Day one in the Russian capital

Day one in the Russian capital

I awoke, hot and sweaty and disoriented, but marveling at the snow and the metropolis. We went to register with the local authorities today and had quite a ride on the famous Moscow metro. In my bleary state, I was able to go downstairs to Magnolia where dour Soviet style cashiers offer no help in picking out breakfast for the family.

The language barrier is huge – I know very few words (wish I had gotten that vocab up to 200 words instead of a meager 100), but I smile a lot and know how to say “I understand a little” and “do you speak English, p'jalasta?”

Larry's turn:
Moscow reminds me of London, but one that is clad in fur. I have never seen so many fur coats in my life. Winter weather and all its trappings were making a big impression on this California native today, as we walked through slushy streets and were amazed at how many people were outside. We were out
to get to the metro and then to the university. The metro was fast and efficient, and we mastered it quickly. Like London, the metro is deep in the underground.
We arrived last night to snow. As we drove through the city from the airport, I was amazed at how many signs I could read in Russian. We are at home in many ways already, thanks in part to having rented a furnished apartment. We are overlooking a busy street, the Prospekt Mira, but thanks to triple-paned windows we hear very little traffic noise. The only time we notice it the street
is when a siren goes by. Otherwise, it is as quiet here as our home in Mountain View.