Ukr.Day11-Saturday, work n play

Sunday was awesome. I love the practice of work hard, play hard. So after work on Saturday, I went to dinner with Lesha and his wife, Vlada (sp?). The place was vegetarian and had really loud hari krishnas outside. Thankfully, the singers spread the word after we sat down. First we got awesome tea that I hadn't had before. It's clear, a little thicker than water, gingery and lemony. I'd definitely get it again. On the kebab was cheese and various vegetables, battered and then fried. As you can see in the picture, I didn't realize it was kebabed and ate a good sized chunk with wood. I realized my error quickly and spit out the stake. Sometimes knowing the language really helps (or could've helped). The main course was a stir fryed cheese and veggies in a tangy brown sauce with delicious rice full of spices and raisins. After that came the went elsewhere to awesome little indian desserts that I've newly discovered. The white one was really really good: a sort of white chocolate with hazelnut and toasted coconut. After that we walked back to my apt so they could see me home safely. We saw these sweet hats on the way.

Oh, I forgot inbetween the restaurant and the sweet hats, so we also strolled by the Dnepr (river). This is the area where I had dinner the first day of work. The walk from Shevchenko park was quite interesting. There are people everywhere all down the river, some drinking. Right next to the river is a lower walk with steps and relative darkness. Tons of couples and friends are there too, drinking. There was even an outdoor cafe with tables that had all sorts of people sitting in the darkness drinking/smoking and one girl had glow in the dark devil horns. After that we walked around the big glass globe and some guy was orating. We rounded the lower steps area and a small crowd, 30 or so, were gathered around some 20-22ish normal looking guy. I asked what they were talking about. Apparently he was passionate about taking back thier section of the long graffitied construction wall and that general section of the park. The people listening looked normal, it was kinda weird.
Then I saw a REPSOL Honda racing bike on the street, commented on it (Lesha and Vlada had no idea what I was talking about). We walked another 60 ft or so and the bike came literally through the bushes, well, between in a non-scratchy way, and joined a group of bikers we were walking right next too. It was sweet. I told them that was what I was talking about and they were like "oh" and looked at me like I was nuts.. come on, that's a sweet machine. Anyway, then they asked what I was doing Sunday and if I wanted to play badminton. I said sure as long as I had a date (jokingly) and they said Vlada had a sister. I said sure, whatever. We walked maybe 25 ft and ran smack into her sister, Marina and her sister's boyfriend Archung. Archung and I started talking about soccer and something else, so it was decided the next day would be soccer and badminton. Then they went on their way and we went ours, back to my place (and past the hats). We walked past a different graffiti wall that they should have been fighting over, but no one was around.
When we arrived at my buildings (no kitties tonight, even though I meowed) I offered Vlada a glass of water, which she took hot, unwittingly giving Lesha and I the opportunity to play a round of Wii boxing. After the first game he got dragged out by his ear. Vlada wouldn't play.