Smiths Russian Reflections: April 2018

Last of sightseeing

Near the river there was a display of old steel making equipment - and mining tools. We enjoyed learning a little bit about the area and their resources.

Most of the signs were in Russian, with a sentence or two of English.

We had a wonderful, interesting and educational time in Ekaterinburg - probably never go back there - the city is near the Ural Mountains and we found some postcards of them - look beautiful.

Every Russian city we have been in has a Lenin Statue - sometimes more than one!

I like the publicity for the World Cup - there are matches scheduled to be held in Ekaterinburg - we could see the stadium from the Mission Home.

Rain on the taxi window - just tried to get a picture of the pretty trees on the way to the airport.

more sightseeing in Ekaterinburg

Around the Church of the Blood site, there were many old buildings - we decided we would not like to be in them if an earthquake happened!

This building has a souvenir shop in the bottom corner - some nice things but we didn't buy any there. We found a toy store in a mall near our hotel, they had some really nice things for a better price!

Russia is gearing up for June and the World Cup of Soccer. This is on a big public plaza near the river...notice the red painted line - that is a tourist line to follow to see the sights.

Elder Smith at the dam - very old - the other side shows the old arches better.

We thought this was two people kayaking - and I guess it is -- but the boats are hooked together!

We asked a Church Member about these padlocks on the bridge ... apparently when you are in love you bring a padlock to the bridge and lock your love there!

Someone likes lace and purple ribbon!

Some were engraved.

The couple wanted the biggest heart on the bridge! Not sure what the sign says - some listing of events.

Church of the Blood

This is the Church of the Blood, built over the spot where the Tzar and his family were murdered...inside there is an alter placed right over the place of the killings. Notice the billboard of the pictures of Tzar Nicloli II, his wife, four daughters and son.

Closer picture of the family ... many Russians still revere them and they have all been canonized - now they are the Martyrs-Saints Romanov. It was sobering and sad.

The small wooden Church is where an Aunt of the family and her servant a Nun were murdered the same day - just because she was related to them...very sad.

All around the site there were many billboards of their family - not knowing what they say - I still wanted to remember them.

This the the entrance to the Church - the cross has all the Martyrs- Saints around it.

We found this picture on a postcard of the actual house they were living in exile in - for almost a year.

Same house - this is a magnet that we bought in the gift store.

Another magnet... very beautiful people .

Sightseeing in Ekaterinburg

After the Audit Training - that went really well - we had the afternoon to sight see. We walked from our hotel to the Church of the Blood - where the last Tzar and family were killed. Along the way we found this School - gymnasium - being old PE teachers we took pictures of it.

Ekaterinburg is 280 years old - Irkutsk is 360! There are more old cement buildings here than in Irkutsk - more wooden ones in Irkutsk - it seems to us.

Elder Smith and the Old School building...yes it was cooler than we were used to in Irkutsk. Elder Smith checked the weather there and we brought warmer clothes!

This is an old dam - and behind it the City Pond - still mostly iced over. In the center of the picture you can see the golden dome of a Church - that is the Church of the Blood..we are on our way there.

This is a very old wooden water tower.

This house is huge - takes up almost a whole city block!

We decided you could play hide and seek and never be found!!

Funny 'bush' musicians!

Yekaterinburg Chapel

This is the Yekaterinburg Chapel - they have two buildings - this one and another across town ...and bigger branches then we are used to in Irkutsk - about the same size as Novosibirsk's two branches.

Handsome Elder Smith - ready to do his audit training!

Loved seeing the Church Sign on the building!

Volunteers in the Ekaterinburg Mission - they are smaller than Novosibirsk - 30 volunteers - but will be merged with another mission in June - adding 12 young volunteers and 3 senior couples.We attended Church on Sunday - their District Conference - very good meeting.

President and Sister Beck invited us to the mission home for lunch - the office couple are the Tucketts from Murray - they know Brad and DeAnn and Brandon! Very small world!

Audit Training trip to Yekaterinburg April 20-23

On Friday, April 20th, we flew to Yekaterinburg, for audit training on Saturday. It was cooler and raining - actually snowed Friday night! This is a view out of our hotel window - the Double Tree!

They have a pedestrian walkway for about 10 blocks in the middle of downtown - and lots of fun sculptures - here is Elder Smith with a dog, horse and old man!