Art Hotel Voronezh

... its rolling hills and I am on my way with a song in my heart. Slowly, mind you. I'd been warned about the traffic police, the dreaded DPS in Russia so I end up doing at least 10kph less than the speed limit, that is when I can actually work it out. I wonder if I will ever get across Russia?

Back down to earth tonight in a truckers stop. The receptionist, who looks like she has taken early retirement from ruling a carriage ...

... man and a good cook. He was a nice, bald man who felt comfortable when he was drinking a bit. His tantalizing soup was tomato-paste-flavored yet watery, with bits of beef and vegetables, and you added sour cream, black olives, and lemon to it. He cooked beef stroganoff, a thick sweet stew invented when Russian soldiers in France demanded to eat quickly. We also ate pancakes, sweet biscuits, and biscuits with sweet-cream fillings ...

... für mein fatales Fehler und werde zwei Mal als "unprofessionell" beschimpft. Nach einer halben Stunden von Schimpfen, Entschuldigungen und Bitten beruhigt sich der Pressesprecher und verspricht, für morgen uns einen Termin bei dem Stellvertretenden Bürgermeister zu organisieren, der uns dann - wenn gut gelaunt - ein Interview im Krankenhaus erlaubt. 19.45 Zum ersten Mal ...

This place in Russia near the town of Voronezh is called Russian Palestine, because of the similar scenery and chalky soil.

Many centuries ago the nuns came here and made the caves in the soft chalky soil. That was the moment of foundation of the Convent of the Saviour.

... is almost the most-powerful force in the world. Thus, nothing is more responsible for the sorry state of things than the Church. If Christianity could make the world better, it would've done so. It's time to throw it away and move on in a progressive direction. - - My theology must be taught, emphasized. - - Those who think sex is good are blinded by their own short-sightedness and ignorance. - - The acceptance of bad things is not ...

... butterfly wings flapping, or something else extraordinarily pleasant. But, I tell them it sounds gummy or gooey, like somebody walking in mud in galoshes. Should I go back to Russia? Will I go back to Russia? I don't know yet. But, until I do go back to that land of galosh-in-the-mud-speaking people, let me just say this: "Mum, mum, gum, glum, ya-yum, blum-gum-a-lum." No, wait. Let me say something else. This time, I'll say it in that language that sounds like a gentle, tropical ...

... to answer them. It was awkward to live with him. And he always had a discouraging word - often, "To yest risk." (That's a risk.) - in response to my plans to find work. "Riskovat mala je riskovat vela." - a Slovakian proverb (To risk little is to risk a lot.) "a man who is cautious in his youth can't be too intelligent in his old age" - Jack Kerouac In fairness to Igor, there's no law saying he has to care about others. He can go on in his life where his best ...

... stood there staring, as if she was stronger than steel. Nadezda´s dream is to somehow acquire a lot of money then build a wonderful place for orphans. I think the girls were sad to have me leave. Their town isn´t a place with a lot of hope. Elina told me not to forget them. Of course I won´t. Nadezda told me to write a letter to her soon. I will. Other than the good times with the girls, my stay in Staryy Oskol wasn´t that wonderful. I lacked a ...

... see-through so their underwear is visible. The young have long hair. One "veselaya" (fun and jolly) thirty-something English teacher, Elena Viktorovna, told me many young girls thin if they marry a European or American it will solve all their problems. This view of money seems naive and lazy to me. I also think the worship of money is detrimental to one's ability to freely dream. Russians claim they talk about money so often because they're poor ...

... The mosquitoes there are big and bothersome. Haunting birds hoot and cheer-bringing birds ... well, bring cheer, I guess. We drank Russian vodka the first day we went there. It tasted like vodka in the States: acck, horrible! Today, I was holding petite but trusting Elina. She told me that I use my tongue "slishkom chasto" (too often) when I kiss. I was surprised to hear a complaint so early. A complaint? Why on earth, how? I'm a pretty ...