Winner is Dad!

Participation in my "Guess Where I'll Be Next!" contest was disappointingly low, but at least we have a winner: my dad, who correctly guessed – after the excellent suggestions of Tiksi and Tuapse, both incorrect – that the seaport beginning with T is Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov (Azov Sea? Why can I never remember what it's called in English?) near the border with Ukraine! The K city was Kostroma, but I think everyone who's talked to me recently already knew that.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that no one else made the effort to scour maps of Russia's coasts looking for towns beginning with T, but it's still a little lame that my dad won, since the prize is a Vladivostok refrigerator magnet; being my dad, he could pretty much get a Vladivostok refrigerator magnet out of me whenever he wants anyway. But now I guess he can look at the magnet every day and feel smug about the superior map skills that won it for him. And it's good for me, too, because I already know where to mail the prize.

Anyway, now the rest of you know – when I say I'm giving away prizes, I really mean it! I tell you, I almost went with the dried-out, glitter-glued crab with "VLADIVOSTOK" painted on its back, posed holding a faux black pearl (yes, this is an actual souvenir for sale in our fair city), and then you would have been really sorry you missed out.

As for Taganrog and Kostroma, I'll give you more details when I find out for sure which one I'll be in!

And finally, next post with meaningful content: my day at the orphanage for children with HIV. Coming soon to a The Eastern Bell near you!