Rainy Morning

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.

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.