Day 3: a Sunday in Lviv, and final preparations

☀️ Sunday was a rare free morning. Dr. Orach spent it where any good dad should be, at his children’s soccer games, and the rest of us took the chance to explore the city.

Lviv, a city worth seeing

Lviv is truly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a maze of cobblestone streets, Renaissance and Baroque churches, pastel façades and old tram lines, with centuries of history layered into every block. From the hills above the old town the rooftops and spires stretch out to the horizon, and in early November the parks are still glowing gold. The city is also famous for its café culture, and we did our part.

It’s a city that carries its history with dignity, too. Among the churches and parks are memorials to those who gave their lives for Ukraine, including the Heavenly Hundred, the protesters killed during the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. Walking these streets, it’s impossible not to feel how much this place means to the people who live here, and why caring for its children matters so much.

City photos courtesy of Meghan Mullaney.

Hazy morning view over the rooftops, domes and spires of Lviv — Morning over the rooftops of Lviv

A domed Baroque church in Lviv's old town under a blue sky — Morning over the rooftops of Lviv

Back to work

In the afternoon we headed back to St. Nicholas Hospital for final preparations: reviewing images, measuring curves and walking through each step of the surgical plan so that nothing is left to chance.