Well, Lisa, we did move back to our original hotel, but I didn't have my porridge this morning. Let me explain how it all went down:
Friday Night
The toilet in the second hotel room didn't work either. The phone worked fine. When the hotel people helped us move to the second room it was so funny...this lady picked up the phone as if showing us how to work it. She pushed the receiver button down and put the phone to Brad's ear, then pushed it again and put it to his ear again! He looked like he wanted to smack her! Anyway, the room was also very cold. So, in the middle of the night Brad went to the lobby, with his hair all sticking up, and said the russian word for "cold" to the receptionist. He came back up a few minutes later and a few minutes after that this man came in with a space heater. It took a while, but it warmed things up. The hotel also has a casino in it, so it was quite noisy. When we got up, we were quite determined to go back to our first hotel that we liked...we just needed to figure out how to do it.
Saturday
We were picked up by only our driver this morning and taken to the baby house. We usually visit in the afternoon, but because it was Saturday, we went from 10am-12pm. We wondered if Caleb would react any differently because it was a different time, but he was the same. Check out the pics to see Caleb in his Spurs outfit! He was "talking" a lot this morning, so we tried to get him to say "Mama" and "Dada," etc. but he was content at making the raspberry sound a lot!
When our time was up, we walked to the car and it was still just our driver. We knew there was a possibility of us going to the Bizarre today, so we were hoping the driver wasn't going to just drop us off there! As it turns out, we drove to a bus stop and waited for Janet's son to get off a bus and join us. He walked us around the HUGE Bizarre. Well, I think we only saw about half of it! It was a really cold day today...colder than it has been since the night we left Almaty! So, Brad said that shopping at the Bizarre was like shopping in a freezer! There was a lot of ice on the ground, so we kept slipping! There were a lot of really nice looking, warm coats for sale at the Bizarre. They were ones that we might wear one or two days out of the year in San Antonio. I ended up buying a purse (surprise, surprise) and Brad bought a watch. (Now he won't have to keep asking me what time it is!!) When we were leaving, we tried to explain to Janet's son that we wanted to go back to our old hotel. He said he didn't understand. I said, "Hotel Zhambyl ploho (bad), Hotel Gazovik harasho (good). " He just shook his head. We kept trying and finally he said he would tell his mom. He called her on the telephone and then we waited for the driver. Then they took us back to the hotel...the one we don't like! So, we called our interpreter at home. Brad explained everything to her and she said she'd call us back. We figured we'd have to pay for two nights there since by the time we would leave it would already be after 5pm, plus we'd pay for the night at the Gazovik. We didn't care, we just wanted to be someplace where we were comfortable again. As it turned out, they just charged us for one night. We waited a little while in the lobby for our driver and Janet's son. We figured they were thinking "crazy Americans!" They took us back to the Gazovik where we were able to get our old room! We were just like little kids...Brad said,"Ahh, my blanket!" I said, "Ahh, my toilet paper!" Then we ate dinner at our hotel and watched DVDs until we went to sleep.
Sunday
Sunday we slept in (since we were so comfortable) and didn't go down for breakfast. We are not allowed to visit the baby house on Sundays, so we figured we'd just rest up, watch movies, try to catch up on the blog and emails, etc. today. So, now that the blog is caught up, I think we'll go get some lunch and then come back and watch a movie...well, in about an hour after I upload the pictures! Last night was new year's eve over here. Fireworks were being shot off all over town. We just got back from lunch and are finishing up this blog. We went to Cafe Instanbul. Pet had magarita pizza (cheese) again and I had some chicken shishkabobs that tasted good. You would think we were in Turkey since the 3 nearest restaraunts are all turkish restaraunts. And its not like there are a lot of choices either. On our walk back to our hotel, we stopped at the main square and grabbed a few candy bars from a vendor on the street to take back to the hotel to have later. Pet needs her chocolate. Anyway, talk to y'all later!
Friday Night
The toilet in the second hotel room didn't work either. The phone worked fine. When the hotel people helped us move to the second room it was so funny...this lady picked up the phone as if showing us how to work it. She pushed the receiver button down and put the phone to Brad's ear, then pushed it again and put it to his ear again! He looked like he wanted to smack her! Anyway, the room was also very cold. So, in the middle of the night Brad went to the lobby, with his hair all sticking up, and said the russian word for "cold" to the receptionist. He came back up a few minutes later and a few minutes after that this man came in with a space heater. It took a while, but it warmed things up. The hotel also has a casino in it, so it was quite noisy. When we got up, we were quite determined to go back to our first hotel that we liked...we just needed to figure out how to do it.
Saturday
We were picked up by only our driver this morning and taken to the baby house. We usually visit in the afternoon, but because it was Saturday, we went from 10am-12pm. We wondered if Caleb would react any differently because it was a different time, but he was the same. Check out the pics to see Caleb in his Spurs outfit! He was "talking" a lot this morning, so we tried to get him to say "Mama" and "Dada," etc. but he was content at making the raspberry sound a lot!
When our time was up, we walked to the car and it was still just our driver. We knew there was a possibility of us going to the Bizarre today, so we were hoping the driver wasn't going to just drop us off there! As it turns out, we drove to a bus stop and waited for Janet's son to get off a bus and join us. He walked us around the HUGE Bizarre. Well, I think we only saw about half of it! It was a really cold day today...colder than it has been since the night we left Almaty! So, Brad said that shopping at the Bizarre was like shopping in a freezer! There was a lot of ice on the ground, so we kept slipping! There were a lot of really nice looking, warm coats for sale at the Bizarre. They were ones that we might wear one or two days out of the year in San Antonio. I ended up buying a purse (surprise, surprise) and Brad bought a watch. (Now he won't have to keep asking me what time it is!!) When we were leaving, we tried to explain to Janet's son that we wanted to go back to our old hotel. He said he didn't understand. I said, "Hotel Zhambyl ploho (bad), Hotel Gazovik harasho (good). " He just shook his head. We kept trying and finally he said he would tell his mom. He called her on the telephone and then we waited for the driver. Then they took us back to the hotel...the one we don't like! So, we called our interpreter at home. Brad explained everything to her and she said she'd call us back. We figured we'd have to pay for two nights there since by the time we would leave it would already be after 5pm, plus we'd pay for the night at the Gazovik. We didn't care, we just wanted to be someplace where we were comfortable again. As it turned out, they just charged us for one night. We waited a little while in the lobby for our driver and Janet's son. We figured they were thinking "crazy Americans!" They took us back to the Gazovik where we were able to get our old room! We were just like little kids...Brad said,"Ahh, my blanket!" I said, "Ahh, my toilet paper!" Then we ate dinner at our hotel and watched DVDs until we went to sleep.
Sunday
Sunday we slept in (since we were so comfortable) and didn't go down for breakfast. We are not allowed to visit the baby house on Sundays, so we figured we'd just rest up, watch movies, try to catch up on the blog and emails, etc. today. So, now that the blog is caught up, I think we'll go get some lunch and then come back and watch a movie...well, in about an hour after I upload the pictures! Last night was new year's eve over here. Fireworks were being shot off all over town. We just got back from lunch and are finishing up this blog. We went to Cafe Instanbul. Pet had magarita pizza (cheese) again and I had some chicken shishkabobs that tasted good. You would think we were in Turkey since the 3 nearest restaraunts are all turkish restaraunts. And its not like there are a lot of choices either. On our walk back to our hotel, we stopped at the main square and grabbed a few candy bars from a vendor on the street to take back to the hotel to have later. Pet needs her chocolate. Anyway, talk to y'all later!
4 comments:
I WAS WONDERING WHEN THE SPURS OUTFIT WAS GOING TO APPEAR. IT MUST BE GOOD LUCK BECAUSE THEY HAVE WON THE LAST FOUR GAMES I THINK, BUT BONNER GOT HURT LAST NIGHT SO HE WILL BE OUT FOR A WHILE. I AM GLAD YOU ARE SETTLED AGAIN. THAT LAST HOTEL SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS HORRIBLE. I AM SURPRISED YOU EVEN HAD BATHROOMS IN THE ROOMS. THE BABY LOOKS MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE WITH YOU GUYS. YOU CAN JUST TELL BY LOOKING IN HIS EYES AND COMPARING THEM TO THE FIRST DAY. WELL I HAVE TO GET READY FOR CHURCH. WE SING THIS MORNING. IT HAS BEEN RAINING FOR FOR TWO DAYS SO IT IS DAMP AND 41 DEGREES THIS MORNING. WHICH PROBABLY WARM TO YOU. HA LOVE GINNY AND GARY
Hey Pethrie, Brad, and Caleb! I've been reading your blog. It's so much fun seeing Caleb. Sounds like you're adjusting well to the area. We definitely need to send you a care package!! Caleb is just beautiful. I love those cheeks. Do you ever get to visit the nursery? Are you allowed to go outside and walk around with him? I just hope and pray that everything will run smoothly and you'll be home soon. Love, Trisha
Hi Brad, Pethrie, and Caleb. Wow what a beautiful baby! The bonding process looks like it is going very well, Ya'll look like a family! I am very happy and excited for all of you. I think we are just as cold here as you are. We are under a winter storm warning till 6pm Wed and may get snow!! Anyway you know we all are hoping school closes tomorrow and that it snows.
Take care and give
Caleb a big Texas hug from me!!
Hope to see all 3 of you soon!
Love Robin C.
Pethrie,
We just found out that we are having a bad weather day tomorrow. It is very icy and cold here. Probably not as cold as where you are but for Texas it is enough.
I'm glad to find out that you moved back to the first hotel. You sound like you're much happier being there.
More soon from cold SA.
Melissa
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