Category: Russia (2007)

Today, Masha and I got up and had a lazy morning chatting and looking at the entertainment magazines I had brought with me. It’s amazing how news of our ‘stars’ travels oceans–ie: Masha knew of Britney Spears’ sisters’ pregnancy. I just found that out last week! Guess there are some advantages of such globalization and the exchange of information :)

I then took the subway to meet Evgeny for lunch and to join him for his afternoon visiting the architecture project he’s helping manage with his company. The Domodedevo Airport is quickly overtaking the passenger intake into Moscow from the old Soviet hell-hole known as Sheremetyevo. We are no longer friends after my recent experience with Passport control, and in my future trips, I’ll be directing my flights through Domodedevo from now on. The airport is older and farther out than Sheremetyevo, but it is built on ‘Western’ management styles including service, logistical efficiency, and new roads. They are building a huge new glass facade, parking area, and really making it be attractive withint the next 3 years to gain more and more airlines’ participation. After some errands for work, we drove the tin can back to Novogireevo where I’m staying. During our journey, a liquid started dripping in the passenger area–along with a smell. This just added to Evgeny’s frustration with this crap car and along with no horn, no driver’s seat functioning seat belt, he’s about ready to drive it off a cliff.

When we arrived home, Masha and Grisha were waiting on us for dinner that Masha prepared. I had a good tomato vegetable soup. We then chatted about iphones (more to come later) and I showed them the YouTube clip about Miss North Carolina. For a refresher, click here. We are having the evening in, and preparing my plan for spending the day with Katya tomorrow to visit some museums, the Kremlin, and other areas around Moscow.

Tonight, Katya, Evgeny, Grisha, Masha and I all went to a restaurant to let me taste some Russian sushi. It was quite good! Evgeny is not happy because today his company car has been changed from a decent Hyundai to a Lada. A Lada is a Russian-made car, that basically looks, sounds, feels, acts like a metal box on wheels. Add that plus 30 years of use, and you have our new corporate car for the family :) It does make the experience all more Russian for me, because sometimes now I can forget where I am since there are so many upscale malls, bmw’s, bentley’s, mercedes’, all around us. It’s definitely a paradox to see such a separation between classes.  It’s still not snowing, but it is freezing, and there’s lots of ice on the ground, that walking home tends to be a slip and slide. Which reminds me of something funny from the kindergarten. The weather is unusually warm for Russia and to not have snow for Christmas and New Year’s is very odd. So during the children’s song and dance, when santa asks, and what do we throw in winter?? The children apparently all yelled ‘stones’ rather than the expected ‘snowballs’. Guess they’ll have to wait a little longer for more snow to come..

This morning, we all got up and Masha and I took Grisha to his Kindergarten party. All the children were dressed up in different costumes, and Grisha was a little clown. It was interesting to see what customs they have for the kids at Christmas, and who knew, Santa in Russia has an illegitimate granddaughter, Snegurochka. Unlike how in the US, we have Santa and Ms. Clause seen posing together in things, here, it’s the old man and the young girl wearing a triangular hat–with no Ms. Clause in sight. The granddaughter character was the host of the party this morning. After the party, I headed to Kurskaya to meet Evgeny for lunch. He’s had to go into work this week more because of some issues happening due to end of year. After lunch, I went to Red Square and watched figure skaters. They had a performance on the ice rink that’s set up on the Red Square for the winter. I also went by St. Basil’s Cathedral, and then over to Church of Christ of the Saviour. After getting a chocolate crepe, I headed back to the metro and went to Arbatskaya to wander around. I can’t believe how Moscow has changed. Being the 3rd time, each time I have seen such differences compared to the last. The biggest impressions was the emergence of such new upscale shopping areas, clothing outlets, and just newness over all that I hadn’t seen before. Impression #2, men are wearing a lot of dark colors/black (due to winter) and the women are wearing more fur than I’ve ever seen in my life. The good Russian hats are still popular than I’d ever imagine (seems so cliche!) After a walk here, I decided my legs had had enough and I took the metro back to Novogireevo.

Today, Masha and I took Grisha to the pediatrician. It was quite an interesting experience to see what the doctor’s office looked like, and how they have documentation for his visit. Apparently in Russia there are districts that you are part of, and as such, you are assigned a specific doctor. So you have to wait for your specific district’s doctor to see you. She also had a book that had all these stamped documents of information about his shots, background, etc.  After the pediatrician’s office, we came back home and had lunch. After lunch we headed out to take Grisha to a New Year’s party at Red Square. Here I met up with Evgeny and we walked around while Masha and Grisha were at their party. We then came back for a good dinner at the house and Katya joined us for the evening. It was so great to have everyone together and chat about everyone’s lives. We’re still waiting for the snow!

My flights yesterday went really well and were quite easy. Business class in Lufthansa was really nice. There was a remote control for my seat that actually made it lay out completely flat, and it even had a massage in the back of the chair! The movie selection was good as well, and I ended up staying up the entire flight mainly because the time of the flight was all day for me. Business class was pretty empty, and almost everyone sat by themselves (they’re usually pairs, meaning no one sat next to anyone, including myself.) Flying into Frankfurt was very beautiful. All the trees had been dusted with snow and it was a winter wonderland. I walked around the airport, found the showers, and had a nice hot shower to feel better about being on the plane for so long. I then had some bratwurst and sat at the ‘Goethe’ Bar and lounge and spoke to some people. There was a guy that randomly sat down next to me and he was from San Francisco as well. Throughout the airport, I felt like a poor american–our dollar has sunk so low that no one even wants it anymore. My bill at the Goethe bar was 6 euro, so when I said that I needed to pay in US$, they upped the price to a grand $15. I couldn’t believe it. For a currency that started off completely equal to US$ back in 2001, to seeing that now I was being charged almost double was gross! I then waited around until my next flight for Moscow was to leave, and I wrapped my gifts to be brought into Russia :) By this time, I was definitely tired, so I dozed on the 3 hour flight to Moscow. After we deplaned, we went to the passport control, and there were queues that looked endless. I chose a line that I thought would move fastest, and I could not believe how slow my line was. Not only was it the SLOWEST line, but I ended up being the absolute LAST person through–after 1:40, I finally made it through, which was fine, because Evgeny had been caught in traffic. At around 8pm, Evgeny and Katya came to pick me up, and we started our long journey back to their flat. I was energized by the excitement of seeing them, and I was so happy to be here again. More soon. (PS> I got through customs in a breeze).

So yesterday I spent all day tidying up the apartment so I have a nice clean apartment to come back to in the New Year. I also went around town today doing my last minute shopping/errands etc. So today I’ll get to fly to Russia and see Evgeny and his family/friends and spend Christmas and New Year’s together with them. Evgeny and I have written to each other since we were 12, and I remember letters saying I must experience a Russian Winter, so here I am, getting all my handwarmers/toe warmers etc ready for my journey to a Russian White Christmas. Stay tuned for our exciting adventures together!