This was our first day in Russia not to have a planned schedule.  Yesterday was 98 degrees F. So this morning we were going to the Botanical Gardens and Mac was dressed in shorts and flip flops, only to get outside and hear that a cold front was coming through.  It was 25 degrees C and going to be dropping all day. Not knowing celsius very good, we went on like we were.  By the time we got home, we were freezing because now it was in the low 50's F.  98 one day and 50 the next - WOW!

On our way home everybody was starving after not eating lunch yet and they said they wanted to make a stop first at a store we might like.  When we got to the store, the name of the store was, "Coming in here is like a holiday".  It was a Russian chocolate store.  We should've known better than to go in there on an empty stomach!  As soon as we walked in the smells were so good of chocolate it was almost overwhelming.  Needless to say, we bought way more chocolate than we needed to.

Our next stop was lunch where we had sushi, yay! And it tasted just like American.  After the meal our waitress said if you spend 2000 rubels, you get a prize. We had 2 choices. We could go to the back room and smoke out of a water pipe (bong) or get some dessert.  We opted for dessert!

The rest of the afternoon was spent with members of the local church seeking counsel.  Precious people wanting to know how better to serve God and strengthen their relationship with him.

Last night was topped off as we walked from our hotel (like all Russians do) to a local missionary's flat (apartment) to learn much from his Russian wife of growing up through Soviet times.

Praise be to God when I think of how blessed we are to be able to worship God in total freedom. 

The pictures posted today will tell you more.