My name is David V. and I am here in Ekaterinburg with my wife and daughter. I am retired military and I have been stationed in several different countries, but this is my first time traveling as a civilian.

My Russian speaking abilities are non-existent. Yet the people of Ekaterinburg have been very helpful to both myself and my family.

My daughter is from Ethiopia and she does stand out in a crowd. We wondered how people would react to her here and we have been overjoyed by the attention she receives. People here love children and we were touched to see how much they shower our daughter with hugs, well-wishes, and gifts.

Being Hispanic, I thought my Spanish speaking ability would help with my Russian “r's”, but this is not the case. I try my best and appreciate the efforts of locals.

With my friends on a yacht trip; the heart of the city - paved Square of 1905 and the Lenin Monument:

English is not widely spoken here but I do find it interesting how the local that do speak English will engage in a conversation with great curiosity. These friendly exchanges have made me feel more welcome around town.

Local pubs are quite different than places I have visited before. Places can be well-lit and almost everyone was dancing without a care of how well or bad they were doing.

This is a smoke-friendly town. If you are easily bother by smokers, than take-out is a must.

The cafes here are quite enjoyable. Free internet, great coffee, and a slice of new York cheesecake puts me in the mood for site seeing with my daughter.

Walking around the city with my daughter:

If you are here with little ones, I highly recommend a stroller with large wheels as the sidewalks can be uneven. I have an umbrella stroller that is very compact to put away, but I pay the price of having to lift up the front end over everything because of its tiny wheels.

Many stores here do not have handicap access, which is both unfortunate for those with disabilities and parents with strollers. Crossing roads is hazardous to ones health as many drivers are at full throttle or fully braking.

No cruising or coasting to a stop here. Drivers seem to drive at legal highway speeds within the city limits, so anyone with children should not let their children play on or near the streets.

Ekaterinburg is unlike anywhere I ever been. I do not think any of my friends or family will be fortunate enough to see such a lovely city.

The Verkhnaya Pishma Military Museum - an amazing look at both pre- and post- Soviet Union tanks and artillery. This includes a WWII memorial:

I look forward to seeing the transformation of this warm summer that will soon be covered with snow and to see the many winter activities that go along with it. My family and I hope to do some more traveling from here to take advantage of our location and see what else can we discover.

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