Such a fun day...

I posted my last entry very quickly today as I thought I would not have internet now.  However, I have managed to pick up the hotel's wifi connection while sitting in my bedroom!  I have had an awesome day today, accept for missing my wonderful husband's phone call.  :(  He called today while we were in the Vladimir Court House learning about their court process from a very high ranking judge!  The tour of the court house was nice and learning about their court process was interesting.  They have a panel of 3 judges or a jury that decides the outcome of criminal trials.  Defendants choose between trial by jury or judges.  Here the defendants choose trial by judge more often.  The defendants also sit in a type of jail cell that is built into the court room.  In Vladimir they have modernized these cells to a type of class room rather than the old style of a jail cell with steel bars!  After this tour we had dinner at a popular restaurant in Vladimir called Shesh Besh.  The food was delicious, but the dish that Renna and I ordered took forever to cook.  Everyone else had already received and eaten their food!  When we finally finished eating the other students went back to the hotel and did other things, I guess anyway, and Dr. Vandiver, Kim, and I went shopping!  We stopped at this adorable little shop where I got my mom, grandma, and best friend some really cute swag!  Then we went to the mall (YAY!) where I bought an awesome new pair of purple flats (of course I had to buy a new pair of shoes in Russia!).  I found out that a carton of Marlboro cigarettes is only $18 American here.  I guess it is because it is still very popular here.  I also bought some really cute hair bows, a very popular style of bow that we do not wear in America, for my neice...I hope she likes them!  I also found out that I cannot fit their clothes.  I tried on a shirt that was entirely too big in the shoulders, bust, and stomach but not big enough in the hips! (lol)  Anyway, I had a wonder ful day today.  I will stay awake until my husband gets off of work.  It is currently 11:30pm here and only 2:30pm there :(  Hopefully I will have some wifi here at the hotel tomorrow!  I enjoy writing the blog...hope you guys are enjoying reading it!