Our last weekend in Kerch - some sightseeing

The 10 day wait after the court decision is up as of today! We thank God for His faithfulness, and for leading us in each and every step.  The law though gives one business day and then the court decree can be published - that will be Tuesday morning the 6th, aka Oleg's Gotcha Day.   On Monday we will visit Oleg's school and have  tea and cake with the staff in the afternoon and go to the hospital to order Oleg's birth certificate listing us as his parents.   Tuesday morning we pick up the decree and the certificate and then will travel to Simferopol, the Crimean region capital and apply for his Passport.  Next Saturday Pat, Oleg and our facilitator will travel back to Kiev for a medical test for Oleg the following Monday.  I will go also if the authorities permit our facilitator from Crimea to pick it up for us.

Knowing our time here was coming to an end, we took in some local sites and went to the best beach yesterday.  This morning we visited the Adzhimuskaya quarry which was a hideout for up to 13,000 local citizens and the Soviet Red Army during May - October 1942.  I'll blog about the quarry visit in another post, to be brief, it is very solemn and yet awe inspiring to see it.  I make mention here because the place we went yesterday includes  a monument erected by the Red Army to commemorate the heroism of the citizens of Kerch and Adzhimuskay against the army of Adolf Hitler.

This picture if you look quick may resemble our Washington Monument, it is one erected by the Soviets designating Kerch as a Hero City, it is along with Moscow, Leningrad, Minsk, Odessa, Brest, Tula, and several others.  It is located on Mt. Mithridates.  

It is 432 steps to the top, not all are even nor smooth

For the heroism of the citizens of Kerch 

 The next several pictures are the view from the top, it is worth the climb!  Pat has had some knee trouble here and been a real trooper! and with God she made the trip without much affect.

Russia in the distance and what we think is an oil research ship. Exxon is checking out the Black Sea for potential drilling spots. 

Oleg spent many a happy summer day swimming, diving, flipping here at one of the city's street front water parks. 

Another beach used often by Oleg and the people of Kerch 

There is active archaeology and possibly treasure hunting at the top. 

Some pictures of the ruins of the first settlement here in the 7th,6th Centuries BC. The city was called Panticapaeum. 

Eternal Flame for the cities, Adzhimuskaya is one listed here. 

Kerch and Feodosia - about 40 miles away are listed on this side of the flame.