DAY FIVE
I remember the initial plan was to blog my pictures and events every day as they happened. Next Year I will try to do a better job. I will stay at hotel that has internet. When I went to the internet café in town, they told me the wait was 1 and ½ hours! And I have learned already that people want your business and will always give you the best expectations (2 to 3 hours would be more like what the wait would be!). I did not try this, but if I go today and they say there is wait, I will tip girl to see if I get in quicker. This seems to work good with other places.
Also, in my adventure I know the value of American money to the worth of the service I receive at the restaurant. As many of you know, Americans tip good for good service. Maybe 20 percent or more. I urge you to make sure the restaurant has not already added in the tip. It seems to me from speaking with the girls here that they tip good if the food is good, not service. Also, the tip is usually 5 Grivnas maybe at the most 20 Grivna’s. This translates to one American dollar to four American dollars. Do they realize that in America it is common to drop a Ten dollar tip many times 20 or more dollars? The waitress had a heart attack and fainted (not really) when I gave her 80 Grivna’s for the great service! (About Seventeen Dollars - USA). The girls I was with were shocked because we only drank, not eat! So, I feel like I get good deal on food and service and, MY perception is that I have to tip little, while at the same time THEIR perception is I am big spender, an American wasting his money. It really is funny!
It really feels good when you give a homeless person, or someone down on their luck, a 5 Grivna Bill. You have made their day complete, made them smile, and you did it inly for 1 American Dollar. And all of this during the week of Thanksgiving (they do not celebrate this holiday in Ukraine). And it is funny too, she calls it "Thanks for Giving". She apologized to me that she had no gift to give for this holiday....how could a man not love these women?????
Okay, my day began as normal.I woke up around 7 am and went back to bed until about 10 am. I cleaned up and ran errands like picking up photos and eating at McDonalds. In America we wait in line in orderly fashion. In Yalta, if you see an open space at the front of the counter, you better get there quick. I realized this after many people just walked in front of me and ordered their food. I really wanted to complain and get my space back, but things work differently here.
I exchanged some money, went to ATM also. My bank debit card only works at the bank ATM. The other ATM is for Visa and Mastercard. I would say that I am spending about 200 dollars a day, sometimes less. I met Irina (Ira) at McDonald’s at 2 pm. I think I forgot to bring small gift this time, and it is good idea to have something....but it is okay because we were going to go to the Castle and I told her we need to get her some comfortable shoes. So the shoe were her gift. She wanted the pointed boots with the Addida’s stripes but we agreed that they would not be very comfortable either.
We spent some time back at my apartment just chatting and listening to some of the music I am making. We had a few drinks and went by Taxi to the castle. We arrived late, and most everything was closed. Ira found restaurant where we were the only guest’s. So they opened up the restaurant. In this Castle, it is where the guest’s for the Tsar would eat. Beautiful, absolutely incredible decor and view of the sea. The silver ware was real silver and the plates were the style that many collectors seek, gold and blue with white. I did not mind if we eat there, but Ira insisted it was too expensive and that we were not really appropriately dressed. We were still treated like royalty by the staff. We had only coffee and tea, and I had a dessert. We agreed to go seek a Mexican (Mexicanskaya) restaurant. It was only one block from my apartment, and I did get the picture of me wrestling the boar at the front door. The Mexican food was close to authentic, but they still do not understand what "Salsa" is, and you can’t get it either.
After parting with Ira, Tanya had me set up with Valentina. Valentina, Tanya and I eventually ended up at a Texas style dance club, but it was a disco not country dancing. I did enjoy the atmosphere. There’s a good chance you’ll recognize most of the songs, because most of the songs are American disco, hip hop and what not! And we danced all night long. I did have to rest a few times, but the girls kept going like the Energizer Bunny. I did have a few moments quiet with Valya, and found her new nick name, "Pumpkin". Yes, she is my little Pumpkin. I’m not sure she likes it a lot, because she thinks this word is funny. We did slow dance a song, and she is very nice girl. After dancing we went our ways, and I went to bed.
I still have not decided who would be the best wife, and I’m wondering if I need to continue my search further. Maybe I could make a world TV show about a guy (me) who searches the world over, dating the most beautiful women in the world (hey, it’s my show, right?). It would be good for American men because they could see the ways of the different women, the good and bad about traveling and the pitfalls and pluses of other customs of other countries. The humorous part is that I am no Don Juan! I will naturally make an ass out myself for the audience, and once in a while I do seem to get things right! The women in the audience will love my attempts at love, and she will be enamored with the beautiful exotic sights, castles, etc. The TV company shooting this could make some money off of the city and businesses it will show on TV. Product placement too. World products for the American audience, that alone is so profitable that NBC would not need an audience! I remember the time when I went to the store and asked for some Chapstick. Simple American request, yes? Well, the lady behind the counter did not speak English (as often happens) and I was left with describing my need with gestures (because my interpreter was just as confused!). Hey! It was my lucky day because I had in my pocket a tube of Chapstick! So I pulled it out and used it. To them it appeared I was using Lip Stick and they never had seen a man in public use Lip Stick. So I gave up on that idea. NBC could get in on the very lucrative business now emerging of dating (The Dating Game) world wide. A world audience. But I still have to be the star. I think it works best if I go to meet with a tour guide (interpreter - female) and we both meet the women I will try to court. Men in the audience world wide will be glued to the TV set just like "BayWatch". The women are incredibly beautiful and very friendly to the camera. I will push this idea in the next few months, and recommend they begin with a pilot in Yalta for American TV. The idea can grow from there.
Well, it will be interesting to see what happens in Day Six (which it is now) Let the day begin! ...