Camping and Ice Swimming

This weekend began our first of many weekends away from Kyiv (we will not be back here for a weekend until March!).  We headed an hour out of town to the campground we visited in the early fall with 4 other families.  For any fellow Kyivites interested in an escape, here is the place's website:
http://www.zel.in.ua/?gclid=CODgovLfzK0CFUfwzAod2X2PgQ

We arrived at dark on Friday evening, just in time to unpack and join our friends for dinner in the restaurant on the grounds.  Saturday we woke up to snow falling.

Enzo's first act on Saturday morning was to fall through the ice (luckily the river is very shallow). He spent the rest of the day covered in icicles.  We think he was thrilled to be so nice and chilly!

Our cabins.  They are very spacious with two bedrooms, huge fireplaces and a big living room. There are kitchens but in typical Ukrainian style, they tore out the stoves and ovens once they built their restaurant last year to encourage business.  We did ask for hotplates so we were able to warm up soup and hot cocoa and did just fine cooking our food on the outdoor grills on Saturday night!

On my walk with Enzo on Saturday morning we spotted this cross-shaped hole carved out of the river. As the morning went on more decorations were added and by 12 the entire village was gathered at the river front. It turns out Saturday was Epiphany on the Orthodox calendar and by Ukrainian tradition on this day all water is sacred.  People bathe in rivers and lakes to wash away their sins.  You have to go under the water 3 times and cross yourself after each submersion.  More on this later....

We spent the morning trudging across the frozen river and exploring the forest on the other side. Enzo spent his time attempting to deforest the region. 

Tigre/Figaro spent his time tending the fire.  

Our cabin. 

The frozen river.  The side near our cabin was not fully frozen due to a spring nearby. It was very shallow so not dangerous- just something to avoid when sledding.  The river itself was solidly frozen judging by the vehicles we saw driving up and down on it.  

By noon the submersion area had been fully decorated and the local priest and his congregation had gathered.  

Blessing the water.

The very first person to enter the water was this woman.  She was more modestly dressed than the others who came later- men in their underwear and young women posing (Ukrainian women never seem to miss a chance to pose) in tiny bikinis.  

Once the congregation had mostly dispersed Paolo took his own turn at the ritual.  This was actually only his first of two submersions of the day. Later, back at our campground he did a sauna with the other men (and two brave women) in our group and they all leapt into the water at the lake there as well.  Paolo NEVER misses an opportunity to swim.

Forgotten Post from Italy

Silly me, I forgot to post this one....

We spent one of our last days in Italy visiting both the mountains and the sea.  I love Italy for many reasons, but the incredible variety this country offers is by far one of my favorite parts.  First we headed back to the ski area near our home for some fresh powder skiing (it had snowed heavily the day before).  Gio was his usual fearless self on the hill but it was the trampoline attraction that really got him excited:

Once we got in a few hours of snow fun, we hopped in the car and headed through the mountain pass and down to the ocean.  An hour later we were at the sea (Cinqe Terre) happily tossing rocks into the ocean and sitting at an outdoor cafe licking gelato.  

A few days later we began our drive back to Ukraine.  

Here is a clue that we had crossed the border into Ukraine. Yes, Ukrainian sculpture leaves something to be desired..... I will not even include a shot of what was under this pig's belly.  This is a family-friendly blog, after all. 

We have been back now in Kyiv for 4 days and I have taken Gio to school each morning on his sled. Quite a lazy fellow, isn't he?  Post school we head to a fantastic sledding hill near the metro stop.  Gio has no fear of the giant slope and the older Ukrainian boys he finds there are quite impressed with his bravery.  This week they were racing him down the hill and then helping him carry his sled back up.  He will be sad to discover next week that the Ukrainian schools start back on Monday so the slopes will be empty now.

In the 4 days we have been back there have been 2 large snow storms. A certain beast in our family is quite thrilled with the endless snow and cold!

This week we discovered this pair in the old Botanical Gardens. Enzo nearly fainted when he saw them- a mother and daughter ages 8 & 3. Enzo was a gentleman (for once) and treated them with great respect.  

We are spending this weekend nursing the cat (now named "Figaro") who endured the "big snip" yesterday.  He was in a diaper yesterday to the great amusement of Gio and the insatiable curiosity of Enzo.  He is now back to his dignified self and seems unfazed by it all.  Off for more sledding now!  xo. Clara