Russia

---

Russia-
Russia is wonderful! And I smile as she squeezes me against her large bosoms, holding me under musky armpits, planting wet kisses on my forehead, whiskers tickling my nose. She is warm and stern and I am happy to visit her. Saint Petersburg is a doll, a fairy tale. Buildings from the 1800's, hair from the 80's, cloths from a bad idea, all laced up in high heel boots.
It is my first day in St. Pete, my first day on my own, in a country that almost everyone has warned me against. I am tense, but I am happy. The weather is beautiful, it's supposed to be raining, but the sky is blue. I walk the streets, hop on a boat (always with the boats) it's a canal tour, in Russian... It's fall and the leaves are changing colors and falling. Wrapped in wool blankets I sit and take it all in. I don't know the names of the buildings, but they are old and beautiful and life is good and I am okay.
Back at the hostel I meet AJ, my first new BFF of the trip. Instantly we click, hell we are two Americans our first day in Russia, we need to stick together. Over dinner and in search of gay bars we plan our attack of the hermitage and what will become an all out assault on our legs and feet the next day via Nevsky Prospect and everything in between.

I don't speak Russian therefore, obviously I don't read it- and it may or may not be obvious that I don't pay very good attention with others are talking, especially when I think that I already know what they are saying. Oh and another fact- I don't understand how to read train tickets. All of this becomes blatantly apparent when I have trouble finding the right train, right carriage and then get in the wrong room and wrong bed on my first over night train in Russia, despite the fact that I had two separate people, read and attempt to explain my ticket to me before going to the train station.
Normally I find my stupidity very funny, and will make some joke at my expense, apologizing profusely. The Russian man, whose bed I'm in doesn't seem to find anything funny about my stupidity- possibly because it's 11:30 pm, or possibly because he's already been trying to tell me how stupid I am and that I'm in the wrong bed for the last 8 minutes while I sat there looking quite annoyed as I tried to arrange my stuff...in his bed.

---

Comments

[Nina]

So did the guy knock you out?
Or rather put toothpaste on your hand and tickle your nose? You have me on the edge of my seat...what happens next? well, maybe not the edge of my seat, but I am one of them that enjoys your blog. Where you stay now?

[Jeremy]

Mother Russia
Yes, some of us out there care! I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying yourself travelling. It's great that you know a fellow American that you can hang out with. It can get frustrating at times, you know with the language barrier and people's version of sign language. That guy must have thought he had a deal. He paid for a bed and got a bed with an American girl in it. ;o) How long are you in Russia and where's the next stop? Hope you enjoy every minute of Russia. Stay safe and take care! Keep the blogs coming! P.S. Jaeda just turned 1 last week. Can you believe it!?!