Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Larry here:
I'm amazed at how well I'm getting around here knowing so little Russian. I have shopped at the supermarket with a credit card, and have taken money out of our online account. I rode the Metro several times alone. When someone talks to me, I usually blurt out a stock Russian phrase like "please" or "thank you" that is inappropriate to the situation, or I just nod. Later the right phrase (ya niz nao,"which means "I don't know") comes to me. When I was the last one onto the metro car yesterday and my coat was stuck in the door for the ride to the next stop, a woman appeared to have some wry comment about it that I couldn't share in. Oh well. The coat is fine.
We are across the street from a great park, with huge monuments, and beyond that is a monorail line. We have just begun to explore it. From our window we see several high monuments there, including one of a spaceship heading into the heavens. We also see a ferris wheel from our window, which is said to be the third highest in the world, or the highest in Russia, or the world, depending on who you ask. Next door at the French owned hotel, Kosmos, is a 25 foot high statue of General De Gaulle, bien sur. When it snows, le president has snow on his shoulders.
I'm amazed at how well I'm getting around here knowing so little Russian. I have shopped at the supermarket with a credit card, and have taken money out of our online account. I rode the Metro several times alone. When someone talks to me, I usually blurt out a stock Russian phrase like "please" or "thank you" that is inappropriate to the situation, or I just nod. Later the right phrase (ya niz nao,"which means "I don't know") comes to me. When I was the last one onto the metro car yesterday and my coat was stuck in the door for the ride to the next stop, a woman appeared to have some wry comment about it that I couldn't share in. Oh well. The coat is fine.
We are across the street from a great park, with huge monuments, and beyond that is a monorail line. We have just begun to explore it. From our window we see several high monuments there, including one of a spaceship heading into the heavens. We also see a ferris wheel from our window, which is said to be the third highest in the world, or the highest in Russia, or the world, depending on who you ask. Next door at the French owned hotel, Kosmos, is a 25 foot high statue of General De Gaulle, bien sur. When it snows, le president has snow on his shoulders.
Moscow Shuffle
Alison
Snow again last night, no biggie. I awoke to the snow plows doing finish work on the sidewalks. Yesterday at the cosmonaut exhibit, I saw about a dozen men with pick axes manually breaking up the ice on the sidewalk. What a contrast: manual laborers vs. the impressive snow clearing machines. We are learning to skate across the icy sidewalks - Sasha likes to lick icicles. I remember doing that as a kid. To my amazement, we have an ice skating rink in the backyard of our apartment. I appears to double as a basketball court in summer, unless they play ice basketball here, which wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Today we are off to Red Square, with an American family who have been here a month. They seem way ahead of us in knowing what to do in this place. I fear we will meet “zero” Russian families as there are so may ex-pats to play with. And our Russian frankly stinks.
Shopping still a big issue - I saw bottle of Mr. Clean and it was called Mr. Proper. Everything is tiny, tiny and mysterious. At least I know now Russian for milk, eggs, cheese, bread and pickels.
Have conquered the tiny Euro washer and dryer, wifi up and working. Life is good.
Snow again last night, no biggie. I awoke to the snow plows doing finish work on the sidewalks. Yesterday at the cosmonaut exhibit, I saw about a dozen men with pick axes manually breaking up the ice on the sidewalk. What a contrast: manual laborers vs. the impressive snow clearing machines. We are learning to skate across the icy sidewalks - Sasha likes to lick icicles. I remember doing that as a kid. To my amazement, we have an ice skating rink in the backyard of our apartment. I appears to double as a basketball court in summer, unless they play ice basketball here, which wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Today we are off to Red Square, with an American family who have been here a month. They seem way ahead of us in knowing what to do in this place. I fear we will meet “zero” Russian families as there are so may ex-pats to play with. And our Russian frankly stinks.
Shopping still a big issue - I saw bottle of Mr. Clean and it was called Mr. Proper. Everything is tiny, tiny and mysterious. At least I know now Russian for milk, eggs, cheese, bread and pickels.
Have conquered the tiny Euro washer and dryer, wifi up and working. Life is good.
Visit to the Food Stalls
We finally have WiFi up and working – it took three visits from various technicians, but they got it working, hurray. Right now, I am listening to our San Francisco public radio station on the web. Nice to hear what's going on back in California. We miss the morning newspaper, but our view is so intriguing that we went for walk to the cosmonaut monument where we encountered the huge statues of all the famous cosmonauts and even recognized a few ones through our halting Cyrillic.
With the help of our babysitter Marina, I went to buy proper snowboots for Sasha, who is doing a lot of complaining about walking too far. I think she misses the California car lifestyle. Marina took us to a clothing and food hall near VDNk, the old Soviet-style monument, complete with heroic comrades holding their sheeves (sp?) of wheat. What beautiful, fresh foods. So different than the dreary local stores I've been shopping in. Piles of homemade sausages, gorgeous cheeses, barrels of pickeled vegies including carrots, onions, garlic. Sasha got to try various cheese until she found one she liked – no mozzarela at this cheese shop.
With the help of our babysitter Marina, I went to buy proper snowboots for Sasha, who is doing a lot of complaining about walking too far. I think she misses the California car lifestyle. Marina took us to a clothing and food hall near VDNk, the old Soviet-style monument, complete with heroic comrades holding their sheeves (sp?) of wheat. What beautiful, fresh foods. So different than the dreary local stores I've been shopping in. Piles of homemade sausages, gorgeous cheeses, barrels of pickeled vegies including carrots, onions, garlic. Sasha got to try various cheese until she found one she liked – no mozzarela at this cheese shop.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Six days and counting
Today is our last Sunday and California and what a send off! The weather is 71 balmy degrees under a cerulean blue sky. The trees have buds and flowers and we are headed to the artic chill of Russia winter. This will be my first year with two springs.
We are being feted by our friends as part of the big send off. A cupcake and milk party will send Sasha off in style.
We are being feted by our friends as part of the big send off. A cupcake and milk party will send Sasha off in style.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Departure date set
We are off on 7th of Feb - wow, five weeks to go. All the pieces are starting to fall in place; to do list larger than ever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)