Dima Generally, Iý beginning to come around on a lot of things trashy Russian, mainly because I´m surrounded by it so much, but I just can´t do Dima. Hey, to each his own.
25 hour store sorry about so many comments today! i've just spent TOO long on the internet. the 25hr place is on kirochnaya, on the right, as you approach liteiny. it's the one with the chickens and the separate vege window
Prague fireworks I know what you mean about the Prague fireworks! I was there a few years ago, in a snowy park in ikov, watching the official fireworks over Charles Bridge in the city below - but simultaneously dodging the ones being let off from Coke bottles wedged in the snow by children just out of infancy. The bottles would inevitably topple - and then the fireworks were like bullets aimed at the bystanders. Lunacy - you're right!
It was a little less crazy in Paris this year, but N.Y.E seemed to be a B.Y.O affair - there were no official fireworks! The Eiffel Tower just sparkled on the hour as normal, and people swigged champagne on the Champs-Élysées... but that was it!
Periv Amazingly, I haven't had that much trouble with people on breaks in Russia, but I've heard that it's such a problem that I keep waiting for it to get worse. And I go to school near Chernishevskaya so I can't believe I haven't seen the 25 hour store yet, but now I know to look. Thanks!
four words for you... Love your blog, but I found that "technologisky periv" or "sanitarniye chas" explained my inadequacy to get things done in Russia. Whenever I went anywhere, it was always a darned "technological break" or "sanitation hour" - which is akin to being told "piss off and come back later, we'll serve you when we feel like it". Other than my Russian post office angst (have a look at http://www.europetrotter.org/2007/09/21/russian-post/ to share my pain), there was also our local shop in SPb. On Kirochnaya, near metro Chernyshevskya, there is a shop that braggingly proclaims that it's open 25 hours. Yeah right. 25 hours per week, more like it...
(One more word of advice - ditch the Russian remedies. Well, don't get fooled into downing one too many remedial pepper vodkas and then thinking you're fit enough for a night at Dacha. What I was taking sunflower oil and milk for turned out to be bronchitis according to a Berlin doctor...)
Russian Mustard Oh, the mere mention from another blog about Russian mustard . Never again will I put my body through so much pain! I think my head will explode at the thought of it. I've heard it described as “don’t come crying to us when you weep hellfire from your eyes and your nostrils ” that’s so appropriate. I can’t wait to get back to Russia for some more culinary self-flagellation "..." http://www.europetrotter.org/2007/12/01/russian-mustard/
I'm not surprised. Have you guys been getting blanketed with ads for the elections too? Eddenaya Rossiya is going all out on this one. I'm kinda surprised because I feel like I know the results before they happen, but I guess it's nice to see them pretend like they have to convince people.
Parties on the Russians-don't-like-any-politicians note, my politics teacher told us that they did a survey where they made a party called "agree with none" and added it to a list of real parties and it got like 40% of the vote in the survey. isn't that ridiculous?
Kiev was the capital at one point, but the capital was moved to Novgorod in the 11th century. Kievan Rus technically had a number of different capitals. But thanks for playing!
:D hey! glad to hear you're still alive. :) if you haven't seen anything wrong with the escalator, and no one's working on it, it's likely that it's not broken. at least in moscow, "remont" apparently also means "not in use". and we have 0.5% milk, but my host mom usually buys something around 6%, which is why I've yet to sit down and drink a glass of milk. I was thinking of coming out to st. Pete sometime this month or next. let me know what weekend works best fr you. I'm actually going to be out of the country when you're here in moscow. :( that's our fall break. have you found out when your winter break is? today we're leaving to go to Kazan so I will be unreachable until Sunday. but if you're not busy then, maybe give me a call? TTYL!
hahahahaha i have also found that russia has it's little quirks--in fact the exact same little quirks. i also have a cold. i haven't suggested any dishes to my host mom, but i have eaten at TGIFriday's twice this week. and the only place that doesn't complain about large bills is the metro kassa (i try to break them there but i don' need to go all that often). feel free to call me sometime. i have a new number--i'll email it to you. ????-????!
Russian drug enthusiasts Un-interesting? Doesn't sound like it. The first thing I thought of was the young Ukrainian guide from Everything is Illuminated picking you up, lol. Hope you're having a good time, your Russian skills are going to kick my ass when I get there! Poka and as always, ni puha ni pera!
Glad you are safe! Hey! You're almost there. I got your email early this morning. I'm going to try to check both my school and this account during the day and, of course, at night. I can't wait until you write us from St. P. No news to report. I'll call Aly tonight. Oh, wait. Bobby got a call back from the political consulting firm. YIPPEE !!! I hope they love him! As for me, I miss you already. I really don't like having my three toads on three different continents. I guess I better get used to it, eh?
Keep in touch as much as you can, baby girl. I love you forever and a day! Mom
Coincidence? It's really weird... When you get to Russia, I'll be just leaving for it. And when I get to Russia, Alison will be just leaving for it. :-)
I know you're going to have so much fun in St. Pete (despite the fact that you'll be all alone, constantly wishing that you could hang with Alison and I). ;-) I'm totally coming to visit for a weekend, if not for a week (we have a week to travel at some point in October, I think). Keep an eye out for a place for me to crash! :-) Poka! (That's not Swedish either, but still makes more sense than Spanish. :-P) *PS* My layover is in Helsinki, but it's only 45 mins so I will not have the great pleasure of figuring out a Scandinavian keyboard. ;-) Okay, srsly this time, bye :-)
Glad you are enjoying yourself Hey Shan,
Sorry I haven't written, or emailed, I'm glad to hear that you and Aly are enjoying India. It's good to read about what you are doing.
I am doing fine and so is la famille.
Hope you feel better,
ello hey shannon,
hope you're having a great holiday and especially enjoying this last part of it. also i think this is a great idea, so we all know what you're up to :)
see you soon!
europe trotter
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re: dima
hahaha, you're right!