A Day in the Northern Hinterlands

Sasha and I took a shuttle van today to an indoor swimpark, called
Kva-Kva. It was about 10 miles away.

We do most of our traveling underground in the city. But
I got a first hand view of how ugly the northern reaches of the city
are. The first mile was filled with nice apartment buildings and parks,
but from there, it was mile after mile of rundown buildings, some with
broken windows. We usually travel south into the city and hadn't seen
this other part of Moscow. Home Depot should open here.

The swim park was located in a shopping mall, and was surprisingly
clean and well-run. That's not a phrase I get to use with Russia very
often. Sasha had a blast in the wave pool and the jacuzzi. A few years
ago the swim park was in the news when its roof caved in (too much
snow) and several people there died. The ceiling looked reinforced now.
No pictures, but their website is www.kva-kva.ru.

In other news, the snow that has been here since we arrived has mostly
melted, and Moscow is getting ready for spring. Sidewalk cafes are
going up, and the wrought iron fence on the park across the street is
getting a new coat of paint. I've been told that real spring will be
here in 10 days. I have a feeling that Muscovites try to wring every
drop of pleasure out of the outdoor season, short as it is.

We are ready for spring. It snowed a lot last week, even yesterday.
Today, though, the sun was out.

Yesterday I stumbled upon the Che Club, a restaurant/bar that is an
homage to Che Guevara. Cuban cigars were for sale. Like a lot of Moscow
restaurants, the decor was better than the food. The club is located
about a block from the former KGB headquarters. Later in the day, I
also stumbled upon a Hilton hotel, which is located in a skyscraper
built by Stalin. The combination of communist monuments and capitalist
businesses continues to amaze me.
--Larry