Throughout the thirty minute descent into Ufa all I can see is farmland for miles and miles. Not a city or a town anywhere. We enter the small airport for a city of 1 million people, reminding me of the Paducah, Ky airport where my father traveled frequently to/from in the 1960s and 70s. We were on time and met by representatives from the university. Within minutes, our bags were packed into the back of a van and we were informed that we were heading several hours west to another city to participate with a lecture to be given by a physical therapy professor from a university in the USA. I had agreed to "hit the ground running" but we were feeling pretty fuzzy as it was 4:00am for us without sleeping on the plane.
As the 6 of us took off in the loaded-down van with the wind blowing in our hair, dodging semi-trucks by the hundreds (maybe thousands!) my excitement was waning and panic was creeping in (yes, Al we DID have a dash cam & radar). Heading west we passed primarily sun flowers in the fields. After several hours, a "tactical stop" was requested and we pulled off the road into a muddy field, "Women to the right, men to the left" ...I held it.
Once we made it to the next city we stopped at a quaint restaurant, meeting a representative from the area. We were escorted into a back room and were treated to a traditional meal of the region. The meal started with a salad, salmon (oh yeah, bring it on) followed by beef tongue, and cured horse meat. Next to come was soup, bread, and a meat (not sure which) filled dumpling. A lovely gesture and a large amount and variety of food. I did not over indulge.
Next was the conference being held at a local hospital for approximately 200-250 medical professionals. Interest was high and then application of techniques was demonstrated in the ICU which was very interesting to observe.
It is now after 6:00pm and we are taken to a lovely lodge for dinner and spent the night. The meal was one of the most opulent I have ever experienced. Yes, Trigger was on the table again joined by various other local delicacies. We spent the evening discussing opportunities for collaborative healthcare projects and comparisons of our healthcare systems. A wonderful time.
The morning ride back to Ufa was uneventful but with heavier semi-truck traffic, animals and accidents on the road. The site of Ufa was a pleasant one as we pulled into the city. Now for a place to live for the next 2 and 3/4 months...
(+forgive me for not posting pictures, my computer is not cooperating and John's only speaks Russian...hopefully soon!)
As the 6 of us took off in the loaded-down van with the wind blowing in our hair, dodging semi-trucks by the hundreds (maybe thousands!) my excitement was waning and panic was creeping in (yes, Al we DID have a dash cam & radar). Heading west we passed primarily sun flowers in the fields. After several hours, a "tactical stop" was requested and we pulled off the road into a muddy field, "Women to the right, men to the left" ...I held it.
Once we made it to the next city we stopped at a quaint restaurant, meeting a representative from the area. We were escorted into a back room and were treated to a traditional meal of the region. The meal started with a salad, salmon (oh yeah, bring it on) followed by beef tongue, and cured horse meat. Next to come was soup, bread, and a meat (not sure which) filled dumpling. A lovely gesture and a large amount and variety of food. I did not over indulge.
Next was the conference being held at a local hospital for approximately 200-250 medical professionals. Interest was high and then application of techniques was demonstrated in the ICU which was very interesting to observe.
It is now after 6:00pm and we are taken to a lovely lodge for dinner and spent the night. The meal was one of the most opulent I have ever experienced. Yes, Trigger was on the table again joined by various other local delicacies. We spent the evening discussing opportunities for collaborative healthcare projects and comparisons of our healthcare systems. A wonderful time.
The morning ride back to Ufa was uneventful but with heavier semi-truck traffic, animals and accidents on the road. The site of Ufa was a pleasant one as we pulled into the city. Now for a place to live for the next 2 and 3/4 months...
(+forgive me for not posting pictures, my computer is not cooperating and John's only speaks Russian...hopefully soon!)
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