Walking to, walking fro, hill by hill, on we go.

At first I was confused by all the trim figures I encountered here. Especially considering the continuous diet of sugary baked goods, heavy starch dishes, and jam by the spoonfuls. Then I learned about the national pastime of Ukraine: walking for hours. And this is not just walking to get somewhere, it is their social lifeblood.

If you want to hang out with Ukrainians, you walk together for several hours. Sunday night the youth group got together and walked to a town which is thirty minutes away by bus. Now, that kind of walking is not my cup of tea. But I have enjoyed the many experiences during various walks around town with my new friends.

Last week Ira and Tanya walked with us to some local hotspots. We went to a lookout over Poltava where couples hang locks as a good luck charm for their relationship. We also visited a couple city monuments and of course, the bowl of galushki.

On Saturday we visited the Orthodox monastery with Nastia. It was SO beautiful inside but pictures aren't allowed. However, downstairs there was an infant baptism and I took audio of the priest chanting/praying while the baby cried. Inside you have to cover yourself and scarves/skirts were graciously provided outside. I think we pulled of the look quite well.

This is only audio from the church, not video!