A horse!

Back to the vacation story now, less distracted by blog and internet problems....

Our second day in Pavlovo, after another day started with frogs, toads, and tadpoles, Will arranged (at my request) for one of the local teens to rent us his horse for a little while. This teen was the only person we met in our time in western Ukraine who we really couldn't understand. He was rather shy and mumbly and couldn't understand us either, but he seemed quite glad to share his horse and make a little money. We did communicate some, but it was pretty funny.

Breakfast with toad

Bogdan's first tadpole

Drawing by Raia

Jaan caught...

...a BIG toad!

As I was saying, a horse....

Asya loved it!

They came to get us and go up to a field above where we were staying. Asya jumped on the horse and never looked back, riding all the way up. The rest of us climbed slowly up behind her.

Looking back

Once we got to the field, we all took turns riding around.

Bogdan was a little nervous when it was our turn.

Raia was not happy. Too scary!

But Jaan loved it.

And then Raia found a happy way to ride.

I posted this for the background.

Oops. The photo of Will riding with Asya didn't upload and won't go now. Maybe later?

Heading back down

Goodbye (scary) horse!

Out of four children, their opinions of their first time on a horse were
Asya: It was wonderful!
Jaan: It was wonderful!
Raia: Scary and wonderful.
Bogdan: Scary!
However, later, whenever we saw a horse, Bogdan would ask if he could ride on it. So, it must not have been too bad, even for him.

Also, the photo that I posted for its background... that evening, we went back up to the same field, picked wild strawberries, and followed a trail further up. I'll post photos of how beautiful it was up there later, too.