Ukrainian Adventures part 2 - Holy Water

On our way home from the potato cellars in Stilske, Igor took us on another little adventure.  Apparently there's a little spring of Holy Water in a big field where people picnic in the summers.

Lap number 5!

People go there to bottle their own drinking water from the icy fountain.  While there, many people "take the plunge" and circle the submerged cross in the lower pool seven times, bending down to touch the foot of the cross on each lap.  From what I understand, if you do at least seven laps, it will cure you of whatever might be ailing you (allergies, illness, etc.)


It was a hot day, so we all decided to give it a try, even though walking barefoot in the snow is the only thing that might be as cold.

It was too cold for Anne, so she played in the little trickle where people were filling their water bottles.






 I was holding Mary and she loved splashing in the little waterfall on each lap, so we just kept going around and around.
I ended up doing my 7 laps and then 7 more with Meagan and a few more in between.

 Ella even did a couple laps with us!  

I was actually really enjoying it, but it took quite a while to thaw afterwards.  

The first lap all you can think about is getting out.  

If you make it to the second, your thoughts are the same and you start to wonder if you've gone mad.  

At the third lap you start checking to see if your feet are bleeding - because the pain you're experiencing must be accompanied by copious amounts of blood! 

As you round the bend on lap number four, things start looking brighter as all blood leaves your legs.  Completely numb by laps five and six, you think it really isn't so bad and you could probably keep going for quite some time.  

As you totter out after the seventh lap, you'll go through all the pain of your legs coming back to life, so if you make it that long, you may as well just stay in.... a few more laps won't hurt, but they will put off that awful tingly sensation.  

Don't worry - I wasn't the only crazy one there.  One guy went wading in nothing but his underwear!  When someone does that you know they're going to do something great - you can't strip down to your skivvies and not put on some show for all the attention you've attracted.  He did fun little tricks like underwater push-ups between his laps!

Just going in up to my knees is more than enough for me, thank you.