Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Da, I'm in Russia.

That's about the extent of my Russian. Yes, no, please, thank you, and potato. You can imagine how far that gets me.

 

So, Russia. Yep, it's exactly how I imagined it. And all my ideas came from spy movies. The train passed by many villages comprised of dark wooden houses with broken down car shells scattered here and there. Bizarre.

 

There's something about the Russians that is so intimidating. Always so stern looking. I'm on my best behaviour. I haven't been asked for my papers yet, although I hear that it's very common. We've done the touristy things already - the Kremlin, Red Square, Lenin's mausoleum, St. Basil's church... That's all knew of Moscow. The Kremlin was a bit disappointing, just a bunch of churches. We weren't allowed to go to the Grand Palace or any of those cool places because that's where Putin lives, and apparently he doesn't want a bunch of tourists tramping through. Yeesh, it's not like I was going to be stealing state secrets.... Sigh. St. Basil's (the famous church that is always pictured) was actually quite cool. It looks so fake from the outside, so colourful and fantasy-like. It seems like it should be made out of gingerbread with big dollops of whipped cream and marzipan as the towers. Inside was all dark with narrow corridors, very much felt like a dungeon. Apparently Ivan the Terrible had the architects blinded upon the church's completion so that they could never design anything to match it's beauty. I guess that's pretty terrible. Red Sqare was just a big open square, and Lenin's Mausoleum was a surreal-looking dead guy. The second I've now seen. It was cooler than Mao's though because you got to walk really close to the glass. Freaky.

 

Now we're just going to wander aimlessly, trying to find small restaurants that aren't too hard on the wallet. Moscow is so expensive! It would be so much better to do this trip in reverse, everything getting cheaper as you go along. It's quite a shock to the system this way.

 

Not too much else to report just now. This wasn't a very insightful blog. Let me sum up the major points: Moscow is bloody pricey. Moscow is pretty cold. Russian police unnerve me, and despite trying to remain below the radar, I've been shushed and whistled at (not the sexy kind, just the get away from there before I throw you in a Russian prison kind). Russian style is...distinctive. I thought now that I was out of Asia, I might blend in better. Not so. I'm missing the brightly dyed hair (red or blond preferably) and the tight jeans tucked into stilleto boots. And of course when someone speaks to me, my blank stare, followed by a meek "touriste" is a dead giveaway. But really, what else can I do. I don't think saying "please potato" would make me any less conspicuous. A great career in espionage is perhaps not in my immediate future. Not that I would know what to spy on anyway.

 

On to St. Petersburg next. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to any of the comments that have been left for me - I do love getting them, but time just doesn't permit just now. I will gladly check in on everyone again as soon as I settle down for a bit. Soon soon!

10 comments:

The Lovely Lindsey said...

av fun eeen rah-sha darlink.... that\'s the most russian I know...

Manda said...

Man, what a world traveler you are. Sounds like you\'re having quite an experience. I sincerely hope you aren\'t thrown into a Russian prison (or a prison of any kind for that matter). Have fun!

Ian said...

I wanna be just like you when I grow up... minus the part about gender and profession =PI wanna travel lots and see the funny looking peoples of the world... and I do agree, we do look funny to the people that we think look funny =]Hope you find some amusing things in your travels Amanda ^_^

Laoch said...

You are the ultimate world traveller!

Miss said...

Ohhh St. Petersburg should be uber nice! I\'ve always believed it was a much prettier place than Moscow. Keep us posted on that. I wonder if this is true. I guess I\'ll just have to see for myself one day. As for the whole stern looking Russians. I suspected this to be very much what you would encounter when you said you were travelling there. It seems all those old communists slavic countries seem to have created a nation of non-smilers. My ex, he was from Poland, and grew up in communist Poland and he was intense and stern looking. Never smiled, why I was with him is beyond me. Anyways, it just seemed to suck the life out of him and I suspected that the rest of his country men were very similar as his whole family was stern and miserable looking all the time. Not to mention the images on The Amazing Race when they were in Russia also showed a nation of miserable looking folks. It was like they had nothing to look forward to, life was sucked right out of them. I guess years of repression is like that. I mean when I was in the little villages travelling in China I noticed it about a lot of the migrant workers. That life just seemed to be sucked right out of them and that misery was their best company. And then there is me, trotting along, and I suspect you as well, smiling and taking it all in. In times like that I am grateful for all that I have achieved and will continue to achieve.Safe travels sweetie and let us know how things are in St. Petersburg. Are you done travelling after Russia?

Josie said...

russia ..cool ...or maybe not ....at least you get to see it ...?? ...<evil grin> ...hope you don\'t get whistled at too much ...take care!!TTfN

Isabella said...

Russia, very cool, no pun intended, lol. Wow, I like reading how you describe your adventures Manders...i can see all thease bright haired girls in stillettos wandering about ! Sitllettos, omgosh, sounds like the most painfull sort of foot wear, lol. I hope your enjoying your travels regardless of the cold...or odd fashion statments, lol. Take care and safe travels =D~Huggles~

islandgirl said...

ooooo.....touring....lucky girl, I had no idea you were gonna be doing this much travelling!have a great onec u round!

hellachella said...

You rock the planet!

Elizabeth said...

Wow! I just wanted to comment on your blog today...I have updated my space too so, when you get a chance come by and let me know what you think! That would be great...Have fun!~Liz

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