt particpates in the same terminal to bus program just like Russian airports do. What is with all these European airports and not having enough catwalks for everyone to enjoy?

We flew into DMO airport this time. I don't know if it was because of the recent bombing attack or not, but security was so much tighter and guards with guns and big sticks were walking every where. Smoking is not permitted in the airport except in the "smoking" rooms. The smokers are supposed to go into a designated room with doors and to their thing there. These rooms have glass windows, and the smoke is so thick I have no idea how anybody can walk out of there myself. You literally look into that room and just see pillows of dark gray clouds. There are a few rebels however who choose to smoke outside the room; security is never called. I'm pretty sure they were "smokin' in the boys' room" too because when I walked past the bathroom door there was just this thick haze pouring out of the door. Noone seems to care that the rules are being broken.

Our airline that flew us to Krasnoyarsk was head to toe Sonic green. Not just any green. We're talking lime--glow in the dark lime with either a hot pink or bright red spot on the tail. The fleet parked out in the middle of the runway (which we were bussed to, of course!) looked like it was radioactive. I'll leave you with a
picture because I wouldn't have believed it myself.

These lucky people got to enjoy the catwalk to their plane ride:


We, however, got to brave the elements in order to board our own neon plane. I have pictures, but Blogger isn't loading them right now.

We're being picked up at 7:45 in the morning as we have a busy day--visit to the orphanage, 8 doctor medical, prepping for court! (Again, I apologize for spell check--it's not working in English...)