I have been hearing about this market around town called the Gorbushka Market. From what I have heard, it was the biggest electronics market in town and one of the favorite hang out of college students. Due to my love of markets, I decided to check it out. Who doesn't love cheap, bootleg movies and crappy Russian music? So, with Jake, Asat, and Sarah and tow, I head off to the market. We get off at the appropriate station where I get slightly distracted at the local market and then head off to the electronics market. We look and look, but cannot find it. But wait, wasn't it supposed to be right off the metro. We see a sign and decide to follow it.
Finally, we end up in front of this modern, mall-looking building. A little confused, we walk in and find the Gorbushka shopping center. A market in only the vaguest of senses, the Gorbushka is a big (as in, really, really, big) mall filled with many shops and vendors selling everything from CDs to cameras and blenders. Jake loved it, but I can't say it was my favorite place ever. If I wanted to go to a mall, I would be in an American suburb. Prices were negotiable in some places and, in comparison to many places in Moscow, some of the electronics were cheaper, but still way more expense than prices in the US. Walked around a bit, but then headed home, slightly disappointed and freaking out because I lost one of my only weekend days left.
I have tomorrow (Monday) off, but because its a Monday, most museums are closed. Will probably go to the Kremlin. Tuesday is classes until 5pm and then to the theater through Sarah's program (because she is the only person in her program, they gave her two tickets to the opera so she wouldn't have to go alone – cool, no?). Wednesday is classes then standing in line outside the Bolshoi to try to get tickets to Spartacus (yea!). Then two full days until weekend and Ismalovo again.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Doing the Toursity Thing
I have been in Moscow exactly two months and 19 days. I have eaten at sketchy restaurants no tourist has ever laid eyes on. I have become the resident tour guide for things to do in Moscow. I have written a list naming the top 10 “Off-the-Beaten-Track” places to go in the city. Yet, I had not, until this day gone to the Kremlin and Armoury. Yes, I know, shocking. Hannah has not gone to, arguably, the top tourist attraction in the city. In my defense, I was waiting to go with Bimini when she made her visit so that we could do the whole squeely touristy thing together.
But, today I decided that I might as well do it now just to make sure I did it.
Of course, who was to join me in my adventures other than my trusty sidekick, Susan (better known as Heat Girl due to her inability to regulate her body temperature), and our dear, nationality challenged, 3rd floor friend, Francesca. (For those of you who are wondering, I am Static Girl due to the fact that my hair is constantly conducting electricity and blowing up my mp3 player... Oh, and Siren and the African Pocahonas due to my ability to lure sailors to their death and my unidentifiable looks. Trust me, its better not to ask...) Anyways, we headed off to the Kremlin, fur hats, matroshkas, and dancing bears in tow. We went to buy tickets, got yelled at and told we couldn't buy tickets because there are only specific times in which they may be purchased (at which point I waved my guidebook at them to explain that, because my guidebook is infallible, they were wrong and I was right). So, we went to another kiosk and were told that it was the wrong place to buy tickets at. We then headed off to ticket office number 3, found that, yes, we could buy tickets, yes, it was the correct time, and no, we don't get discounts because we are not “real” students. Apparently, our Russian student ID did not qualify us for the Russian student discount because we are foreign students studying at a Russian university nor did they qualify us for the international student discount because the ID was from a Russian, not foreign, university. Ah, don't you love that logic. Anyways, tiny little Hannah was getting slightly upset (I had a very sucky Friday, more on that later, and was just not in the mood). And, when Hannah gets slightly upset, her Russian dramatically improves as well as her ability to make a scene in public.
Needless to say, we got in with the highest possible discount (750RUR to 200RUR, yea!). Because of all our ticket office hopping, we only had time for either the Kremlin or Armoury, not both. We were going to do the Kremlin, but our bright, warm, and sunny day suddenly became cold, windy, and overcast so we went for the Armoury.
The Armoury, for those of you who don't know, is a part of the Kremlin that used to hold, you guessed it, arms! No, not the arms that are attached to your body, but arms as in weapons. Nowadays, it not only holds weapons, but also carriages and clothing of different tsars, lots of gold items, jewelry, and different types of fancy things, anyone of which is worth more than my house and your house combined. The carriages were very interesting, if very overdone (these people had no taste!), as was the clothing (the change in styles and evolving ideas of beauty was very neat to see). The weapons were also quite fun, though I think the jewelry was more dangerous just due to the sheer size of the jewels. The gold was, well, gold and got boring pretty quick.
However, the entire time I was there, I just kept thinking about how the royal families spent so much money on things like diamond snuff boxes and golden cups while their people were dying of hunger. It seems completely ridiculous and quite disgusting. But, it was fun to see once, although I probably wouldn't do it again. We got to sing A Barbie World in front of all the hot pink jewels to the delight of the tiny children; we devised a new way to kill people – drop one of the very heavy, gold and jewel encrusted Bible covers on someone's head; and set off the warning bells placed to keep people from touching the carriages, repeatedly, to our delight and the desjornias complete and utter despair. All in all, a fun time.
We left Francesca who had to go teach and walked the entire two feet from the Kremlin to the Bolshoi to stand in line for tickets again. An hour and a half and a stampede later, tickets in hand, we walked around the Red Square. The market outside the Red Square has just opened for summer (even though it snowed yesterday) and I got some really tasty honey bread from one of the vendors.
Then, we went to GUM to kill time until the show started. We saw the opera Madam Butterfly, which, unfortunately, did not live up to its fame. While we got seats this time, we still could only see part of the stage. It turned out not to be a problem as the sets were so simplistic as not to warrant a need to see the actual stage. The music was great, so I spent most of the opera sitting in my chair with my eyes closed. It was in Italian, so I had no idea was happened, but the music was nice. The players had decent voices, not the best I've ever heard, but they acted to woodenly (perhaps that was the point) it looked like they were doing a very bad job of the Robot (remember that dance?). Then, randomly, this half naked kid came in, walked around the stage slowly a couple of times, sat in a corner, and then repeated it. The whole thing was kinda weird... So, not the best opera ever, but not bad for a $.66 night. Susan and I have plans to go see another production on Wednesday, but I think we are going to try to stick with ballets from now on.
It's now about 2am, so I am going to go to bed and get some sleep before heading out with Jake for another market day tomorrow. Time to hone my bargaining skills...
But, today I decided that I might as well do it now just to make sure I did it.
Of course, who was to join me in my adventures other than my trusty sidekick, Susan (better known as Heat Girl due to her inability to regulate her body temperature), and our dear, nationality challenged, 3rd floor friend, Francesca. (For those of you who are wondering, I am Static Girl due to the fact that my hair is constantly conducting electricity and blowing up my mp3 player... Oh, and Siren and the African Pocahonas due to my ability to lure sailors to their death and my unidentifiable looks. Trust me, its better not to ask...) Anyways, we headed off to the Kremlin, fur hats, matroshkas, and dancing bears in tow. We went to buy tickets, got yelled at and told we couldn't buy tickets because there are only specific times in which they may be purchased (at which point I waved my guidebook at them to explain that, because my guidebook is infallible, they were wrong and I was right). So, we went to another kiosk and were told that it was the wrong place to buy tickets at. We then headed off to ticket office number 3, found that, yes, we could buy tickets, yes, it was the correct time, and no, we don't get discounts because we are not “real” students. Apparently, our Russian student ID did not qualify us for the Russian student discount because we are foreign students studying at a Russian university nor did they qualify us for the international student discount because the ID was from a Russian, not foreign, university. Ah, don't you love that logic. Anyways, tiny little Hannah was getting slightly upset (I had a very sucky Friday, more on that later, and was just not in the mood). And, when Hannah gets slightly upset, her Russian dramatically improves as well as her ability to make a scene in public.
Needless to say, we got in with the highest possible discount (750RUR to 200RUR, yea!). Because of all our ticket office hopping, we only had time for either the Kremlin or Armoury, not both. We were going to do the Kremlin, but our bright, warm, and sunny day suddenly became cold, windy, and overcast so we went for the Armoury.
The Armoury, for those of you who don't know, is a part of the Kremlin that used to hold, you guessed it, arms! No, not the arms that are attached to your body, but arms as in weapons. Nowadays, it not only holds weapons, but also carriages and clothing of different tsars, lots of gold items, jewelry, and different types of fancy things, anyone of which is worth more than my house and your house combined. The carriages were very interesting, if very overdone (these people had no taste!), as was the clothing (the change in styles and evolving ideas of beauty was very neat to see). The weapons were also quite fun, though I think the jewelry was more dangerous just due to the sheer size of the jewels. The gold was, well, gold and got boring pretty quick.
However, the entire time I was there, I just kept thinking about how the royal families spent so much money on things like diamond snuff boxes and golden cups while their people were dying of hunger. It seems completely ridiculous and quite disgusting. But, it was fun to see once, although I probably wouldn't do it again. We got to sing A Barbie World in front of all the hot pink jewels to the delight of the tiny children; we devised a new way to kill people – drop one of the very heavy, gold and jewel encrusted Bible covers on someone's head; and set off the warning bells placed to keep people from touching the carriages, repeatedly, to our delight and the desjornias complete and utter despair. All in all, a fun time.
We left Francesca who had to go teach and walked the entire two feet from the Kremlin to the Bolshoi to stand in line for tickets again. An hour and a half and a stampede later, tickets in hand, we walked around the Red Square. The market outside the Red Square has just opened for summer (even though it snowed yesterday) and I got some really tasty honey bread from one of the vendors.
Then, we went to GUM to kill time until the show started. We saw the opera Madam Butterfly, which, unfortunately, did not live up to its fame. While we got seats this time, we still could only see part of the stage. It turned out not to be a problem as the sets were so simplistic as not to warrant a need to see the actual stage. The music was great, so I spent most of the opera sitting in my chair with my eyes closed. It was in Italian, so I had no idea was happened, but the music was nice. The players had decent voices, not the best I've ever heard, but they acted to woodenly (perhaps that was the point) it looked like they were doing a very bad job of the Robot (remember that dance?). Then, randomly, this half naked kid came in, walked around the stage slowly a couple of times, sat in a corner, and then repeated it. The whole thing was kinda weird... So, not the best opera ever, but not bad for a $.66 night. Susan and I have plans to go see another production on Wednesday, but I think we are going to try to stick with ballets from now on.
It's now about 2am, so I am going to go to bed and get some sleep before heading out with Jake for another market day tomorrow. Time to hone my bargaining skills...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Back to the Novadevichy
So, change of plans. Was planning on going to the Bulgakov Museum and Yeliseev, but decided not to do either. I was supposed to go with Jake to Yeliseev, but he just got back from Kazan and was dead to the world for most of the day. And, when I woke up this morning, I decided I just wanted to walk around and use as little brain power as possible. Susan agreed and, after finding out that going to Bulgakov would take some of that brain power we both abhor, decided to walk to the Novadevichy Convent. We had already gone a couple of months ago (remember the Sergeis and Uncle Solo?), but didn't get to see all of it.
It was nice out today, a little overcast but quite warm, so we decided to walk from the university to the convent. It was only about 3 miles or so and it takes us by a beautiful little park and the river. Or so we thought. Turns out the map made everything look a lot simpler than it really was. After attempting to slide down a steep embankment (unsuccessfully) we took the long way around and were almost swept aside by a fast running stream of melting snow. After we finally crossed the river, we get to a dead end and then ended up in the middle of a random market that was blocked all the way around by a 12 ft., metal fence. Fortunately, my sense of direction was not completely broken and we eventually made our way to the convent.
At the convent, we walked behind a group of people with our hoods pulled up, so as not to be recognized by Sergei and Sergei, the slightly creepy security guards turned tour guides. We spent a couple of hours looking around the cemetery, finding graves of famous people we missed before and other, nondescript graves that we just liked. Our favorite was the grave of a man named Фохт. If you can read and pronounce Cyrillic, you will know why it was out favorite. If you don't, well, it's probably for the best. I found the graves of Mayakovsky, yep more poetry, and then Alexei Tolstoy, at which point I nearly cried. It was so cool. Now I just need to figure out where Pushkin, Tolstoy and Dostoesvsky are buried (not at the Novadevichy, that's all I know. I think Tolstoy might be buried at Yasnaya Polyana...) and I will be good.
Turns out, we were not so sneaky as we had hoped and were later found by Sergei. Multiple times. I swear, the men here are like rashes or some other annoying metaphor... Anyways, eventually, the cemetery closed and we had to leave. I think we may go back again if there is time. Dead people are cool...
Now, all I have left are the Bulgakov House, Yeliseev, the Armory, and Lenin's mosoleum (Bimini, I am waiting for you. When you do come?) and I will pretty much be done with everything I absolutely must see this time around in Moscow. Once that is done, I will have more time just to walk around and take my time. I would really like to spend more time in the numerous markets around the city. So, for the next couple of weeks, I am just going to finish those things, do the theater at least once a week (yea for student tickets!) and go out of town. Vladamir, Suzdal, and St. Petersburg are a must. If I have time, I am also going to see if I can make it to Yasnaya Polyana and Arkangelskoe. We will see, we will see.
Wednesday (April 1st) marked the official beginning of the end. I know a month is still a long time, but it seems so short. So, I am a bit melancholy at the moment. I want to stay... Some friends and I are scheming to figure out how we can get a various passports (I want an EU one and they want either a US or EU one, depending on which country they come from). I think we figured out it could work if we all married each other. So, if I come home a married woman, don't worry. It was only for the passport...
It was nice out today, a little overcast but quite warm, so we decided to walk from the university to the convent. It was only about 3 miles or so and it takes us by a beautiful little park and the river. Or so we thought. Turns out the map made everything look a lot simpler than it really was. After attempting to slide down a steep embankment (unsuccessfully) we took the long way around and were almost swept aside by a fast running stream of melting snow. After we finally crossed the river, we get to a dead end and then ended up in the middle of a random market that was blocked all the way around by a 12 ft., metal fence. Fortunately, my sense of direction was not completely broken and we eventually made our way to the convent.
At the convent, we walked behind a group of people with our hoods pulled up, so as not to be recognized by Sergei and Sergei, the slightly creepy security guards turned tour guides. We spent a couple of hours looking around the cemetery, finding graves of famous people we missed before and other, nondescript graves that we just liked. Our favorite was the grave of a man named Фохт. If you can read and pronounce Cyrillic, you will know why it was out favorite. If you don't, well, it's probably for the best. I found the graves of Mayakovsky, yep more poetry, and then Alexei Tolstoy, at which point I nearly cried. It was so cool. Now I just need to figure out where Pushkin, Tolstoy and Dostoesvsky are buried (not at the Novadevichy, that's all I know. I think Tolstoy might be buried at Yasnaya Polyana...) and I will be good.
Turns out, we were not so sneaky as we had hoped and were later found by Sergei. Multiple times. I swear, the men here are like rashes or some other annoying metaphor... Anyways, eventually, the cemetery closed and we had to leave. I think we may go back again if there is time. Dead people are cool...
Now, all I have left are the Bulgakov House, Yeliseev, the Armory, and Lenin's mosoleum (Bimini, I am waiting for you. When you do come?) and I will pretty much be done with everything I absolutely must see this time around in Moscow. Once that is done, I will have more time just to walk around and take my time. I would really like to spend more time in the numerous markets around the city. So, for the next couple of weeks, I am just going to finish those things, do the theater at least once a week (yea for student tickets!) and go out of town. Vladamir, Suzdal, and St. Petersburg are a must. If I have time, I am also going to see if I can make it to Yasnaya Polyana and Arkangelskoe. We will see, we will see.
Wednesday (April 1st) marked the official beginning of the end. I know a month is still a long time, but it seems so short. So, I am a bit melancholy at the moment. I want to stay... Some friends and I are scheming to figure out how we can get a various passports (I want an EU one and they want either a US or EU one, depending on which country they come from). I think we figured out it could work if we all married each other. So, if I come home a married woman, don't worry. It was only for the passport...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Victory Park and Kuskovo Palace
Hello my lovies! I fear another weekend has passed. I now have one month left in my dear Moscow and so much still left to do. Of course, I shalt never waste a day. My classmates went to Kazan for the weekend, meaning that class was canceled...again. Francesca was feeling upset so Susan and I took her out for a nice girls' day out full of Nazis and bloodshed. But let me explain...
Now, Susan was a War Studies major in college. Needless to say, she knows a thing or two about military history. After WWII, the Soviet Union built a large memorial commemorating the Russian sacrifice (Russia lost more people than anyone else). That memorial is now Victory Park, which itself is full of history. Victory Park was once a large hill where anyone arriving in Moscow would get their first glimpse of the city. It is the spot where Napoleon stood waiting in vain for the keys of the city. It overlooks Moscow State University and much of the city. In other words, very cool spot. In Victory Park stands the Museum of the Great Patriotic War along with the WWII memorial, a small orthodox church and mosque (a synagogue was added last minute – Russians don't like to acknowledge the Holocaust all that much...). Behind the museum is this really creepy statue that most people believe is a Holocaust monument, but which really isn't – see above comment.
So, with Susan as our tour guide, we set off to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. After a small argument with the angry desjornia, of course. When you walk into the museum, look up and you will see thousands of strings (they are not really strings, but it is hard to explain) with crystals hanging on the ends. These strings cover a large part of the bottom floor and lead up to a monument to people who dies during the war. The strings, you soon find out, are part of the Hall of Sorrows with each one representing a serviceman or woman who died in the war. That is probably the most moving room of the holiday. From there, you can get to a number of dioramas. Then its off to the second and main floor. Walking onto the main floor is like walking into a palace. The room is absolutely massive with marble floors, golden and crystal chandeliers, high ceilings, a large marble staircase, and stained glass. In the middle of the staircase is another memorial which goes all the way up the staircase and to the stained class walls. Between the glass are doors leading into the Hall of Glory, which is even grander than the main hall.
You walk into the hall and are immediately drawn to a 12 meter high statue signifying the Russian soldier. The room is a rounded dome and all along the walls are written the names of all the servicemen and women who received medals during WWII. Above their names is a large banner made out of rock which encircles the room. It depicts the main battles and cities in the war – Moscow, Kiev, Stalingrad... At the the very crown of the dome, some 25 meters high is the USSR emblem with the red star. Going out of the room leads you to all kinds of artifacts from the museum which take up most of the floor. The third and fourth floor holds paintings and portraits, only some of which are related to the war.
Overall, it was a very grandiose museum of epic proportions. Unfortunately, besides a fews rooms (such as the Hall of Sorrows), it, as Francesca rightly stated, shows you the war, but doesn't make you feel it. It is not very emotive, at least, not for what I expected of a country that lost so much. If I stay here longer, I will try to go back on Victory Day when it should be more evocative.
From there, it was just off for coffee at a chain (did I mention how much I hate chains?). Then Susan and I went shopping and got stuff so we can cook! After the whole food poisoning issue, I have been trying to stay away from the cafeteria...
On Sunday, Sarah and I met up with Hongda and went to the Kuskovo Palace. After yet another argument with the desjornia, we walked around the grounds for a bit. Well, they walked and I alternatively threw myself into the snow, slid down the frozen staircases, and pretended I was in Titanic due to the partially-melted ice. The estate is very beautiful, but the slush made it a little less pleasant. We went inside the main palace and had another argument with the desjornia. You see, students are allowed in free and, thus, the desjornia at the main gate saw no need to give us tickets to ever single building. However, the desjornia to the palace wanted us to have tickets. She yelled at us and I yelled back that I was a student and, therefore, free. So why do I bloody well need a ticket? She yelled a bit more until one of the other desjornias yelled at her to stop yelling at us. Are you following? Yeah, I didn't either. In the end, the other desjornia gave us our tickets (a sheet of paper with a stamp – stupid Russia with their stamps...) at which point we walked the (literally) two feet to the other desjornia so she could rip out ticket and let us through. Because that makes sense...
The palace was nice, nothing super special but interesting to look at anyways. We left the estate, which is literally across the street from MosGu (where Jason and Hongda go) and walked through campus. Then we stopped by the dorms and I saw Jason for a bit. After that, it was off to Islmaylovo and the sketchy restaurant I love so much. It was fun as usual. I got lots of cheap, tasty fruit and was able to, somehow or other, find my way to the restaurant by myself. Go me! Anyways, going out again tomorrow. Bulgakov House with Susan and then Yeliseev's with Jake who gets back from Kazan in the morning. Right now, I need to go to bed. Silly time-change...
Now, Susan was a War Studies major in college. Needless to say, she knows a thing or two about military history. After WWII, the Soviet Union built a large memorial commemorating the Russian sacrifice (Russia lost more people than anyone else). That memorial is now Victory Park, which itself is full of history. Victory Park was once a large hill where anyone arriving in Moscow would get their first glimpse of the city. It is the spot where Napoleon stood waiting in vain for the keys of the city. It overlooks Moscow State University and much of the city. In other words, very cool spot. In Victory Park stands the Museum of the Great Patriotic War along with the WWII memorial, a small orthodox church and mosque (a synagogue was added last minute – Russians don't like to acknowledge the Holocaust all that much...). Behind the museum is this really creepy statue that most people believe is a Holocaust monument, but which really isn't – see above comment.
So, with Susan as our tour guide, we set off to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. After a small argument with the angry desjornia, of course. When you walk into the museum, look up and you will see thousands of strings (they are not really strings, but it is hard to explain) with crystals hanging on the ends. These strings cover a large part of the bottom floor and lead up to a monument to people who dies during the war. The strings, you soon find out, are part of the Hall of Sorrows with each one representing a serviceman or woman who died in the war. That is probably the most moving room of the holiday. From there, you can get to a number of dioramas. Then its off to the second and main floor. Walking onto the main floor is like walking into a palace. The room is absolutely massive with marble floors, golden and crystal chandeliers, high ceilings, a large marble staircase, and stained glass. In the middle of the staircase is another memorial which goes all the way up the staircase and to the stained class walls. Between the glass are doors leading into the Hall of Glory, which is even grander than the main hall.
You walk into the hall and are immediately drawn to a 12 meter high statue signifying the Russian soldier. The room is a rounded dome and all along the walls are written the names of all the servicemen and women who received medals during WWII. Above their names is a large banner made out of rock which encircles the room. It depicts the main battles and cities in the war – Moscow, Kiev, Stalingrad... At the the very crown of the dome, some 25 meters high is the USSR emblem with the red star. Going out of the room leads you to all kinds of artifacts from the museum which take up most of the floor. The third and fourth floor holds paintings and portraits, only some of which are related to the war.
Overall, it was a very grandiose museum of epic proportions. Unfortunately, besides a fews rooms (such as the Hall of Sorrows), it, as Francesca rightly stated, shows you the war, but doesn't make you feel it. It is not very emotive, at least, not for what I expected of a country that lost so much. If I stay here longer, I will try to go back on Victory Day when it should be more evocative.
From there, it was just off for coffee at a chain (did I mention how much I hate chains?). Then Susan and I went shopping and got stuff so we can cook! After the whole food poisoning issue, I have been trying to stay away from the cafeteria...
On Sunday, Sarah and I met up with Hongda and went to the Kuskovo Palace. After yet another argument with the desjornia, we walked around the grounds for a bit. Well, they walked and I alternatively threw myself into the snow, slid down the frozen staircases, and pretended I was in Titanic due to the partially-melted ice. The estate is very beautiful, but the slush made it a little less pleasant. We went inside the main palace and had another argument with the desjornia. You see, students are allowed in free and, thus, the desjornia at the main gate saw no need to give us tickets to ever single building. However, the desjornia to the palace wanted us to have tickets. She yelled at us and I yelled back that I was a student and, therefore, free. So why do I bloody well need a ticket? She yelled a bit more until one of the other desjornias yelled at her to stop yelling at us. Are you following? Yeah, I didn't either. In the end, the other desjornia gave us our tickets (a sheet of paper with a stamp – stupid Russia with their stamps...) at which point we walked the (literally) two feet to the other desjornia so she could rip out ticket and let us through. Because that makes sense...
The palace was nice, nothing super special but interesting to look at anyways. We left the estate, which is literally across the street from MosGu (where Jason and Hongda go) and walked through campus. Then we stopped by the dorms and I saw Jason for a bit. After that, it was off to Islmaylovo and the sketchy restaurant I love so much. It was fun as usual. I got lots of cheap, tasty fruit and was able to, somehow or other, find my way to the restaurant by myself. Go me! Anyways, going out again tomorrow. Bulgakov House with Susan and then Yeliseev's with Jake who gets back from Kazan in the morning. Right now, I need to go to bed. Silly time-change...
Shady Restaurants and $.66 Tickets to the Bolshoi
So, Wednesday was AWESOME! Started out as class per usual, but after, I went out with a friend who is leaving in a couple of days. We went to Ismalovo Market (that really big market I went to over the weekend) and, in the Vietnamese section of the market behind the chicken feet and fish guts, was this awesome little Chinese restaurant. They spoke no English and only a little Russian, but fortunately, my friend is from China. He ordered and we sat down next to a lady plucking a chicken while a guy climbed in and out of the window and a cat sat on the table. It was so cool. Silly American health codes which don't allow this. Then, the lady came with our food which was supposed to be duck stir fry and chicken soup. As she put down the food in front of us, she told us that she wasn't quite sure what meat it was, but that it might be duck. It was absolutely delicious. I am going to see if I can find it again and through darts at the board to order since I can't read it anyways. Hongda pointed out a couple more shady restaurants that he likes, so I am going to have to try those. I love this country...
After lunch, I was all excited and made him show me a good place to buy desserts. Next to some more dead fish was this little stand that sold an assortment of fried animal parts and some desserts. We had a rice paste ball coated in sesame seeds with a red bean paste filling. Yum, yum, yum.
After lunch and dessert, I met up with Susan outside the Bolshoi Theater. For almost every performance, the theater has a student section. Basically, a bunch of students line out in front of the ticket office in the freezing cold and wait around for a couple of hours. At exactly 5:30pm, the office opens for students and blood and mayhem ensues... The first 40 students that survive the destruction that is a Russian queue get tickets to the night's performance for 20 rubles (which is basically $.66). Yep, that's right, I got tickets to the Bolshoi Theater for less than what it takes me to buy a candy bar. Granted, they are not the best seats in the world. Actually, they are usually not even seats. Once the performance starts and everyone takes their seats, the students are filed into the top tier and told to sit in the extra seats (or lean against the wall if there are none). We went and saw Giselle, which is one of the most popular ballets, so it was pretty crowded and we ended up standing the first half. After that, some people moved and we got seats along the side. But still, it was pretty awesome. We are going next week, and the week after that, and maybe the week after that... Why didn't I discover this sooner?!?!
So, there is a little secret for y'all – cheap tickets to the Bolshoi. Now, no telling...
After lunch, I was all excited and made him show me a good place to buy desserts. Next to some more dead fish was this little stand that sold an assortment of fried animal parts and some desserts. We had a rice paste ball coated in sesame seeds with a red bean paste filling. Yum, yum, yum.
After lunch and dessert, I met up with Susan outside the Bolshoi Theater. For almost every performance, the theater has a student section. Basically, a bunch of students line out in front of the ticket office in the freezing cold and wait around for a couple of hours. At exactly 5:30pm, the office opens for students and blood and mayhem ensues... The first 40 students that survive the destruction that is a Russian queue get tickets to the night's performance for 20 rubles (which is basically $.66). Yep, that's right, I got tickets to the Bolshoi Theater for less than what it takes me to buy a candy bar. Granted, they are not the best seats in the world. Actually, they are usually not even seats. Once the performance starts and everyone takes their seats, the students are filed into the top tier and told to sit in the extra seats (or lean against the wall if there are none). We went and saw Giselle, which is one of the most popular ballets, so it was pretty crowded and we ended up standing the first half. After that, some people moved and we got seats along the side. But still, it was pretty awesome. We are going next week, and the week after that, and maybe the week after that... Why didn't I discover this sooner?!?!
So, there is a little secret for y'all – cheap tickets to the Bolshoi. Now, no telling...
Dead People, Ice Skating, and Art Markets
Cheerios darlings! Due to some issues with not having a classroom, my classes have been moved around a bit. Now, instead of having Tuesdays off, I have Mondays off. Generally, it's not so cool since most things are closed on Monday. However, it does mean that I have a better chance of being able to travel outside the city. I don't know how much I will be able to do, but St. Petersburg, at least, is a must. Bimini, here I come! I think I will tag along with some of my friends about mid-April, so hopefully I'll see you then...
Anywho, I had to be a bit creative on Monday since everything (literally, everything) was closed. So, I thought, what are some places that will never be closed on a Monday? Stores – I have been wanting to see the oldest store in Moscow. Parks – I still have sculpture park to go. The occasional random house-museum – the Bulgakov Museum is closed on weekends, which means I can only go on Monday. What else? Ah ha! Cemeteries! Woohoo! So, yes, I headed out Monday to go grave-hopping. There are quite a few really interesting cemeteries around the city, some of which I have seen. The one in the Kremlin, then the Novadevichey. However, besides those two, the best place to get buried in Moscow is at the Vagankov Cemetery, only a few miles away from MGU. I got lost on the way (forgot to make a transfer and ended up walking a couple of miles), but found it eventually. A large park in the middle of a concrete city can be quite conspicuous at times... Oh! And I ran into the World Trade Center while I was lost and somehow ended up in a restricted section. Don't ask, I don't know...
So, at the cemetery, I saw the graves of many athletes and of one of the mafia bosses who was killed by a sniper in the 90s (they played the theme to The Godfather at his funeral). But the best grave was Yesenin's. For those who don't know, Yesenin was the “heart-throb poet” as he was called. A girl even committed suicide on his grave because she was so upset that he died (committed suicide or was murdered, whichever theory you prefer). She is now buried behind him. There was this scary old babooshka who guarded his grave like a shrived-up old hawk, so I wasn't able to stay long. Eventually, she deserted her post (I came to found out she doesn't actually work there) and I took some pictures and recited some of his poems (because, apparently, that is now my thing...). Overall, it was interesting, but not nearly as cool as some other cemeteries.
After that, I headed down by the New Tretyakov Gallery to walk around for a bit. I found sculpture park, but didn't go into the main part. However, I have a new find! Alongside the river, beside sculpture park, and through the perehod is a massive art market. Artists who study or work at the Central House of Artists and the school attached to it go there to sell their art. Some of it is kinda expensive, but its all negotiable. I wish I had more room in my bags! Ahh! It was fun just to walk around though and look around. This might make the list...
Finally, I finished the day by going ice-skating with friends. Well, they went skating and I did homework. But don't look at me like that! It was this crappy little indoor rink where these little wanna-be ice-skating children were having lessons. We wanted to go to the outdoor rink in Gorky Park, but it was closed. One of my friends is an Olympic-class ice-skater (she was almost in the Olympics, long story) so I wanted to see her skate. It was cool and a nice time overall.
Went out and did stuff today (Wednesday) but am too tired to write. Will write again later. Loves!
Anywho, I had to be a bit creative on Monday since everything (literally, everything) was closed. So, I thought, what are some places that will never be closed on a Monday? Stores – I have been wanting to see the oldest store in Moscow. Parks – I still have sculpture park to go. The occasional random house-museum – the Bulgakov Museum is closed on weekends, which means I can only go on Monday. What else? Ah ha! Cemeteries! Woohoo! So, yes, I headed out Monday to go grave-hopping. There are quite a few really interesting cemeteries around the city, some of which I have seen. The one in the Kremlin, then the Novadevichey. However, besides those two, the best place to get buried in Moscow is at the Vagankov Cemetery, only a few miles away from MGU. I got lost on the way (forgot to make a transfer and ended up walking a couple of miles), but found it eventually. A large park in the middle of a concrete city can be quite conspicuous at times... Oh! And I ran into the World Trade Center while I was lost and somehow ended up in a restricted section. Don't ask, I don't know...
So, at the cemetery, I saw the graves of many athletes and of one of the mafia bosses who was killed by a sniper in the 90s (they played the theme to The Godfather at his funeral). But the best grave was Yesenin's. For those who don't know, Yesenin was the “heart-throb poet” as he was called. A girl even committed suicide on his grave because she was so upset that he died (committed suicide or was murdered, whichever theory you prefer). She is now buried behind him. There was this scary old babooshka who guarded his grave like a shrived-up old hawk, so I wasn't able to stay long. Eventually, she deserted her post (I came to found out she doesn't actually work there) and I took some pictures and recited some of his poems (because, apparently, that is now my thing...). Overall, it was interesting, but not nearly as cool as some other cemeteries.
After that, I headed down by the New Tretyakov Gallery to walk around for a bit. I found sculpture park, but didn't go into the main part. However, I have a new find! Alongside the river, beside sculpture park, and through the perehod is a massive art market. Artists who study or work at the Central House of Artists and the school attached to it go there to sell their art. Some of it is kinda expensive, but its all negotiable. I wish I had more room in my bags! Ahh! It was fun just to walk around though and look around. This might make the list...
Finally, I finished the day by going ice-skating with friends. Well, they went skating and I did homework. But don't look at me like that! It was this crappy little indoor rink where these little wanna-be ice-skating children were having lessons. We wanted to go to the outdoor rink in Gorky Park, but it was closed. One of my friends is an Olympic-class ice-skater (she was almost in the Olympics, long story) so I wanted to see her skate. It was cool and a nice time overall.
Went out and did stuff today (Wednesday) but am too tired to write. Will write again later. Loves!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Bread, Beer, and Bargains
Hello all! I am back! I am feeling much better (we figured out that I did indeed have food poisoning, blech) and am making up for my lost weekend. I was in a little tizzy because I realized I only have about 5 weeks left (NOOO!!!!), so I have been trying to do as much as possible.
Last Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day, so some friends and I went out to celebrate. We tried to find this Irish bar everyone had heard of, but, alas, it was closed. So, instead, we went to Hard Rock and just hung out for the night. Oh, and ate lots of brownie sundaes. Met a lot of really cool new people, who I went out with this weekend.
This Saturday we FINALLY started our politics class. Because it is at such a very awkward time (11am on Saturdays) and the group I have class with goes out of town a lot, it has been repeatedly canceled. First class was a blast and I think it is going to turn out to be a very interesting class. The professor is relatively young, which is a nice change, but just old enough to have remembered a lot of the things he is teaching us (politilogy from transition onward) which makes the class all the more relevant.
After class, I planned to finally go to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War with Susan, but she had made plans to go out of town for the day. So, I decided to just explore a bit. I started off at Kropotkinskaya (my perpetual starting ground), picked a direction, and went. I passed by this really interesting market with tasty desserts, a nice little park, and some beautiful old houses. Eventually, I stumbled upon the Burganov Museum (it was not even in my guidebook. Gasp! It is fallible!). Burganov is an artist and sculptor who did the Pushkin and Natalia sculpture out in front of the Church of the Great Ascension. After paying the ecquivalent of $.66, I went into the museum and promptly outside. Not because it was terrible, but because the museum is outside. It was very unique. Burganov does (well, did, he died last year) a lot of very modern sculptures, some of which are massive. He had one of Pushkin, which I swooned over for a while. After exploring around the sculpture garden, you can go in a number of different studios (some of which are still being used) that hold paintings and photographs. Finally, you go into the main indoor building – up a rickety scaffolding, inside a gold door, across some more rickety scaffolding some 20 ft. in the air and then finally down some steps onto a mulch floor. Another one of the more unique museums around Moscow. I loved it! :-)
After that, I headed to the ring line down by the river to see a Gulag memorial museum. It was founded by the wife of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Sakharov. It is located right on an embankment by the Moscow River and right in front of this beautiful little park which I couldn't get into for the life of me (sigh). The museum itself is very small (one large room plus a library) but completely gut-wrenching. It was like going to the Holocaust museum for the first time. The room is filled with the personal effects of many of the people at the concentration camps. Along the walls are photographs of different people from the camp. But the most moving parts are the execution and personal files of individuals who lived and died at the camps. I could only understand parts, but I was near tears by the end. Very, very moving. The museum is very well documented and you can find information about many of the people from the camps. While I was there, a man came in with his young son and showed him one of the files who turned out to be his grandmother.
After that, I went shopping a bit to raise my spirits (yea for capitalism!) and talked to mum. Then, I went out with some friends for dinner. It was an Azerbaijani holiday, so we went to this great little Azerbaijani restaurant with some of my friends from class and these two new Turkish guys I met on St. Patrick's Day. They are very interesting and were nice enough to let me ask them lots of questions about their culture and what-not. I got into a little feminist debate with one of them about whether or not women and men should have equal rights. It was fun. Next thing you know, I will be visiting Turkey. So if I am not home soon, you will know where I am...
Today, we finally made it to the Ismalovo Market, one of the biggest and most famous markets in Russia (and the world for all I know). Yes mom, that's the one Anthony Bourdain talks about all the time. The actual market only makes of the fraction of the whole thing which is a couple of km squared. Huge. I got lost, repeatedly. They sale anything and everything. We went to the unofficial market for a while, but Susan hates getting touched and it was very crowded, so we left for the official part (basically, its the difference between stuff for tourists and stuff for regular shoppers). It was a lot of fun. Susan and Francesca got cold and bored pretty quick, so Jake (one of the guys from my class) and I left them at a cafe and went out. We had great bread and beer from some one of the vendors (oh, yum, you have no idea...) and got down to business. I think I found my calling: Hannah, Professional Bargainer. I never thought I would be able to bargain well, but I am actually quite good. (go figure) Which was awesome. Jake was entertained and I got lots of stuff for cheap. Nobody ever expects the tiny little bouncy girl. Cue evil laugh here... We only got to see a fraction of the market, so I think we will go again in a couple of weeks. There are a couple more markets around town I want to check out as well. I need to hone my bargaining skills...
Gaahh! So much to do and so little time! Classes were moved this week, so I am going out again tomorrow. I am gong to go check out this cool little cemetery I found (no, that's not creepy) then may meet up with some friends for ice-skating at Gorky Park, Sculpture Park, art shopping, cafe, and Yeliseev store. Big days, big days! Wednesday, Susan and I are going to a ballet and then, weekend again! I am going to go see if I can make it out of town. Yasnaya Polyana? Hmmm.....
Last Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day, so some friends and I went out to celebrate. We tried to find this Irish bar everyone had heard of, but, alas, it was closed. So, instead, we went to Hard Rock and just hung out for the night. Oh, and ate lots of brownie sundaes. Met a lot of really cool new people, who I went out with this weekend.
This Saturday we FINALLY started our politics class. Because it is at such a very awkward time (11am on Saturdays) and the group I have class with goes out of town a lot, it has been repeatedly canceled. First class was a blast and I think it is going to turn out to be a very interesting class. The professor is relatively young, which is a nice change, but just old enough to have remembered a lot of the things he is teaching us (politilogy from transition onward) which makes the class all the more relevant.
After class, I planned to finally go to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War with Susan, but she had made plans to go out of town for the day. So, I decided to just explore a bit. I started off at Kropotkinskaya (my perpetual starting ground), picked a direction, and went. I passed by this really interesting market with tasty desserts, a nice little park, and some beautiful old houses. Eventually, I stumbled upon the Burganov Museum (it was not even in my guidebook. Gasp! It is fallible!). Burganov is an artist and sculptor who did the Pushkin and Natalia sculpture out in front of the Church of the Great Ascension. After paying the ecquivalent of $.66, I went into the museum and promptly outside. Not because it was terrible, but because the museum is outside. It was very unique. Burganov does (well, did, he died last year) a lot of very modern sculptures, some of which are massive. He had one of Pushkin, which I swooned over for a while. After exploring around the sculpture garden, you can go in a number of different studios (some of which are still being used) that hold paintings and photographs. Finally, you go into the main indoor building – up a rickety scaffolding, inside a gold door, across some more rickety scaffolding some 20 ft. in the air and then finally down some steps onto a mulch floor. Another one of the more unique museums around Moscow. I loved it! :-)
After that, I headed to the ring line down by the river to see a Gulag memorial museum. It was founded by the wife of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Sakharov. It is located right on an embankment by the Moscow River and right in front of this beautiful little park which I couldn't get into for the life of me (sigh). The museum itself is very small (one large room plus a library) but completely gut-wrenching. It was like going to the Holocaust museum for the first time. The room is filled with the personal effects of many of the people at the concentration camps. Along the walls are photographs of different people from the camp. But the most moving parts are the execution and personal files of individuals who lived and died at the camps. I could only understand parts, but I was near tears by the end. Very, very moving. The museum is very well documented and you can find information about many of the people from the camps. While I was there, a man came in with his young son and showed him one of the files who turned out to be his grandmother.
After that, I went shopping a bit to raise my spirits (yea for capitalism!) and talked to mum. Then, I went out with some friends for dinner. It was an Azerbaijani holiday, so we went to this great little Azerbaijani restaurant with some of my friends from class and these two new Turkish guys I met on St. Patrick's Day. They are very interesting and were nice enough to let me ask them lots of questions about their culture and what-not. I got into a little feminist debate with one of them about whether or not women and men should have equal rights. It was fun. Next thing you know, I will be visiting Turkey. So if I am not home soon, you will know where I am...
Today, we finally made it to the Ismalovo Market, one of the biggest and most famous markets in Russia (and the world for all I know). Yes mom, that's the one Anthony Bourdain talks about all the time. The actual market only makes of the fraction of the whole thing which is a couple of km squared. Huge. I got lost, repeatedly. They sale anything and everything. We went to the unofficial market for a while, but Susan hates getting touched and it was very crowded, so we left for the official part (basically, its the difference between stuff for tourists and stuff for regular shoppers). It was a lot of fun. Susan and Francesca got cold and bored pretty quick, so Jake (one of the guys from my class) and I left them at a cafe and went out. We had great bread and beer from some one of the vendors (oh, yum, you have no idea...) and got down to business. I think I found my calling: Hannah, Professional Bargainer. I never thought I would be able to bargain well, but I am actually quite good. (go figure) Which was awesome. Jake was entertained and I got lots of stuff for cheap. Nobody ever expects the tiny little bouncy girl. Cue evil laugh here... We only got to see a fraction of the market, so I think we will go again in a couple of weeks. There are a couple more markets around town I want to check out as well. I need to hone my bargaining skills...
Gaahh! So much to do and so little time! Classes were moved this week, so I am going out again tomorrow. I am gong to go check out this cool little cemetery I found (no, that's not creepy) then may meet up with some friends for ice-skating at Gorky Park, Sculpture Park, art shopping, cafe, and Yeliseev store. Big days, big days! Wednesday, Susan and I are going to a ballet and then, weekend again! I am going to go see if I can make it out of town. Yasnaya Polyana? Hmmm.....
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