Catching up - some final words on Moscow

OK, I'm really trying to catch up on some posting--today was our day off and I was out and about a bit last night with Vince and Scott from the Baku misadventure. Scott successfully went down to Kandahar and was wearing some traditional garb he'd had to wear down there. Anyway, today I slept in, had lunch, took a nap, met with Mary about putting together the first exam, we went to dinner at the Chinese place nearby, and I've been working on my portion of the exam. It's already nearly midnight, so we'll see how long I can last...

In Moscow, the women have this phrase, "He doesn't love you if he doesn't hit you," which I thought was a bit disturbing--definately a male-dominated society. Though the idea that success in a relationship is gauged by how angry you can make the other person is twisted, but there's some sense in which I guess I can understand it.

Red Square was neat--this huge space with interesting architecture on each side. There was an ice skating rink in the center while I was there as well. There are these monuments to Russia's past all around--St. Basil's Cathedral, the Kremlin, Lenin's tomb, and the Lobnoye Mesto (pictured) which was supposedly used for public executions...or not. Opposite Lenin's tomb is an enormous shopping mall--one wonders if Lenin rolls over in that tomb at the capitalist consumption occurring all around him! I had to pay 8 rubles to use the bathroom at said mall and it was turkish style--I'll be darned if I'm going to pay good money to poo standing up!

I remember a British friend once poking fun at Americans for going to amazing places only to criticize them for poor service. As in, "the Taj Mahal is pretty and everything, but the service was awful!" Well, we got some pretty poor service generally speaking in Moscow. The food was generally decent but heavy--red cabbage, mayo, fried potatoes, borsht (my first bowl of borsht--I thought it was just something they served to stereotypes in movies).

Ray's apartment is near Ho Chi Minh square and I had to check that out. Again, with the hotdog stand, as well as ads for makeup and beer all around, Ho Chi Mihn definately lost this ideological battle...

It was winter, cold, damp, and grey, so the rainbow-colored bench in front of Ray's apartment building begged to be photographed. I obliged.

Oh, and cabs in Moscow--there are none, really. You stand on the side of the street with your hand up and whoever wants to make a few bucks will pick you up. Just BE SURE to set the place and price before you get in! I really would not have been able to survive in Moscow without constant hand-holding, so thanks again Ray and Rachel!