Day 34

We started with our new driver today.  K is a brother of one of the people we met who is active in the Orphan Ministry Team here and a part of the Tuesday night Bible study group we go to.  He's out of work right now, so he has the time to take us, which works out perfectly so we can see Danila daily again.

We had a fun visit, as always.  We love his giggles and his smiles, his energy and his playfulness.  We even love his stubbornness (it reminds us of Chase!)

We especially love his singing, and caught videos of Bryan trying to learn his swinging song.  Danya thinks it's hilarious when Bryan sings.  I do, too :)

After we visited, we came back to the apartment, ate lunch, took a little rest, and then met up with the Laynes to explore the Kh*rkov Zoo.  It cost $7.50 for both of our admissions, and we spent a couple hours wandering around the park.  It's SO different from any US zoo.  The animals are in smaller cages, whereas US zoos focus on putting animals in their natural habitats.  Granted, it's probably not as good for the animals, but it's a lot easier to see them up close and personal!

 See the WC sign?  It was pointing directly at this guy's cage...OUCH! (see below):

 

 It's fracking HOT out here with this pelt on.

 Doesn't this guy look like he has all the answers?

 Caught two bears wrestling in the water.  Thankful that I am not the object of their "playfulness."

 Jackrabbit.  This is what we look like when we come out of the Metro station and try to discern where we are.

 Hippos are enormous up front. No joke, we could have easily jumped the fence into their area.  I have a video of Big Mama walking down the steps into the water.  I fear that I may look like that if we are here much longer and I continue to eat McDonald's every day.

 The mightly lionness:

 I'm waiting to see if that camel will spit on Doug.

 Definitely white with black stripes.

 I've gotta see a man about a wallaby!

 I'm not sure why there was loose change in this snake terrarium..?

You can even bring food in with you and feed the animals.  I saw one family feeding the camels a loaf of bread and totally thought that the little boy was going to lose a finger.

Also, in the US, precautions are taken to the extreme so that you can't be an idiot and get too close to an animal and get yourself mauled or trampled.  Here, they just trust that you have the common sense NOT to jump the 2 1/2 foot fence to go pet the hippos, or to go frolicking with the warthogs.

After the zoo, we introduced Doug and Cara to the Ukrainian buffet (Ny3ata Xata), where Bryan and I ate the biggest portion of mashed potatoes EVAR and ended the evening with a gelato, like every good evening should end.