Arkangelsk Part 1

I'm back (brian) from the distant land of Аркангельск (Arkangelesk) Russia. I just got done with a 23 hour train ride and got home and decided to blog so you could all see how amazing this city was. It was by far my favorite place in Russia, no questions asked. The people were so amazing and the place was such a warm place (not literally because it's so far north is was actually cold weather) but it was a warm place because every person, and I mean every person was so nice to me. I got to help redo some stairs at a church and hang out with some amazing people and see the sites of one of the farthest North cities in Russia. I have a lot of pictures so I wanted to blog in pieces so here is part 1. Hope you enjoy some of them.

 THIS IS ME WITH A SEAL STATUE, WHY A SEAL STATUE YOU ASK? RUSSIA HAS SEEN MANY WARS WHICH HAVE CUT OFF FOOD SUPPLY FOR MONTHS AND YEARS AT A TIME. SEAL MEAT AND FAT HAS KEPT MANY PEOPLE ALIVE FOR GENERATIONS, AND FOR THAT THEY FELT IT NECESSARY TO HONOR THIS COOL CREATURE.

The next pictures are of Malye Karelia, This is a place about 20 minutes outside of Arkangelsk. It is an all wooden village that people can go to in order to experience what life was like 100 years ago in Northern Russia. It took a better part of a day to walk around the whole place, and even then I'm pretty sure we missed some buildings. I think I am going to try to convince Wendy to move into an old wooden house with me and live like Russians 100 years ago. Eating seal fat, and baking berry pies, drinking fermented bread with water and sugar. It could work...

 THIS IS MASHA'S MOM (EKATERINA) AND MYSELF AT MALYE KARELIA HANGING OUT WITH A TRADITIONAL BABOOSHKA. SHE WAS SHOWING US ALL OF THE DOLLS SHE MAKES AND EXPLAINING HER LOVE OF TRADITIONAL DOLL MAKING.

 MASHA, LERYA, AND I TAKING A PICTURE AT MALYE KARELYA ON WHAT COULD BE THE LARGEST HILL IN ARKANGELSK.

 THIS IS THE CHAPEL WHERE WEDDING PARTIES COME TO TAKE PICTURES. ONE WORKER TOLD US THE RECORD FOR A DAY WAS 38 WEDDING CEREMONIES ON A SATURDAY TOOK PLACE AT THIS CHAPEL. WE SAW MANY BRIDES DOING PHOTO SHOOTS.

 THIS IS A OLD RUSSIAN Качеле (kachelye) or CAROUSEL, THE LITTLE KIDS JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO GET THIS THING GOING, SO I STEPPED IN TO HELP.

THIS IS ANDREI, HIS WIFE NASTYA, AND I WALKING IN DOWNTOWN ARKANGELSK. ANDREI IS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN ARKANGELSK THAT I GOT TO HELP REMODEL. THEY WERE SOME OF THE NICEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET.