This is the train we took for the 12 hour train ride. Notice the U.S.S.R. "star" still on the front of the train. After getting off this train we took a 4 hour taxi ride to the first orphanage.
Vehicle transportation was in very small cars. The average car was similar to a Yugo or an old '70s style Datsun. The picture to the right is on the main street in Noah's home town. Only the towns had nicer roads such as this. The country areas were almost like walking back 100 years, most people on bikes, horse drawn wagons or just walking.
This is a picture of the first orphanage we went to. They did not have any children available at the age we were looking for (4 and under).
This is a picture of Noah's orphanage. Most all buildings had the same architecture, gray and drab.
This is a photo of the front side of the orphanage. That is Rebecca and Natasha (our Ukrainian translator) walking toward the front entrance.
We would go daily during feeding time to give Noah a bottle and have a little bonding time. They would put him in a swing and stick a bottle in his mouth. There were so many children they had very little time to show much attention to any one of them. It was more like an assembly line when it came to naps, feeding, clothing, and diapers. All children wore "onesies" with socks. They all had two if not three layers of cloths on at any given time.
FEEDING TIME!!!
After a getting a full tummy Noah was all ready for smiles. Not that the workers wanted Noah to be a girl or anything, but bonnets were on all kids to keep their head warm. This one will be a good photo to show a future girl friend.
He was already getting spoiled by the time we left to head back to Kiev.