Cultural Highlights

Yesterday was the most full day yet. To start, I visited old Lutsk, including Lubert, or Lutsk, Castle. Built in the middle to late 14th century, the structure is a combination of wood and brick and looks out over the city from on high. Nearby is the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul, which we were unable to visit due to a funeral.
From the castle, we made our way to the center of the city, where I bought a few souvenirs and simply took in the sights and sounds. Lutsk has an obvious European feel, with few private cars and many busses and trolleys. Women in the latest fashions hurry by, while men dressed in dark colors with serious eyes move more slowly or occupy street corners drinking beer.
We walked along the main pedestrian boulevard, stopping for lunch at a small cafe, where latkes, green salad, and beer for three was just short of $11.
The highlight of the day trip was a visit to the house of a local artist. He is a neighbor of Ivgeniia, my host teacher, but keeps this second house in the city to work on his sculpture. We chatted briefly and walked about his courtyard, strewn with various works of marble and stone in various stages of completion. The house sits at the end of a cobbled street that butts up to the riverbank. The locals call it "The House of Chimera." Our host was disappointed when I couldn't produce American coins, but I do have some in my hotel rooom I'll pass on to him.
After our day, where I was accompanied by Ivgeniia, Gollia, and Andrew. Andrew is the son of one of the English teachers at Gymnasium 18, and he spent last year as an exchange student in Leadville, Colorado.
Next up was dinner at the home of Svitlana, the English department chairwoman, and her family. Her husband Sasha does not speak English, but when he and I discovered our mutual love of fishing, we seemed able to communicate regardless of the language barrier.
The family is impressive, in that Sasha and Svitlana communicate in Russian, while Svitlana and her daughter Anastasia communicate in Ukrainian and English. They treated me to baked Hake and my first taste of salo, a sort of pig fat that is salted and cooled. It tasted like meaty bacon and it was suggested I eat it on a piece of dark bread. There was also plenty of good Ukrainian vodka.
After a long day of sightseeing and much good food and conversation I slept well.