Moskva

  Moscow, Central Russia, Russian Federation
Sunday, July 6, 2008

Lisa'a cell phone number:
+(or 011)-79032235553
The operator can help you if you can't get through.

Anway,

I have spent all my time thus far in Moscow. I have been asked by many
what my initial reaction to and sense of the city is (they are very
curious) and my best answer has been: "It's HUGE!" In all things I have
seen, heard and felt here there is a sense that to understand the people,
culture and even the proper way to get around would take a much longer
time than I have to spend.

Lisa first warned me about the people. It's not that they are rude, they
just lack our sensitivity. In the metro they act like children - they
never say "excuse me," etc. and sneak past and in between slower people to
get to the escalators or on the trains.

Metro

Watching them really does remind
me of small children who don't know about lines or proper manners. I don't
take it personally though, I actually kind of like it. I understand why they don't automatically treat everyone kindly. Everyone here is cautious with everyone else. I'm sure there is good reason for
this, but I have yet to see anything dangerous or feel worried about my
safety. The currency exchange, however, seems like a hint - without Lisa's
arguing (which I now understand why she's so good at it) with the teller,
I would have surely been ripped off in a big way.

I have been to a big business district, a peasant district, and a highly
cultural, tourist free district.

The big business district was first. I thought, since I had yet to see
anything else, and the city must be all huge buildings and extremely wide
roads (the roads in this area were as wide as the 405 in some parts). I
was happy that it was not the case.

Two or three nights ago we went to a hundred year old, famous theatre to
see the 40 year old and equally famous adaption of "The Master and
Margarita", the book Lisa gave me to read before coming here. I understood
most of it, though none of it was in English. I have never really cared
about acting before, but I was very impressed with theirs.

Lisa took me to a great restaurant - it was in the theme of a library. We
sat upstairs and ate at old fashioned tables among stacks of books.

Lisa's grandmothers, or Babushkas, live in a poorer district. Such is the
life of the elderly, I think. Anyway, I met her great grandmother on her
mother's side, who is nearly 90. She was a great surprise. Very, very kind
and sweet. She cooked old fashioned Russian food for me. We then met her
father's mother, who was the exact opposite. She smokes cigarettes
constantly and is very blunt. She has read every book in her huge library
and has resorted to reading the dictionary until someone brings her new
books. She gave me an old Russian copy of "The Master and Margarita".

Crazy Basil 2

Lisa took me to the Red Square. Only swear words appropriately explain my
reaction to seeing the Kremlin, Intercession Cathedral (the coolest
architecture I have EVER seen) and Military museum. Unbelievable. And, in
the middle - Lenin's tomb. We didn't go inside to see his corpse, but
between the colorful cathedral and the deep red brick wall that inclosed
the Kremlin, Lenin's magenta and black tomb was small and contrasted
terribly. It sat to the right of the stage on which he gave speeches to
thousands upon thousands of people some 80 (?) years ago.

Yesterday was Saturday, and Lisa's fathers first day off since I came
here, so he took us walking. The roads finally became more narrow, people,
laughter and empty beer bottles began to appear, and it was like we
finally went somewhere that was alive and interesting. There were small
alley ways, buildings that were so old that their structure bent in
strange directions, artwork, and smiling people (finally). We went to the
pond that Bulgakov wrote about in Master and Margarita, which I really
enjoyed. We also passed by Dostoevsky's house, the Military museum, the
Soviet Theatre, The largest cathedral in the orthodox church, a student
restaurant in the theme of an old time Russian railway station, and
countless, countless monuments of writers, poets, playwrights, and Lenin.
There is a sculture monument every five minutes it seems.

Some guy

The Russians
seem very proud of their culture. Tomorrow I hope to actually enter
Dostoevsky's home, see his museum, and visit the actually apartment that
Bulgakov wrote about in Master and Margarita.

That's all for now. I think I have gotten everything except their
apartment, food and church service, which I had to get up at 6 am for this
morning. We are about to go to Lisa's country house to make smores with
her little brother.

Really quick: we changed our plans. We want to land in Barcelona, drive
into France, go Northeast to the northern beaches of France and then to
Paris followed by Holland and finally Germany. Her dad has a TOMTOM and
tells me it will not be so much driving.

It's raining CONSTANTLY! Everything is great. I will call you as soon as I
can but I doubt it will be tonight as we are going pretty far into the
country side.