I would have to say about 1 in 6 stores in this place is a vape shop. Jesus, there are a lot of them. There is no way they can have a profit with the number of competitors. There is no way they make enough money to pay for the electricity for the garish LED lights, that each has.
On one strip of seven shops, three were vapes and one was a taбak (tobacco).
That’s another one, tobacco sellers. I’m not just talking about the taбak shops, but there are guys selling cartons of various brands, including Marlboro, all over. Even one guy who parks right in front of my hostel and props up his display, every day.
Surprisingly, I don’t see that many people smoking or vaping, in Saint Petersburg. Perhaps it is strongly discouraged in public areas.
On the other hand, wherever I go, at least one trash can is smoldering because of someone dropped a cigarette in there.
Other overly common stores: bra and panties, cellphone cases, shoes, designer clothes, socks, pharmacies, and fruit and vegetable stands.
Russia must be full of sick people, every block has a pharmacy. Looking through the window, I can see that everything is locked away. You’ll have to pay before you get your stuff.
There must be more cellphone cases in Russia than cellphones.
Haven’t you ever been walking down the road and thought, “Hey, I wish there was a way I could buy socks right here, instead of going all the way into a store.” In Saint Petersburg, you can buy socks right on the sidewalk. So convenient.
Just like Shanghai, every vegetable stand has the same items, placed the same way. It must be their version of franchising.
I did find the clothing version of Akihabara, right in my backyard. Seriously, it is in the alley behind my hostel.
There are hundreds of stalls, across acres, selling every single type of garment you can think of. Google says Apraksin Yard is centuries old, I can believe that. It has dirt roads, not that they were always dirt. The paving has been crushed and worn away.
You can tell the authenticity of the product by the names, like Lago blocks and Mimecraft toys, or Nike shoes with the swoosh going the other way.
Many of the product boxes are sun faded, so you know they are in high demand.
I suppose most of the products are real, it must be cheaper to send via train on land than a ship across the ocean, plus adding on the US tariffs, which is just another tax on the American people.
Around town, you’ll find the occasional beggar, but some will have something to sell. I saw several old women selling bandages. Yes, you could buy individual bandages, as if you just cut yourself and had that need right now. At least they’re doing something that might be useful.
I don’t begrudge the musicians or singers that are trying to make a living off their talent, but I can’t stand the beggars.
In Moscow, there is a man laying by the door all day, every day. He will never find work or food laying there. If he’s really hungry, there are plenty of pigeons. Not something I would do, but given no other choice…
I awoke on Wednesday morning, about 8am, that would be 1am at home. I quickly showered and dressed, loaded the remaining items and left.
My checkout was easy, I had asked the day before, just leave. They don’t issue any keys, so nothing to return. They collect the money at check in, so nothing left to pay.
A quick metro to the train station and walk out to the platform. I realize that the platform was brand new, the tracks had the granite stone holding everything in place, but there was still a gap between the tracks where you can see the dirt. Also, the rock isn’t covered in brake dust yet and no trash was present.
Russians have very few benches, for some reason, so I stand and wait. Not long, the train pulls up and I enter.
The AeroExpress was just as long as before, slow. I had done a Google map test, it was faster to drive a car to the airport, than to take this train, even though the train doesn’t have red lights. It would have also been faster to take the metro to the end of Line #2 and then the airport bus. But since I had already paid, and I have no car here, this is the route I must make.
Besides, I have many hours prior to boarding, so I really am in no hurry.
SVO artwork
We arrive at the SVO airport platform and must enter a security checkpoint. Just a quick x-ray and metal detector. Apparently normal at Russian airports.
I enter the large “common” area. There is a extremely large wall display of the upcoming flights. When I say extremely, I mean it. It must have been 50 feet tall and 300 feet long.
Despite the size, my flight was still not showing. I was that much early.
After browsing around a bit, checking all the restaurants, I see my flight listed, but check in isn’t for another 4 hours. I told you I was early.
I decided on a “bar” that had a clearly posted menu, with English. The prices were reasonable. I ordered a pork hamburger and fries, 840₽. I handed her 850₽, she gave me 10₽ in change, but it was all 1₽ coins.
The pork was good, but had no sauce. The fries were a bit soggy and had no salt. I see no salt anywhere and the clerk had disappeared. This is breakfast, so I eat anyway.
I was going to order a salad, not only for nutrition, but to use the all of the last of my coins. I already know that probably no exchange in the world will take coins, the bastards. But the food is lackluster and I don’t see her any where, so screw it.
Finally, check in time arrived. It was a quick and painless process. I enter the door for customs, nothing to declare. The guard asked me if I had more than $10k equivalent, I denied, I’m not rich after all. He allows me to pass.
Another door and security checkpoint. Again, simple, put everything on the conveyor and walk through metal detector. No shoe removal, no electronics separation, no BS, no problems. TSA PreCheck is easy, but not as easy as going through Russian checkpoints (but there are a lot more of them).
Last door, then passport check. The officer asked for my continuation documentation, I handed over my flight printout from Orbitz, not really proof, but accepted. Passed.
I then have to walk down the hall to the end, because of course my gate is all the way down there. Every store in this area is “duty free.” There is Beluga caviar, wines, perfumes, hand bags, expensive electronics, etc. All the duty free shops accepted rubles or Euros, I guess in case you had already exchanged your money.
I see a PS5 for €699, about $750. But after a quick check of Amazon, I could buy one for only $500. No savings, no thanks.
I verify the display at the gate is right, then sit at a seat with power. And wait. I still have over five hours until boarding.
I pull out my iPad and watch some TV episodes. (After I arrived home I find I watched 14 hours of video, probably about 17-18 if there had been commercials, just from sitting at airports.)
At some point a plane docked and unloaded at the gate, good my plane is here. Later I see a mechanic covering the engine cowls, odd if they are going to be leaving soon.
Flight is at 9:15pm, boarding is about 8:50, so I watch one last video that will end at 8:30. That will ensure I can go ahead and hit the toilet and re-fill my water. But as I finish the episode and stow everything back in my bag, I notice the gate has gotten much emptier. I recheck the display, the next flight is showing, not mine. I then have to go down the hall to find a master display, they’ve changed my gate to the other end of the hall. Seems oddly familiar, as if this happened recently.
The hall is quite long, maybe 200 yards and I had to go down an escalator. arriving at the new gate, they were boarding.
This was the first time anyone had ever separated my boarding pass. I had just been wondering why the boarding passes have a perforation, if no one ever separates. Well I guess some do.
Stepping passed and walking down the small hallway, we all step out side, another bus to the plane. Geez, does no one in Russia get to step directly in or out of a plane to the terminal?
My approximate flight path.
I had looked at my flights recent paths. I see it stays well away from the Ukraine border. Originally I was going to take Turkish Air from Moscow all the way home, but I had Aeroflot credits so I opted to use them for this flight.
There is no way Ukraine would fire upon a Turkish airliner, but I didn’t think about how I wasn’t going to be in a Turkish plane for this flight. I didn’t think about it, until now. Oh crap.
Needless to say, I did not die in a fiery explosion. We landed smoothly and parked at the gate in Istanbul.
I am on an international flight and leaving on another international fight, not entering the country proper, just the customs territory, no security needed.
Oh, things are not that simple.
I had to walk down about a mile to change terminals.
I had to check in with Lufthansa to get my next boarding pass. Then passport control and security. WHY?????
I had just exited a plane and had no access to check baggage. What could I possibly have done to require a new check of my stuff?
While at the gate, I see that I haven’t worn my coat since I arrived in Russia, so I jam it into my suitcase. I also determine that I don’t want my backpack at my feet. My foot had gone numb on the latest flight, the bag took all the space, so I couldn’t move.
You are supposed to place the case in the overhead bin and your personal item is to go under the seat. Nope, I immediately placed both in the overhead. If I need something, I can get it later after takeoff.
Oh, so much better.
I have a one hour, fifty five minute layover at Frankfurt, great. If things ran smoothly.
We load onto the plane and the plane pulls out from the gate, but then captain makes an announcement that Frankfurt airport has a landing strip closed for repairs, so we have a tight window to land. OK, sounds simple. We had to sit 37 minutes waiting for the right time to leave. Why didn’t they just have everyone wait in the terminal? Why sit there burning fuel for no reason?
I did crash out before we took off though.
I realize there is a bad side to using foreign airliners, the safety briefing is in the native language and then again in English, twice the boredom.
The landing and take off in Frankfurt is at the same terminal and both flights are on Lufthansa, maybe this will be easy.
Nope, arrivals and departures are on different levels and to access the other you must go through security.
Because of the change of gate at SVO, I didn’t get a chance to refill the bottle of water. At security, I still had the bottle, which was confiscated and disposed of. No problem, I have another bottle. I can just fill it at Frankfurt.
Because of the take off delay and security, (and another gate change) I arrived after they started boarding. I am way back, but I was able to get both bags stowed. The doors closed very shortly after I sat. So close to being left behind.
Okay, I have a 10 hour flight, no water and I didn’t get to go to the toilet. Great.
Plus side, I had no neighbor, so I could stretch out a little more and I had double pillow and blankets. I had tried laying down, but the seats have just enough contour, that they have a hump as you lay across two. No good. I could move over and stretch my legs into my seat’s leg area though.
I did sleep a bit, but not enough.
The meal was quite good, but small. I’m glad I ate at SVO.
An hour before landing, I need to go, but I’ve never used an airplane toilet. I don’t really want to, it doesn’t seem like something to yearn for, but if I am delayed, I might not get the van to Warner Robins.
We land at ATL. Hurray!
Goodbye Russia, hello real toilet paper.
Even though I am in the section of passport control exclusively for US citizens and permanent residents, there seems to be several people who are not.
The officer at passport control asks where I’m coming from, I answer and he gives me a quizzical look.
“Is this the best time to be visiting Russia?” he asks, like he’s my mother. I explain the need to go now versus loosing my flight credits and my visa expiring soon. He returns my passport and welcomes me home.
I’m not out of the woods yet, I have to find the shuttle to domestic terminal, so I can get the van back to Warner Robins. My email from the transport company stated, “A quick 10 minute ride.” BS, it was over 25 minutes, but I arrived at the van right on time.
I spoke briefly to the lady next to me, who was also on my flight. She lives in Frankfurt and has family in Warner Robins. Coincidence.
I get to Ari’s house, but when I try to put my bags in the car it is locked. Everyone knows I never lock my car. I go in to get the key and press the unlock button, nothing. I get closer and retry, still nothing. Ari says she had just moved the car a few days ago to mow, but now I have nothing.
A jump start attempt latter, still nothing. The battery is on the trunk and I can’t open the trunk without power. But an internet search later, I find out there is a key slot on the trunk, completely filled in with grunge, I had seen it before, but thought it was nothing.
We are able to jump directly on the battery, but as I run around the neighborhood charging the battery, I notice a little bit of a thump. Checking the tires, I see one has exposed steel. It is almost 8pm, very few places are open. The one I check, is open, but is booked with appointments.
I am able to buy a new battery, just in case, and they loan me tools to change it. Cool.
I decide, I have a spare, if it does go flat, then I can fix it then. Didn’t blow out, so no problem.
It is a long way home, we arrive right at 1am. I arose at 1am on Wednesday, it is now Friday. I’ve spent 48 hours on a plane, in a terminal, or in a car. I’m really to go party!
By “party” I of course mean sleep.
I grab my phone and iPad out of the car, but leave everything else, it can wait.
I do a quick check of the house, all seems normal. I go to bed and fall asleep almost right away. I haven’t done that in years.
I asked a few of the people who spoke English about the effect of the US sanctions on Russia, they didn’t even know about them.
The shelves are full, the stores are all open. There is no “run” on products.
I still see a extraordinary number of American brands here. Coke, Fanta, KFC, Burger King, Fridays (without TGI), CitiBank, etc. Some have just changed their name, Starbucks is now Star Coffee, same logo.
The name change is “virtue signaling,” saying something publicly, that seems to be a positive but really has no meaning. Like changing you Twitter icon to a particular color or wearing a pink ribbon for “awareness.” (Who isn’t aware of cancer?) These companies are using the media and the media’s hype to make the consumers think they are socially responsible than their competitors. Really, they just want to appear to care.
If they can sell you an extra can of soda or get you to super-size, because they’re the company that matters, then they’ve done their job of scamming you out of your money.
My understanding is that no American credit or bank card will work in Russia, I haven’t tried, so can’t confirm.
Much like the Cuban embargo, it is only the US participating, so little effect worldwide.
I purchased a 5-day pass for Saint Petersburg, but really most of what I was going to see was near enough to walk. For simplicity, it is better to have the card, otherwise you will have to buy a ticket every time you go in.
The subway stations were originally designed to be emergency shelters, especially against bomb attacks, especially nukes.
The escalators have lamps on poles, every 8-10 feet. Each has a numbered decal, starting at 1 at the bottom. I presume that the numbers are there to have set places to measure radioactivity, to determine rising or falling levels.
I did notice that the handrails move just slightly faster. Over 150+ feet, this would be a lot and could throw you off balance.
At the bottom of each, an old woman watches monitors, to make sure no one is breaking the rules. I saw several that were on the verge of passing out, it has to be a super dull routine. Also, there is graffiti in some, so they are not really doing their jobs.
The signs are generally clear, and all include Latin transliterations.
Some platforms have modern clear doors, to prevent falling into the tracks. Others have solid metal doors (bomb resistance?). Most are just open, not falling is totally your responsibility.
If you discover you’re going the wrong way or passed your stop, just get off, walk across the platform, and get on the train going the other direction.
The trains themselves are comfortable, for public transport. But I could see a regular user getting hearing damage from the noise of the wheels on the tracks.
Trains come about every 2 minutes apart.
One train had a display showing the next station upcoming, and the temperature, time, and speed. We got up to 78km/h (48mph). They seem to spend about 75% of the time accelerating, then decelerating only as they enter the next station. They might not make it into Formula 1, but they do have some G forces.
Saint Petersburg only has 5 lines, so far, so knowing how to get from here to there is easy.
Moscow has 15, right now, including 3 rings and a monorail. Plus there are regular rail stations attached to the metro stations, so you could go almost anywhere in Russia or nearby countries without needing a car or plane.
My room is on Line #3, but I noticed one day, I was at the #6/#7 station, but neither of them connected to #3. That means I had to do at least two transfers. That’s a pain.
The stations are reasonably clean, despite not seeing any trash cans. Graffiti was very minor, markers on escalators, mostly.
All the stations have temp barricades everywhere to funnel you in one direction. But some are in the way of access, like one had the first 3 openings to the track closed off. You might miss your train because you had to go further.
Some stations have many entrances/exits, allowing you to tunnel under many roads and avoid rain or snow.
It seems that every block has a bus stop. I like this as most have area maps with a “5 minute walk” circle around your location. They have some highlights to see, statues, restaurants, shops, etc.
I see now I should not have used the AeroExpress train. It would have been faster and cheaper to take bus from airport to metro station. So much for “express.”
Food has been a ongoing problem. Not the eating food or the flavor, but the getting.
Most of the restaurants here are kebab, shwarma, pastries, Chinese, Mexican, American, or appear too expensive. I came to try Russian food, not KFC or Burger King. Seriously, how are there more KFC’s here than all of Florida? (The state tore down the one next to the house, so we don’t have a KFC in town anymore, not that I went there often.)
If I find a reasonable priced Russian restaurant, I still have the problem of ordering, few have Romanized menus, and so few people understand English.
I did stop at a small café and pointed to a savory dish, label says 145₽, but the total was 382₽, the ticket says 1446.97*0.264kg, none of those numbers is 145. Did I get overcharged? Did they put the wrong price on the label? If so, that is 1447₽ per kg, not 1450.
Even going into the supermarket, many brands are the exact same as at home. Perhaps they have more flavor variations, Lays Chips has lobster, crab, and shrimp cocktail flavors. I did get a bag of Lay’s crab, it tasted like you had made a great dish, but then added crab to it. Not terrible, just would have been better without.
I have a limited kitchen setups and no freezer, so in purchasing some foods, I wouldn’t be able to make.
The kitchens also have signs about no smelly foods, fish in particular.
An Uber customer told me that to get an Irish stew, in Ireland, you have to go to a pub, not a restaurant. Perhaps something similar is going on here. Odd, now that I think about it, I don’t think Ive seen a Russian bar. Plenty of liquor shops, but no bars.
I have nothing left to see, but I scrolled around the map looking for anything. I visited Gorky Park, but only the northern most part. So I took the subway to near the south side and went in.
Actually, I find that I’m not in Gorky, not even near it yet. This is Neskuchny Garden, a pleasant wooded area with paths going every direction. It is wooded, so how is it a garden?
The paths are hard packed, and meandering. It doesn’t matter which way I go, I’m just exploring.
Quack!
I pass soccer field, tennis court, basketball court (in a cage), and a bunch of ping pong tables. At a playground, there’s a building, so I use the camera translator. It’s the chess club. I would not think a playground would be the quietest place to play chess, but I’m not that good either.
More ponds with ducks, this one had a duck and drake protecting the ducklings from an ogre trying to take their photo.
Peahen
I find a cage with a peahen inside. Don’t know what the point was.
Another war memorial, this had a fountain, but you can tell it hasn’t operated for years, not in the budget.
There is a bridge across the river, but I find it is just a pedestrian bridge. Geez, that’s a lot just for a few people to walk across.
It doesn’t matter where or when, I keep running into groups of kids on field trips. This must have been an easy day for the teacher, I can’t imagine they are really learning anything looking at fountains.
I see a bunch of balloons on a building, must be a party or wedding, nope, just some people doing tae bo, but no Billy Blanks.
I’m looking at a fountain for a bit, before realizing it is the same one I saw a few days back. It looks different without the stage and all the kids around it.
I meet a UK lady walking her dogs, so I ask her if there’s anywhere with Russian food. She tells me of a place, Grand Cafe Dr. Jhivago. Obviously, named for the famous movie.
It only has two $$ on google, so I decided to splurge, I don’t have to worry about keeping to a budget anymore.
I was seated on the sidewalk, I don’t know if I would be comfortable inside, it was still a bit fancy. The wind was ok, but it did pick up before I left.
Fortunately, the hostess and waitress both had English comprehension, and the menu was multilingual.
I had an appetizer of mushroom “dumplings,” really ravioli, with a wonderful sour cream. I could have just eaten a bowl of the sour cream.
Then I had a Siberian cod, covered in French fried onions and a cream sauce. It also had potato chips, made themselves. This feels like the kind of place where you don’t use your fingers to pick up food, but there is no other way to eat crispy thin wafers.
It had a side of grilled broccoli, almost an entire head, way bigger than I expected. It had a mustard seed and vinaigrette coating.
Everything was so good. I don’t know if it really was Russian or not, but I’ll pretend it was.
We are on the road next to the Kremlin. A large motorcade goes by, but can’t see into the cars, maybe Putin.
An expensive Maybach, a sub brand of Mercedes-Benz parks right next to the sidewalk, the hotel doorman places cones around it. That’s what being rich is like, you just park your car wherever you want. To hell with those poor people trying to get to work.
Total 2410₽, I paid in hundred ruble notes, which I suppose is the equivalent of a stack of $5’s. I’m so low class, I made a faux pas.
As I eat, it is getting colder and windier. As I leave I begin to feel drops. It could have remained nice out, I only need another 24 hours.
Tomorrow, I have to checkout by 11, but my flight isn’t until 9:20pm. I could roam around, but I’d have to lug my bags around, no fun. So I guess I’ll have a nice long day at the airport. Hurray!
I need it to not be raining while trying to get to the train platform. After that, pour down, it won’t bother me.
When I awoke, I could hear rain falling. Good, I can just stay in bed.
I tried to sleep, watch videos or browse sites. Finally I noticed the rain had stopped.
First thing I had to do, my metro card expired, so I had to get another. I entered the station, but there’s no one at the ticket booth, the ticket machines do not have any language selection. If you can’t read Russian, you can’t use the machine.
The next station is on the other side of the road, seems simple, but cars are much faster than bikes. I don’t feel up to dodging vehicles. I have to go down to the next major intersection, cross, then come back down to the other station. Only about a mile, just to that side.
I enter the station, but they don’t even have a ticket window. I should have bought one yesterday, while I still had access to move around, but I didn’t.
Now I have the choice, walk to the next station, or walk everywhere. The next is a 3-line intersection, so busy enough to have someone on duty, please.
This ride only takes 5 minutes, how long will it take on foot? Too many.
I finally get to the metro station and get my ticket. I only need two days, but it is cheaper to get the 3, maybe I’ll give it to someone when I leave.
I can now get on the subway back to my room. Fortunately, I didn’t shower yet, so I’m not wasting a change of clothes walking station to station, actually, its more the stress than the walking. I do shower once I return.
Glass design at the US Embassy
Now, where to go?
I’ve done all my saved places, except one, the US Embassy.
It lies between stations, so I have to walk there anyway.
It is an unassuming building, which is fine, it is just an admin office, after all. The only thing interesting is they have a glass barricade (bulletproof?) that has a really cool “space” motif.
I walk down the front, then one side, and the back. There is nothing interesting about the rest, just a tall reddish wall with cameras every 10 feet or so and guard stands at entrances.
Rather disappointed about the guard stands, I don’t know if any marines were in them or not, likely, but not definitely.
Walking on randomly, I came across the Moscow Zoo, well what the heck, might as well go in, I have nothing better to do. Tickets are from a machine that only accepts credit cards. Again, thanks Biden.
I find out I could have stayed at the Crazy Monkey Hostel. Dang, an opportunity missed.
There were reports of paintings in some of the metro cars, but I had seen no evidence of that, until today. I lucked out and got on a very old car that had a bunch of seats removed. In place there are artworks displayed.
They appear to be reprints of water colors, none too spectacular.
To see all, you’d have to get off at each station and run up to the next car and re-enter. That seems too much effort. Better would be if the art was on one of the trains that allows movement between cars.
I randomly decided to get off at station Park Pobedy, as it is named for the park it stops at. Pobedy is Russian for “victory” and the park is all about the victory over the Germans.
This must be the worst park in Moscow. It is just a huge expanse of granite, 700 yards long, barely a plant anywhere. Also, I have to walk directly towards the sun, so I can’t really see the other end very well.
There is the required sculpture depicting the victorious soldiers and one side of the plaza has a row of columns with wreaths on them. The other side has fountains, but the water just shoots upwards a few feet, not spectacular at all.
Off to one side, I entered a small church. Very small, my bedroom is about as big as the inside of the church. There were many depictions of various saints for you to prey to.
Down a sidewalk, I find a small playground and I sit in the shade for a while.
I must be getting old, my new favorite thing is to sit.
I left my room about 8pm, heading for the train station.
I wasn’t taking the train, but I wanted to know that I knew where it was when ready to leave. Easier with no bags than with two.
Good thing I did try, as the platform was under renovation, there was a significant detour across two roads. Normally, there is an exit right from the Metro station. If it rains Wednesday, I’m not going to be happy with these renovations, by far.
Some workers had half the stairway blocked off and were placing concrete “top stones” to the stairs. Which really makes no sense, the stairs are already concrete, so why bother. The workers had a large circular saw and were cutting them to size, without ear plugs or dust masks. Also, they were doing all this a few week from the passersby. No pesky OSHA here.
A building on a platform?
I verified this was the correct platform and then left, walking up the road.
It was on the verge of getting dark and I was hoping to see some building all lit up.
I passed a building that appeared to be built on a elevated platform or old roadway. Not where I want my million dollar investment.
There was a major roadway interchange. I should have used the crossing tunnel, but I didn’t. It was quite busy and took me a couple of minutes for a clearance.
As soon as I reached the other side, the lights on the overpass came on.
VTB Arena
There wasn’t much to see, except a large stadium, the VTB Arena, which hosts hockey as well as football (soccer) matches. It is also a popular concert venue.
I got on the subway, going back to my room, but I had to make a transfer right next to Red Square, so I decided to try again. Maybe with no rain, they might be more to see.
I’m in luck, I come out a different exit right at the Bolshoi Theater. There must have been a performance letting out, as there were a lot of fancy outfits, as well as fancier cars.
St. Basil’s at night
I headed towards the square, but no luck there, few lights on the Kremlin or St Basil’s.
But since the sun wasn’t directly behind the basilica, and there was plenty of ambient light, I think I was able to get a better photo than before.
I see that the concert stage and barricades are now gone from the plaza, so I take a stroll through.
Even after 10pm on a Sunday night, their are plenty of families around.
Bolshoi Theater
Surprise, the “paint” had dried on the riverview platform, amazing how that happens after the event finished. I got a few shots of the nearby scenery from the end of the riverview platform, including a photo of the crescent moon (and Venus) over St. Basil’s.
The park has so many different things, that there are maps all around. But even though the maps show toilet icons, I see no toilet anywhere. One sign said there was one, but it was just a grassy area, I’m certain I’d be able to spot that one.
As I leave, one of the church bells starts to ring, 8 minutes late. I’ve noticed that the church bells seem to not care about actual time, the one near my room is 5 minutes too early. Well, if it wakes me up, its hours too early.
Novodevichy Cemetery is the final resting place of some of Russia’s most famous, much like Père Lachaise in Paris.
The problem is, they might be Russia famous, but they’re not US famous. Plus all the names are in Russian.
Tomb of Boris Yeltsin
I found Boris Yeltsin’s (it really stands out), I saw Khrushchev’s but did not transliterate the name, at the time.
Author Anton Chekhov and Mikhail Gorbachev are also are buried there.
Next door is a convent. I was uncertain whether I could enter, but after seeing a couple of men exiting, I decided to go ahead.
It was very lovely, the buildings were painted nicely. The lawn was not mown, but it looked “kept up.” There were workers laying down a new stone walkway.
I felt wrong taking photos, but I saw others doing it too, so I suppose it was okay.
I’m uncertain if it was a working convent or not, so many churches were closed during the revolution. Being Sunday morning, I suppose any nuns would have been in service while I was there.
Next I headed to the art district.
There is a small plaza with a bunch of galleries, all were closed, being Sunday. The buildings are designed and made up to look unique. Not only do they allow graffiti, but they probably encourage it, if it is artistic.
I had nothing else planned in this area, so I see a small park on the map. It shows a toilet, not that I need it, but always good to be near.
I cross a small river, yellow from pollen, and climb a steep hill. I followed the googled directions, but it led me to a construction tunnel. They have these 2×4 and corrugated steel protective walkways around all sorts of construction sites, meant to be a safe passage. Problem is, this one doesn’t go anywhere but to a locked gate.
Being daring, I push open the construction wall a bit and pass through. It should be okay, there is a gap between the fence and storage containers.
Oh crap, I stepped in it. I will presume it was an animal’s.
Then the only way out was to climb a very thin, hand made ladder, over a concrete barrier, onto the road. I don’t mean onto a space next to the road, but into one of the lanes.
It had rained last night, so there were some puddles that I could walk through, hoping to remove some of the mess off my shoe.
Climbing another hill, I reached the small park. Then I see the sign for the building next to it. It was a monastery.
I went in and browsed around.The convent was way better looking, but this had a fat, lazy cat.
They had a display of “pieces” of tombstones. I guess they were damaged in the revolution or perhaps some war.
People were going into one of the chapels, but I was not going in with dirty shoes. I was hoping that the crushed granite walkways were working it clean.
OK, I didn’t actually see any nuns or monks, but I did see a priest walking outside the convent.
I walked to the next station to head back for lunch.
I went to the supermarket and had a fairly hefty bag of food. But I can’t cross the road because there is a freakin bike race going down the street between me and my room.
I’ve been crossing roads with really fast cars for decades, I think a few bikes is no danger at all.
Normally I would just walk through, but there are police all along the road. I don’t think there is a tunnel cross walk anywhere close, so I just go for it. As I reach the other side, I’m facing 3 officers, they don’t say anything, so I just go around.
I cook and eat then head to my room to charge the pad. Alright, my roommates have both left, I’m solo. Maybe I can get sleep tonight without the snoring.
I wanted to go back to Red Square, to get some nighttime photos. I figured it would look great with the lights on.
As I step outside, I start feeling drops on my head. I had just looked at the weather app, it said there would be some light rain at 1am. I wouldn’t be out that late, otherwise I’d be locked out of the hostel.
It is light rain and I won’t be out long, quick photos and back.
I come out of the station, and I see few lights. Dang.
I had wanted to do the same in Saint Petersburg, but never made myself do it.
On the way to a different station entrance, a guy stops me and asks something. I respond with, “I don’t understand Russian.”
Oh, he knows a little English. I’m standing there in the rain and he wants my life story.
After a few minutes, he asks if I was going to the Metro. Then he walks with me, pushing a rental bike, through a tunnel under the roadway. He parks the bike in its cradle and walks with me into the station.
At this point, I’m not certain if he’s being friendly, or going to rob me. Big city, out of towner, it happens.
Then wants to know if I have phone number in Russia. He wanted to call me and invite me to go to church with him.
