Four AM in Moscow on a Friday night and you would think it had been a wild night! Just sitting on the toilet seat in our comfortable studio apartment as a light on anywhere else could wake up the fam. After Vasa's nap today we played and talked to most of our family (Buddy and Jay - 8.30 am & JD you are on the docket)! Vasa quickly put on his socks, shoes, jacket and hat after he woke up as he was ready for another ride in a macheena. No such luck as we won't have another driver until Tuesday.
We did get out and venture to the grocery store right next to our building to grab some essentials. Water, milk, juice, yogurt, cereal and eggs. Vasa won us some points with the security man in our building who watches us with a careful eye (I know...I'm pretty menacing) with a quick "draswicha". We took our purchases up to the room and then headed just down the street to everyone's favorite Moscow restaurant...TGI Friday's! Our translator said we would probably see every other American in Moscow there for dinner but I think it was just us.
We took a stroll for about 30 mins after dinner to help Vas get ready for bed then came up and gave him a bath. Again, no bathtub (which he loves) so we sat him in the shower and I held the removable sprayer and held it at a level he could play in while sitting on the shower floor. All in all he had fun only it isn't as fun to play with a toy boat in the water that collects on the shower floor. At least he is imaginative. We soon put Vas down with a little tag team effort but it only took us about 30 mins. He is a very sweet boy.
My Moscovian adventure really began after Vasa went to bed...and believe me this isn't a raunchy tale of Claire and I in action! We decided to contact Delta in order to change our flight for a day earlier. I tried calling from the common room just outside our door (shared with another unit) but the call failed once the agent got on the line. So I tried again from inside our unit next to the window. Same response. I tried calling the local Delta office from our room phone (local calls are free!) but they only work 9 - 6 Mon - Fri at it was 8.30ish. So, I grab my passport, ticket info and wallet to go outside on the street. I got off the elevator and almost went out when I saw our (not so friendly) security man. The door has a code after a certain hour (which I left in the room) and I was certain that I would be outside longer than 15 mins which would be 9 pm (not sure when door is locked but didn't want to sleep on the street) so I headed back up to get the code.
When I got up to our floor I decided to try the small balcony that serves the entire hall. I thought, "It's right past our door" so it will be good. Three calls to Delta later (the first two were dropped again while waiting for a supervisor to help) and no less than 1 1/2 hours on the phone we got it worked out. Great story right? Well, I was leaning over the rail (i'm on the 21st floor) so that my reception was strong enough all while praying the battery would stay alive. Did I mention the door to the balcony only has handles from the inside? No? Well that's why I had one foot stretched back across the balcony wedged to keep the door open so I didn't get stuck. So I'm waiting...on hold when I see another couple coming down the hall (obviously not Russian) and they are our partner unit. They enter the unit and I hear them LOCK THE COMMON DOOR! It's a cool 11:00 pm by now and I'm stuck on the balcony, half hanging over the rail (I'm afraid of heights) with my leg still inside and the door to my room is locked. And of course I didn't bring my keys.
Well, I was cut off on my final Delta call as well due to battery issues but I made the very helpful agent promise that under all circumstances she was to complete our transaction. She did! So ear sore, tired and not sure how to get into my room I head back into the building. I beat on the door and sweet Claire comes out (asking through the door if it's me) to unlock the door. She can't! We spent a few mins with her trying. I'm telling her to knock on the neighbor's door as they locked me out here when she realizes that there are two locks - the 2nd needs a key. She grabs our key and I'm back home. No joke - I went through a lot of scenarios in my head on how to get back in my room - most contingent on my now dead cell phone! Thank the Lord Claire heard me.
The other side of the story is sweet Claire. She doesn't know where I am (i left to go outside) and I've been gone for close to 2 hrs. She is trying to figure out where I put the contact numbers for our translator and the company from whom we rented the unit. She even emailed my sister to ask her to call me. We only have one cell that is working! We quickly let buddy know that I was ok.
So why am I up? Not sure. I think the stress of the day has me reliving all my events. At the end of it all there is a pretty cool 3 year old sleeping soundly with an arm around a bear while covered up with his "Cars" (Disney approves of this use) blanket right outside my bathroom door. I like that...
I miss you all, girls mostly the three of you, and can't wait to be home! Love ya'll, Josh
We did get out and venture to the grocery store right next to our building to grab some essentials. Water, milk, juice, yogurt, cereal and eggs. Vasa won us some points with the security man in our building who watches us with a careful eye (I know...I'm pretty menacing) with a quick "draswicha". We took our purchases up to the room and then headed just down the street to everyone's favorite Moscow restaurant...TGI Friday's! Our translator said we would probably see every other American in Moscow there for dinner but I think it was just us.
We took a stroll for about 30 mins after dinner to help Vas get ready for bed then came up and gave him a bath. Again, no bathtub (which he loves) so we sat him in the shower and I held the removable sprayer and held it at a level he could play in while sitting on the shower floor. All in all he had fun only it isn't as fun to play with a toy boat in the water that collects on the shower floor. At least he is imaginative. We soon put Vas down with a little tag team effort but it only took us about 30 mins. He is a very sweet boy.
My Moscovian adventure really began after Vasa went to bed...and believe me this isn't a raunchy tale of Claire and I in action! We decided to contact Delta in order to change our flight for a day earlier. I tried calling from the common room just outside our door (shared with another unit) but the call failed once the agent got on the line. So I tried again from inside our unit next to the window. Same response. I tried calling the local Delta office from our room phone (local calls are free!) but they only work 9 - 6 Mon - Fri at it was 8.30ish. So, I grab my passport, ticket info and wallet to go outside on the street. I got off the elevator and almost went out when I saw our (not so friendly) security man. The door has a code after a certain hour (which I left in the room) and I was certain that I would be outside longer than 15 mins which would be 9 pm (not sure when door is locked but didn't want to sleep on the street) so I headed back up to get the code.
When I got up to our floor I decided to try the small balcony that serves the entire hall. I thought, "It's right past our door" so it will be good. Three calls to Delta later (the first two were dropped again while waiting for a supervisor to help) and no less than 1 1/2 hours on the phone we got it worked out. Great story right? Well, I was leaning over the rail (i'm on the 21st floor) so that my reception was strong enough all while praying the battery would stay alive. Did I mention the door to the balcony only has handles from the inside? No? Well that's why I had one foot stretched back across the balcony wedged to keep the door open so I didn't get stuck. So I'm waiting...on hold when I see another couple coming down the hall (obviously not Russian) and they are our partner unit. They enter the unit and I hear them LOCK THE COMMON DOOR! It's a cool 11:00 pm by now and I'm stuck on the balcony, half hanging over the rail (I'm afraid of heights) with my leg still inside and the door to my room is locked. And of course I didn't bring my keys.
Well, I was cut off on my final Delta call as well due to battery issues but I made the very helpful agent promise that under all circumstances she was to complete our transaction. She did! So ear sore, tired and not sure how to get into my room I head back into the building. I beat on the door and sweet Claire comes out (asking through the door if it's me) to unlock the door. She can't! We spent a few mins with her trying. I'm telling her to knock on the neighbor's door as they locked me out here when she realizes that there are two locks - the 2nd needs a key. She grabs our key and I'm back home. No joke - I went through a lot of scenarios in my head on how to get back in my room - most contingent on my now dead cell phone! Thank the Lord Claire heard me.
The other side of the story is sweet Claire. She doesn't know where I am (i left to go outside) and I've been gone for close to 2 hrs. She is trying to figure out where I put the contact numbers for our translator and the company from whom we rented the unit. She even emailed my sister to ask her to call me. We only have one cell that is working! We quickly let buddy know that I was ok.
So why am I up? Not sure. I think the stress of the day has me reliving all my events. At the end of it all there is a pretty cool 3 year old sleeping soundly with an arm around a bear while covered up with his "Cars" (Disney approves of this use) blanket right outside my bathroom door. I like that...
I miss you all, girls mostly the three of you, and can't wait to be home! Love ya'll, Josh
Wow Josh! That was a serious adventure. Hang in there. We are all back here thinking of you guys and praying for you. It is all part of this crazy journey and will make great stories for Vasa some day.
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