Lena took us on a guided tour of Khabarovsk which was excellent. We got to see the boulevards, markets and some things that we would otherwise have missed. The churches and Lenin square were spectacular, as were some of the statues. We tried some Kvass, a Russian drink made with bread. I really like it but I think Ken wasn’t too keen!

It was very hot but everyone seemed to be out and about, doing their business as usual. One thing that’s different here is the effort everyone puts into their appearance. Every shirt is freshly laundered and ironed, every dress clean and fresh. I don’t think I’ve seen a scruffy person yet, even down the shops. It’s not like Walsall at all!!

The church here is the third largest in Khabarovsk. The second largest you could see to the west up an a hill, and we saw the largest when we arrived. So much has happened since I’m struggling to keep up! It’s been a great experience meeting lots of friendly people, absolutely brilliant.