Stage Right Stage Left

The end

2008-03-17T07:55:00.002-04:00

I am ending this blog today. I am doing so because Google or Blogspot or whatever nameless faceless unwilling-to-respond-to-problems people are making it difficult to use this space.

About every third time I try to get on my dashboard and to use g mail, I am asked to start a new one. There is supposed to be a sign in place on the upper right hand of the screen but it is not there.

So good bye.

The Election of March 4, 2008

2008-03-06T08:29:00.002-05:00

I served as a Clerk Judge in Batavia Twp precinct G for the March 4, 2008 election.

I was greatly dismayed by the lack of ballots for the Democratic primary.

Our Presiding Judge, a Republican, Pamela Henegar, told us at the beginning of the day that she thought we had too few ballots for the Democratic Party.

We were down to less than ten ballots after 4pm when an official brought us 27 more Democratic Ballots. We had called the phone number at the Board of Elections had given us to report issues. In four calls I made on my cell phone to the Board I never got to speak to anyone. I had to leave messages. We had questions about what to tell voters what to do when we ran out.

Shortly after 6 pm we ran out of Democratic ballots and were unable to contact the board of elections. I know we turned away several voters although we told them all they could wait for ballots to arrive or go directly to the board of elections to vote.

Eventually, my Presiding Judge urged me to drive into Batavia to see if we could get more ballots. I left our polling place about 7:05. I was given ballots for all four of the precincts in the elementary school were we were located, Holly Hill, and arrived back there at 7:35. We had twelve people in line who voted in the democratic primary at that point and several in two of the other precincts.

It appears to me that the Clermont County Board of Elections was unprepared for the high voter turnout, unprepared to respond to the need for more ballots and unprepared to answer phone calls which, during training, they urged us to make.

Finally, I wish to complain about the behavior of the judges in Precinct F of Batavia Twp. When voters entered the gymnasium at Holly Hill Elementary asking where they should vote, those judges refused to look up their addresses and point them to the correct precinct. We had numerous voters wandering from table to table until arriving at Precinct G; we took the time to help them.

The people at Precinct F angered several people by their attitude and refusal to do the simple work of looking up polling places. They need to be better trained or reprimanded.

Sewanee

2008-02-23T14:10:00.002-05:00

After probably fifteen years I have returned to Sewanee. This holy place on the Cumberland Plateau is the location of the University of the South and its School of Theology were I earned an M.Div. twenty two years ago. I am here for two weeks as a Fellow in Residence to read, study, walk, talk and pray.

I attend the Daily Offices and daily Eucharist in the seminary chapel, which was not there when I was here. I am spending time translating Greek; trying to "unrust" it.

The low clouds hanging on to the mountain make Sewanee grey and brown during this time of the year.

Peaceful. I need that right now as I make a transition to the last third of my life or at least to my third career.

Sex, Sin, Adam and Eve

2008-02-20T11:21:00.000-05:00

Adam and Eve naked and innocent in the Garden of Eden are tempted by a snake to eat an apple, first Eve tempted by the snake and then Adam tempted by Eve. Thus they learned not only that they were “neked” but they learned about sin by having sex.

Wrong. The only part of that description of the beginning of Genesis Chapter three that is accurate is that they began naked.

Eve is not given her name until the next chapter. The man, adam, which means undifferentiated human, is not called Adam until the next chapter. Here they are still ish and isha. It was not a snake but a servant; it was not an apple but a fruit. While the woman took and ate the fruit first, the man was with her all the time, Genesis 3:6. They had already had sex with each other, Genesis 2: 24.

Note that they were tempted as we all are to something good, Genesis 3:6.

Genesis chapter three is not about the origin of sin. If there was no sin before the serpent- woman conversation, how could either the man or the woman have been tempted and succumbed to disobedience? No. This is a story that says human beings have always been tempted from the very beginning and have always given in to temptation.

There was no “Fall” in the sense that there was a time in human existence when people were “perfect” and one human being started the sinning for all the rest of us. The fall is not a past tense verb; it is a continuing event in the relationship between humans and God.

Human sinfulness is not, despite St. Augustine, tied to sex. There is no inherent connection between sexual intercourse and disobedience to God. Indeed, the act of love between two people is a sacrament which embodies the love of God for creation. Like all good things we can and do pervert it. Augustine and much of the church have perverted sex by linking it with sin.

Finally, the story of “Adam and Eve, the snake and the apple in the Garden of Eden” is a story. It is a made up, true, fictional, myth which tells us much of great value about ourselves and our continuing relationship to the loving creator.

The story ends with a very domestic YHWH designing and making clothing for the couple. Genesis 3:21.

The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

2008-02-02T09:09:00.001-05:00

Some call it Ground Hog Day. For Christians, at least those of us in the catholic tradition, this is a feast day marking the day Jesus, son of Mary and Joseph, was taken to the temple in Jerusalem and dedicated. See Exodus chapter 13.

We don't celebrate this much in the Episcopal church, I suspect because "baby dedication" sounds like something Baptists do. We baptize infants and they dedicate them until they are old enough to say they are born again. When Episcopal kids reach that age we have the Bishop "confirm" them. Same thing, well almost.

This feast is also known the the Purification of Mary. It follows the tradition that somehow women are impure after childbirth and during their monthly bleeding period. Such a feast is born of the fear men have of women's power to give birth.

Unclean does not mean dirty. Could we revive some sense of being in need of a spiritual wash? Men and women alike are estranged from God, from the good spirit of creation in ways that are sinful. When we sin we separate ourselves from God. But there are times, things we do that are not necessarily wrong but move us, not exactly away from God, but perhaps raise some kind of barrier. It is that sort of idea, I think that illuminates what the Hebrew scriptures mean by "unclean."

The only thing I have experienced that might be comparable is periods of depression and panic. I cannot see how such a time equates to the period after childbirth, but I have felt that separation and a need to be cleaned following panic attacks.

Career change

2008-02-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

Finding a job is a full time job. My last job, Vicar of the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan ended when the new Bishop chose to stop funding that mission church. He provided two months severance pay, membership in a career coaching company and just recently several months of health insurance.

I have been talking about retiring, but wanted to do it on my own time. I had talked about getting out of parish ministry, but again wanted to do it my own way. So.

January and February looked to be a mini sabbatical. I would spend the time working on Greek and re writing my Chicago Junction stories for publication. Neither has happened. I have spent most of the time working on how to "package my skill set" so that I might appeal to employers outside the church.

The process of learning how to "network" [Verbing weirds language - Pogo], is challenges me. I don't like making telephone calls to people I don't know. But I have been doing it.

On the Great Wall of China May 2007

2008-01-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the picture of the event described in the journal of our trip to China and Russia in which I meet a young Chinese woman who attempt to sell me her "magic rings." I showed her the old trick of pulling off your finger!

Humming birds

2008-01-21T13:53:00.000-05:00

Last summer we had the most successful humming bird feeder ever. Towards the end of the summer there was a veritable flock of the little helcopters buzzing around like flys. See for yourself.

Tom at a stop on the Trans Siberian Railway May 2007

2008-01-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

What has been happening

2008-01-21T13:46:00.001-05:00

Since I last wrote in the blog my Bishop told me I would have to go to half time in the church I was service. Six weeks later the church was told there would be no money at all for me beginning January 1, 2008. They did provide two months, only two months, severance pay. After 21 and half years in the parish ministry I was dismissed without even an apology.

Be careful what you wish for. I have been wanting to leave parish ministry for some other form of priestly service. But I would rather do it on my time. Do I attribute this change in my fortunes to the God who listens and grants me what I ask for or to the vagaries of the worldly church?

If I were not angry with the way I have been treated, I would be happy about the change. But on March 1 I will have not income, no job, no health care. Bishop Breidenthal provided me with a three months contract with a job coach. It is very good work, but it is not going to provide me with an immediate income.

What I am exploring: CPE residency. Chaplaincy at Bethany School. Non religious jobs. That is a biggie. I have applied for a chaplaincy with the Seaman’s Institute and a half time church in southern Kentucky.

In the mean time Nancye has acquired a second job. In addition to framing pictures for Michaels she is a part time secretary at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Terrace Park.

Patriots we leave out

2007-08-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

When the World Series opens in October, alas I fear without our Cincinnati Reds, there is likely to be an honor guard of men and women from the various branches of the military carrying flags and banners. In all likelihood there will be a flyover of jets from the Air Force. When we have national or patriotic observances we tend to turn them into celebrations of the contributions of the military to our freedom and liberty. On Independence Day everyone from Baseball commentators to public radio news commentators talked mainly about the “ultimate sacrifice” made by our soldiers and sailors and airmen. Even the National Day of Prayer seems to have become a mini-Memorial Day

This trend is understandable when the nation is at war. We pray for the safety of our military personnel even when many of us find this particular war to be a terrible mistake. We are avoiding the error we made in the Viet Nam war when we blamed the men and women who fought the war. Thank God, we are not doing that to our Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

It takes only a moment to realize that there are others who deserve credit for America’s Independence, freedom and liberty . Let’s remember the men who drafted the Declaration of Independence and the lawyers and judges who wrote and defend the laws that protect our freedom. Americans have a rather low view of both lawyers and politicians. Every lawyer I have known personally is a good citizen who works as selfishly as anyone else. While there are some unscrupulous and intolerant politicians the vast majority of Republicans and Democrats alike are God fearing patriots who deserve our thanks.

What about honoring teachers who generation after generation have taught our children about the rule of law, the virtue of compromise, the duty of citizens. On the Fourth of July I would like nothing better than to remember some of my teachers who helped not just me but thousands of other kids learn to be good citizens.

At the moment we are at odds about what to do with the millions of immigrants to our country who have arrived without official papers. Immigrants, legal and illegal, have come to these shores seeking and preserving freedom. My forebears came from England, Germany, Holland probably a few other places I don’t know about. They helped make America free.

Then there are the bus drivers, computer technicians, factory workers, clerks and many more, who by their way of living helped preserve American values. On Independence Day would it not also be good to laud those who year after year learn about the candidates and issues and vote.

The men and women who serve in the military, who die and kill for our country, deserve our thanks and honor. They are not the only heroes and perhaps not the most important.

At this year’s World Series opening and next year’s July Fourth parade there could be an honor guard made up of public school teachers, telephone repairmen and plumbers. Perhaps we could organize some factory workers, office clerks and employees at “big box” stores to parachute onto the playing field!

America is a great and wonderful country made up of many different sorts of people doing a multitude of things. Let’s celebrate the gifts we all bring.

China Russia combined journals

2007-07-09T13:24:00.000-04:00

Here are the combined journals of Thomas and Nancye Van Brunt from our May 2007 round the world trip: Korea, China, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia, German, Belgium and home. If you want to see our pictures send a request and your e mail address to philippiansfoursix@hotmail.com

From: yourownephod@hotmail.com
Subject: journal
Date: July 9, 2007 12:40:40 EDT
To: goodsamvicar@swohio.twcbc.com

China/Mongolia/Russia

Trans-Siberian Railway May 2007

Toms entries will look like this:

June 6, 2007. Nancye and I have just returned from a three week trip around the world. It was the sort of adventure that happens only once in a lifetime. On May 10 we flew to Beijing from Cincinnati, Ohio. There we spent four days seeing the usual sights. Then we embarked on the central piece of our trip. We boarded the Trans-Siberian railroad in Beijing and rode all the way to Moscow. On the way we had an over night stay in Ulaan Baator, the capital of Mongolia. Reboarding we spend four full days relaxing on the train - or as Nancye says, Camping out on the train. Then we had three nights in Moscow, the overnight train to St. Petersburg and three nights and days there. In Ulaan Baator, Moscow and St. Petersburg we stayed with local residents in a homestay.

On May 29 we flew to Cologne, Germany and stayed one day with my college sweetheart, Kate Adcock Siegel. On the 30th we took a train to Brussels where we spent the night so we could get up early the next morning and fly to New York and Cincinnati.

In the coming days I will post some stories from the trip and if I can figure out how to do it some pictures.

Three for the moment.

Several years ago I got a wild idea. Why not drive a Land Rover to Alaska, take a ferry across the Bering Straits and then drive across Siberia to Western Europe. I actually investigated this idea eventually talking with some one at National Geographic and learning that there are no roads in eastern Siberia and no gas stations. We would have to mount an expedition similar to ascending Mt. Everest. So.

Then we discovered the Trans Siberian railway and spent several years planning and saving for this great adventure. Rather than start in Vladivostock we decided to begin in Beijing and to see that city as well as the two Russian cities at the other end of the line. So we did.

Nancyes entries will look like this:

May 10 We are on our way, tired already, and weve only completed the first leg . . .
The original inspiration was to buy a Land Rover, drive to Alaska, across to Kamchatka and thence cross country to Moscow. Even the National Geographic people said no to thatno gas stations, no roads. And we didnt have money to mount an expedition.
Sowe fly to Beijing, pickup the Transiberian Railway and go all the way to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Tom has had a lot of anxiety and even asked me last week how mad I would be if we couldnt go. A couple of visits to therapist and family doctor gave lots of encouragement and an adjustment in medication. So far, so good.
Today has been a beautiful day to fly. I decided to use part of my inheritance to upgrade to business or first class for the first legs of the trip, fulfilling a longstanding wish to travel somewhere a long way away first class. It doesnt get any farther than this.

Tom

May 10, 2007 Los Angeles Airport. We finished packing this morning with much time to spare. I have been very anxious about the trip, but the encouragement of Nancye and my doctors and the use of Xanax is going to make this work. Chris Gardner arrived about 1:30 Eastern time to drive us to the Cincy airport.

The flight to the LA airport was a little bumpy - one big jolt spilled drinks. We flew first class to LA, wide seats, free drinks and a pretty good dinner. It is 10:30 pm body time and our plane to Seoul, Korea leaves here at 1:30 am Pacific time which is 4:30 am body time. Then a 12-13 hour flight to Seoul and on to Beijing. We are tired but have made the first leg of our round the world trip.

Nancye

May 11 Friday 1:30 am On the plane to Korea and if wed known the correct time to reset our watches, it would actually be Saturday, May 12.
Yesterday Chris Gardner droved us to the airport where we got a Delta flight to LA, first class. Very niceespecially the wider seats and leg room. Not a bad dinner either of grilled chicken, cheese stuffed crepe, fresh green salad and apple/caramel cheesecake, served on china though with plastic utensils and glasses. First boarding and what would you like to drink before takeoff?
The only downside was turbulence, not terribly bad except for two major air packets while we were eating. Drinks went everywhere, especially the red wine. Fortunately ours was white. One of the attendants said she had only ever experienced such a drop in twenty years of flying.
We watched a forgettable movie and then opened the window shade as we approached LA. How very different from green Ohio. LA itself is extremely flat but backs up to rugged hills which look like the tectonic plates just pushed them up last month. Smooth landing, loved the 68 degree weather (where we should have stayed longer), than a 7 ½ hour wait in the international terminal before our 1:30 am flight4:30 am body time though we tried to ignore that. The terminal was rather grim, needing updating, not even much in the way to buy to eat or anything and rusty bathrooms.
12 ½ hours LA to Incheon, Korea, so we had to eat no matter what our very tired bodies wanted. I wanted to try the Korean food anyway. The dish called I believe bibambug (actually bibimbap) consists of minced beef and seasonal vegetables, in this case spinach, mushrooms, squash and 2 unidentifiable things. Surprisingly these were served cold with hot chili paste and sesame oil along with 2 kinds of pickles. It was good but not what I wanted at that time of day.
The 777 is a nice plane, very smooth and quiet (except for some turbulence which the pilot warned us about 6 hours ahead). Thank goodness for reclining seats. Tom told me this morning I had made the right decision to upgrade.
I sat next to a very chatty guy who has traveled all over the world and who was full of well intentioned advice. Neither Tom not I slept well but I feel a lot better than when I got on the plane. Toms continuing low grade anxiety is debilitating.
We have a 2 hour layover in Incheon before getting to Beijing around noon. Weve flown Korea Airlines and are very impressed. We had our first view of Asia a few hundred feet off the ground as we landed in rain at Incheon which is an island off Seoul. The only thing here is the airport which looks mightily like every other airport but is new and nicer than the shabby international terminal at LA. We actually flew over Korea, did a 270 degree turn and landed on the island. Its a tribute to the plane and the pilot that we could not perceive the turn but followed it on a real time animated map.

Tom

12 May 2007 7 am Seoul , Korea air port. We left LA at about 4:30 am Eastern body time. We arrived here about half an hour ago. Weary. did not sleep well. We crossed the international date line for the firs time. We both like the Boeing 777. Really quiet. Now we wait 2 and a half hours for our flight to Beijing.

Airports is airports. They look alike as you are landing and when you get inside. The Korean air stewardesses look much alike. Hair tied in a bun and all thin and young and pretty. Very pretty. Like stewardesses used to have to be in America.

Same day 2:30 pm Beijing, China. Plaza Royal Hotel. On the plane from Seoul to Beijing, Nancye and I were the only first class passengers. Good food - a cod with a Chinese cream sauce.

We got through the airport really fast. Customs were easy and our bags awaited us when we got to the carousel.

Jimmy - well find out his real name later - [we never did] met us at the airport. He is our guide for the next two days. A taxi brought us to the hotel -about half an hour from the airport. This is a pretty nice place, redone rather ginger bread looking place. The girl at the desk was horrified that we wanted to go out for a walk. O, there is nothing around here! she said. But she did tell us about a food store a couple of minutes walk.

Food Store! This was Wal-Mart, Kroger and Jungle Jims in one! Amazing displays of food. Many things exotic to us - veggies we could not identify. Live fish and many fresh fish. Chicken breasts in a pile that people sort through like socks! Fingering them.

The store had many, many employees, people standing around displays hawking their wares, helping people and many just standing there.

We also noticed the huge variety of facial and body types. At least in the big city, China is, well, I was going to say polyglot, but truthfully many different oriental types. I think I have seen one black person in the last two days.

We came back to the room and read a bit and then to dinner in the hotel. The elaborate buffet had only four diners. We think it may be more populated later, but all that food sitting there on steam tables for hours! Then we walked through the complex of building of which this is a part. It includes a mixture of offices and apartments in high rises - neo gothic - modern buildings with pseudo -European court yard in the middle: fountains and patios. This must be pretty up market.

Nancye

May 13 After a 2 hour layover in Incheon, we boarded another Korean Air to Beijing. We were the only first class passengers and felt very pampered with 2 attendants to take care of us.
We were served a light meal even though it was 10:30 in the morning. Since wed had breakfast at about 4 it was time. Once again, all china and glass, cloth tablecloth and napkins, individual ceramic salt and pepper. We had an amazing tuna tartar with cream followed by steamed cod with Chinese cream and mixed veg (though what they were was a mystery). Seasonal fresh fruitvery good and olive scorn (scone?). Began with a bloody mary for me, scotch for Tom and a good Chablis with; after all, it was free.
Because it was just us, we got photos with our attendants. Korea Air seems to use standards like the old days. The uniforms are very fashionable ivory suits with mix and match turquoise, a stiff scarf at the neck and a fish shaped bow at the back of the head. Two hair styles: slicked back with a bun or a short bob. Body shapes and faces are very similar or uniform. Men all wear navy blue.
We were met at the airport after a painless move through customs. Our bags beat us to the baggage claim!
Jimmy our guide tells us there are 27(!!) taking this trip. Its somewhat disappointing but well have to go out of our way to meet the locals.
Beijing airport looks like any other big airport. We notice how many signs are bilingual, Chinese and English, not only at the airport but everywhere. Its not universal but pervasive.
As we drove to the hotel, we noticed huge blocks of tall apartments everywhere. Not surprising I guess considering the population. There wasnt nearly as much traffic as we would expect in America, though apparently its increasing. They are installing a light rail system before the 2008 Olympics which is apparently controversial.
We had thought our hotel was going to be newer but its quite nice in the European grand hotel mode. Surprising that so much statuary and art is definitely Western (fox and hounds in the lobby and faux Greek or Roman in the courtyard). The hotel obviously caters to business and tourist travelers, mostly Asian but many westerners. Of course, as soon as we entered the international terminal in LA we became a distinct minority.
Despite our exhaustion from traveling for 29 hours, we showered (bliss) and went for a walk. Directed to the local supermarket to buy bottled water, we experienced traffic which inconsistently yields to pedestrianswatch out!
The B & Q is a four story shopping mall though all the little shops seem to be owned by the same company. Tons of people shopping at 1 pm on a Saturday. The supermarket rivals any of our bigger stores.
Two things of note: so many labels and signs are bilingual, Chinese and English, even the shelf labels in the supermarket.
As I take this up again, I dont remember what the 2 things of note were despite my little reminder.
Last night we ate at the hotel which had a buffet. I feel like a feeder pig.
Our hotel is part of a larger complex of business and residential buildings, all attached around a closed courtyard in back. Obviously a rather upscale neighborhood. Beijing has 17 million inhabitants. The scope is difficult to grasp but one sees block after block of tall apartment buildings and plenty more under construction. The architecture for the most part is pretty grim with communist Russian influence. Buildings I guessed were built in the fifties were actually built in the seventies and are already crumbling. It looks like something out of a futuristic sci fi movie or 1984.
Breakfast at the hotel is buffet style and one can get almost anything from Chinese porridge to waffles to a full English breakfast.
Good thing we ate well because it was a long day. First I discovered that though there are 27 in our group here, 25 are taking a 2 week tour around Chinawere the only ones going to Russia. I would say half of the rest of the group are Chinese or expatriate or 2nd generation. Many are from Canada and we all made our way here by different routes.
We spent the morning at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The guides just cant give a good notion of the size of these places. The Forbidden City is layered like an onion with the square outside the south end. The most daunting thing is the sheer number of people even first thing in the morning.
Once again we are visiting places shrouded in canvas and scaffolding. Several of the buildings in the Forbidden City are undergoing renovation in preparation for the Olympics next year. Because of the press of the crowds this year, I hate to think what it will be like then.
In Tiananmen Square, I was asked via sign language to have my picture taken with a Chinese couple. We met our first professional beggars. These are truly sad people, some maimed.
If you hate or get nervous in crowds, dont visit Beijing. There are huge numbers of tourists, mostly Chinese so it can be difficult to actually contemplate what you are seeing or even see it.
Beijing air is badly polluted though this time of year tends to be windy. A cloud envelopes the city but because of the wind it doesnt smell bad most places weve been. It tells on the buildings though and both the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace show a lot of filth or damage on their surfaces, except those parts recently renovated. The last emperors throne room with hangings, thrones and other artifacts badly needs money and a curator. Its shabby and filthy and hard to see through the dirty windows.
We ate lunch at a restaurant that seems to cater to western tourists. The buffet included French fries! And there were no chopsticks on the tables. I wasnt particularly hungry but had some good veggies, including some type of fungus.
It was a bright sunny day in the 80s and Tom and I had each taken a bottle of water (about a pinthalf a liter?) but even having finished it before lunch we knew we were somewhat dehydrated and bought 3 more bottles. The experienced bus driver had a fridge on the bus and sold water 3/10 yen, about or less than $1.50, very competitive and cold. We drank most of it before dinner.
Afternoon took us to the Summer Palace, if anything even more crowded than the Forbidden City, parts of which were, guess what, under renovation. Still a much more pleasant place. We finished our tour with a boat ride across the 75 acre lake.
Just in time we arrived at the Temple of Heaven for a tea ceremony. Actually it was more a lecture on tea, a tasting and sales opportunity but nice. Then to dinner for a more traditional meal, also good and way too much. We passed on the kung fu exhibition this evening to come back, bathe and relax.
Maybe one of my things of note was the incredible facial variation in the crowds. There are many ethnic groups in China, all represented in Beijing. It is impossible to identify a typical Chinese face.

May 13, 2007. Beijing. It is a little before 8 pm. We just got back from a long day of sightseeing.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel. Full English and more. Corn on the cob - rice porridge. Well, I had some bacon and scrambled eggs and a really nice croissant.

About 25 of us lead by Jimmy went first to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. That took about four hours and lots of sweat. It was hot, sunny and the air polluted. So many people everywhere we went. The buildings mostly are grand, but the grounds are bare. No trees except for the small garden in the back or north of the Forbidden city. The whole thing cries out, Dont com in Here! You are too small to be par of this! I provokes awe.

A buffet lunch. We were exhausted and de hydrated by lunch time. In the afternoon to the Summer Palace. Just as hot but more shade. We all walked slower and all took the boat across the lake -Kunming Lake. Our guide knows so much, sometime he goes on too long, but he is really good and keeps us together. We follow his flag through many other groups going in all directions.

Dinner was sit down deal with eight different dishes! So Good.

We also went to a tea ceremony earlier. It was really a demonstration intended to sell us cups and tea - which Nancye did.

There was a martial arts show tonight, but since, it was optional, Nancye and I and most of the others cam back to the hotel.

The architecture of Beijing is depressing. High rise offices and apartments that look run down and drab - grim is what the city looks like. Mostly no more than eight stories or so. There are some glass encased buildings and a few try to be creative, but mainly this is an ugly city. Incredible traffic with cars , bicycles, mopeds, huge tourist buses all driving wherever they feel like and pedestrians walking blithely through it.

A good day - exhausting.

I hope we sleep longer tonight. Last night we went to bed at 9 pm because we could not stay awake. I woke up at 2 am and tossed and turned for four hours.

May 14 I think one of the things of note was the observation that in the supermarket there was wrapped meat for sale but the poultry counter had raw cut up and whole chickens out where people could paw through them and people were. No way I would buy chicken there.
Another observation: though I can appreciate the complexity and craftsmanship of traditional Chinese architecture, I dont especially like it.
Jimmy our guide in Beijing is a very personable young man who spoke English quite well. He gave us history and culture lectures as we were driving from place to place. He says he wasnt clever enough to go to university but the competition is tough (getting easier though). He explained the result of the one child per family policy put in 20 years ago. These single children are spoiled by parents and grandparents and expect everything. Many continue to live with parents if they dont get a perfect job. Jimmy calls them parasites, probably because hes out there busting his butt.
We hadnt expected such a regimented tour schedule in Beijing with so many people but we saw the highlights and we probably couldnt have gotten around by ourselves so efficiently. It is difficult to imagine just how large Beijing is with 17 million people. Jimmy says you can drive any direction from the center for 2 hours and still be in Beijing. Considering the traffic that is definitely true.
Traffic is horrendous during the day. 8 and 10 lane roads full of busses and trucks, lots of small cars, bicycles, pedicabs, motorcycles and pedestrians, everyone going where they feel like. Lane markers seem to be a suggestion. Our driver made more than one U turn from the 3rd lane. Despite near misses, pedestrians rarely seem to speed up or even notice. Despite this, we never saw an accident though there are continual close calls.
The cars of choice for taxis are VW Jetta and Hundai Sonata. Despite the chaos, people dont seem to speed or have road rage.
Beijing is in a flurry of new building and demolition before next years Olympics. Its native bird is the construction crane. Despite all the building you dont get the closed in feeling of other cities for two reasonsthe broad roads and the fact that all buildings within the second ring road are limited to 100 meters tall. Of course there are vibrant healthy neighborhoods and those where hovels are next to new buildings and we didnt see any older neighborhoods call hudongs. It would be interesting to see whether all this continues after the Olympics.

14 May 2007, Monday, Beijing. A long day after a sleepless night. At least it seemed sleepless - worry and anxiety about the rest of the trip and what could go wrong.

Ming Tombs in the morning, the Great Wall in the afternoon and two fine Chinese dinners, then a bad rendition of the Peking Opera in the evening back at the hotel about 9:30 pm.

The Great Wall is everything I anticipated. It is grand - so large as to be incomprehensible and so graceful running up and down over the sharp hills. Some passages so steep it felt like being on a ladder. We were at the Badaling portion for about two hours. I hope my photos will be good.

There are many people in the tourist sites hawking caps and shirts , post cards and Rolex watches. They are very pushy. I bought two Olympics caps for 5 yen -about $.75! I bought an I climbed the Great Wall t shirt for 80 yen, about $6.

They are even on the wall itself. One woman was selling steel rings that magically link together. Anyway I said, Let me show you a trick. And I did the pull-your-finger-off trick I learned from my dad. She wanted to learn how to do it - so I showed her and two other sales people crowed around. I spoke no Chinese and the only the English names of what they were selling. Very interesting.

Ive written little about the wall here. It is too whatever for my description. It is the highlight of the trip so far.

May 15 Yesterday was another exhausting day. We began at the Jade Palace learning about types of jade and how it is carved and then wandered the several sales rooms. Jade really isnt my favorite stone though the amber bowls were pretty. In back was furniture. We did find antique screens, bedstead and stepped cabinet, all very different from the ornate inlaid lacquered stuff. We resisted the temptation.
Next was the Ming Tombs where 13 of 16 emperors are buried. Only one tomb has been excavated but the first which established the valley as a burial place is the largest and most impressive. Lots of steps as we passed through entry gates and climbed up to the burial mound. It was another hot dry sunny day so it was a refreshing place to visit out of town, especially since there were far fewer tourists there. We ended by walking about a mile down the entry path lined by huge stone animal guards. What a way to go.
After another restaurant meal we had time to browse the Friendship Store, a huge emporium having lots of handicrafts as well as lots of other merchandise. I made my first attempt at bargaining for some silk pajamas but was unsuccessful, so I walked away.
Then to the Great Wall 44 miles out of Beijing. It was a somewhat terrifying drive up the mountains to Badaling Pass. This is the most popular section to visit but since 70% of tours go in the morning it wasnt hugely crowded though very popular. It is difficult to
LaterDont know the rest of that thought, but might be along the lines of difficult to express the impact of the wall. There are five renovated sections open to the public. The wall runs along the top of steep mountains 3200 miles. Its understandable why it took 1000 years and several dynasties to complete. Once on the wall you can go either an easier way or a harder way. We chose the harder since there were fewer people. Both ways were up hill (duh). The altitude was between 2000 and 3000 feet so not much problem there but the way got steeper and steeper, enough to be disorienting and eventually became steps with a rise like climbing a ladder. We made it almost to the third tower. One of the most amazing things is that there were sellers of cheap souvenirs all the way up and beyond. Cheap means price and there is some trash but $5 for a pashmina wrap?
While resting we were approached by a seller of what I would call pub games including magic rings (probably the only English words she knew). We declined but Tom showed her the magic removable thumb trick. This brought over two other guys. It was a hit.
On the way up we met two women one from Mexico and one from Beijing speaking in largely unaccented English. Coming down was almost as difficult as going up. Near the top of the steep staircase you cant see the steps and it looks like it drops off a cliff. Thank goodness for the handrails, especially on the sloped part.
I hurt when we came down and feared I would be in bad shape today but am OK.
After another big restaurant meal, we went to the tourist version of the Peking Opera. It was enough. There were projected subtitles which were the worst translations Ive ever seen which basically told the story and repeated it continually. The womens voices were the high pitched and piercing quality needing no magnification but they were, despite the small theatre. The makeup, costumes and kung fu were really great as were the percussionists abut overall this is an acquired taste.
Another exhausting day.
Tom continues to have low level anxiety especially in the morning. We both took sleeping pills last night, fell asleep quickly and woke up in the wee hours. Many of the others in the group complain of the same malady.
Today was to be a free day for us and we had planned to take a guided walk listed in the guidebook. Jimmy our guide offered this whole day of activities and meals to us for free, so this morning we went back to actually visit the Temple of Heaven which is now largely a public park.
This is a popular place for retirees to spend much of the day. There was a huge group doing a coordinated exercise with paddles and balls and two smaller groups doing tai chi with fans and swords. There was a group doing ball room dancing and another doing Texas two steps. There is a version of hackysack with a feathered toy and it is intriguing to watch these older people doing it. Others were playing poker, dominos or a type of checkers. Here and there were groups singing what Jimmy said were old communist era songs. There were a couple of musical groups and what appeared to be some street theatre. Even without all the tour groups the park would be crowded.
You have to pay to get into the actual temple area but even there are the omnipresent vendors. We learned to say an expression Ive already forgotten which means not interested which works pretty well. [I do wonder if Jimmy told us something crude.]
After lunch we bade farewell to the group as we opted out of a walk through a neighborhood and a Peking duck dinner tonight. Jimmy got us in a cab and we came back to the hotel to rest and organize.
I forgot that we went to the Silk Market after the Temple of Heaven. I learned how they make silk comforters and had hands on experience stretching the silk. The large cocoons made by 2 worms are not suitable for reeling so they are soaked, the worms removed and the cocoon opened and stretched over a metal arch maybe 12 high. After several layers, the silk is removed and stretched over a larger arch. Once dry this is stretched by four people to the size of the comforter. A heavier winter quilt takes 420 layers, summer quilts less. The silk will not bunch or shift so it requires no quilting. A simple cotton envelope holds the silk and a duvet cover of silk of course is used.
8:30 pm We are so glad we chose to take the afternoon off! We both napped and generally relaxed before having dinner in the hotel. We were greatly encouraged to eat from the buffet instead of a la carteseems somebody didnt want to cook. Since we got there at around 7, the food had been there for hours and produced the worst meal weve had here, though it was edible.
Afterward we took a stroll around the courtyard out back. Most of the fountains were actually running but not all successfully. As we came back in we met the rest of the group straggling in looking whupped. We have to leave at 6:30 in the morning, so to bed.

15 May 2007 Tuesday Beijing. Slept poorly again last night, but better than the night before. After breakfast with the group we went to the Temple of Heaven. Beautiful building - but I was most fascinated with the hundreds of people exercising in the park around it. Dancing, ribbon twirling, play with paddle ball, singing in choruses. Fascinating seeing the real people in their own places.

A silk show room was the next place. Somebody is probably getting kickbacks on these visits to commercial places.

Lunch and then Nancye and I took a taxi back to the hotel. Rest and regroup this afternoon. At 6:30 am tomorrow we head for the train station and the major purpose of our trip, the Trans Siberian Railroad from Beijing to Moscow.

May 16 Yet another night of little sleep but we were picked up right on time. The hotel had packed a breakfast of hard boiled egg, croissant, another pastry, 2 pieces of fruit and an English ham and cheese sandwich (no crust, no condiment) for each of us. They checked the room after we left it and asked about the book Tom left but somehow failed to mention the bottle of grain alcohol we left.
At the train station we were handed off to someone who walked us in and got us to the correct platform. Once again we met a bunch of Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders.
We actually went through security to enter, sending all luggage through a machine which wasnt obviously being tended. On the other side of a metal scanner we picked up our luggage and walked away. There was one soldier to insist luggage was scanned but that was it. I had been fearful of the weight limit to the point of trying to figure out what to jettison if necessary, but no one asked.
Our roomette is pretty much as expected though we actually share a washroom with our neighbor. It has a sink and a handheld shower! [which turned out not to work]
The train is not new and many of the corridor windows quite dirty but ours in OK. There is a toilet at each end of the car and a samovar but also a thermos of hot water in a closet. Once we left the station and we got out of town our neighbor Judy came in and introduced herself. Shes traveling alone from San Francisco taking a break from her dying husbands care. [Morgan] She spent a year over here 10 years ago so has much to tell us.
Then we both dozed. The lower bunk is quite hard (like the futon I slept on in Athens) but it was lovely to rest. We were provided with chits for free lunch and dinner. Lunch was rice, celery and cauliflower in sauce and pork meatballs with a different texture, flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, I believe. We bought beer served room temperature though there was bottled water. We ate with our other neighbors from New Zealand, an older couple. He is one of those who raises his voice to be understood by foreigners.
The countryside is arid with signs of erosion, small farms. Rice paddies.
Stop at Datong. The first real stop at a station. Vendors of food are waiting.
We lucked out getting free lunch and dinner vouchers. Much simpler food but still more than I want. We had beer again and, when trying to pay with a 100 yen note, were waved off so they were free. The countryside is changing, becoming flatter and less rugged. Everything is so dry. We saw a short sand storm. It is amazing how many trees are being planted, especially along the railway. We also passed a wind farm.
At 8:45 pm we stop at the Mongolian border for customs and to have the bogies (wheel carriages) changed because Mongolia and China use a different gauge rail. We hope it wont be much more than 2 hours.
While waiting in line at the station store, Tom was approached by a Mongolian woman who speaks English because he was wearing his George Bernard Shaw sweatshirt.
Ive discovered it is impossible to write while the train is moving so entries will be sporadic.

16 May 2007 Wednesday. On the Trans Siberian Railroad between Beijing and the Mongolian border.

Another bad night of sleep. Awake much of the night. Up at 5:30 am, finished packing, checked out of the hotel. Taxi at 6:30 to the train station.

We have a two bed unit about 8 feet by 8 feet with a triangular room with sink shared with next compartment.

High sharp hills outside Beijing and many tunnels. Now it is flattening out with mountains in the distance. Few Trees, not even much grass. A Free lunch in the dining car: large meatballs with celery and cauliflower and rice.

It is hard to write while the train is moving so the above may be unreadable. We are now in a desolate part of China just before the border with Mongolia. No trees. Dust storms. Sheep. Piles of rock. Every village looks shabby and poor.

Voolya Thank you in Mongolian.

The train pulled out of Beijing on time at 7:40 this morning and into the border crossing into Mongolia about 8:30 this evening. We now sit and wait while they take off the wheels and replace them with Russian boggies. Apparently it can take up to five hours, but the scheduled stop is for two hours. We tried to change Chinese yens into Mongolian money, but for some reason they cannot do it. We bought some orange juice and a dried noodle soup to which you add water for lunch.

May 17 Our wait to get back on the train was only about 2 hours. I was falling asleep in the terminal. There is a small store catering to riders. We bought some orange juice and ramen noodles. A helpful woman next to me indicated I shouldnt buy those particular noodles because the peppers on the label indicated it was very spicy so we changed the flavor.
Before we got off the train, we had to go through Chinese customs and give up our passports to get exit visas.
Oh, I forgot to say the train was met with fireworks and inspirational music. The train was lined along the platform by Chinese soldiers, one per car who stood at attention facing the train. Just what their function was is a mystery.
Back on the train, stumbling with fatigue, we got our passports back and the train moved. Not knowing the drill we got in bed. Very quickly the train stopped again, corridor lights came on and our door thrust opentime for Mongolian immigration. The agent was a beautiful woman in impressive uniform, full makeup, black hose with designs up the sides and pointy spike heels. I couldnt figure out whether she had to come to work from a party or was on the way to something later. Well never know. I was in the top bunk which is pretty high and apparently I wasnt seen. When asked for passport, Tom tried to give both of them. She took one and a scene of confusion ensued. Finally turns out, she was looking at my passport trying to identify Tom in the picture. Then there was some confusion about visas which we didnt have since we were only in transit. Everything settled, we tried to sleep. Another bad night.
When I finally got up around 6:30 to go to the bathroom, I was stunned to open the door and be blinded by bright sun (the shade really works well). We were well into the Gobi Desertall blowing sand, no plants, no animals, only the electric wires along the track. This is Saharan as I always pictured deserts but with low dunes. Eventually we did see a couple of small herds of wild Bactrian camels and herds of Mongolian ponies. This is truly inhospitable environment but we saw occasional homesteads and settlements. As the day passed some vegetation appeared along with lots of herds of sheep, more horses and sheep.
Yes, some Mongolians still live in yurts. Some settlements have a combination of yurts and brick houses and almost everybody has electricity (at least electric lines) even in remote areas. They have some nice cars too. Even here though is plastic trash along the tracks.
Breakfast turned out to be a treatbread, butter and jelly, omelet, peach juice and tea. During the night the dining car had been changed to a Mongolian one which was really impressive with its carved wood partitions and décor. We spent time after breakfast conversing with two Australians and a couple from England.
As the day continued the land gradually became more hilly and had more grass and occasional trees. Interesting to see small settlements with a few new buildings and yurts and an equipped playground! Not to mention the occasional satellite dish.
Ulaan Baator is a city of about a million, such a small place after Beijing. While there is a feeling of greater prosperity here, the buses are old and rusty and the sidewalks crumbling or disappearing. Next July is the 800th birthday of Mongolia or Ghengis Khan but so far one only sees sprucing up of government buildings.
We went to the supermarket to buy supplies for the next leg of the train trip. No luck finding a sleep mask. Dinner at the Red Horse Pubmushroom spaghetti which was a nice change.
We are having our first home stay with a delightful lady name Glaudia (?) who used to teach Russian. She has no English. Tom is getting a language workout. The apartment is a fifth floor walkup in a communist era building. The building is in poor repair but the apartment is better. Glaudia is living on a teachers pension but the apartment has 5 rooms. Twin beds tonight. Tom wanted a shower but there is no hot water so it was stand in the tub and dip from a bucket.

17 May 2007 Thursday. Somewhere south of Ulaan Baator on the Trans Siberian Rail Road. They changed the boggies in a little more than two hours and we thought we were off. But then the Chinese border people came by and returned our passports.

Nancye and I prepared for bed, shut off the lights and the train stopped again. I guess we went far enough to go over the Mongolian border so Mongolian customs people came through about midnight. The impeccably uniformed woman took one of the two passports I handed to her an rifled through it, looked puzzled and asked how old I am and asked me to look at her. I joked Dont I look like my picture. She said, No. She was looking at Nancyes passport.

Slept some but not enough. We had OJ we bought at the station last night and some crackers. later we went to the Mongolian restaurant care and had an omelet. the car is heavily carved wood. Very attractive.

The scenery is very brown. No trees, but many small ramshackle villages. Sheep, a few horses and an occasional camel.

7:45 pm Ulaan Baator, Mongolia. We arrived about half an hour late. A driver with pretty good English took us to our home stay. Ulaan Baator has the same ragged rundown look as Beijing without the high rise apartments and of course much smaller. I wonder what it is doing here? In the midst of the desert is a million people. The apartment building where we are has a woeful aspect on the outside and on the four story climb to the flat. But the apartment is neat and clean, five rooms with a bath and shower. Mme Gladia is a retired Russian teacher, very gracious and helpful. An old man lives here too, Husband? Father?

We walked across the street to a posh western hotel to change money and to the SKY department store where we bought some food for the train journey. After a bit of bourbon we walked to the center of the city. We were starred at a bit, there being so few Caucasians here. We ate at the Red Horse pub and Restaurant - spaghetti! Well, we have had our fill of Chinese food. We walked back across the central plaza and back to this apartment.
18 May 2007. Friday. Ulaan Baator train station aboard the Trans Siberian rail road waiting for it to leave. Breakfast at our homestay this morning. We went to see the Ganden Temple, a Buddhist monastery on the other side of the city. We tried to find a taxi, but could not, so we walked about an hour. We spent little time there because we had to be back for our pick up to the train station. And we walked all the way back. Nancye is especially tired. Most shops dont open until 10 or 11 am - so Nancye did not get to do the shopping she wanted to do. Still she bought a cashmere scarf made in Mongolia. Relaxed at the room briefly then here to the train station.

May 18 Friday We walked down past parliament square and ended up eating at the Red Horse Pub. Not much going on there but the mushroom spaghetti was a refreshing change. Rush hour like any other except that we are objects of staring. Walking around is a challenge in places because the sidewalks are crumbling or missing. Once again this is a place of economic contrasts. The huge new beautiful parliament building (or façade) with its gigantic Ghengis Khan overlooking another large paved square in the Russian mode is quite impressive. It would be good to spend money on infrastructure but time will tell.
Yesterday afternoon we visited the Sky Market for supplies for the train. It is like a smaller Target or Meijer with groceries, all very nice. Our hostess directed us to walk through the Ghengis Khan Hotel to get to the store but the way was locked. Seeing our dilemma a manager had a bellboy take us through the basement and back up. Hotel basements all look similar. No luck finding a sleep mask which I know I will really want as we go north. The sun came up around 4 and with just a single layer of cotton curtain of course I was awake with the sun. Managed to doze off again I think.
Today we learned that things dont open early in UB. We attempted to get a taxi at the hotel but there were none. [Why didnt we go up and ask the bellmen to call one?] So we started walking toward the Gandan Monastary hoping to catch one on the way. Non-taxis pulled over as is common but we were afraid to try. As we walked we looked for cashmere shopsnone open before 10:30. Glaudia had indicated we should be back by 11. Ended up walking all the way, about 50 minutes. The complex is pretty large but we were able to spin some prayer wheels and observe the monks chanting. The neighborhood around the monastery is pretty grim. Coming back still no go for a taxi. I stopped at one small cashmere shop and bought a scarf. Selection was limited as was our time so shopping was very disappointing. We tried to buy flowers but all the stands were inundated and when we had the opportunity found flowers to be awfully expensive. Turns out today is graduation day at the university.
Traffic note: there seem to be equal numbers of right and left hand drive cars on the road, driving on the right. We saw two traffic accidents. Its interesting that the policemen have badges on their shirts which say Mongolian Police in English. UB is a fairly dirty citylots more trash in the gutters and dirt everywhere than China. I only saw one street cleaner (and another amputee beggar). Our driver told us 10 years ago there was little traffic but there is a huge influx from the country. 80% of Mongolians live in UB. There are people in traditional garb as well as very hip looking young people. Figured black hose are a hot item with the girls.
Back to the train station for a 2:00 train. The passengers are a very different group of peopleMongolian and Russian. I havent heard English yet. No unusable shower room this time so I wont have to climb up to the top bunk.
Later: Weve come to the Russian border and are awaiting Mongolian immigration. There was a huge amount of movement of people with jeans, jackets, purses, and blankets up and down the corridor. We thought they were selling these items to the travelers though they never approached us. Our driver had mentioned that people on the train would be doing business. In conversation with Ola a young man from Norway who speaks very good English, we discovered these are smugglers. Ola has a compartment with an unoccupied bed and these people have stacked lots of goods on that bed. Ive seen two people escorted off the train and a uniformed woman carrying several purses. Its 9:30 pm and we still have to enter Russia. I hope this doesnt take too long.

Nancye
May 19 Saturday Well, it did. About 5 hours to be exact. The Russians arrived, took our passports and ordered us out of our cabin. A soldier checked all the hidey holes we didnt know about and one we did but did not open our luggage. And so on down the car. Hours later the customs lady came for our forms. We lay down with our clothes on and dozed. Meanwhile people in at least 5 different uniforms prowled the train, checking the roof and under the carriage. Eventually someone indicated we could go to bed. Sometime later our door was unlocked and our passports handed in. Good thing we didnt need to use the restroom all that time.
Ola told us one of the smugglers was found to have contraband and bribed the official.
I slept poorly again but must have had some extended unconsciousness. Tom said he had had one of the best nights sleep for weeks. Awoke at 7. We rose and breakfasted. We were way early compared to everyone else. Ill take advantage of that tomorrow morning to wash my hair. We are gradually trying to adjust body time.
Again much to-ing and fro-ing and movement of merchandise.
We skirted Lake Baikal this morning. Very beautiful. Stopping at a small town on the other side, we were met with local vendors but they all were offering dry fish. No thanks. Smugglers jumped off and made some quick sales.
The landscape has varied a lot today. Forested around Lake Baikal, rolling with a few trees like parts of Ohio, fairly flat empty steppes like Kansas, more forest. Along much of the way there were settlements and towns along the tracks, most with their whole yards plowed for gardens. Lots of folks have greenhouses where they are starting plants.
There is a lot of fire damage in the trees, though most of it seems like grass fire burning rather than forest fire. It goes on and on and I wonder how much was caused by cigarettes flipped from the train.
Went to the dining car for lunch of borschtquite good. We paid in dollars and got change in rubles. Interesting that the guy running it handled all the cash through his wallet.

19 May 2007 Saturday. Siberia. The train left on time from Ulaan Baator. Many people hauling bales of fabric or clothing on board. From Friday afternoon when we got on until now a gang of Mongolians have been carting piles of shirts, blankets, purses and other stuff back and forth in the train. It is not at all clear what they are doing but, Ola - a Norwegian fella in our car says they are smuggling these things into Russia. When we finally got to the border the Russian guards searched in all the cabins. Ola thinks the Mongolians bribed the officials. What we dont understand is why they keep hauling the stuff back and forth. Sometimes they do it in bales and sometime one or two items.

Getting out of Mongolia and into Russia was a long tiring process. At least we could stay in our cabin. First the Mongolian official had to look at our passports and take them away. Then their customs official had a go. When we got our passports back the train moved forward in fits and starts.

After a long wait the Russians had their chance. I think we got to the border about 9:30 pm and left well after midnight. Sometime during the night our passports were returned.

I slept better and longer last night. We woke up at Ulaan Ulda in Russia and have been moving west all day. This is point at which we join the rail line from Vladivostock.

Breakfast - some dry cereal, tea, bread and jam. Lunch in the dining car: borscht with bread and beer. Dinner a dried noodle soup reconstituted with boiling water from the samovar.

We had ad difficulty getting rubles. The Mongolian Bank had very few. At the dining car a $50 bill was accepted with Russian rubles as change. At Irkusk we thought wed find a bank at the station, but there was none. The ATM machine would not take Nancyes debit card. But it took Olas so he did a second transaction and we bought rubles with dollars from a Norwegian.

The scenery has been spectacular and varied. From Ulaan Baator - dry and looking like eastern Colorado, it slowly greened up, trees appeared and water. The train follows the southern bank of Lake Baikal for many kilometers with many great views to the north across the lake. To the south some snow capped peaks.

Gradually more villages and towns. We saw many people outside working on garden plots. They are preparing the soil; nothing seems to be planted yet.

Nancye
May 20 Sunday As warned, the predvodnitza (the younger one) has treated the near restroom as her private one and frequently refuses to open it. I did manage to get in and, glory, there was hot water.
Taiga to the right of us, taiga to the left of us, little towns occasionally. It is a very gray day today, the first we have experienced. Ola got us some rubles yesterday from the ATM which wont take my debit card. Actually it let me get through the process most of the way before denying me cash. We paid Ola back in dollars.
Yesterday evening for about 4 hours our smuggler friends down the hall gathered and sang very lively Mongolian songs. Fortunately they stopped around 8:30 because we had a sales stop. Tom pointed out to me that we stopped at a large town this morning which is why they were all up early.
Lunch in the dining car, this time meat soup and scallop of pork. The soup had more than one kind of meat (I really dont want to know) and the vegetables were mainly pickles: cucumber, olives, and capers. Quite good. The scallop was a pork chop served with fried potatoes, corn, pickled carrots and peas. The veggies were cold so we only ate the carrots and potatoes with the pork. Still good but not cheap for $23, rather not a bad price if it were American but not cheap Russian. The proprietor again encouraged us to come back for dinner.
There were several Mongolian men at the rear tables drinking and smoking underneath the no smoking sign. We seem to have taken on more sales people and merchandise. Still no one has approached us. A scary looking woman stopped at our door and gave our room the once over. I hope she was looking to see if we were carrying some their stuff.
We are beginning to get more Slavs or Russians but as Tom pointed out, we are still in a very Asian part of Siberia.
We stopped at Mariinsk for half an hour where we got off and bought orange juice. Tom tried to take a photo of the front of the station but was stopped by a soldier. They really dont want pictures taken of transportation centers or soldiers. We have about 5 hours to the next stop.
We passed the midpoint between Beijing and Moscow this morning. There is supposed to be a marker obelisk but if its still there, it is hidden in the trees.

20 May 2007 Sunday. On the Train in Siberia. Awakened in Krasnoyarsk this morning. We just passed the half way kilometer mark between Beijing and Moscow.

We have seen steppes and taiga, little mountain streams. We pass many small villages. They are motley gray weathered often with gaily painted shutters. Most have a fenced in yard - no grass. Either junk or a garden in the yard.

We have had a bit of rain and it is mostly cloudy today. We have had clear and sunny weather every day this trip until late yesterday.

The train operates on Moscow time even though we are several time zones away. So we are gradually moving our clocks back and our daily schedule later. I think we are gaining back the day we lost over the Pacific.

For breakfast we are eating dry cereal - we have a box of Chinese cherrios, bread and jam and tea.

Last stop at Achunk was 20 minutes. The Mongolians hawked their wares to the locals from the train doors making it hard to get off. So I went to the next car and got off, but the predvodnitza seemed not to want me to get back on - she of course did not recognize me.

We are stopped at Marinsk for 25 minutes. We just finished dinner in the restaurant car meat soup - a pork chop and potatoes with some pickles and bread, two beers. 570 rubles or about $23. Not cheap. Bought orange juice from a stall.

We had thought there would be babushkas at each stop selling hot food and fruit. At only one place has there been anyone selling food. One place some guys were selling dried fish. Still we are eating well and are healthy. Sleeping is better. The beds are narrow - 2-2 and a half feet wide, barely long enough and rather hard.

After getting our OJ we walked up and down the platform a little. We have settled into a routine - calm and quiet. I am pleased that I manage to get by with my very limited Russian. apelsin sok got me orange juice. Sorry, I dont have a Cyrillic alphabet on my computer. I first just said apelcin and then added sok. She showed me oranges and I said cok and she found it. Great. I did it!

We sit reading and when the train stops we either write in our journals or get out and walk. Then there are times we just watch the country side roll by.

Trees, Trees, Trees.

May 21 Interesting day yesterday. While there has been some business done in some stations we stopped at, we were amazed at Novosbirsk. Sellers were on the platform as well as working from the entry ways of the train. People obviously expected the train and were running to meet them. The platform was covered with people buying and selling in a frenzy. Obviously what this trip is all about for the Mongolians. Ola sat with us for a while after. He told us much of the merchandise from the other bunk in his cabin was gone but when he woke up there was a strange man sleeping in it. While we talked the young predvodnitza and an unknown tall man indicated to Ola he should go with them. He was gone an hour or more while we began to wonder how to report a missing person. He came back with a flushed face and a smile. Turns out his bunk mate was a member of the Russian Customs volleyball team going home from winning a tournament. The whole team was in the cabin shooting vodka and Ola was included. We all had a relieved laugh. He admitted to being scared.
All day yesterday we passed through taiga. Towns are becoming more frequent and we are seeing bigger ones. At Novobirsk we got off and finally found a babushka selling food. We bought pelmini rather than pizza or hot dog though all were handmade. With Olas beer and chocolate that was dinner.
Sometime today we will officially leave Siberia, cross the Urals and officially be in European Russia. Not terribly tall, the Urals are scenic if scarred by strip mining.
Later The taiga has flattened out and there are lots of trees near the track so there is not much to see.
2:20 Sverdlosk Again the selling frenzy but no one with food on the platform. This really is not what we expected but is interesting in its own right. It looked like goods were being packaged up to be distributed farther afield. And it does appear some people are staying here. We saw the Mongolian police again earlier. Are they here to protect the sellers? Every car has vendors who jump out, lean out windows or stand on the steps.
11:20 pm One more time. One of the sellers came in and we figured out she wanted to know how old we are. We showed her the kids photos and she really thought Trevor was hot.
Ola found out these people make this run once a month. Were curious whether any others do it. Maybe not since its so populara really bazaar bazaar.
Platform food sellers seem to have been replaced by permanent kiosks which appear to have a lot but dont actually carry everything displayed.
And so to bed.

21 May 2007 Monday Monday. Tymen, Siberia. What a zoo yesterday at Novocibursk! The Mongolian sellers were hanging from every door and many windows hawking their stuff to crowds of Russians. Clothes, blankets, shoes, handbags. There was a huge wall of people coming to the train to buy cheap stuff from China. We have not seen the babushkas selling food. There was at Novsibirsk one older woman with a cart. She had pizza, hot dogs and pelmeni. We bought a small try of pelmeni for 30 rubles. They were still warm and good.

Overnight through Omsk and we just stopped here at Tymen. We tried to buy a pack of crackers, but the woman would not sell them. Perhaps the ones in the window are only for display.

7:20 Moscow time, we think 9:20 local time and we are off again.

Afternoon and we are in Sverdlovsk. Again the people on the train are selling their wares. There was a huge crowd waiting for us. Again no food for sale. We find this amazing. Whether or not these goods are legal they clearly have a market. After three days on the train it is getting a little dull. We had hoped for a greater variety of food - but we rest, read, watch the scenery go by. Watch the natives get ready for each sale.

I must say the two women previdnitzas work hard. They have been on duty in what is probably 12 hours shifts for three days and they assist with these train side sales.

May 22 It was 85 degrees in the cabin last night when we stopped so we opened the window and when we left the station, we left it cracked open. This morning it was 60 and very dirty. Were not sure what big city weve stopped in at 7 am but some of our vendors jumped out. [Gorky?] Last day on the train though it will be most of the day.
One of the western inroads we have noticed is modern arty graffiti, even in Ulaan Baator. Do these guys travel all over the world? It looks like it could be from NY, LA or wherever.
At one of the frantic stops yesterday we found a meat pastry and were waiting for the sales staff to clear the steps when one of our predvonitzas ran up to us and actually pushed me toward the entry. Unlike China, there seems to be very little warning and departures are abrupt. It was nice for her to take care of us.
We passed through a large city (I think as we crossed the Volga) which was unnamed and not in the guide book. It had lots of taller buildings, large western type ads on the sides, traffic. Apparently this is Gorky, one of the non-existent cities and where Andrei Sakarov was sent to internal exile.
Note on traffic: China had tons of small western cars and full size busses and trucks (along with all the bicycles and pedicabs and pedestrians). Mongolia: many bigger SUVs and vans along with western cars. Russia: suddenly Russian or at least eastern European small cars. The majority of the rolling stock we have seen on the rails is older, some considerably older and very shabby. Today though I have seen some fairly new trains and one aerodynamic engine.
Vladimir: another sales stop but wonder of wonders we bought hot piroski on the platform, 3/30 R. 2 large beers from the diner 2/100 R. Should have bought more piroski; they were wonderful and hot.
I attempted to negotiate buying some official TransMongolian tea cups. Im not sure whether the predvonitza meant for me to just take them but Ill slip her some Mongolian money. At least shell get some return for it at home.

22 May 2007 Tuesday. On the train
We just stopped at kilometer # 440 and cant tell what city it is. Gorky? What ever it is, is not listed in the handbook. Good sleep last night except that it was quite warm in the afternoon and evening up to 85º so we had the window in our compartment open. I left it open a crack and it got down to 60º in the cabin by this morning. When the window is open we also get a fine dust coming in. So everything is coated today.

Late in the Evening. Last night one of the young Mongolian women who are selling things from the train, paused in our door - then came in and sat down. She has no English and we no Mongolian and each of us only a little Russian. But we still had a conversation. She though we were Russian, I guess because I use what limited vocabulary I have and that is what she heard. Anyway, we talked about ages and showed her the pictures of Alice and Trevor and Leighton. so far everyone who sees the picture of Alice immediately points to Nancye seeing the resemblance. I have never seen it my self, but over the years many people have.

Even late last night they were selling stuff off the train.

One last day on the train arriving in Moscow at 2 pm tomorrow.

I have greatly enjoyed looking at all the small garden plots along the rail line through Russia. At the east end they were just digging them up and preparing the soil. Over Saturday and Sunday we saw many people working their plots. Here near Moscow more things are growing - onions and other tiny green sprouts. Fruit trees are in bloom. Many of the plots are mounded up and a few raised beds. They fit them in a variety of small spaces - some close to the tracks. It gets me wanting to get home and garden. We have stopped in Vladimer, the engine is being changed and the people are selling again. We found a lady selling piroshky - still warm. I bought two beers and so when we start up again we will have an early lunch.

We have been able to buy food from the platform only three times and one was from a stall and it was cold. We got pelmeni earlier and today the pirosky. Neither seller looked like a babyshka! We paid 10 rubles for each piroshky, a little more than a dollar.

4 pm We arrived on time in Moscow and had to look a bit for our ride. The train comes into the NE quadrant and we were driven to the west side to a Stalin gothic high rise near the Moscow River. We have a big room - not air conditioned and it is 30º C. in Moscow today. Very comfortable anyway. The family is a young man, Sasha and his wife Lena and two boys and a cat. We are relaxing and trying to figure out what to do next.

May 23 Moscow We finally got really tired of the train and the billions of birch and pine trees, in part because they were much closer to the tracks so we couldnt see anything in the distance. The Urals where we crossed were quite low as mountains go and easy to miss if you dont know what youre looking for but once through you are officially in Europe rather than Asia.
As we approached Moscow the train slowed for at least 2 hours, sometimes extremely slow. Like Chekhovs characters, we longed to be in Moscow. The area became more populated and we saw the first onion domes of churches. No matter how many or few domes, they all have a separate bell tower which is pointed. As we approached all the neat individual gardens in peoples yards disappeared and became trashy.
It was 30C about 80F so in my velour pants and long sleeved hiking shirt I was hot! Its not usually this hot here this time of year so I packed wrong. Guess if we did this more often wed get better at it.
Moscow is a modern city with a variety of architecture and broad access roads. Like Beijing it has several ring roads with the historic district at the center.
Our home stay is in a much more impressive building though the public areas are shabby. The outside is locked. Our hosts Alex and Lena have 2 sons Ilya and Doma. The apartment is spacious with 4 large rooms, kitchen, bath and small utility room. These are people with some money. We wondered where the other bedrooms were but when I got up early to go the bathroom I noticed the whole family sleeping in the common room. Not only have we dispossessed their parents, but the kids too, since we have to walk through what is apparently their bedroom. I trust it is worth their while.
Our driver Ahmed was pretty taciturn but Alex is very outgoing. He walked us to the currency exchange and pointed out things. Above the Metro station is a huge 4 story shopping center which we browsed. Obviously upscale and very crowded. I did manage to find a shop selling sleep masks but at $28 it was too flimsy and too dear. We ate dinner at the Vinaigrette Café (from the Russian). Tom had fish cakes and mashed potatoes and I had beef stroganoff with roasted potatoes. The presentation was lovely and with water and beer it came to about $22. Dessert at Baskin-Robbins. The interesting thing about Russian is that so many words are transliterated directly from English so that while you dont see all the English signs like you do in China, if you know the Cyrillic alphabet you can often sound out a sign such as Baskin Robbins, Burger City or Vinaigrette Café.
Alex kindly let me use their washer so there are clothes draped all over the bedroom but they are surprisingly dry this morning, including my jeans.
Woke up about 5:30 though it might have been later had the drapes been thicker. We have to wait for breakfast till around 9 when the boys have left for school so we drank our last orange juice to tide us over.
This neighborhood is really nice for a city neighborhood with amenities like a park and shopping. We see more pets including a Pomeranian. Our hosts have a cat but so far so good: no asthma.
Later Our guide for a 3 hour walking tour picked us up at 10 and instead of taking the Metro or driving somewhere and then walking, we walked from the apartment all the way to the Kremlin going along the old Arbatskaya which used to be bohemian and cheap but is now chi chi and touristy. We walked past the Kremlin to Lubyanka and back to what is called by the locals downtown, a four story shopping complex under the area in front of the Kremlin. The plan was to find lunch and then visit the Kremlin before taking the Metro home. We arrived at the ticket booth around 1:30 only to find it closed and the Kremlin closed! Its always closed on Thursday so we had better get in early Friday.
Change of plans. We decided to go to the Theatre Museum. We had to take the Metro, change lines and then find the former house which is now a museum. Just a couple of small missteps and backtrackswe actually walked from the station we entered to another, not unlike Kings Cross in London. Stations very crowded, but beautiful, trains very fast.
We found the museum, formerly the home of a rich man, obviously, based on the William Morris décor of the entrance. We browsed, saw theatre memorabilia and eventually a male docent took us in hand. He told us an incredible amount of information which we didnt understand. We recognized an occasional name but were mainly in the dark as to whom and what were being represented. One delightful old lady kept popping up, whispering and pointing things out to us, especially about opera singer Shalyapin. Due to TV filming in one room, our guide took us down through the basement backstage area to get to parts we couldnt see otherwise. At the end Tom gave him an Ohio pin, they shook hands and he kissed my hand!
We worked our way back on the metro, extremely hot and footsore. After resting we went to a local kebab shop to buy dinner which we ate in the park, people watching.
The theatre museum was not as described in terms of displays but we may get to the Stanislavski House Museum. There seems to have been some disagreement between the two because he is not represented at the Theatre Museum. Highlights of the day: Tom being asked for directions to the Kremlin by another foreign tourist and my being asked in the metro by a Russian.

23 May 2007 Wednesday. Moscow
After a brief lie down our host, Alex, walked us to Ploshad Kievskovo. There we changed some money, found the kiosk for Metro tickets and walked around a huge mall. In it are very up scale shops, a super market, many restaurants and fast food places and shops of many kinds. Nancye again tried to find a sleep mask but the only ones we found were about $28. Too dear. We ate at Vinagrete Cafe. Nancye had beef stroganoff and potatoes and I had a couple of fish cakes and mashed. Elegantly served and very tasty. I dont think I have ever had better fish cakes. Afterwards Baskin and Robbins ice cream. Nancye sounded out the cyrillic lettering and exclaimed, Baskin and Robbins!

We bought some water and hoofed it home. Its about a five minute walk. Slept fine but not long enough.

5 pm Our guide, Anna, picked us up at 10 am. We walked from our guest house all the way to the Kremlin. We took in Arbat Street - very touristy, but with some restaurants we may want to visit. We walked around the Kremlin to Red Square - saw St. Basil and Lubianka Square and back to the Kremlin. After lunch in an underground mall we tried to go into the Kremlin but it was closed on Wed Afternoon. So instead we had our first experience on the Moscow subway. With no signs in English we managed to find our way. We took two different lines and went to the Bakrushin Theatre Museum. Very disorganized entrance. The woman at the desk could not sell us tickets, we had to wait for the ticket seller who was off somewhere. Guides in each room tried to explain things to us and often went on at length even though we said we did not understand. But they were very kind and I used my little Russian. They had mainly stuff from the 19th C. Opera and ballet. Because they were filming in one room one of the guides took us through a back hallway so we could see things in some other rooms. One little lady kept getting up and showing us things and speaking in Russian, but we got some of what she was saying.

We were hot and tired so we got the Metro home , buying flowers for our host on the way.

We got home about 4. Cooled off. Had a drink and went looking for supper. We were cross with each other, but wound up with a sort of gyros and a beer sitting in the grass in a public park watching people go by. A full day of sight seeing for tomorrow.

24 May I think.
Alex offered to drive us to a good overlook to see the city after our breakfast of canned peas, foot long hot dog, tomatoes, cucumbers and plain bread. He left us off at the Novodevichiy Convent where we saw a couple of chapels including an impressive iconostasis. We were introduced to the custom of museums charging to take photographs, usually 100R each! Dont think so.
Then we walked down the road to the cemetery of the same name. Many famous Russians are buried there. We saw memorials to Yeltsin and Rostapovich who both died in the last month. The place reminds us somewhat of Pere Lechaise in Paris but many of the tombstones are really impressive sculptures and carvings, including a reclining nude. While trying to find the Metro from there, a nice lady offered us help.
We went to the theatre district and visited the Stanislavski house museum, Chekov house museum and Gorky Museum which is a jewel of art nouveau architecture. Chekhov and Stanislavski both had small theatres in their homes. When we told the docent that yes, we knew Stanislavski because we acted (a simplification for communication purposes) she really warmed up and had us do a superstitious thing with the door pull for success.
We also found Yeliseevs Food Hall which is an amazing architectural wonder inside and has all kinds of great food. I bought chocolate.
We stopped at the Mill for lunch. Tom had grilled salmon and a variety of vegetables. I had salmon papillote (not described that way) and we shared cream puff dessert and 4 glasses of wine: $139! More than half the bill was the wine.
Finally found the address of American Express office only to discover they are gone and a dentist is at that location.
We went to Patriarchs Pond to pay homage to Bulgakovno large cats to be seen. As we searched for the Metro we broke down and bought two Cokes because of thirst (wed finished all our water). Extremely familiar and refreshing.
Coming back we stopped by the big supermarket for water, orange juice, vodka and tomato juice. Still looking for a bank to cash travelers checks, we struck out twice. All the liquids were quite heavy.
After a rest we wondered back to get something to eat, deciding on the outdoor café weve passed several times. Kebabs seems to mean grilled anything and was plenty good enough. Tom ordered caviarvery fishy. Ive now eaten Russian caviar. The Azerbaijani wine was like communion wine.
Once back to the apartment we were invited to listen to our hostess sing some Russian songs and got suckered into some karaoke. It was somewhat fun. Even we can sing John Denver and the Beatles.

In Moscow we visited the Stanislavski House Museum and the Chekov House Museum. Both places are the homes in which these two great men of the Russian Theatre lived and worked. Each contained a small theatre where they rehearsed and taught. There is something special about such a visit. We stood and walked and sat in the place where important people and events occurred. What a great memory.

More later.

24 May 2007 Thursday. Moscow
A good sleep. It gets light so early. We have to wait until 9 am for breakfast because the family had to get their kids and the wife off to school and work. But nothing opens until 10 or 11 am anyway.

List of Places we saw today.
Alex, Sasha, took us to an overlook of the city on the SW of the city. Then to Novodevichii convent and cemetery.
By Metro to center city. We walked to the MAT - Moscow Art Theatre which was not open. Then we walked up Tverskaya ulitsa to Yeliseevs Food Hall and bought chocolate. Down Tveskoi Blvd to eat lunch at the Mill. This is probably the best meal we have had to this point.
[Note from June 19, the bill came today $138!!!]
In the afternoon we visited Stanislavski House Museum, Gorky House Museum and Chekhov House Museum. Then to Patriarchs Pond. Could not find the American Express Office. We bought water and vodka at the supermarket. We cant seem to get travelers Checks cashed.

Now some details.

The best time today was at Stanislavski home and Chekhov's home. We walked where they walked and lived. Stanislavski had a theatre in his house as did Chekhov. Stanislavski had a weird stage with two big pillars, but right there in that room he coached actors and rehearsed. In his study he wrote An Actor Prepares. A and Ch each died in those houses. Why I am moved by being in a place an important person was I dont know.

The Gorky house is/was designed in style-modern with odd shaped windows, stained glass, and a marvelous banister.

Yeliseevs Food Hall is like a small Harrods. Nancye bought some chocolate. Lunch was expensive because we had four glasses of imported wine. I had a very nice piece of salmon grilled and Nancye had salmon en croute.

Tonight after relaxing we went to an outdoor restaurant. I got red caviar as an appetizer. It came with a huge mound of butter which had been squeezed through something that made it look like spaghetti. I dont know why they dont serve it with crackers or bread. We had to order that separately. Even ketchup had an extra charge.

We have seldom seen anyone wearing a hat - some few young people wear caps - especially baseball caps. I also have seen very few men with beards. Many young women in western fashionable clothing, heels, bare midriff and many nice clothes. I am sure we are not seeing the poor.

Moscow is pretty clean. We dont see much litter except for plastic bottles.

This evening Alex and Lena invited us to sing with them to their karaoke machine. Fun.

25 May Friday I woke up early but was able to go back to sleep till 8! Breakfast of pelmini (way too many) with balsamic vinegar to dip. Alex is taking us to his bank to cash travelers checks since we have so far struck out on the account. Note to travelers in China and Russia: forget the travelers checks; take a lot more cash and use the credit card where possible and be sure you have ATM access. This is the way the world is going.
Still havent gotten our passports back.
At the bank the process was drawn out. We needed passports for identification but fortunately they accepted our copies with Alexs explanation. Then the woman needed help in the process and an OK from another department (to be sure they werent stolen). At last we had cash again.
Taking the Metro to the Kremlin we saw the big tour groups which weekends bring and we were early. Of the seven buildings of displays, three were closed. The Armory which has jewels, coaches and many other things is closed for, thats right, renovation. Another was being set up for a Cartier retrospective and the other just closed for no discernable reason. No, Im wrong. We chose not to stand in a long line to see that cathedral. We saw plenty and decided to see if we can find a book on the Patriarchs Palace from the library. All signs in Russian and we did not spring for the English audio tour. Ive had enough iconostases to last me and we havent even gotten to St. Petersburg. The Russian Orthodox sure like to cover every surface with decoration.
While in one of the cathedrals we had a pleasant surprise. A group of people stood up and sang a haunting, beautiful song. We bought one of their CDs. Afterwards we went back to Red Square which was actually open to pedestrians. Obviously the weekends bring people and tour groups out in droves. Today Lenin, Nicholas II, Marx and Stalin were all there.
After visiting St. Basils, we walked around the Kremlin to the Old Arbatskaya, a market street we saw the other day. It looked like there was some carnival or celebration for children down the whole street with several performance stages, costumed mascots, face painting, etc. Tom had wanted to eat at My-My (Moo-Moo), but the line was too long and too slow at 1:30 in the afternoon. We were really hungry so went to an Italian place: calzone with a very thin crust and sautéed mushrooms, both good.
A leisurely walk back, rest, showers, etc. Our driver is to pick up tonight at 11:30 and return our passports at that time. Another late night and we should arrive in St. Petersburg early in the morning.

25 May 2007 Friday Moscow
After breakfast, Alex drove us to his bank and convinced them to cash some American Express traveler's checks. I am not sure we will buy any of these again. AE travelers checks have not been useful. And mostly our credit cards are not accepted. We have purchased some gifts and an occasional meal with plastic.

Anyway after we got some rubles in cash we took the Metro back to the city center and spent about an hour or two in the Kremlin and St. Basils.

The highlight of the Kremlin was a group of five singers in the Cathedral of the archangel. They sang a short a cappella tune and we bought their CD. They call themselves Anima or Bokalnii Ansambab

We walked from the Kremlin to Arbat Ulitsa. A kids bazaar of some kind was going on down most of the street. Entertainments, clowns, people in large animal costumes, singing. Very festive. We tried to eat lunch at MOO MOO, but it was very crowded with a long line so we went next door and had a calzone and some mushrooms. Beer.

Nancye bought some amber ear rings for herself and Alice. Then back to the apartment for R and R and get ready to take the night train to St. Petersburg. Our passports had to be registered when we got to Moscow, but they have not yet been returned.

26 May 2007 Saturday. St. Petersburg.

The train from Moscow to St. Petersburg was very nice. More comfortable than the Mongolian Trans Siberian, but about the same size. Beds already made up 2 packets of food including a roll, caviar, cheese spread, biscuits, some salami, tea, coffee, orange juice. Plus magazines and newspapers in Russian and a kit that included tooth paste, ear plugs and other necessaries you may have forgotten.

We got into St. Petersburg about 9:30 am.

After getting into our home stay we chose a car tour with driver and guide which cost us over 1000 rubles. But we were taken all over the city including into two churches where services were going on. It was a little boring, but I was tired. They left us at a nice cafe where we had shaslik - lamb kebabs with some tomatoes and cucumbers and a glass of wine. We then walked from Vailevskii back across the Neva River intending to spend the afternoon at the Hermitage and cash checks at American Express. We had to go a long way around because of a big parade on Nevskii Prospect celebrating the anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg. Huge crowds. American Express is closed until Monday. So we went next door to St. Isaacs cathedral. It is a museum, but what a beautiful place. We are amazed that after decades of atheism and the siege of Leningrad that so much of the beautiful art is left.

It was raining as we left the cathedral so we took a taxi home. Cost too much. 1110 rubles!. Well over $40. But it was raining and we would have gotten soaked getting back to our home stay.

26 May Saturday What a treat the train was! The hour was late and there was no place to sit because a young man had luggage in 2 seats and refused to release them. I perched on the arm and eventually we decided to wait on the platform. Just then a woman offered her seat to me as another give the young man hell for hogging seats. Fortunately we had only a short wait on the platform.
The room was configured like the TransSiberian but what a difference. Beds were already made up. There were decorative curtains on the window and flowers on the table. There was a snack box with caviar for each of us and a breakfast box as well. Disposable slippers, toiletries bags, 2 cushy pillows each and a TV! (One channel but what do you want?) Daily newspapers and in flight magazines. The toilet was unlocked and clean, even flowers. We both decided we would like to spend more time on it. The only downside was that we didnt see the light excluding shade till morning and so woke early.
Our driver Sergei was very nice and at the platform to meet us. Unfortunately, he had hurt his back and couldnt lift luggage. The ride to our home stay was very informative. He pointed out where Pavlov tortured his dogs. St. Petersburg has less modern building than Moscow and retains more of an historic flavor, though more of the city of 4.5 million.
The entrance to the apartment is a beat up metal door next to a casino. The entry and stairs are incredibly beat up and dank, graffiti and urine smell. The double doors into the apartment are heavily bolted but it is quite nice. Its not as spacious as the one in Moscow: 3 rooms, entry, kitchen, bath and toilet. Our hostess Svetlana speaks very good English, her husband Ura and children, none.
We opted to hire Sergei for 3 hours of driving with our arranged tour guide Anna. We were inundated with info but we drive over much of the historic city. Tomorrow is St. Petersburgs birthday which is a big deal. The police and military presence is incredible. When asked if the authorities expected trouble our guides basically ignored us. We were pulled over twice for random checks. We stopped at 3 churches where there is an active congregation. Lovely to see and to hear the music for the short time we were there. The churches are more influenced by a later aesthetic than those in Moscow so I like them more. There were actually white wall spaces even though the décor was still quite ornate.
Sergei took us to a store/art gallery obviously catering to tourists but head and shoulders above anything we saw in China. I found a lovely amber pendant.
By 1:30 we were starving and the tour was almost over so Sergei walked us to one of his favorite restaurants where we had shaslickskewered lamb and very nice. From there we walked across a bridge and the long way around to find the American Express office which was closed. We had to take the long way because the Nevesky Prospekt was closed for the big birthday parade. We saw some of that on the TV and agreed it was better that way. As we passed by though we saw a lot of glittering in the distance and thought maybe there were lights in the trees but then saw the same glitter in the air over the river. I picked up a piece, 1 by 2 silver mylar, hence giant glitter.
Because of our detour we ended up near St. Isaac Cathedral which is now a museum though there is an active chapel. Wow
As we left it began to rain (of course, I hadnt brought my umbrella along this time) so we got in a taxi. That driver didnt seem to know where we wanted to go even looking at a map so he called a friend. It was really raining at this point and traffic away from the parade route was jammed. Our driver had come down the wrong way to get us (on the left), reversed so his car has headed the right direction and then backed most of a block to get into traffic. Because of our extensive drive earlier, we know he came directly to the flat but he charged us the inflated tourist rate, 50% higher than quoted. Oh well, it was still raining.
After a rest, Svetnya and Ura took us to 2 ATMs where I tried my cash card and was again refused. Fortunately we have some cash still and think it will get us through tomorrow. They then directed us to one of their favorite restaurants where we had soup and beer and were able to pay with plastic.
Tomorrow farther afield.

27 May 2007 Pentecost St. Petersburg
For breakfast we had some Russian pancakes, we forget what our host called them. Served with fruit preserves and sour cream. Then we sat and talked with her for a long time. Mainly she talked about her daughter and her bad marriage, about people who have stayed with her. She told a story about writing in English to an American man for a girl here in Russia, about relatives who left Russia after the Revolution.

Nancye and I walked to the Hermitage. Our map of the museum was not of much help because the signs in the museum are not of much help. We could not tell where we were. Still we saw, just by wandering and asking questions many French Impressionists and the whole section of Rembrants. The Near Sacrifice of Isaac is in St. Petersburg. The Hermitage is huge and very beautiful, inlaid wood floors.

After leaving the museum we went to Millionaires Ultisa to a restaurant in our guide book. What was supposed to be there was not. But we still had an excellent lunch. Nancye had a chicken cutlet stuffed with mushrooms and breaded and fried. Like Chicken Kiev but different. I had beef stroganoff.

Then we headed for Peterhof. Both getting into the Hermitage and getting tickets for the hydrofoil to Peterhof were very trying. No line, just people pushing their way to the front. The clerks were unhelpful. You have to talk to them through a tiny little window which is waist high and if they dont understand they just shake their heads or turn away. We finally got tickets to stand on the boat to Peterhof. It is a half hour or 45 minutes ride on the Hydrofoil.

We wandered the gardens and took pictures of the fountains for a couple of hours. Getting back was also a trial. A man at a gate on the dock was letting some people through and not others. Finally, he saw our tickets and we could get in line for the next boat. But it landed in St. Petersburg someplace other than where we got on. For a time we were very confused about where we were and the young man at the ramp off the boat was no help. We tried to get him to tell us where we were on the map but he probably did not understand.

Some people in Russia have been very helpful and others just rude.

Anyway, the boat stopped at Vassilevsky Island instead of the Hermitage. So our walk to the home stay was shorter. We stopped at a grocery for a few things and are about out of rubles.

We are staying in this evening to rest. Tomorrow to the American Express office and a stroll on Nevski Prospect. Tuesday we head home.

27 Sunday 305th Birthday of Petersburg We began with a pretty good nights sleep followed by a wonderful breakfast of pancakes with sour cream and preserves. Svetlana was in a talkative mood and since the Hermitage didnt open till 10 we sat and talkedwhat a pip!
Giving ourselves about half an hour to walk we headed toward the Hermitage. As we approached the large bronze Peter the Great monument we realized it was the middle of a commemoration ceremony with all branches of the military, dignitaries and childrens choir. Just as we were passing, they set off fireworks including white, blue, and red smoke. We couldnt have timed it better.
Turns out the Hermitage really opened at 10:30 minutes after we arrived. What a scrum to get tickets! The place is huge, needing days to see everything so we headed for the Rembrandts. On the way we saw some other heavy hitters: Breugel, Pissaro, Seurat, Renoir, Van Dyke and others. We couldnt avoid the crowds entirely but made it to the Rembrandts. Crossed 2 incredible inlaid wooden floors and saw the throne room. Décor everywhere baroque. As our hostess said, when you see these palaces you can understand why there was a revolution.
We looked for an Uzbek restaurant mentioned in the guidebook but couldnt find it. We think there is another at the same address so we went in. This was probably the best meal weve had on this trip. Tom had beef stroganoff and I had chicken kiev, both with rice and vegetables. The presentation was lovely. My chicken was stuffed with mushrooms and garnished with both a red wine sauce and a cream sauce. The plates were decorated with extremely thin leek pieces, we think, basically oval shapes. Too much to order dessert.
On recommendation of our hostess, we took a hydrofoil boat to Peterhof, Peters summer place and along with most of St. Petersburg enjoyed the fountains and gardens near the Bay of Finland. Yesterday was the day of the year the fountains were turned on again. Despite the crowds, mostly Russian, it was possible to stroll along shady paths and green spaces to the various fountains. There are several buildings including the palace on this 1500 acres but all charge extra to enter so we said no.
Using the boat really introduced us to some everyday Russian life, especially uncommunicative ticket sellers and attendants. Taking previous advice we just pressed forward with the crowd and had patience. Coming back from Peterhof we really didnt understand why we were not allowed through one gate, though when the guard saw our round trip tickets, he let us through. There seemed to be more than one line of boats. Once our boat was full, they locked the gate and we had to wait another 15 minutes or so for the next one. We had to stand going out but got comfortable seats coming back. Thing is, we were not dropped where we had picked up the boat. After some time, discussion with some other Americans and comparison of maps, we determined we were much closer to the flat than we expected. Stopped at a market for chocolate, juice and wine and so home.

28 May Chinese noodles for dinner and conversation with Svetnya. She told us about her former son-in-law, the American man she wanted her daughter to marry, how she acquired this apartment, translating banned comics, translating for a woman and American man a la Cyrano, teaching Russian to black South Africans in return for English lessons. This woman is a real go getter. Used her daughters friends and the name of a mafia family whose son she taught to close the deal on this apartment (which she had to buy room by room).
Wonderful thick cheese pancakes for breakfast.
Yesterday on the way to the Hermitage we saw a woman with two young bear cubs. There are bears in Russia despite the T shirt I saw.
Later We left a little later in order to get to American Express when they opened. Its near St. Isaacs so a long walk. There we went to three different windows before we got the right one in a small room (for privacy). The process is a slow one under any circumstances. Tom got some more rubles since we were very low and I got euros. Unfortunately I had to change travelers checks (which I signed too soon) into rubles and then into euros with a 3% exchange rate. This was all after visiting 2 banks whose computers were down so couldnt do anything. The little room was incredibly hot so by 10:10 we were drenched with sweat.
On to Nevesky Prospekt, St. Petersburgs main artery and shopping district. Passed the Stroganov Palace (yes that Stroganov) and on to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. All these buildings are from the early nineteenth century or at least enough to present a unified front. Our Lady of Kazan is again an active church. The curved colonnade was inspired by St. Peters in Rome and was for a while a museum of atheism. There was a long line to kiss an icon and a short one to kiss a cross held by a priest in beautiful green and silver vestments. To the side was a priest chanting prayers and using incense.
The beggars we have seen in Russia have for the most part stood outside the active churches and are very passive. Again we saw the Church on Spilled Blood, one of the few in town with multicolored onion domes. On down to see the St. Petersburg Yeliseevs delicatessen with its style moderne building and art nouveau windows and interior. The building remains but no delicatessen! Well have to ask Svetlana about it. Also missing was a supposedly cheap café patronized by I think Dostoyevsky, replaced by an expensive hotel restaurant.
Down a side street to the Russian Museumno not yet. We passed St. Catherines Roman Church and went in. What a relaxing place after the orthodox churches. Very Georgian or neoclassical. It burned within the last 20 years and has been redone apparently with influence of Vatican II but with side chapels encompassing ruins of some of the oldest part of the building. Almost no statuary and little artwork.
Then to the museum, a collection of Russian art. We attempted to enter the ethnographic museum next door but the ticket taker and doorkeepers indicated it was closed. What are they doing there then? It was quite a trick finding the late 19th and early 20c art since this place is now comprised of 2 palaces. Once again the décor was awesome. Saw Bakst, Kandinsky, some other artists I vaguely recognized and 2 new ones I never saw before and will have to look up: Vasnetkov and Pavel Filonav. We also came across the folk art section and saw some wonderful ethnic costumes and beaded head dresses, gold embroidered scarves and various lace. Lots of other stuff but most interesting were 2 wooden carvings, one a whale with a village and people living on it, probably a meter long. The other I covet. It had probably 30 carved mice, all different, pulling a cart with a dead catreally wonderful.
On the way back up the Prospekt, we stopped at St. Catherines again because there were art sellers outside. I bought a new painting which makes me laugh which I intend to give Trevor for Christmas. We bargained down the price with the owner removing the cheap frame from this stretched canvas.
Took the Metro home, buying flowers on the way. Did I mention the two bookstores on the prospect? Also successful shopping.
We got back to the flat about 4 and no one answered. Tom was feeling some intestinal discomfort so we walked to the café where we had soup the other night called Yulki Palki and ordered beer so he could use the restroom. We also got some little pies for the take out. The manager brought a vase for the flowers while we sat.
Back to the flat. We are both very tired and drenched with sweat. Well repack tonight and relax.
Always carry an umbrella in St. Petersburg.

28 May 2007 Monday. St. Petersburg
It as been muggy every day here, not hot, in the 70ºs, but we sweat. One last day and then we head west again.

So few men wear beards in Russia. A few more in St. Petersburg - we saw only a couple in Moscow. I cut my beard very short before we left home and have not shaved cheeks or neck as I have done for years.

To get cash we went first to Cbear Bank. That is not spelled right, but we tried to change $ to rubles. The computer was not up so we left. We dried another bank. No. Finally we walked to American Express, near St. Isaac's and Nevski Prospect and changed Travelers checks to rubles. Nancye asked to change travelers checks to Euros - no can do. But could change to rubles and then to Euros. Stupid. Well never use American Express again.

So finally we began walking down - up?- Nevski Prospect. Stopped to visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. On the outside it looks like St. Peters in Rome, on the inside Orthodox. Then across the street to a book store. We had seen and gone into another book store earlier. We have been looking for comic books or graphic novels in Russian for Leighton and finally found one.

Lunch. I had herring with potatoes and mushrooms.

Then to the Russian Museum - Russian painting and sculpture from any centuries. The 1916 portrait of V. Meyerhold and other modern paintings. The best piece was a wooden carving of a toy of mice burying a cat. A dozen or three mice hauling a carriage with a dead cat on its back trussed up. Clever, humorous, very nice. Tired we headed back- Nancye bought a humorous original painting. We took the metro back to our home stay, bought flowers for our hostess. I had a bit of a bowel upset and no one answered our rung at the door at 4:15. So we went to Yolky-Palky, a restaurant chain and I got to use the W.C., we got some food to go. While it is not hot here about 75º, it is muggy and feels hot. We are sweating and very tired. Time to go home.

Also on Nevski Prospect was St. Catherines RC church. It was much more plain than the Orthodox churches and we like it a good deal. It had burned recently and while mostly restored it is not yet done.

I have joyfully prayed in Orthodox churches and in St. Catherine's for my people at home.

30 May Too tired and too late to write last night. Yesterday blini for breakfast and a flurried farewell. Sergei took us to the airport and discovered that our flight to Cologne was not from the international airport but from the domestic airport next door. Together they are probably no bigger than most American airports. He was still full of good information on the way. We went through security twice. We had changed our rubles to euros so we couldnt buy anything to eat or drink. Had to break into our chocolate. Fortunately we could buy sandwich and coke on the on the German Wings plane. Very smooth flight and landing.
Toms friend Kate Siegal met us. The temperature was much cooler about 57F and rainy in Cologne so Kate lent me her jacket as I was in a T shirt. Because we arrived around 1:30 she had lots of ideas about sightseeing and even going to a concert in the evening. We began with wonderful pastry and tea in a place overlooking the cathedral. Fabulous cherry and almond tart!
The cathedral is the centerpiece of the city, gothic and mostly black due to the fact it is right next to the railway station. The architecture is so much more European. Kate wanted to show us the cathedral and another church (restored but with carved doors originally made in 1095 (they are inside now). Plus a drive around town and a walk through the downtown pedestrian shopping district. Very nice and we went into a fabulous bread bakery. They just dont seem to have that wonderful a bread in Russia. We begged off any evening activity. After passing yet another wedding party, this one probably Turkish, we went to Kates house.
She lives in the suburbs in a nice house on a small lot with really nice plantings. Shes lived there for over 30 years so it looks finished. Its very modern inside with incredible amounts of art. Separated from her husband for 7 years she says the house and walls used to be a lot fuller.
Dinner and lots of conversation. Kate was Toms love before he met me and they had a lot of friends in common. Shes an interesting person and very gracious. Breakfast was fabulous croissants and soft boiled eggs. She has a wonderful egg topper were going to try to find. Into the car and out to another church with interesting windows which has been shared by Protestants and Catholics since the middle of the nineteenth century. Then to a wonderful park with lots of outside sculpture, most pretty cool.
Major idea: a business renting sculpture for peoples yards, possibly on a quarterly basis. Needs major brain storming.
On to a river view of the city over the Rhine and lunch at a Greek restaurant outside. Because of the location, we took our luggage and walked across the railroad bridge to the train station.
The Talyas or Taleys [actually Thalys] train to Brussels was not uncomfortable and fast. We are staying in a hotel across the street from the railroad station and will take a shuttle train to the airport tomorrow. Hard to believe well sleep in our own bed tomorrow night though it will be an extra long day as we get back the rest of the hours we lost over the international date line.
We walked a little way from the hotel and found a greek restaurant. Plat du jour meant that we had to go into the kitchen and point out what we wanted and see the plate filled. The huge portions meant we only got one plate of moussaka, pasta and overcooked veggies for the two of us. OK and just enough.

30 May 2007 Wednesday. Brussels, Belgium. This round the world trip is coming to an end. Monday I had a brief bowel upset. I thought I was going to pass gas, but it was liquid while we were walking in St. Petersburg.

Tuesday our guide took us to the St. Petersburg airport. They dont give you much information about flights. The sign on the gate indicated the flight only when they started taking tickets. It was not even clear which airport we were to use! Still it was a good flight - coach class on German Wings to Köln.

We were met in Köln by Kate Adcock Siegal, my college girl friend, who has lived in German for nearly 40 years. I have not seen her since 1968. She showed us the sights of Cologne - especially the Cathedral. What a glorious building! We had tea and a marvelous piece of cake in a cafe across from the cathedral. Later to Kates home in the suburbs. We talked late - caught up with each others lives. She now lives alone, her four adult children having moved away and separated from her husband. She has a wonderfully decorated house with many nice things. Today we go to Brussels. If this is Wednesday we must be in Belgium.

[Added later: How strange it seemed on a couple of occasions when in Köln talking with Kate and Nancye. There I sat with the woman I loved and intended to marry 40 years ago and the woman I love and have been married to for 38 years. Strange. I wonder what they are thinking.]

I am thankful that Nancye and my two doctors pushed me to make the trip. I was so anxious and fearful in those days leading up to it. It has been a grand time with many things to remember and bore our friends and children with. Thank you Jesus!

6:30 pm This morning Kate took us around to see a church and a very nice Japanese garden. Please see my pictures for all of these things, I just file by name. And a large park with very interesting and innovative sculptures. Lunch at a cafe overlooking the Rhine and the cathedral. We walked to the rail station over the bridge and took the Thalys from Köln to Brussels. When we got off the train here there was no indication of how to get out of the station. I was expecting to see signs saying, sorti and maybe even Exit. But we asked directions and quickly found our hotel across the street from an exit from the station.

Tomorrow train to the airport and fly home.

We had the last of our bourbon and then went out searching in the neighborhood for supper. This seems like a rough area - run down and inhabited by a mix of Turks and others. We are not sure. We passed several dark and dingy places with only men in them and found a Greek cafe. We asked for a menu and were told in French to make our selection in the kitchen. Table du jour or plat du jour was selected from pans on the stove! As we watched the cook dish out food for people ahead of us we realized we needed only one serving. We got a huge plate with a stuffed eggplant, vegetables and pasta plus two beers and bread for 11 euros.

We walked back to the train station, got information and tickets for the train to the airport then back to the hotel for bed.

1 June 2007 Friday. Hamlet, Ohio. Yesterday was 30 hours long! We got up about 6:30 Brussels time - ate breakfast in the hotel. - a soft boiled egg, sausage, pastry, tea, juice. We took the so-called express to Brussels air port. Then we left about 11:30 am on Delta for the US. Arrived in NY about 1 pm NY time or 7 pm body time. We left NY about 5:30 and arrived in Cincy at 7 pm or 1 am body time. Alice picked us up at the Cincy airport. Good food all day and much too long. It will take us several days to get back on Eastern US time. We have been all around the world in the last three weeks. L.A., Korea, China, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia, Germany, Belgium, NY and home!

3 June Jet lag means no entry 31 May, the long day home. Train to the airport and check in, all relatively painless and quick. On leaving Brussels we went through customs and were asked what we bought. My answer of chocolate and comic books made the agent smile.
The 767 (or was it a 757) wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. We asked about an upgrade at check in and were told it had to be done 3 hours before take off (it was about 2 ½ at that time but the agent checked anyway). No luck but the economy seats were slightly bigger than on other planes. Free wine with dinner which wasnt a bad chicken with orzo and veggies, Haagen Daaz ice cream in the middle of the flight and then a snack before landing at the end of the 7 1/2 hour flight. The flight was very smooth. I had finally found a sleep mask at the airport and guess what was sitting on top of our individual pillows and blankets on the planea mask, earplugs and moisturizer. Oh well.
We experienced the hardest landing I think I have ever, two incredible bumps as we touched down. Something was burning on the adjacent tarmac but no one could tell us what and at least it wasnt us.
During our 4 ½ hour layover at JFK we went to the bar for a martini and gin and tonic, only $18.95 but quite agreeable. The flight to Cincinnati boarded right on time but it was over ½ hour to take off, probably because of the 5:00 rush hour. An hour and a half and Alice got us to the house by 8 pm. Despite having been up about 20 hours, we stayed up till 10 to try to get back on schedule. Weve had 3 nights of little and interrupted sleep, still waking around 1:30. Sleeping pills dont help but I put on the sleep mask around 4 am and dont get disturbed by the sunrise.
Today is Sunday. Tom is back to work and me on Monday.

_________________________________________________________________
http://liveearth.msn.com

Notes from our round the world trip part V

2007-06-20T15:17:00.001-04:00

27 May 2007 Pentecost St. Petersburg
For breakfast we had some Russian pancakes, we forget what our host called them. Served with fruit preserves and sour cream. Then we sat and talked with her for a long time. Mainly she talked about her daughter and her bad marriage, about people who have stayed with her. She told a story about writing in English to an American man for a girl here in Russia, about relatives who left Russia after the Revolution.

Nancye and I walked to the Hermitage. Our map of the museum was not of much help because the signs in the museum are not of much help. We could not tell where we were. Still we saw, just by wandering and asking questions many French Impressionists and the whole section of Rembrants. The Near Sacrifice of Isaac is in St. Petersburg. The Hermitage is huge and very beautiful, inlaid wood floors.

After leaving the museum we went to Millionaires Ultisa to a restaurant in our guide book. What was supposed to be there was not. But we still had an excellent lunch. Nancye had a chicken cutlet stuffed with mushrooms and breaded and fried. Like Chicken Kiev but different. I had beef stroganoff.

Then we headed for Peterhoff. Both getting into the Hermitage and getting tickets for the hydrofoil to Peterhoff were very trying. No line, just people pushing their way to the front. The clerks were unhelpful. You have to talk to them through a tiny little window which is waist high and if they don’t understand they just shake their heads or turn away. We finally got tickets to stand on the boat to Peterhoff. It is a half hour or 45 minutes ride on the Hydrofoil.

We wandered the gardens and took pictures of the fountains for a couple of hours. Getting back was also a trial. A man at a gate on the dock was letting some people through and not others. Finally, he saw our tickets and we could get in line for the next boat. But it landed in St. Petersburg someplace other than where we got on. For a time we were very confused about where we were and the young man at the ramp off the boat was no help. We tried to get him to tell us where we were on the map but he probably did not understand.

Some people in Russia have been very helpful and others just rude.

Anyway, the boat stopped at Vassilevsky Island instead of the Hermitage. So our walk to the homestay was shorter. We stopped at a grocery for a few things and are about out of rubles.

We are staying in this evening to rest. Tomorrow to the American Express office and a stroll on Nevski Prospect. Tuesday we head home.

28 May 2007 Monday. St. Petersburg
It as been muggy every day here, not hot, in the 70ºs, but we sweat. One last day and then we head West again.

So few men wear beards in Russia. A few more in St. Petersburg - we saw only a couple in Moscow. I cut my beard very short before we left home and have not shaved cheeks or neck as I have done for years.

To get cash we went first to Cbear Bank. That is not spelled right, but we tried to change $ to rubles. The computer was not up so we left. We dried another bank. No. Finally we walked to American Express, near St. Isaac's and Nevski Prospect and changed Travelers checks to rubles. Nancye asked to change travelers checks to Euros - no can do. But could change to rubles and then to Euros. Stupid. We’ll never use American Express again.

So finally we began walking down - up?- Nevski Prospect. Stopped to visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. On the outside it looks like St. Peters’ in Rome, on the inside Orthodox. Then across the street to a book store. We had seen and gone into another book store earlier. We have been looking for comic books or graphic novels in Russian for Leighton and finally found one.

Lunch. I had herring with potatoes and mushrooms.

Then to the Russian Museum - Russian painting and sculpture from any centuries. The 1916 portrait of V. Myerhold and other modern paintings. The best piece was a wooden carving of a toy of mice burying a cat. A dozen or three mice hauling a carriage with a dead cat on its back trussed up. Clever, humorous, very nice. Tired we headed back- Nancye bought a humorous original painting We took the metro back to our homestay, bought flowers for our hostess. I had a bit of a bowel upset and no one answered our rung at the door at 4:15. So we went to Yolky-Palky a restaurant chain and I got to use the W.C., we got some food to go. While it is not hot here about 75º, it is muggy and feels hot. We are sweating and very tired. Time to go home.

Also on Nevski Prospect was St. Catherine’s RC church. It was much more plain than the Orthodox churches and we like it a goo deal. it had burned recently and while mostly restored it is not yet done.

I have joyfully prayed in Orthodox churches and in St. Catherine's for my people at home.

30 May 2007 Wednesday. Brussels, Belgium. This round the world trip is coming to an end. Monday I had a brief bowel upset. I thought I was going to pass gas, but it was liquid while we were walking in St. Petersburg.

Tuesday our guide took us to the St. Petersburg airport. They don’t give you much information about flights. The sign on the gate indicated the flight only when they started taking tickets. It was not even clear which airport we were to use! Still it was a good flight - coach class on German Wings to Köln.

We were met in Köln by Kate Adcock Siegal, my college girl friend, who has lived in German for nearly 40 years. I have not seen her since 1968. She showed us the sights of Cologne - especially the Cathedral. What a glorious building! We had tea and a marvelous piece of cake in a cafe across from the cathedral. Later to Kate’s home in the suburbs. We talked late - caught up with each others lives. She now lives alone, her four adult children having moved away and separated from her husband. She has a wonderfully decorated house with many nice things. Today we go to Brussels. If this is Wednesday we much be in Belgium.

[Added later: How strange it seemed on a couple of occasions when in Köln talking with Kate and Nancye. There I sat with the woman I loved and intended to marry 40 years ago and the woman I love and have been married to for 38 years. Strange. I wonder what they are thinking.]

I am thankful that Nancye and my two doctors pushed me to make the trip. I was so anxious and fearful in those days leading up to it. It has been a grand time with many things to remember and bore our friends and children with. Thank you Jesus!

6:30 pm . This morning Kate took us around to see a church and a very nice Japanese garden -. Please see my pictures for all of these things, I just file by name. And a large park with very interesting and innovative sculptures. Lunch at a cafe overlooking the Rhine and the cathedral. We walked to the rail station over the bridge and took the Thalys from Köln to Brussels. When we got off the train here there was no indication of how to get out of the station. I was expecting to see signs saying, “sorti” and maybe even Exit. But we asked directions and quickly found our hotel across the street from an exit from the station.

Tomorrow train to the airport and fly home.

We had the last of our bourbon and then went out searching in the neighborhood for supper. This seems like a rough area - run down and inhabited by a mix of Turks and others. We are not sure. We passed several dark and dingy places with only men in them and found a Greek cafe. We asked for a menu and were told in French to make our selection in the kitchen. Table du jour or plat du jour was selected from pans on the stove! As we watched the cook dish out food for people ahead of us we realized we needed only one serving. We got a huge plate with a stuffed eggplant , vegetables and pasta plus two beers and bread for 11 euros.

We walked back to the train station, got information and tickets for the train to the airport then back to the hotel for bed.

1 June 2007 Friday. Hamlet, Ohio. Yesterday was 30 hours long! We got up about 6:30 Brussels time - ate breakfast in the hotel. - a soft boiled egg, sausage, pastry, tea, juice. We took the so-called express to Brussels air port. Then we left about 11:30 am on Delta for the US. Arrived in NY about 1 pm NY time or 7 pm body time. We left NY about 5:30 and arrived in Cincy at 7 pm or 1 am body time. Alice picked us up at the Cincy airport. Good food all day and much too long. It will take us several days to get back on Eastern US time. We have been all around the world in the last three weeks. L.A., Korea, China, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia, Germany, Belgium, NY and home!

Notes from our round the world trip part IV

2007-06-20T06:29:00.000-04:00

23 May 2007 Wednesday. Moscow
After a brief lie down our host, Alex, walked us to Ploshad Kievskovo. There we changed some money, found the kiosk for Metro tickets and walked around a huge mall. In it are very up scale shops, a super market, many restaurants and fast food places and shops of many kinds. Nancye again tried to find a sleep mask but the only ones we found were about $28. Too dear. We ate at Vinagrete Cafe. Nancye had beef stroganoff and potatoes and I had a couple of fish cakes and mashed. Elegantly served and very tasty. I don’t think I have ever had better fish cakes. Afterwards Baskin and Robbins ice cream. Nancye sounded out the cyrillic lettering and exclaimed, “Baskin and Robbins!”

We bought some water and hoofed it home. It’s about a five minute walk. Slept fine but not long enough.

5 pm Our guide, Anna, picked us up at 10 am. We walked from our guest house all the way to the Kremlin. We took in Arbat Street - very touristy, but with some restaurants we may want to visit. We walked around the Kremlin to Red Square - saw St. Basil and Lubianka Square and back to the Kremlin. After lunch in an underground mall we tried to go into the Kremlin but it was closed on Wed Afternoon. So instead we had our first experience on the Moscow subway. With no signs in English we managed to find our way. We took two different lines and went to the Bakrushin Theatre Museum. Very disorganized entrance. The woman at the desk could not sell us tickets, we had to wait for the ticket seller who was off somewhere. Guides in each room tried to explain things to us and often went on at length even though we said we did not understand. But they were very kind and I used my little Russian. They had mainly stuff from the 19th C. Opera and ballet. Because they were filming in one room one of the guides took us through a back hallway so we could see things in some other rooms. One little lady kept getting up and showing us things and speaking in Russian, but we got some of what she was saying.

We were hot and tired so we got the Metro home , buying flowers for our host on the way.

We got home about 4. Cooled off. Had a drink and went looking for supper. We were cross with each other, but wound up with a sort of gyros and a beer sitting in the grass in a public park watching people go by. A full day of sight seeing for tomorrow.

24 May 2007 Thursday. Moscow
A good sleep. It gets light so early. We have to wait until 9 am for breakfast because the family had to get their kids and the wife off to school and work. But nothing opens until 10 or 11 am anyway.

List of Places we saw today.
Alex, Sasha, took us to an overlook of the city on the SW of the city. Then to Novodevichii convent and cemetery.
By Metro to center city. We walked to the MAT - Moscow Art Theatre which was not open. Then we walked up Tverskaya ulitsa to Yeliseev’s Food Hall and bought chocolate. Down Tveskoi Blvd to eat lunch at the Mill. This is probably the best meal we have had to this point.
[Note from June 19, the bill came today $138!!!]
In the afternoon we visited Stanislavsky House Museum, Gorky House Museum and Chekhov House Museum. Then to Patriarch’s Pond. Could not find the American Express Office. We bought water and vodka at the supermarket. We can’t seem to get travelers Checks cashed.

Now some details.

The best time today was at Stanislavsky’s home and Chekhov's home. We walked where they walked and lived. Stanislavsky had a theatre in his house as did Chekhov. Stanislavsky’s had a weird stage with two big pillars, but right there in that room he coached actors and rehearsed. In his study he wrote An Actor Prepares. A and Ch each died in those houses. Why I am moved by being in a place an important person was I don’t know.

The Gorky house is/was designed in style-modern with odd shaped windows, stained glass , a marvelous bannister.

Yeliseev’s Food Hall is like a small Harrods. Nancye bought some chocolate. Lunch was expensive because we had four glasses of imported wine. I had a very nice piece of salmon grilled and Nancye had salmon en croute.

Tonight after relaxing we went to an outdoor restaurant. I got red caviar as an appetizer. It came with a huge mound of butter which had been squeezed through something that made it look like spaghetti. I don’t know why they don’t serve it with crackers or bread. We had to order that separately Even ketchup had an extra charge.

We have seldom seen anyone wearing a hat - some few young people wear caps - especially baseball caps. I also have seen very few men with beards. Many young women in western fashionable clothing, heels, bare midriff and many nice clothes. I am sure we are not seeing the poor.

Moscow is pretty clean. We don’t see much litter except for plastic bottles.

This evening Alex and Lena invited us to sing with them to their kerioke machine. Fun.

25 May 2007 Friday Moscow
After breakfast, Alex drove us to his bank and convinced them to cash some American Express traveler's checks. I am not sure we will buy any of these again. AE travelers checks have not been useful. And mostly our credit cards are not accepted. We have purchased some gifts and an occasional meal with plastic.

Anyway after we got some rubles in cash we took the Metro back to the city center and spent about an hour or two in the Kremlin and St. Basil’s.

The highlight of the Kremlin was a group of five singers in the Cathedral of the archangel. They sang a short a cappella tune and we bought their CD. They call themselves Anima or Bokalnii Ansambab

We walked from the Kremlin to Arbat Ulitsa. A kids bazaar of some kind was going on down most of the street. Entertainments, clowns, people in large animal costumes, singing. Very festive. We tried to eat lunch at MOO MOO, but it was very crowded with a long line so we went next door and had a calzone and some mushrooms. Beer.

Nancye bought some amber ear rings for herself and Alice. Then back to the apartment for R and R and get ready to take the night train to St. Petersburg. Our passports had to be registered when we got to Moscow, but the they have not yet been returned.

26 May 2007 Saturday. St. Petersburg.
The train from Moscow to St. Petersburg was very nice. More comfortable than the Mongolian Trans Siberian, but about the same size. Beds already made up 2 packets of food including a roll, caviar, cheese spread, biscuits, some salami, tea, coffee, orange juice. Plus magazines and newspapers in Russian and a kit that included tooth paste, ear plugs and other necessaries you may have forgotten.

We got into St. Petersburg about 9:30 am.

After getting into our homestay we chose a car tour with driver and guide which cost us over 1000 rubles. But we were taken all over the city including into two churches where services were going on. It was a little boring, but I was tired. They left us at a nice cafe where we had shaslik - lamb kebabs with some tomatoes and cucumbers and a glass of wine. We then walked from Vailevskii back across the Neva river intending to spend the afternoon at the Hermitage and cash checks at American Express. We had to go a long way around because of a big parade on Nevskii Prospect celebrating the anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg. Huge crowds. American Express is closed until Monday. So we went next door to St. Isaac’s cathedral. It is a museum, but what a beautiful place. We are amazed that after decades of atheism and the siege of Leningrad that so much of the beautiful art is left.

It was raining as we left the cathedral so we took a taxi home. Cost too much. 1110 rubles!. Well over $40. but it was raining and we would have gotten soaked getting back to our homestay.

Notes from our round the world trip part III

2007-06-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

18 May 2007. Friday. Ulaan Baator train station aboard the Trans Siberian rail road waiting for it to leave.
Breakfast at our homestay this morning. We went to see the Ganden Temple, a Buddhist monastery on the other side of the city. We tried to find a taxi, but could not, so we walked about an hour. We spent little time there because we had to be back for our pick up to the train station. And we walked all the way back. Nancye is especially tired. Most shops don’t open until 10 or 11 am - so Nancye did not get to do the shopping she wanted to do. Still she bought a cashmere scarf made in Mongolia. Relaxed at the room briefly then here to the train station.

19 May 2007 Saturday. Siberia. The train left on time from Ulaan Baator. Many people hauling bales of fabric or clothing on board. From Friday afternoon when we got on until now a “gang” of Mongolians have been carting piles of shirts, blankets, purses and other stuff back and forth in the train. It is not at all clear what they are doing but, Ola - a Norwegian fella in our car says they are smuggling these things into Russia. When we finally got to the border the Russian guards searched in all the cabins. Ola thinks the Mongolians bribed the officials. What we don’t understand is why they keep hauling the stuff back and forth. Sometimes they do it in bales and sometime one or two items.

Getting out of Mongolia and into Russia was a long tiring process. At least we could stay in our cabin. First the Mongolian official had to look at our passports and take them away. Then their customs official had a go. When we got our passports back the train moved forward in fits and starts.

After a long wait the Russians had their chance. I think we got to the border about 9:30 pm and left well after midnight. Sometime during the night our passports were returned.

I slept better and longer last night. We woke up at Ulaan Ulda in Russia and have been moving West all day. This is point at which we join the rail line from Vladivostoc

Breakfast - some dry cereal, tea, bread and jam. Lunch in the dining car: borscht with bread and beer. Dinner a dried noodle soup reconstituted with boiling water from the samovar.

We had ad difficulty getting rubles. The Mongolian Bank had very few. At the dining car a $50 bill was accepted with Russian rubles as change. At Irkusk we thought we’d find a bank at the station, but there was none. The ATM machine would not take Nancye’s debit card. But it took Ola’s so he did a second transaction and we bought rubles with dollars from a Norwegian.

The scenery has been spectacular and varied. From Ulaan Baator - dry and looking like eastern Colorado, it slowly greened up, trees appeared and water. The train follows the southern bank of Lake Baikal for many kilometers with many great views to the north across the lake. To the south some snow capped peaks.

Gradually more villages and towns. We saw many people outside working on garden plots. They are preparing the soil; nothing seems to be planted yet.

20 May 2007 Sunday. On the Train in Siberia. Awakened in Krasnoyarsk this morning. We just passed the half way kilometer mark between Beijing and Moscow.

We have seen steppes and taiga, little mountain streams. We pass many small villages. They are motley gray weathered often with gaily painted shutters. Most have a fenced in yard - no grass. Either junk or a garden in the yard.

We have had a bit of rain and it is mostly cloudy today. We have had clear and sunny weather every day this trip until late yesterday.

The train operates on Moscow time even though we are several time zones away. So we are gradually moving our clocks back and our daily schedule later. I think we are gaining back the day we lost over the Pacific.

For breakfast we are eating dry cereal - we have a box of Chinese cherrios!, bread and jam and tea.

Last stop at Achunk was 20 minutes. The Mongolians hawked their wares to the locals from the train doors making it hard to get off. So I went to the next car and got off, but the preovodnitsa seemed not to want me to get back on - she of course did not recognize me.

We are stopped at Marinsk for 25 minutes. We just finished dinner in the restaurant car “meat” soup - a pork chop and potatoes with some pickles and bread, two beers. 570 rubles or about $23. Not cheap. Bought orange juice from a stall.

We had thought there would be babushkas at each stop selling hot food and fruit. At only one place has there been anyone selling food. One place some guys were selling dried fish. Still we are eating well and are healthy. Sleeping is better. The beds are narrow - 2-2 and a half feet wide, barely long enough and rather hard.

After getting our OJ we walked up and down the platform a little. We have settled into a routine - calm and quiet. I am pleased that I manage to get by with my very limited Russian. “apelsin sok” got me orange juice. Sorry, I don’t have a Cyrillic alphabet on my computer. I first just said apelcin and then added sok. She showed me oranges and I said cok and she found it. Great. I did it!

We sit reading and when the train stops we either write in our journals or get out and walk. Then there are times we just watch the country side roll by.

Trees, Trees, Trees.

21 May 2007 Monday Monday. Tymen, Siberia. What a zoo yesterday at Novocibursk! The Mongolian sellers were hanging from every door and many windows hawking their stuff to crowds of Russians. Clothes, blankets, shoes, handbags. There was a huge wall of people coming to the train to buy cheap stuff from China. We have not seen the babushkas selling food. There was at Novsibirsk one older woman with a cart. She had pizza, “hot dogs” and pelmeni. We bought a small try of pelmeni for 30 rubles. They were still warm and good.

Overnight through Omsk and we just stopped here at Tymen. We tried to buy a pack of crackers, but the woman would not sell them. Perhaps the ones in the window are only for display.

7:20 Moscow time, we think 9:20 local time and we are off again.

Afternoon and we are in Sverdlovsk. Again the people on the train are selling their wares. There was a huge crowd waiting for us. Again no food for sale. We find this amazing. Whether or not these goods are legal they clearly have a market. After three days on the train it is getting a little dull. We had hoped for a greater variety of food - but we rest, read, watch the scenery go by. Watch the natives get ready for each sale.

I must say the two women previdnitzas work hard. They have been on duty in what is probably 12 hours shifts for three days and they assist with these train side sales.

22 May 2007 Tuesday. On the train
We just stopped at kilometer # 440 and can’t tell what city it is. Gorky? What ever it is, is not listed in the handbook. Good sleep last night except that it was quite warm in the afternoon and evening up to 85º so we had the window in our compartment open. I left it open a crack and it got down to 60º in the cabin by this morning. When the window is open we also get a fine dust coming in. So everything is coated today.

Late in the Evening. Last night one of the young Mongolian women who are selling things from the train, paused in our door - then came in and sat down. She has no English and we no Mongolian and each of us only a little Russian. But we still had a conversation. She though we were Russian, I guess because I use what limited vocabulary I have and that is what she heard. Anyway, we talked about ages and showed her the pictures of Alice and Trevor and Leighton. so far everyone who sees the picture of Alice immediately points to Nancye seeing the resemblance. I have never seen it my self, but over the years many people have.

Even late last night they were selling stuff off the train.

One last day on the train arriving in Moscow at 2 pm tomorrow.

I have greatly enjoyed looking at all the small garden plots along the rail line through Russia. At the east end they were just digging them up and preparing the soil. Over Saturday and Sunday we saw many people working their plots. Here near Moscow more things are growing - onions and other tiny green sprouts. Fruit trees are in bloom. Many of the plots are mounded up and a few raised beds. They fit them in a variety of small spaces - some close to the tracks. It gets me wanting to get home and garden. We have stopped in Vladimer, the engine is being changed and the people are selling again. We found a lady selling piroshky - still warm. I bought two beers and so when we start up again we will have an early lunch.

We have been able to buy food from the platform only three times and one was from a stall and it was cold. We got pelmeni earlier and today the pirosky. Neither seller looked like a babyshka! We paid 10 rubles for each piroshky, a little more than a dollar.

4 pm We arrived on time in Moscow and had to look a bit for our ride. The train comes into the NE quadrant and we were driven to the west side to a Stalin gothic high rise near the Moscow River. We have a big room - not air conditioned and it is 30º C. in Moscow today. Very comfortable anyway. The family is a young man, Sasha and his wife Lena and two boys and a cat. We are relaxing and trying to figure out what to do next.

Notes from our round the world trip part II

2007-06-17T15:19:00.001-04:00

May 13, 2007. Beijing. It is a little before 8 pm. We just got back from a long day of sightseeing.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel. “Full English” and more. Corn on the cob - rice porridge. Well, I has some bacon and scrambled eggs and a really nice croissant.

About 25 of us lead by “Jimmy” went first to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. That took about four hours and lots of sweat. It was hot, sunny and the air polluted. So many people everywhere we went. The buildings mostly are grand, but the grounds are bare. No trees except for the small garden in the back or north of the Forbidden city. The whole thing cries out, “Don’t com in Here! You are too small to be par of this!” I provokes awe.

A buffet lunch. We were exhausted and de hydrated by lunch time. In the afternoon to the Summer Palace. Just as hot but more shade. We all walked slower and all took the boat across the lake -Kunming Lake. Our guide knows so much, sometime he goes on too long, but he is really good and keeps us together. We follow his flag through many other groups going in all directions.

Dinner was sit down deal with eight different dishes! So Good.

We also went to a tea “ceremony” earlier. It was really a demonstration intended to sell us cups and tea - which Nancye did.

There was a martial arts show tonight, but since, it was optional, nancye and I and most of the others cam back to the hotel.

The architecture of Beijing is depressing. High rise offices and apartments that look run down and drab - grim is what the city looks like. Mostly no more than eight stories or so. There are some glass encased buildings and a few try to be creative, but mainly this is an ugly city. Incredible traffic with cars , bicycles, mopeds, huge tourist buses all driving wherever they feel like and pedestrians walking blithely through it.

A good day - exhausting.

I hope we sleep longer tonight. Last night we went to bed at 9 pm because we could not stay awake. I woke up at 2 am and tossed and turned for four hours.

14 May 2007, Monday, Beijing. A long day after a sleepless night. At least it seemed sleepless - worry and anxiety about the rest of the trip and what could go wrong.

Ming Tombs in the morning, the Great Wall in the afternoon and two fine chinese dinners, then a bad rendition of the Peking Opera in the evening back at the hotel about 9:30 pm.

The Great Wall is everything I anticipated. It is grand - so large as to be incomprehensible and so graceful running up and down over the sharp hills. Some passages so steep it felt like being on a ladder. We were at the Badaling portion for about two hours. I hope my photos will be good.

There are many people in the tourist sites hawking caps and shirts , post cards and “Rolex” watches. They are very pushy. I bought two Olympics caps for 5 yen -about $.75! I bought an “I climbed the Great Wall” t shirt for 80 yen, about $6.

They are even on the wall itself. One woman was selling steel rings that magically link together. Anyway I said, “Let me show you a trick.” And I did the pull-your-finger-off trick I learned from my dad. SHe wanted to learn how to do it - so i showed her and two other sales people crowed around. I spoke no Chinese and they only the English names of what they were selling. Very interesting.

I’ve written little about the wall here. It is too whatever for my description. It is the highlight of the trip so far.

15 May 2007 Tuesday Beijing. Slept poorly again last night, but better than the night before. After breakfast with the group we went to the Temple of Heaven. Beautiful building - but I was most fascinated with the hundreds of people exercising in the park around it. Dancing, ribbon twirling, play with paddle ball, singing in choruses. Fascinating seeing the real people in their own places.

A silk show room was the next place. Somebody is probably getting kickbacks on these visits to commercial places.

Lunch and then Nancye and I took a taxi back to the hotel Rest and regroup this afternoon . At 6:30 am tomorrow we head for the train station and the major purpose of our trip, the Trans Siberian Railroad from Beijing to Moscow.

16 May 2007 Wednesday. On the Trans Siberian Railroad between BEijing and the Mongolian border.

Another bad night of sleep. Awake much of the night. Up at 5:30 am, finished packing, checked out of the hotel. Taxi at 6:30 to the train station.

We have a two bed unit about 8 feet by 8 feet with a triangular room with sink shared with next compartment.

High sharp hills outside Beijing and many tunnels. Now it is flattening out with mountains in the distance. Few Trees, not even much grass. A Free lunch in the dining car: large meatballs with celery and cauliflower and rice.

It is hard to write while the train is moving so the above may be unreadable. We are now in a desolate part of China just before the border with Mongolia. No trees. Dust storms. Sheep. Piles of rock. Every village looks shabby and poor.

“Voolya” Thank you in Mongolian.

The train pulled out of Beijing on time at 7:40 this morning and into the border crossing into Mongolia about 8:30 this evening. We now sit and wait while they take off the wheels and replace them with Russian “boggies.” Apparently it can take up to five hours, but the scheduled stop is for two hours. We tried to change Chinese yes into Mongolian money, but for some reason they cannot do it. We bought some orange juice and a dried noodle soup to which you add water for lunch.

17 May 2007 thursday. Somewhere south of Ulaan Baator on the Trans Siberian Rail Road. They changed the boggies in a little more than two hours and we thought we were off. but then the Chinese border people came by and returned our passports.

Nancye and I prepared for bed, shut off the lights and the train stopped again. I guess we went far enough to go over the Mongolian border so Mongolian customs people came through about midnight. The impeccably uniformed woman took one of the two passports i handed to her an rifled through it, looked puzzled and asked how old I am and asked me to look at her. I joked “Don’t I look like my picture.” She said, “No.” She was looking at Nancye’s passport.

Slept some but not enough. We had OJ we bought at the station last night and some crackers. later we went to the Mongolian restaurant care and had an omelet. the car is heavily carved wood. Very attractive.

The scenery is very brown. No trees, but many small ramshackle villages. Sheep, a few horses and an occasional camel.

7:45 pm Ulaan Baator, Mongolia. We arrived about half an hour late. A driver with pretty good English took us to our home stay. Ulaan Baator has the same ragged rundown look as Beijing without the high rise apartments and of course much smaller. I wonder what it is doing here? In the midst of the desert is a million people. The apartment building where we are has a woeful aspect on the outside and on the four story climb to the flat. But the apartment is neat and clean, five rooms with a bath and shower. Mme Gladia is a retired russian teacher, very gracious and helpful. An old man lives here too, Husband? Father?

We walked across the street to a posh western hotel to change money and to the SKY department store where we bought some food for the train journey. After a bit of bourbon we walked to the center of the city. We were starred at a bit, there being so few Caucasians here. We ate at the Red Horse pub and Restaurant - spaghetti! Well, we have had our fill of chinese food. We walked back across the central plaza and back to this apartment.

Notes from our round the world trip

2007-06-16T16:07:00.000-04:00

May 10, 2007 Los Angeles Airport. We finished packing this morning with much time to spare. I have been very anxious ab out the trip, but the encouragement of Nancye and my doctors and the use of xanax is going to make this work. Chris Gardner arrived about 1:30 Eastern time to drive us to the Cincy airport.

The flight to the LA airport was a little bumpy - one big jolt spilled drinks. We flew first class to LA, wide seats, free drinks and a pretty good dinner. It is 10:30 pm body time and our plane to Seoul , Korea leaves here at 1:30 am Pacific time which is 4:30 am body time. Then a 12-13 hour flight to Seoul and on to Beijing. We are tired but have made the first leg of our round the world trip.

12 May 2007 7 am Seoul , Korea air port. We left LA at about 4:30 am Eastern body time. We arrived here about half an hour ago. Weary. did not sleep well. We crossed the international date line for the firs time. We both like the Boeing 777. REally quiet. Now we wait 2 and a half hours for our flight to Beijing.

Airports is airports. They look alike as you are landing and when you get inside. The Korean air stewardesses look much alike. Hair tied in a bun and all thin and young and pretty. Very pretty. Like stewardesses used to have to be in America.

Same day 2:30 pm Beijing, China. Plaza Royal Hotel. On the plane from Seoul to Beijing, Nancye and I were the only first class passengers. Good food - a cod with a “Chinese cream sauce”.

We got through the airport really fast. Customs were easy and our bags awaited us when we got to the carousel.

“Jimmy” - we’ll find out his real name later - [we never did] met us at the airport. He is our guide for the next two days. A taxi brought us to the hotel -about half an hour from the airport. This is a pretty nice place, redone rather ginger bread looking place. The girl at the desk was horrified that we wanted to go out for a walk. “O, there is nothing around here!” she said. But she did tell us about a food store a couple of minutes walk.

Food Store! This was Wal Mart, Kroger and Jungle Jim’s in one! Amazing displays of food. Many things exotic to us - veggies we could not identify. Live fish and many fresh fish. Chicken breasts in a pile that people sort through like socks! Fingering them.

The store had many many employees, people standing around displays hawking their wares, helping people and many just standing there.

We also noticed the huge variety of facial and body types. At least in the big city, China is, well, I was going to say polyglot, but truthfully many different oriental types. I think I have seen one black person in the last two days.

We came back to the room and read a bit and then to dinner in the hotel. The elaborate buffet had only four diners. We think it may be more populated later, but all that food sitting there on steam tables for hours! Then we walked through the complex of building of which this is a part. It includes a mixture of offices and apartments in high rises - neo gothic - modern buildings with pseudo -European court yard in the middle: fountains and patios. This must be pretty up market.

China and Russia trip

2007-06-06T09:52:00.000-04:00

Nancye and I have just returned from a three week trip around the world. It was the sort of adventure that happens only once in a lifetime. On May 10 we flew to Beijing from Cincinnati, Ohio. There we spent four days seeing the usual sights. Then we embarked on the central piece of our trip. We boarded the Trans-Siberian railroad in Beijing and rode all the way to Moscow. On the way we had an over night stay in Ulaan Baator, the capital of Mongolia. Reboarding we spend four full days relaxing on the train - or as Nancye says, “Camping out on the train.” Then we had three nights in Moscow, the overnight train to St. Petersburg and three nights and days there. In Ulaan Baator, Moscow and St. Petersburg we stayed with local residents in a ‘homestay.’

On May 29 we flew to Cologne, Germany and stayed one day with my college sweetheart, Kate Adcock Siegel. On the 30th we took a train to Brussels where we spent the night so we could get up early the next morning and fly to New York and Cincinnati.

In the coming days I will post some stories from the trip and if I can figure out how to do it some pictures.

Three for the moment.

Several years ago I got a wild idea. Why not drive a Land Rover to Alaska, take a ferry across the Beiring Straits and then drive across Siberia to Western Europe. I actually investigated this idea eventually talking with some one at National Geographic and learning that there are no roads in eastern Siberia and no gas stations. We would have to mount an expedition similar to ascending Mt. Everest. So.

Then we discovered the Trans Siberian railway and spent several years planning and saving for this great adventure. Rather than start in Vladivostock we decided to begin in Beijing and to see that city as well as the two Russian cities at the other end of the line. So we did.

In Beijing there are people at all the tourist sites hawking all manner of junk. “Rolex” watches. “Gucci” handbags. And all sorts of hats. Even on the Great Wall they are trying to get you to my this stuff. On the Great Wall a young woman was trying to sell “magic rings.” Two silver rings about six inches in diameter which, when you know the trick will link together. The only English she knew was, “magic rings.” She demonstrated them to me while I was sitting on the wall so I said, “Let me show you a magic trick.” I demonstrated the trick of pulling off the end of your finger that I learned from my Dad probably 60 years ago. The young woman was fascinated and wanted me to show her how to do it. As I was doing so two or three other sellers gathered around to see what we were doing. It was a moment of communication and fun. The kind of thing that made this a memorable trip.

In Moscow we visited the Stanislavski House Museum and the Chekov House Museum. Both places are the homes in which these two great men of the Russian Theatre lived and worked. Each contained a small theatre where they rehearsed and taught. There is something special about such a visit. We stood and walked and sat in the place where important people and events occurred. What a great memory.

More later.

Thoughts on Holy Saturday

2007-04-07T10:57:00.000-04:00

Most of us Church members are nominally Christians. We often worship something else. To be a Christian is to worship Jesus the person, to adhere to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Instead we believe in other things. When we say we believe in something we are saying, “I give my heart to...” The general run of the population of America gives its heart to wealth, beauty, popularity, power, accumulation of goods, security and happiness. Most people are thus functional polytheists.

Church members too are functional polytheists, but our gods, often in addition to the ones mentioned above, include a special set of deities to whom we give our hearts.

They are an Intellectual God, the God of Goodness and the God of Religion.

For many church members belief is not about the heart but about the mind, the understanding. To be a faithful God follower is to be convinced by arguments both rational and irrational that something is true. The history of Christian theology is replete with arguments for the existence of God. Much of Christian theology since 1700 has been about proving that events in the Bible actually happened. Both conservatives and liberals are prone to worship their own convictions. Conservatives argue for literal interpretations of scripture and strict adherence to a defined set of moral standards. Liberals worship reason and reject anything they cannot figure out.

The most common god we church members worship is Goodness. Being a Christians we say is about doing good things rather than bad things and being nice to everyone. This idea takes the form of soup kitchens, clothing give aways, shelters and sometimes lobbying for good causes. In its most frequent form the worship of goodness is about being congenial. Being pleasant to everyone all the time. “We are a friendly church,” most congregations say when looking for a new pastor. Of course, it is not possible to be nice and good all the time. So on those many occasions when someone in the church offends us, especially if it is the priest, we face a dilemma. Since we have to be nice we cannot tell the person whose behavior we don’t like to his face. We talk to other people about it; we engage in passive-aggressive action. Or we just leave the church without explanation.

Our desire to tell the truth, to act out our unhappiness, is pushed into a corner until it explodes in aggressive behavior. Clergy see this all the time. We also are guilty of it.

Church members also worship religion. We venerate our buildings, prayer books, hymns, liturgies, our moments of religious ecstasy and sometimes even the clergy.

We clergy are especially prone to give our hearts to the church in one of its many forms.

Most of us church members worship, give our hearts, to one or more of these divinities. All of these ideals are quite good. It is good to think carefully about scripture and morals. It is good to care for the needy and be kind to other people. It is good to be involved in causes which will make our lives better. It is good to preserve the outward forms of of our faith. Prayer, Justice and Mercy, says the prophet, are the outward signs of our inward faith. But they are not the objects Christian should be worshipping.

It is good to know where we mistakenly leave our hearts for it might just call us back to Jesus.

Maundy Thursday. Blood Theology

2007-04-05T14:27:00.000-04:00

Maundy Thursday
Blood Theology John 13: 1-15
Would Jesus be any deader if he had not been crucified? If the gore of Good Friday had not been so gory? What if Jesus had been beheaded? Killed with a lethal injection? Would it make any difference to the value of our salvation? I mean is it the blood that is important?

Would our salvation be any better, more complete if Jesus had died in a more horrific way? Eviscerated and drawn and quartered?

How does the horror of Jesus death effect our salvation? If there is more horror are we saved sooner, better or more of us?

How much blood does it take to save us.

Crucifixion is not a terribly bloody death; the victim dies of asphyxiation.

The beating of Jesus is limited is a single verse at Matt 26:67, Mark14:65 and Luke 22:63

Then again at Matt 27:26, Mark 15 15 and John 19:1 but not in Luke!

Blood theology has at least two forms: one the resurrected Jesus soaked up all the blood shed in his death and deposited it in heaven where it is used to cleanse those who need it. Hence blood theology.

two God’s anger over the sinfulness of man can only be assuaged by death. Jesus’ pain and death substitutes for us. Hence substitutionary atonement theology. In this way of thinking, God is overpoweringly angry at all human beings and his anger must be appeased. He decided to appease his own anger by sending his son to be killed in our place.

The moral danger of blood theology is that it baptizes violence and bloodshed in God’s name. It is the source in our culture of the desire for retribution, punishment and war all in the name of God. For capital executions, for carrying weapons on the streets of our cities, and for the attacks we are making on the people in Iraq, Afghanistan etc.

Here is what I think of as orthodox soteriology: [soteriology is the study of how people are saved] God sent the Son, God came as a human into our lives to make us one with him, to draw us back into relationship. God became in every way like us. In our hunger, in our temptations, in our pains and anguish. This is called in theological terms: the Incarnation. God did not intend for Jesus to be executed, but SURPRISE he let it happen. Jesus did not have to let himself die. And SURPRISE Jesus was willing. And the big surprise is that God took this horrible human action and turned it one its head: SURPRISE resurrection!

Were are we in this? We are the ones who crucify Jesus. whenever we do it to one of the least of God’s creatures we do it to Jesus. We are also the benificiaries of the cross. The whole of Christ’s passion is for us. Pain and Blood included.

Being a Christian is not an escape from sin, pain or death. Being a Christian is about being like Jesus in this world.

William Porcher DuBose, 19th Century Anglican theologian, wrote in The Soteriology of the New Testament p. 239-40, “...our Salvation consists not in some one’s performing a vicarious act or enduring a vicarious penalty which has the effect of a formal and objective satisfaction to the nature, the justice, or the divine government of God for their moral or abstract guilt; but it consists in some one’s doing, or having done, for us and in us that which will break the power over us of the inherited nature, of the accumulated and consolidated consequences in our nature, which those sins have entailed upon us.”

Beware the Dreaded Dualism

2007-03-12T13:39:00.000-04:00

One of my parishioners told me that if the people are not following, the leader is not leading. My first thought was that a leader can be encouraging the people to go in the right direction, or for that matter the wrong direction and they refuse to go.

But what he was thinking about was a definition that is quite “functional.” Leadership which does not achieve results is not leadership. For example, if I am trying to get the people of my congregation to grow the membership and they are not doing it, it is not happening, then I am not leading.

Conversely, if the people are moving in a concerted direction, am I leading them?

The underlying issue here is a fallacious dualism. There are leaders and followers. Any organization is made up of those few who set the direction, have the vision and control the company; and it includes the larger number who take orders, do or do not do as they are directed. I am not a management specialist, but I have been to many church management seminars where it seems to me the same dichotomy is assumed.

Beware of the Dreaded Dualism.

Any analysis that begins with a two sided assumption is a dualism. Liberal vs. Conservative. Love vs Hate. Heaven vs Hell. Win the war vs loose the war. Accept homosexuality vs. reject homosexuality. Anti-abortion vs pro-abortion. Body vs soul.

Dualisms assume there is little or no space between the two sides and that the two sides are opposite. Let’s be extreme here for a moment. Dualisms are always wrong because life is more nuanced. George W. Bush says we must win the war in Iraq because the only alternative is to loose it. Good vs Bad. His way of thinking takes no account of changing our behavior in use of oil, power. His approach assumes that military might is the final arbiter of “winning.”

Leaders and followers change places repeatedly, influence each other, assist and hinder each other in myriad ways.

My metaphor for leadership is the theatre. The stage director studies a play, imagines what it will look like, sound like, feel like on the stage. She develops a vision for a realized artistic product. The director then works with designers and actors to try to realize her vision. In that process of leading and rehearsing the vision gets changed. The stage director does not so much tell the actors what to do as he helps them do what they do within some parameters. At the end of rehearsals, the director goes to the back of the auditorium and watches with the rest of the audience as the actors and scenery and technicians do what they do.

That is the metaphor for my work as church “leader.” It is not my calling to do the work of the church. It is not my calling to be “the priest-leader” while lay people “follow.” My calling as priest is to encourage, bless, shove, listen, talk, be present, preside over the Eucharist and help other Christians prepare themselves to follow Jesus.

Twenty thousand more troops

2007-01-22T15:23:00.000-05:00

Vice President Cheney derides those who oppose the President’s decision to send more troops to Iraq, because he says they don’t have a better idea. That is a lame argument in support of the policy, but it does deserve an answer.

The Democrats and Republicans who are trying to block the President’s ‘new’ policy in fact don’t have anything positive to say. My guess is they are afraid, unwilling, unable to talk about the larger issues. They may understand as many of us do that there is no good way out of an ill-conceived badly managed war, which is turning into a nasty sectarian conflict. Opponents of the President’s plans don’t have a better plan because there is no good way out of the mess he and they have gotten us into.

Congressmen and Senators are unwilling to outline an alternative policy in Iraq because it might require them to admit that the three thousand American and many more thousands of Iraqi deaths were in vain.

The war was a mistake to begin with, so those in both parties, including the majority of citizens who approved of the war have no place to stand.

It is not just the invasion of Iraq which was a mistake. The Middle East policy of many congresses and presidents for decades has been mistaken and immoral. We have rightly supported the right of Jews to a nation in Palestine, but have done so to the detriment of Christian and Muslim Palestinians. We have regularly supported dictatorial governments in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudia Arabia and Egypt while pretending to encourage democracy. We have at times even supported Sadaam Hussein and Osama bin Laden!

Most important, since the beginning of the twentieth century we have used our power to ensure a free flow of cheap oil from them to us. We have built a luxurious life style for ourselves at a huge cost to the average person in many countries in the Middle East.

The President’s continued attempt to force democracy on Iraq and call it ‘fighting terrorism’ is wrong and is a mistake. Sending another twenty thousand new troops to Iraq won’t make any difference, will not bring democracy to Iraq and will only prolong our need to deal with the mess he has made. His entire Middle East policy and his views on oil consumption and the environment are mistaken.

Anyone who wants my vote for President in 2008 needs to develop a whole new Middle East policy that does not put our need for cheap oil first and does not put American fear about terrorists above compassion for the poor.

Today I am 63

2006-12-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Seventy years ago my parents had not yet met each other.

Sixty years ago we lived in Willard or Plymouth, Ohio. I can’t remember which! And I had an older brother. Harry Truman was President of the 48 states.

Fifty years ago I was in Junior High School, played the sousaphone in Stow, Ohio.

My how life can change in ten years.

Forty years ago I was a graduate student in theatre at Ohio State, dating the woman I was sure was going to be my wife.

Thirty years ago, Nancye, who really was my wife and still is, was pregnant with Alice and I was teaching theatre in Portland, Oregon.

Twenty years ago December 7 I was ordained a priest in God’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, served St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Morehead, Kentucky and we had added a son, Trevor.

Ten years ago we had has just moved to Delaware, Ohio and St. Peter’s Church. Alice was in college and Trevor in high school.

Now I am 63 and thinking about retirement after the Church of the Good Samaritan grows. Trevor is a carpenter and Alice is a priest. Nancye is still the love of my life.

Ten years from now I will be walking two miles a day, eating well and loving my wife, children and grandchildren.

Twenty years from now I may be dead. There are so many books to read, so many places to visit, so many people to love before then.

Decision making

2006-10-03T11:35:00.000-04:00

Fortunately, all our choices are not soul rending. Which cereal to purchase this week. Which of my children shall I phone first this weekend. We can get through most days making the usual sorts of small preferences that help us manage our time and resources.

Then there come along some bigger ones. Shall I ask her to marry me? Should I buy a fuel efficient car or the SUV I really want? Or stick with the old heap? How much money should I put in my retirement fund? Even these pale in contrast to the large societal options.

At this point I must remember that for most human beings on this planet none of the above are choices. When you live on $2 a day and yours is one of the thirty thousand children who die each day there are few moral decisions beyond how to get through the day.

America is at a political decision point. It is a soul rending moment. We cannot ‘win’ the war in Iraq or in Afghanistan. If we leave soon the place is likely to disintegrate into even greater chaos than it is now. If we stay it is unlikely to be any different.

If President Bush is correct and this conflict is the equivalent of WWII and the terrorists are the equivalent of Nazism we ought to apply a similar effort in personnel and money. We should be making significant sacrifices at home and sending millions of men and women to the ‘front.’ After winning the war in Japan and Germany we kept soldiers there for....well, they are still there!

The moral choice we face is what to do as a people when no matter what we do there will be terrible consequences. Leave now; stay a little longer; send more troops. We have badly understood the cultures and politics of the Middle East and will reap the consequence. It is not only George W. Bush and his administration who are responsible for this debacle, but all who bought into the idea that reprisal was the best way to respond to September 11, 2001.

What we need now is a leader who will say, “People, we made a bad mistake. We are in deep trouble. We need to find a way out that will lead eventually a better world and we need to be willing to accept the result of what we have done.”

Any takers?

American Christian

2006-09-25T10:07:00.000-04:00

As an individual Christian and an American I can simultaneously love my country and dislike the way my fellow citizens conduct their lives. I can care for the country I love and still mourn that our leaders and the voters are making bad, even immoral decisions. While I salute the flag [ I am one of the few people who actually sings the national anthem before a ball game], I can argue that the President is wrongheaded and is destroying the county of my birth.

I deplore our un-Christlike foreign policy, our economic policies that prefer the rich and our environmental policies that ruin God’s earth. I come to these views after 62 years of worship in God’s church and nearly as many years of Bible reading and study.

As a priest of the church there are some restrictions on what I can say about politics whether I am speaking for the church in the community or preaching the Gospel on a Sunday morning.
1. I may not suggest that God prefers the country I love. I may not say that God prefers one political movement or party over another....except..... Are there times when as priest and spokesperson for the church I should say to my people - “This candidate works for action that Christians should not support” “This political movement is leading us in immoral directions” May I ever say, “This policy is in opposition to the heart of the Gospel?” No doubt there are preachers who do that. They are usually ‘conservatives’ who oppose abortion and homosexuality.

Is there a place/time when Christian leaders may and should tell their people and the larger culture, “This war is wrong.” “These tax cuts hurt the working poor.” “Our relationships with other countries violate Gods’ law.”

Homework for politicians

2006-09-02T10:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Mr. President and all candidates for public office:
Go read these books.

Wallis, Jim God's Politics, How the right gets it wrong and the left just doesn't get it.
Carter, Jimmy Our Endangered values: America’s moral crisis
Laytham, D. Brent ed. God is not...Religious, Nice, One of Us, an American
Lerner, Michael, The Left Hand of God: taking back our country from the religious right
Bruce, Feiler Abraham

Then come back and we’ll talk.

Ephesians 5 and 6

2006-09-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

It is a false idea to try to get to the ‘real’ Jesus of history or the ‘real’ Jesus behind the New Testament scriptures. Since Jesus is alive, to try to find who he ‘really’ was is to find a dead man. Our quest now is to find the living Christ. What does he do? Who is he? What does he demand of us now? So as we examine scripture and the events of the first century A.D., we use that material for our current quest.

The writer of the letter to the Ephesians, in the fifth and sixth chapters assumes what was commonly held to be true in his time. Husbands owned and commanded wives, Children are always subject to their fathers and slavery is morally acceptable. Most of us don’t accept those values. Here is a place were ‘Biblical values’ are suspect. We owe it to the scriptures we revere to look at them closely, discerning how what was said two thousand years ago in an other culture in another language might speak to us now.

In chapter five, verse 25, Paul tells husbands that they must love their wives, ‘just as Christ loved the church.’ Christ loved the church by dying for it. So husbands far from lording it over their wives or ‘owning’ them in the way men did even just a hundred years ago, are asked to give sacrificial love for them. How’s that for Biblical values?

Children should, of course, obey their parents. [Ephesians 6: 1-4] Unless, their parents lie, cheat, steal, sleep around, get drunk and beat their kids. Instead, parents are to bring them up in the love of God.

Slavery. We just plain don’t agree with the Bible’s easy acceptance of slavery. Why? Because the Biblical values of love, care for the downtrodden, justice and mercy are higher than the values of patriarchal culture, literalism, and violence. You can find those negative values in the Bible. We say that the first list is higher.

Ephesians 6: 10-18 sets militarism on its head. What is of high value is not breastplates and swords and what you can do with them, but righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the holy spirit and what we do with them.

The ‘real’ Jesus is the one who lives with us each day, pushing us to justice, mercy and humble walking.

Bishop Charleston on witness

2006-05-19T08:16:00.000-04:00

What Witness Will We Make?
by the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston
President and Dean, Episcopal Divinity School

As the Episcopal Church, the most important question before us is not about schism or sexuality. It is about witness. What witness will we make?

Christian witness is the public affirmation of faith. It is how we let the world see that we practice what we preach. Today, those of us in the Episcopal Church are being called on to make our witness. We have the opportunity to be what we say we are. The world is watching. What will we do?

The answer is a matter of faith. We witness to what we believe.

In the Episcopal Church, we believe in Jesus Christ. We believe in the Bible. We believe in the Good News. In fact, we believe so strongly in all of these essential parts of our shared faith that we are not afraid to disagree with one another about what they mean to us.

We welcome difference as the active presence of God's Holy Spirit moving amongst us. Our witness is not to conformity but to community. As the Episcopal Church we are not concerned that everyone in the pews believes exactly the same thing, in the same way, at the same time. Instead, we are concerned that no one is left out of those pews because of what they believe, who they are, or where they come from.

Our witness is to the unconditional love of God through the grace of Christ Jesus. Therefore, we accept the risk of grace by not setting limits to love with our own judgment of others. There are no border guards at the doors of the Episcopal Church. We respect the dignity of every human being and are never ashamed of who sits next to us in worship. We are all the children of God just as we are all sinners in need of mercy.

There are no walls around the Episcopal Church. We believe that God is at work in the world. We are not concerned that this world sees us as perfect, pure, or powerful. Instead, we are concerned that people see us practicing justice, doing mercy, and walking humbly with the God we believe loves us all equally.

Our witness is to hope, not fear. We believe that men and women, no matter how separated they may think they are by religious conviction, cultural value, or social location, are never truly apart unless they choose to be. We have nothing to fear from one another unless we allow fear to be our witness. While the distance between us may seem great and the path to reconciliation impossibly long, we have the guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we never despair of one another or deny one another for to do so would be to despair and deny the power of that Spirit.

Our witness is to mission. While the Spirit leads us to truth, we carry on with the task God has given us. We do not place pride before discipleship. While we may have many disagreements between us, we have only one mission before us. We never question the faith of the person who seeks to do the work of God. We believe that it is not important to know if that person is "right" or politically correct. It is only important to know if she or he feels welcomed into the servant ministry of Christ. There are no loyalty oaths in the Episcopal Church, but there are many jobs for those who want to help heal a broken world.

Our witness is to the reconciliation of God in a time of fear. In the Episcopal Church, we stand together not even if we disagree, but precisely because we disagree. We practice the radical hope of God. We embody a faith that says there are many rooms in the house of God, but one home for us all if we choose to live together.

It is time to make our witness. In a century already marked by the terror of war, with zealots of all traditions inciting us into the patriotism of fear, what witness will we make? What alternative will we offer? What fresh vision will we share? Will we retreat into yet smaller factions of "true believers," whether from the Right or the Left, smug in our self-righteous assurance that we have the truth? Will we struggle over property and power as though these things had lasting importance for us? Will we vilify one another and become agents of suspicion among the very people we love? Will we worry more about what people think of us than what God expects of us?

It is time to make our witness. It is time to take off our halos, our mitres, and our martyr's crown to stand up and be counted. What witness will each of us choose to make?

I can not answer for anyone in this Church but myself. I do not ask that you agree with my theology. I do not demand that you read your Bible exactly as I read mine. I know that you and I may disagree on many subjects and find it hard to live together. But I also know that you are as much in need of God's forgiveness as I am.

You and I need one another now more than ever because there are so many others who need us both in this hurting world. That world, the poor and the hungry, the captives and the prisoners, are depending on us to do more than argue with one another. For them, our witness is not a matter of church politics. It is a matter of life and death. I am counting on the fact that you know that.

Now is the time for us to extend our hands to one another. We will not walk away from the Body of Christ.

Now is the time for us to use our hands. We will not place pride over mission.

Now is the time for us to raise our hands. We will not forget that to God alone goes the glory.

Are you a witness? Will you join me in this affirmation of faith?

In my life I have known many seasons in the Episcopal Church. This is the season for our witness. This is the time for us to do something totally unexpected and wonderful, to confound those who say we have lost our vision. This is our moment to show the world that we can practice what we preach and be who we say we are. Our finest hour will not be when we think we have won something from one another, but when we know we have nothing to lose by loving one another.

I am a witness. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in God's gospel of justice, compassion, and reconciliation. I believe in the community of God and I will work faithfully with every person to bring peace and healing to the world. I open my hands. I open my heart. I want the world to see that I am not afraid. I step gratefully into the unconditional love of God. I stand up to be counted not for what I think is right, but for what I believe to be possible. How about you? Will you stand with me?

Are you a witness?

-- The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston is president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Bishop Charleston is a member of the Choctaw Nation, has served as the Episcopal Bishop of Alaska, and as the executive director of the National Committee on Indian Work at the Episcopal Church Center.

A prayer for the national day of prayer

2006-05-04T09:32:00.000-04:00

In his life with us Jesus blessed some of the most depicable characters

He blessed an officer of the army occupying Israel
He blessed a woman caught in adultery
He blessed those who put him on the cross.

In the passage Matthew says took place on a Mount and Luke say on a Plain
Jesus blessed: the poor and the poor in spirit, those who mourn and the meek,
the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart.

Jesus blessed peacemakers and those who are persecuted.

Our Lord continues to bless us of all races, creeds, political parties, genders and sexual preferences - all nations - no exceptions.

God loves and blesses you and me. All of us. Amen.

Gasoline or not to gasoline

2006-04-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

It is that silly season again; its summer and the frantic cries about boycotting the oil companies are running around the internet. "Don't by from Exxon and BP!" they say. "If we don't stop them we'll have $4 gasoline as they do in Europe!"

My suggestion for the oil price problem is: take the bus. What you don't have a bus? Vote for candidates for public office who will provide more funds for mass transit and less for roads. No one like that running for office? Then complain to the politicians and parties.

America needs to reduce its dependency on oil. That dependency causes us to get sinfully involved in the Middle East. We will run out of affordable oil eventually. Why wait until we have another oil 'crisis' real or manufactured, to work toward an economy fueled by many sources.

Oil along with gas, wind, solar, bio, maybe even nuclear. How about a crash program to develop nuclear fusion? That makes more sense than invading another Middle Eastern country.

Now how much of what I suggest is liberal? Conservative? Right or left; which is it?

Palm Sunday/ the Passion of Jesus

2006-04-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Passion is an eagerness for something. An overwhelming desire for.... I learned passion in high school and college from Park Wayne Cooley and Don Glancy. These two teachers taught me to practice the arts of music and theatre with care for the details and something well beyond care for the enterprise itself.

I learned to love God from my mother .

I am passionate about the Gospel and what it has to say about how humans must, yes, must, must, must, learn to live without violence and bigotry. And must, must, must learn to live with patience, compassion, silence, kindness.

Passion. Passion nearly equals Love. Love is something we do, not something we feel. We 'do' Love because we have been given a passion for something God needs to have done.

Passion can just as easily come from a negative source: jealousy, insecurity, fear. Negative passion leads to violence, hoarding and hatred.

Love comes out of our passion. We do acts of love because God gives us passion. I am serving a Episcopal mission church as priest not because I like the people here more than those I served in other cities; or because I like Clermont County, Ohio, more than I like other places where have I lived. I'd actually rather be in Colorado or London. I am here because God has given me a passion for what we are about. I love this congregation and what I do here because God has given me a passion for the work of evangelism , talking about Jesus, doing the work of the Lord.

For what do you have passion?

Most Christians have a passion for Jesus and something else. As I have shown for me above. Jesus and the prayer book... and justice ministry.... and renewal music..... and habitat for humanity..... and quiet contemplation....and a political agenda right or left. But anything that is Jesus and..... is not Jesus. It assumes something more than Jesus is needed. We seem to say, our passion for Jesus can be known, filled only through our opposition to abortion, or our work to eliminate racial intolerance.

Our passion should be for Jesus only recognizing that as sinful humans we find it impossible not to find some niche to call our own.

Palm Sunday is a passionate day. Joy, celebration,exaltationn as we welcome Jesus home to Jerusalem. Agony, death, torture, terror as we shout ‘Crucify Him,’ as we nail him to the cross and watch him suffocate to death.

The Passion of Jesus is about death. It is about the great need he had to give, to empty himself. "Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himsel takingkng the form of a slave, being born in human likeness." Philippians 2: 6-7. The God of Jesus has an eagerness for us. See Psalm 18 "He brought me out into an open place ; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Jesus has a passion for us, God delights in us and so gives himself up for us.

That is what Palm Sunday and Good Friday are about. Our passion is beautiful in God's sight.

Teaching Justice

2006-03-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

After the devastation in South east Asia a year ago, a child was lauded on the front page of a local paper for getting a hundred fifty dollars contributed to tsumani aid. What she is learning is not generosity, but pitance generosity and a romantic view of the world. She sacrificed a little money and so learned that feeling good about what she did is all that is necessary. She learned nothing about justice. She learned nothing about making an important choice between spending hundreds of billions of dollars on war and a few millions on chairity. This is not the way we teach our children the way of the Christ. Sacrifice for others is much more expensive than this article teaches.

A social and political policy that allows and encourages the rich to be rich with the view that everyone has the chance to be rich is not just a mistake. It is a lie. For the people who preach that know it will not happen. People who earn $6.50 an hour will never earn enough from the stock market to retire.

Shame on the politicians and conservative Christians who preach such tripe.

Being correct.

2006-03-25T09:26:00.000-05:00

In her book titled, Called to Question, Joan Chittister defines religions as "systems designed to lead humans to the divine." She presents a thought provoking concept regarding religion and spirituality in the following writing:

"Religion is the mooring of the soul. Spirituality is its lodestone. Religion is, at best, external. Spirituality is the internal distillation of this external witness to the divine. Spirituality is what galvanizes us to fill up the lack we feel within us. It is the desire for wholeness that evades us. It is the burning need to find the more.
The very purpose of religion is to enable us to step off into the uncharted emptiness that is the spiritual life, freely but not untethered. We have under our feet the promise of the tradition that formed us and the disciplines that shaped our souls. We can then wander through the pantheon of spiritual traditions freely, going deeper and deeper into every question from every direction. In the end, then, we become more, not less, of what we ourselves know to be our own religious identity."

I don’t know why it is that people who believe in and want and live by mystery and ambiguity and people who believe in and want absolutes and unitary truth cannot share God.

The Bible is filled with metaphors and ambiguity, contradictions which require us to decide matters of faith and morals for ourselves, but with God’s help.

Others see scripture and church etc. as defining for us more completely what we should accept in faith and morals. These two attitudes are not opposites, they are on a continuum.

Does unity trump orthodoxy or does orthodoxy trump unity.

Why is it in religion that we need to deny the value of someone elses’ religion/piety/spirituality?

This is where I work and worship

2006-03-24T09:56:00.000-05:00

This the inside of the Episcopal church of the Good Samaritan in Clermont County, Ohio. The building was built by the members of the congregation. It is intended to grow into a full sized parish over the next four or five years.

On Being a Christian in America

2006-03-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

Friday in the third week of Lent
When I was 15 or 16 I began to take Jesus seriously. He meant what he said. We are supposed to care for the poor, the mistreated. We are not to kill other people. I saw at that age that Christian people did not really practice what Jesus taught. We still don’t. That is disillusion.

I am often disillusioned with life. I am disillusioned with the Christian church. I am disillusioned with American democracy. I am disillusioned with me.

It is not a Christian thing to do to go to war to protect our way of life and to do so claiming some higher principle which allows us to ignore Jesus’ teaching. We may not engage in preemptive war in order to spread democracy and our way of life; those are not our baptismal vows.

Lest you think this is a partisan political speech against one party, I don’t see a dime’s worth of difference between George Bush and John Kerry in regard to the war in Iraq and the so called war against terrorism. That too is a source of disillusion. How can you have a war against a technique of war? A war against al Kaida, or a particular nation I understand. But a war against terrorism is like a war against cavalry charges or arial bombardment. It is not just that we cannot ever erradicate terrorism, but we are as guilty of it as the other side. What makes flying a plane into the Pentegon terrorism and 'Shock-and-Awe' bombing something else?

Many of us struggle with American culture which is no where near as moral as it pretends to be. Or has limited morality to sexual issues.

Sisters and brothers , Christians are called to worship God, to tell the good news of Jesus Christ and to live as though the Holy spirit is igniting us. America fails to live up to ‘values’ because it is looking at the wrong values: purity, safety, security, ease and comfort.

Now let us get up on this Lenten morning and prepare for Easter by declaring our sins, placing our selves in God’s loving hands and begin again. Let’s do the same tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

Together let us scour the scriptures for guidance. Together let us pray. Together let us show what it means to be accepting of all others, to be fearless in advocating truth and to insist on the priority of the poor. Let us be joy filled. Let us be witnesses for Jesus Christ in all the communities we inhabit.

2006-03-23T09:24:00.000-05:00

Feast of Gregory the Illuminator
From Disorganized Religion "Ministry for the Meantime" by Sam Portaro
"If by evangelism we mean ... an incarnate and dynamic expression of God's love for the world and each person in it that is so compelling it invites a response, then our evangelism will not look like marketing so much as it will become a ministry, a way of being with people in the world." p. 22

If Resurrection is true, there is no such thing as life and death issues.

What all Christians should be doing is
1. Worshipping together indicating our love for each other. This includes singing each other's music
2. Gathering new people into our community indicating our love for our neighbors. This includes our children.
3. Learning more about the sacred journey indicating our love for God. This includes everyone.

The long term call of God to all Christians is to make new disciples for Christ by being witnesses to him. I believe that means active work to develop a new generation of Christians and acts of social service to those most in need. Evangelism, youth work, acts of justice and mercy.

I don't understand why some Christians think it is appropriate to engage in Evangelism, bringing people to Christ but ignoring the plight of dying children and others think it is appropriate to raise social issues but are unwilling to talk about Jesus. In the political world George W Bush is in the first camp and John Kerry in the second.

Why can't we, why don't we do both at the same time. Jesus is Lord and because he loves us, we are passionate about caring for global poverty and the environment and also want to bring people to God's altar.

Let us keep in mind the more significant events of our time. The death by starvation of children all over the world. The death from AIDS especially in Africa, the continual resort to violence and impoverishment by our own government.

At the moment I have some excitement about ministry as parish priest. I am in a place which seems to want to care for the local poor and engage in evangelism. I need to spark them to learn more about the faith and to pay attention to issues of justice.

2006-03-22T09:28:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, 22 March 2006 The Feast of James de Koven
Some people see the church as an institution for the preservation of the Gospel: its liturgy, music, socialization etc.
Others see the church as a permanent revolution: The Gospel as a force that transforms.

On the first Sunday of my sabbatical in 2004, Nancye and I went to a service at The Vineyard Church in Columbus. It is a huge place that looks more like a Mall than a church. A large interior court yard, with coffee and breakfast stations; you have to pay for breakfast even for coffee. There is to the side a cafe which serves fast food. There is a book store and off in several directions what appear to be offices and class rooms. The auditorium is in a square room with the stage, for that is what it is, in a corner. Elaborate lighting, projection, music and sound equipment. The music is for listening, even though many try to sing along. The amplified band performs rather than leads singing. Half hour sermon plus altar call. Communion done very informally with individual containers of wafer and grape juice.

Why can't we Episcopalians develop the enthusiasm, economy of scale, expertise, welcoming that these people have?
If the Episcopal church dies it will not be because we have a gay bishop, but because we care only about preserving the past.

We need more critical thinking about Bible, morals and culture. We need to draw in new People to Christ. Work for justice and mercy.

I do not understand why some who call themselves evangelical or conservative [Stage Right] find it necessary to deny the validity of the faith life of others. Of others who disagree with them, have had other experiences of God.

Perhaps it is because an alternative experience of God must be denied because otherwise their experience is denied. It seems to me a cardinal tenant of conservatives [Right wingers?] that truth is unitary. Anything that suggests that truth might be multiple is beyond their understanding.

Can we take is as an axiom of liberalism most if not all issues have serveral sides, that truth is both multiple and mysterious? Is it then the case that conservatives [Stage Right] believe that on any issue there is a correct and an incorrect answer? "Ha," he says, It can't be that simple!"

From my standing as a religious liberal and I really am not sure that is what I am; I prefer orthodox, I accept the faith expressions of intolerant people as being legitimate. Buddhists. Southern Baptists. Racial Bigots. Unitarians Roman Catholics. They have all had real experiences of God. I honor these. My experience of God is that the Lord of creation loves and disciplines and supports us all. I' d like to hear that from conservatives.

Stage Right. Stage Left

2006-03-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

March 21, 2006 The Feast Day of Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells.

When I stand on the stage facing the audience everything on my left is Stage Left. Everything on my right is Stage Right. For the audience it is the opposite. Stage Left is however still Stage Left even if it is to their right.

Down stage is toward the audience and Up stage away from them. These stage directions are left over from a time when theatre stages were raked; when you walked up stage you were going up a ramp.

In theology and politics we often talk about right and left. Conservative and Liberal. The political use of these terms comes from the seating in the French parliament; legislators who wanted to change things sat on the left side of the chamber. That is Stage Right. Hmm.

I have come to a degree of puzzlement about the common use of left and right. Are you left wing and liberal if you want to change things from the way they are? So those people who want to end the current laws about abortion and restrict that practice are left wing liberals? And those who want to keep abortion legal are conservatives?

Or do left and right in religion and politics mean something else. You are a liberal if you are in favor of abortion, against the war in Iraq, want to allow gay people to be ordained to the clergy and get married and want the government to solve all our problems no matter what the cost. Conservatives think the Bible should be our rule book and taxes should be reduced as far as possible.

How much sense does any of this make? Where are the overriding principles in these collections of ideas? How much sense does it make to approve of war and capital punishment but oppose abortion?

We humans are a wondrous mixture of emotions, ideas and physical contradictions. Standing someplace on the stage facing God, my audience all day long, I pray for his love to help me, us, as I struggle to remember my lines and my blocking.