Busting out of this hotel is no easy task. The door just always seems stuck or locked or something. There is not latch to push or knob to turn just an immovable handle to shove.
Day one-push, shove, push, shove, Russian woman hears my struggles and goes all law and order style and busts the door open for me. Okay, so that's how it is.
Day two-push, shove, back up, get some momentum, slam into the door, nothing. This place is impossible to leave. Russian woman hears my struggles and starts telling me what to do in Russian, okay got it.... no luck and she opens it for me.
Day three-forget the shoving and pushing because I clearly can't do it. All morning I spend thinking about how I can get out by myself. 12:30, ready to go. I go downstairs, drop my key on the counter, and get out my credit card. See between the door and the door jam is the little metal thingy that keeps the door closed. You know turn the knob and the metal thingy moves so you can get out? You know what I mean. Anyway, there is no ability to turn because there is no knob, so I shove my credit card in there to push the metal thing out of the latch and the door just slips open....finally. Glad I figured it out on day 3 rather than 13....I'm only slightly more successful at getting back inside. I only leave once a day.
Today when I left I went out to the main street and turned the other direction, maybe my favorite direction so far. This direction led to the mall! Bottom floor, grocery store. Middle and top floor, various clothing and shoe stores. As soon as I walk in I am struck by the heat. No one else seems to be, children walk around dressed in full snow gear, women in long fur coats, they don't even unbutton and I feel as though I may melt. I stroll past the refrigerated food section so I can cool off before carrying on.
Upstairs it's your typical mall with all the usual suspects. Sporting goods store, underwear store, hat store, high healed boot store, toy store, women's clothing store, kid's clothing store. I have two things in my head that I was hopping to find.
-sippy cup
-baby tights These things are nothing like american tights. They are thick and warm cozy tights designed for both boys and girls. Because why should only girls have warm legs? I didn't bring snow pants because they are so bulky these tights will keep his legs cozy warm under his regular pants. I just need to figure out how to read the size chart on the side...
The mall had both of these items. Score. I didn't purchase them today, lets not get ahead of ourselves. I'm here until Feb 6th I need to spread out the excitement. Instead I go back down to the food store and look for my favorite ice cream bar. Find it, buy it, and walk around outside in the 14 degree air eating my favorite ice cream. Tomorrow I shall conquer baby tights.
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For whatever reason the comment section is not allowing me to comment. I see your concerns about the snow pants. I kinda figured that was the case...I shall pick up a pair.
I see you said you did not bring him snow pants we adopted rom Kaz in April and were not allowed to leave the baby house with our son without a thick snow suit not sure if it is the same way in Russia but I think you should ask would hate to see you have any delays in busting him out!!!!
ReplyDeleteTrisha, Thumbs up for your field trips! And way to conquer the door! Good for you! :)
ReplyDeleteLove reading your tidbits. I seriously wake up, log in and hope you posted so I drink and catch up over my coffee :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amanda above. St. Petersburg was very strict in saying you needed snow pants, boots, hat, gloves and scarf, and we took Ava out in April! Maybe you should ask your translator about this!
ReplyDeleteThe place you found is what we called the "Walmartski". I thought it was a little different than WM but hey it worked. We would go there almost everyday... Ya, we got bored.
ReplyDeleteYa you will need the snowpants, ,we brought ours but the other couple had to buy a suit there, good luck.
Jenny
Haha. In the US, we won't let you leave without a car seat. But, just like Bolivia, apparently the real imminent danger in some countries isn't death in a moving vehicle, it's cold legs! (Don't even get me started about the extremely dangerous practice of letting your baby go around without socks or a hat when it's only 75 degrees out. Seriously abusive!)
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