Our last day of sightseeing in Kraslava

Mama Gretuda's friend Natalija picked up me, S and A at 12:30 p.m. for our last sightseeing event.  

We first went to the local museum where we looked at artifacts from the early days in the Baltic Region. There is a castle there which has been abandoned for years. There are people working to restore it so we could not go in there.

It doesn't look like the castles I have seen in history books and on TV, but I understand it was really grand in its day!

In the olden days, when there were hot days, the king would go to their air conditioned sitting area......an underground area. Today was a hot day and it felt wonderful there!

Finally, she let me take photos of her!

 

Next we drove across the river to a beautiful small park.  This is an observation tower where you get a view of Kraslava across the river.  My knees wouldn't even think of climbing this.  S took the camera and off she and A went!

The forests are beautiful here.  In a few months wild mushrooms will be picked from similar places.

Natalijia dropped us off in the village so we could do some shopping.  We walked back to the apartment which was a great opportunity to take photos.  This is the Catholic church Sabina attended.

This is not necessarily a typical house here, Most are not quite so big or nice.  It looks so Swiss, I really like it.

There are beautiful flower gardens here.  This is just by the street in a public place.

This is the most likely way to live in Kraslava.....tired flats from the days of the USSR.  This is going down the road to Gertruda's apartment.  We are headed to the last building.

These flowers are by the apartment buildings.  The tired Soviet buildings with these beautiful flowers.

S and A heading into the building starting the five flights of stairs to the apartment.

I made it up five flights.  The apartment is the one on the left.  The door has four locks on it!

We came in and made Latvian salads and pirogis for dinner.  S and A were more interested in ice cream and chips.  Two of S's friends came to visit and they have all been laughing and talking in foreign tongue!  Now S and A are walking Zarina home.  I have strict orders to put the computer away before they return.  S does not like to translate for me, TV is in Russian, I have read everything I brought with me, and I can't turn on the lights because it uses too much electricity.  I thought the computer was a good idea!

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. we go before the judge for the final determination if I can be S's mother.  I love that child, even if she would make a good Soviet police woman!  When we get back to America and her precious dog Marley that will start fading away again.  Please say a prayer for us.  I think it is just a formality, but the unknown is always scary!  We are about to see another phase of God's adoption miracle unfold.  You gotta love it!  Good night from the most eastern part of Eastern Europe!