Russian Tuesdays

 Josh watched the boys and sent me to town to just do whatever I wanted for a few hours before he left for the weekend. I went into a few shops, but my favorite thing is to just park somewhere and take pictures. I loved the color of the balconies on the building.

 There are always some wild hats, I liked this crazy purple one.

 I love when I'm out and about and find little hints of home. This coca cola machine was one of those little reminders today.

 Children in Russia are bundled up like there is no tomorrow! And we've been here long enough that I just bundle my kids too, just so that the old babushkas don't stop us and yell at us for letting our children freeze!

 The far right is the open market. There has been a truck there this past week each day selling bags of apples.

 This is one of our favorite streets in town. The shop with the yellow sign is what is called the children's cafe, but we just call it the bakery. It's where we get our fast food or pigs in a blanket. The shop to the right is like an appliance shop. We bought our DVD player there and hair trimmers. They are always nice to us. And right behind the big snow pile is a basement shop where I get wrapping paper, post cards, and Christmas lights.

 One of the cool old churches in Trubchevsk. I like to park right here at the gas station and take pictures of the people as they walk by.

 I loved how the cross glistened in the sunshine through the tree.

As I'm taking photos, two teenage girls start approaching my pickup. And like all Russians, they have to stare at the Americans. How do they know I'm American? It's quite easy really even when Josh and his cowboy hat aren't with me! There are only a few pickups in town, and they pretty much are all Miratorg pickups and they have the company logo right on the sides. So everyone knows the Americans drive the little silver pickups. Anyway, these girls were staring, and I start to get nervous, and decide to just look away until they pass. But then last second I decide to just stare back and see what they do. Well they just keep walking, staring all the way, finally then get by my window and start to cross the street. We're just staring at each other the whole time, finally I just smile, and they smile back and crossed the street! It was so awkward and funny all at the same time. I think if I rolled down my window they would have stopped and chatted for a while!ha. Russians don't know it's rude to stare.