In This City Self-Preservation Is A Full Time Occupation

---

So I’m sitting in the Subway on Nevsky Prospect, which has free wifi and dijon mustard that burns your nose. The mustard is amazing even though it’s so spicy, especially because Russian food is so bland most of the time. I’ve never loved American export-commercialism more.

When you all start thinking that I’m basically living the Russian version of an extended spring break, which I feel like sometimes, let me tell you about my morning. I spent most of it on the metro, running around the general St. Petersburg area. I started at the Nevsky office of S7, which is the airline I’m flying to Sochi (see the disappearance of me for the next few weeks, though I’ll try to stop by an internet café). I had to change my ticket, because they canceled my flight, buy all is well now, and I think the Russian chick who was working there got a kick out of me and my quasi-inability to speak Russian. From there I went on a search for free internet. That took me to Chernishevskaya, the metro station I get off at for classes, on my way to City Bar, a quasi ex-pat bar/café with free wifi, greasy fries and bad techno on Friday nights. However, when you go on a Saturday afternoon, the place was nearly empty, and the internet was down. I, btw, found this out, only after getting out my computer, setting up, etc, getting confused why I couldn’t connect and having the bartender come over to me and say, “Wifi not work today. Try Monday.” So I went back to the same metro stop I had just come from (see previous entries for how much I love the metro here) and walked a block and a half to the Subway in search of free wifi. One spicy turkey sub later, and techno music blaring above my head, I’m settled and able to check my email, which begs the question, if you’re reading this, why haven’t you emailed me?

This week has officially started election season in St. Petersburg, or at least I’m saying it’s the start. Of course the Russian elections have been in the news for a long time now, in the West as well, but St. Petersburg is getting inundated now. For those who don’t know, there is one huge party and very few smaller political parties, so elections here are more or less predictable. Elections are Dec. 2 and Eddinaya Rossiya (Putin’s Party) is sure to win a large majority. There are, however, ads all over city for “Putin’s Plan” - and Eddinaya Rossiya, and they’ve had volunteers on streets corners handing out flyers. While it’s nice to see some attempt to win votes, as if this party isn’t going to win already, the whole thing does sort of have the air of artificiality. The ads are a combination of words and cartoons, basically conveying the idea that if Putin and his party are re-elected, St. Petersburg will have more houses, more money, and more highways, (which I’m guessing are the three things they’ve decided Russians here want). I’ve got to say though, every Russian I’ve asked about the elections and who they’re going to vote for says the same thing in their answer: Regardless of the party they’re going to vote for, they’re not satisfied with their choices. So let this be a warning to politicians everywhere: I don’t think anyone likes you.

On that happy note - especially to my friends in politics 😉, I’m going to walk home in the grey. This is St. Petersburg after all, and if it’s not raining, it’s grey.

From Russia With Love

---

Comments

[Aly]

so glad you've been listening to ani ;)

[Europe Trotter]

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/