June 14th, 2009 - It’s a warm, partly sunny day here in Sucinsk, Kazakhstan. Daniel was in a great mood this morning and it’s my 44th Birthday! After awakening to a hand-drawn card by my wonderfully talented wife that has captured the essence of our trip here, we spent the morning with our boy, then to my surprise our translator and driver made it even better by presenting me with birthday gifts from Kazakhstan: 
A beautiful picture made from the local birch trees, a big box of really tasty chocolates…and… a bottle of Kazakhstan Vodka! Oh, it will be a really happy birthday now!!!!
This afternoon we are planning to slip our chains and venture out to the ruins of an old W.W. II German POW camp…not quite the same as climbing a mountain (Something that has become a tradition for Sue and me on my birthday) but those of you that know my love of military history know it is close. That is, as long as I can resist the Vodka’s siren song as it sits here by my elbow…
We only get to visit Danny one more day (tomorrow) before court, then a quick goodbye with him on Wednesday before we head back to Astana to fly home early the next morning. Now for some parting thoughts in case this is our last entry before leaving:
Things we’d never thought we’d say:
Great, there’s camel poop (or use your imagination!) on the stroller wheels again.
I like the Mushroom soup flavored Lay’s potato chips better than the Shish-kabob ones… and my favorite – what flavor are they depicting on the package????
This Snicker’s bar tastes like ….. I’m not eating any more chocolate – you finish it. (That was before they gave me the good stuff!)
Look honey, there’s a FOUR legged dog!
Let’s save the last Mac-n-cheese for a special occasion.
I’m looking forward to airline food.
It’s right there on the shelf next to the canned horse meat…
What flavor is that supposed to be? (the label says bacon, but the picture doesn’t seem to match)
Things we thought we’d never have to experience:
Getting busted by the national park trash collectors because we didn’t have our papers…at the top of the mountain we just climbed… where our translator and driver had to come claim us….
Stepping around the goat being milked on the sidewalk
Having my head wound taken care of by an American Veterinarian instead of their doctors, and damned happy about it!!!
Three layers of clothing and a stocking cap for our child on an almost 80 degree day (not OUR choice!)
Snow on Memorial Day
Buying “Gifts” for the court officials consisting of toad prosperity statues (Not our choice either – we’re waiting to see if our translator is setting us up for a jail sentence)
Buying court “gifts” the same place they sell water bongs and heroin incense – cheap too! 3000 Tenge (about 20 US$) for a large beautifully crafted model. (Not that I’d know!!!!)
Getting out of being shaken down by the criminals posing as cops because we didn’t speak the language (Russian), how were we supposed to know what they wanted???
Being afraid to eat the chocolate – see above
Things we miss or look forward to:
Standing under a hot shower – for a long time
Eating raw produce (Salads baby, yeah!!!!)
McDonalds – with American beef (and being sure it’s really beef)
Not having to boil our drinking water
One stop shopping – “sorry, no eggs again.”
Not watching where you step so as not to impale yourself on broken beer bottles or hypodermic syringes
English language!!!!!!!!
All for now!
Eric
A beautiful picture made from the local birch trees, a big box of really tasty chocolates…and… a bottle of Kazakhstan Vodka! Oh, it will be a really happy birthday now!!!!This afternoon we are planning to slip our chains and venture out to the ruins of an old W.W. II German POW camp…not quite the same as climbing a mountain (Something that has become a tradition for Sue and me on my birthday) but those of you that know my love of military history know it is close. That is, as long as I can resist the Vodka’s siren song as it sits here by my elbow…
We only get to visit Danny one more day (tomorrow) before court, then a quick goodbye with him on Wednesday before we head back to Astana to fly home early the next morning. Now for some parting thoughts in case this is our last entry before leaving:
Things we’d never thought we’d say:
Great, there’s camel poop (or use your imagination!) on the stroller wheels again.
I like the Mushroom soup flavored Lay’s potato chips better than the Shish-kabob ones… and my favorite – what flavor are they depicting on the package????
This Snicker’s bar tastes like ….. I’m not eating any more chocolate – you finish it. (That was before they gave me the good stuff!)
Look honey, there’s a FOUR legged dog!
Let’s save the last Mac-n-cheese for a special occasion.
I’m looking forward to airline food.
It’s right there on the shelf next to the canned horse meat…What flavor is that supposed to be? (the label says bacon, but the picture doesn’t seem to match)Things we thought we’d never have to experience:
Getting busted by the national park trash collectors because we didn’t have our papers…at the top of the mountain we just climbed… where our translator and driver had to come claim us….
Stepping around the goat being milked on the sidewalk
Having my head wound taken care of by an American Veterinarian instead of their doctors, and damned happy about it!!!
Three layers of clothing and a stocking cap for our child on an almost 80 degree day (not OUR choice!)
Snow on Memorial Day
Buying “Gifts” for the court officials consisting of toad prosperity statues (Not our choice either – we’re waiting to see if our translator is setting us up for a jail sentence)
Buying court “gifts” the same place they sell water bongs and heroin incense – cheap too! 3000 Tenge (about 20 US$) for a large beautifully crafted model. (Not that I’d know!!!!)
Getting out of being shaken down by the criminals posing as cops because we didn’t speak the language (Russian), how were we supposed to know what they wanted???
Being afraid to eat the chocolate – see above
Things we miss or look forward to:
Standing under a hot shower – for a long time
Eating raw produce (Salads baby, yeah!!!!)
McDonalds – with American beef (and being sure it’s really beef)
Not having to boil our drinking water
One stop shopping – “sorry, no eggs again.”
Not watching where you step so as not to impale yourself on broken beer bottles or hypodermic syringes
English language!!!!!!!!
All for now!
Eric
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