SUNDAY -M is for Metro!

This weekend was indeed quite productive and not just in the "we saw the sights" kind of way -but who wants to talk about work?

Anyway, after our Lenin adventure, we decided to venture out to an outdoor market. We really didn't take the weather into account or realize: coldest weekend evar = not so great idea to go to an open air market. But whatevs, we went. We took the metro all the way to, god knows where. I just know it was seven stations away from our home base at Smolenskaya. The metro is not that bad, for the second most used/crowded system on the planet (Japan's being the first). It's also quite organized and clean (cleaner than New York -for sure).

The market was quite interesting, but it was mostly full of souvenirs and USSR themed novelties. The constructivist posters were pretty cool! I got one for my brother. Here's an artsy shot of the market, that doesn't really show the market:


We walked and walked until our fingers and toes hurt again and then made our way to the very heated mall right next door and had some lunch (there always seems to be a mall around). On our way back home, we decided to stop at almost every metro station and shoot some pictures. The stations are really something you have to see. Each one is different and beautiful. However, after shooting half of the stations, we noticed that there were more police scanning about, and watching us very closely because we had cameras. We were told (not by the police, but by someone we ran in to that we knew) to stop. Russian police will usually stop people, ask them for their papers and then want money in return. So, we sneaked on to a few more platforms ready to be all spy-like, took some shots and went on our merry way home. Here are some pics. The rest are on my flickr. (they are all different stations)







I for one, was quite exhausted when we got home. We walked a lot. Gah, A LOT. We still have some more places to visit so.. yeah.. I'll keep you all posted!

Well Hello Mr. Lenin!

Finally another post! I've been "busy". BUT! we finally made it to St. Basil and the Lenin Mausoleum. It was the coldest day we've seen since we got here it was like, -20F. It was really bad. BUT! We really enjoyed our time there. The square is pretty big, but it is smaller than you imagine. St. Basil is smaller than you imagine it to be as well. But it's still an amazing piece of architecture. We obviously don't have pictures because you are not allowed even a cellphone inside the mausoleum and, that was our main purpose at the square. We really didn't feel like leaving our stuff with the people at one of the boots, so, the pictures of St. Basils will have to wait for another time. Inside the tomb, it's all dark and scarcely lit. There are guards stationed everywhere. You go in, in a line, and just keep moving. You aren't allowed to gawk about or explore. As the line moves, so do you. If you linger too long, then one of the guards comes up to you and tells you to move. It's got this "kindergarten field trip to the museum" kind of feel to it, also, you're not really supposed to talk, as the guy is kind of a big deal.

As for the man himself, like St. Basil's, you have this larger than life idea about political figures. However, he was quite small/short. I suppose we're all used to thinking of big gruff revolutionaries thanks to Stalin, Castro, Guevara, but Lenin looks like he was a gentleman. He may or may not have been, in life (I really don't know, I havent really studied him), but lying there he looks like he was quite delicate. In the dark tomb his glass coffin is the only thing extremely well lit and you are quickly ushered out. As you walk out, you can see the graves of other Soviet leaders including Joseph Stalin. Each grave is marked by a plaque and a very large bust of the man buried there. It was an experience.

By the time we left the Mausoleum/Necropolis our toes and our fingers were hurting from the cold. The time spent in the tomb is so fast, you don't even have time to thaw out half way. Luckily for us the GUM (which is now a mall) is right across in the square and we spent most of our time de-frosting walking around the mall and having lunch. We left, tried to go to the Puskin museum, but there was some serious line and no real indication that they were letting anyone in even though it was like, 3PM.

Nothing To Do With Moscow

Soo... I decided to give my brother the Chili Pepper's entire discography for his bday, cos I'm an awesome sister like that. I love the Chili Peppers, a lot. But, you know when you listen to a band practically all week long non-stop and you start to get that sickly feeling in your gut and insane feeling in your mind? yes, well. That's how I feel right now. After cataloging, fixing, sequencing etc. I've been on a massive binge. The last time this happened was with The Police one summer when I was in college/undergrad. I stopped listening to them for quite a long time after that.... I dont think I even have those guys on my itunes... Lets hope this goes away.. their catalog is much larger than The Police, and they're so much more fuuun... Sigh, I have no one to blame but myself. I keep listening.


Red Hot Chili Peppers Fight Like A Brave
Загружено blood-sugar. - Смотри больше видео клипов в HD качестве!

The Armory

This weekend, we finally made our way up to the Kremlin Armory. We didn't go into the square, but are planning to go back and take pictures of the outside (you're not allowed to take pictures inside the buildings, so those of you waiting for a picture of Mr. Lenin are out of gas). About the stuff inside, everything is obviously ostentatious and bedazzled, this is Russia. However, what shocked me the most were not the insane thrones, or Peter the Great's crazy baby crib.. no. It was the carriages. OH MY GOD THE CARRIAGES. People think that they have pimp cars now, But these babies would put any would be pimp to shame. Seriously. I was really taken a back by all the amazing craftsmanship. WOW. This is my favorite one (I found the picture online):


It looks great, but the picture really doesn't even do it an iota of justice. Gah. SICK! Anyway, we really need to go back, and then I'll share those oh-so expected St. Basil pictures. We're also planning to start planning our trek to St. Petersburg -Awesomeness... (yes we plan to plan here, so what?)

Another thing I must comment on because it is really rad (ish) is: Russian Security Guards. Russia has the awesomest security guards ever. These guys do not wear fake mall cop outfits that inspire ridicule from passers by like back home, no. These guys all wear... SUITS. Yes folks. Suits, all of them. I believe, that this is a stroke of genius. Seriously. There is nothing more intimidating than a completely stone-faced well-dressed man hovering around the door/produce isle to keep people in check. No guns or other odd accouterments necessary. These guys look like they can fuck someone up with just a glance. Awesome.

I'm also kind of missing the U.S. mostly, I miss being able to over hear conversations and to just get my point across without any wild hand gestures. God I miss that. Oh, and my hair dryer and hair iron. I really miss them, a lot.