LAST WEEKEND

We're enjoying our last full weekend in Artemovsk, and all of Ukraine for that matter.

The champagne factory tour didn't work out yesterday. When we got there, we found out that we needed to have reservations. No matter how much money we offered, the wouldn't let us in, even for a little while. So, when you come here, call at least 4 or 5 days in advance for the tour.

But we are going to the salt mine today. Yesterday, Stephen went with Vika and our cab driver to Soledar (the city in which the salt mine is located) and prepaid our entries for today. We'll definitely post photos of that tour tomorrow. Supposedly, the salt mine is so large that a soccer game was once played inside.

Not much else to report. Consistent with our "project plan," we've got a pile of dirty clothes building up in the corner of the hotel room. (Those clothes will not make the return trip.) Tomorrow (Sunday) will be our packing day in preparation for a long travel day Monday that will include getting new birth certificates and passports for the childrens and traveling on to Kiev.