My purple luggage and I have arrived safely in Moscow. Actually we got here last night at about this time (it is almost 12pm in Moscow right now but for most of you this is morning/afternoon...strange). Anyway, I think we spent about 12 hours traveling before arriving at a very nice hotel in Moscow, where we will be staying until next Thursday, when we leave for Nizhni. By the way, today is the New Year here, as they follow the old calendar, and there are still decorations up for Christmas everywhere. Very pretty. Oh, and it was snowing lightly as we touched down, but the weather is perfect and “spring-like” according to the director of the program, who says it was -29F on Christmas day.
This morning we saw Lenin, enclosed in glass and still preserved after 80 some years. His fingers and ears, however, are getting a little black. The guards around the mausoleum were very stoic and intimidating. Cameras were not allowed inside. We also saw a fair share of Red Square, although we will not go in to the Kremlin for a tour until Monday. We rode the metro system here and got out at a bunch of stops to see how beautiful and ornate they are. I snapped a few pictures before we were told that it is not allowed. They were beautiful though and I couldn’t help but be amazed at how clean and well-kept they were for the number of people passing through daily.
So far, I've noticed some very amazing mullets (they seem quite popular and stylish here) and a never-ending supply of fur coats and hats. Russian women are intimidating, especially the babushkas in all of their furry splendor. I saw one woman today in purple-dyed fur! Anyway, I am in a constant state of wonder and disbelief currently. I am so small in this huge country. I love it, though I know that it has not hit me yet that I'll be LIVING here...
I should get to bed now, as we are going to Pushkin square and the Museum of Contemporary Russian History tomorrow. But before I go, a quick funny story:
I hurt my knee while in NYC and iced it with snow today. However, I first had to go up to the 10th floor to get a plastic bag from Debbie, who had noticed my limp and offered her services. Afterwards, I went to my room, slipped on my ridiculous tennis shoes and hurried downstairs to collect some snow in a grocery bag. However, the exit was taped off, so I went over to the entry, where there is a man stationed. (By the way this hotel is very, very, nice and expensive and there are all sorts of people stationed around watching us silly Americans). Anyway, I tried to exit the entrance and couldn’t. After a few more tugs, I turned to direct a quizzical look toward the guard. He shrugged and made a motion with his hand to indicate that I should PUSH, not pull. Ah, wow, pretty embarrassing and it only got worse when I returned in 5 minutes with a bag full of snow. I could almost feel him and the people in the lobby shaking their heads in wonder. Oh well, I had better get used to it I guess.
With love,
Crystal
Crystal! Sooo good to hear from you! Keep the stories coming, and pictures would be grand. :) I am so excited for you to have this adventure. :)
ReplyDelete~ Carly