I am trying to remember everything I've done this week. I think I've gone out everyday in my desperate attempt to do everything before my last three weeks are up and I go home. So, I am properly exhausted. Still, I can't quite yet! I have tomorrow off, so I'll see what I can get up to (stupid Monday's and everything closed). Wednesday Joe leaves for St. Petersburg, so I might go with him and spend a week there (if I can get my passport back and if I can get out of classes and if I can finish work...). If not, it's another theater night and back to the Tretyakov. Susan's parents are here, so she's doing a lot of stuff with them. I might see if I can join them for something... Anyways, that's besides the point. First things first: this week.
Right. Let me see if I can get this right. Monday was a trip to the Kremlin, but I already wrote a blog about it that I may or may not post. Tuesday, I went out with Sarah to Beauty and the Beast: The Musical in Russian. Her great aunt just died, so we were trying to cheer her up. She got tickets from her program and invited me. It was awesome! Definitely one of the best musicals I've seen (I am actually listening to the soundtrack right now). Because I was familiar with the movie, it was very easy to follow along and I was able to understand a lot, which was great. Beautiful theater only three metro stops from my university, great sets, and good actors. While not quite as brilliant as Les Miserables, it was definitely up there.
Wednesday, I went out for another $.66 Bolshoi night with Susan, Kara, and Bethany. We saw Spartacus the ballet. Being the Bolshoi, it was, of course, amazing. Again, because I knew the story going into it, I was able to appreciate it much more. It was largely a cast production with only a few dances done by the main dancers alone (a change from the others I've seen), so it was very lively. Loved it. Another recommendation. Although, I am pretty sure you can't go wrong with a ballet at the Bolshoi.
Thursday, I had work, with an exciting little crisis in the middle. It was actually not a crisis, as dad will attest. It was just Hannah being indecisive and dramatic. To feel better, I went out again with Susan, Kara, and Bethany for dinner. It was wonderful. I got a buffet, which was a real buffet (meaning that you are allowed more than one plate) and I ate so much I was sick. A great change from the ramen and cereal I eat all the time. It's quite the conundrum. The food here is world-class, if your willing to pay for it. And, at the markets, the freshest food is dirt cheap. However, that means you have to cook. Normally, I would be in heaven (well, I am anyways), but I have all of a pot, a pan, and plastic silverware. No spices, no refrigeration (its getting to warm to keep things in my window), and nothing to cook with. And no idea what half the stuff is and how to cook it. Eating out is horrendously expensive. Even dinner in the food court can be no less than $8 for a meal. Thus, ramen and cereal it is. Why don't we have markets like this back home? Fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables. Meat still klucking, mooing, swimming, and whatever farm animal noise you can make. Fresh made breads and home-made pastas. Food pickled, boiled, or stewed by the babushkas selling them. Street corner food that I can't even describe (most of the time, I don't even know what I am eating. It's better that way.). sigh I am going to miss markets so much.
But, again, that is not the point. We are only at Thursday. Let's see, Friday I had classes all day, so I stayed in and cooked (Susan and I have discovered the joys of fried eggs on toast. We go through a dozen eggs ever time we make it. Which is generally about 3 times a week. I have become such the college student...).
Saturday, I got up early and took off for the Muzeon and art market. The Muzeon, also known as sculpture park, is this, well, sculpture park. It's along the river by the Church of Christ the Savior, the Red October Chocolate Factory (which closed down. No!), the New Tretyakov Museum, Gorky Park, the Central House of Artists, and the monument of Peter the Great. Not bad, no? The park was originally a graveyard for sculptures removed from public squares during the Soviet Union, but is now hold hundreds of statues of all kinds. Saturday was sunny and warm (ok, warm for Russia) with a great breeze. One of the nicest days we've had, so I made the most of it. It's going on my list of off-the-beaten-track places. Because, although its is near basically everything and hardly off the beaten track, apparently it is mostly frequented by locals.
On either side of the park is this great art market. In front of the park is the Central House of Artists, so all the artists who work there sell their art outside along the river. I've been there before, but wanted to go on the weekend. The prices weren't bad for hand-painted art, but still a little out of my price range. Nevertheless, a great place to walk around.
From there, I walked along the river until I got to the Old Tretyakov Museum. The river runs along all the most prominent landmarks in Moscow and I wanted to hit all of them. About 3 hours and 15+ miles later, I made it to the Red Square (great view. I had never seen it from the river before), watched the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and met up with Joe. We walked along Tverskaya (one of the main streets) and did an exchange of sorts. I took him to FAQcafe, one of my favorites in the city, and he showed me Duma Cafe (one of his old favorites) and Transilvanian Records (probably one of the best record stores in Moscow). Then we headed up to Scans, as per usual, had some drinks and dinner and hung out for a while.
And now for today, Sunday. It's been a couple of weeks (ok, so maybe 1 1/2) since I've been to Ismalovo and I still needed to by souvenirs. Sarah's been wanting to go, so we headed off. Spent way too much money on presents, of course. Nobody was willing to bargain today. Like, at all. I think that it's finally starting to be tourist season and they are much less willing to bargain with tourists. Oh well. I still got lots of stuff for much cheaper than anywhere else. We didn't go to my favorite sketchy restaurant, but walked around the Chinese and Vietnamese sections (my favorite) and got some food from the kiosky places. We then left and walked around the Red Square for a while.
Today was Russia's version of Palm Sunday (next week is Easter) and I had heard rumours about old ladies waving the Russian version of palm branches and giving away cake. While, alas, there was no free cake, there was instead old ladies with palms, which was cool. I am excited about what Easter will bring. Should be interesting.
Finally, it was theater time, so we got our $.66 tickets and went to see Cvetlyi Roochei (Light Stream?). About half way through the first act, Sarah got really sick and we left. No worries. We were both pretty exhausted anyways and it was really crowded. So, now I am back home, drinking tea and writing to y'all. Tomorrow will bring more adventures, I'm sure, so I'll be back with more later. Now, I am going to go listen to Beauty and the Beast and search my guidebook for something I haven't done yet... Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment