Continued from below.
anyway, lenin was closed agin today. About an hour later I realised why. He was up and about and wandering around by St Basils cathedral, yep, that's right, he was up and about and wandering around. As I recall from historical pictures he was shorter and fatter than he used to be , and he was pimping himself to anyone who wanted to be pictured with him! I guess on the tat factometer it would be like some old girl dressing jup as Queen Victoria and poncing up an down outside Buckingham Palace offering pictures to American tourists.
going back to taxi journey, passed by some really drab looking parts of moscow (most of it). One really curious thing about moscow is the complete lack of public toilets - don't know if that is because crowds were never allowed to congregate? anyway, now there are loads of portaloos in groups of 2-12 all over the place, but these are manned by toilet babushkas who charge 15 roubles - 30p - to use a pretty clean public convinience. seems ok to me.
Saw a new concept in underground begging - young men with no legs in wheelchairs - I guess having been blown off from the war in Chechnya or something (saw about 4 in total) - one only seemed about 20 and had massive bandages which I am sure had bloodstains on. wierd, don't quite know what to make of that.
well I guess that is about it as far as the actual blog goes - served its purpose quite nicely for me! Though, gonna write a summary when I get a moment over the next few days. Might just keep this thing going for posterity though.
Friday, 27 February 2009
Thursday, 26 February 2009
A note from yesterday!
Moscow 16.30 UK 13.30
I started writing this on the train although when I write up I'll try to keep it authentic. I have cut it very fine getting to the airport today and I am not convinced I am going to make it. it's nearly half four and I am on the train to Domedovo - train should get there at 4.50. Plane leaves at 6.15. It should be ok but I have no idea what it is like getting out of Russia - Fuck, a few years ago that would be an all day job. Ironically this is one of the least bureaucratic countries I have been to - everything has been very straightforward. It would also be fucking typical if it got difficult now. Also, ignored Moscow rule (2?) Murphy's law - if it can go wrong. Fuck, still if it does go wrong, there is nothing at all I can do about it now. The other problem is I am not absolutely sure I am on the right train, I think I am on the right train but it is not obvious - different type of train to the one I got Monday. There are only Russians on this train - Muscovite's - one of them today!
There is a women (not old enough to be a babushka) walking through with a shopping trolley full of mags, books cold drinks etc. I think she is official, but the shopping trolley is a Moscow improvisation! Looks like its from the river.
Fuck me I have cut this fine. Shit. Not even going to think about anything at the airport other than getting through - if it is the right airport. Got about 1500 roubles - can get more. is that enough for a bribe? Don't even know if they take bribes anymore. Don't know whether I could head for Germany or other EU place if I could not get to UK tonight? Read that it is difficult and expensive if you over stay your visa - not worried, it would just end up being an expensive fuck up, probably not get change from a grand. Just wait and see.
looks like it might be the right train. car park looks familiar and people putting coats on.
5.40
Checked in and in holding pen - still don't quite believe it, takes longer to get through Bristol when going to Edinburgh!
Potential fuck up started when I just spent the morning arseing around red square - time creep got me again (why don't I learn?) It got to half one and I realised it was going to be tight - had to get back to hotel to get bag etc etc. Started to go wrong then. that was also the point when that rather quaint Russian trait of "tell someone who gives a fuck" started to piss me off. Then I ballsed up a metro change - another 20 mins. decided to cab it to the airport.
Moscow taxis - worth going all the way there just to experience one! Love to get the same one again next time I go - he was fucking fucking (supposed to be twice) insane! Never had a car journey like it, had a grin on my face the whole time, not sure why though cos I am sure i was only inches from death! Then we hit traffic - that's when I thought it is really going wrong. And - as he got me to the station, he got nicked! He was having a row with a fat Moscow copper! (only fat copper I saw in Moscow).
And most of it is because of foot situation - not good. They are probably oozing a bit. Got back to the hotel yesterday (Tuesday) and they were agony, kept me awake a long time. Wrapped them in half a field hospital this morning and have been shuffling around like a Moscow drunk, scowling at everybody - especially the Moscow drunks. Doc Martens are brilliant. They keep you warm and dry, you could probably drive a bus over the steel toe caps and would not feel it. Mental note to wear them in if I ever get another new pair though, avoid having feet that look like plates of chopped liver that way.
(still got some more to finish)
Moscow 16.30 UK 13.30
I started writing this on the train although when I write up I'll try to keep it authentic. I have cut it very fine getting to the airport today and I am not convinced I am going to make it. it's nearly half four and I am on the train to Domedovo - train should get there at 4.50. Plane leaves at 6.15. It should be ok but I have no idea what it is like getting out of Russia - Fuck, a few years ago that would be an all day job. Ironically this is one of the least bureaucratic countries I have been to - everything has been very straightforward. It would also be fucking typical if it got difficult now. Also, ignored Moscow rule (2?) Murphy's law - if it can go wrong. Fuck, still if it does go wrong, there is nothing at all I can do about it now. The other problem is I am not absolutely sure I am on the right train, I think I am on the right train but it is not obvious - different type of train to the one I got Monday. There are only Russians on this train - Muscovite's - one of them today!
There is a women (not old enough to be a babushka) walking through with a shopping trolley full of mags, books cold drinks etc. I think she is official, but the shopping trolley is a Moscow improvisation! Looks like its from the river.
Fuck me I have cut this fine. Shit. Not even going to think about anything at the airport other than getting through - if it is the right airport. Got about 1500 roubles - can get more. is that enough for a bribe? Don't even know if they take bribes anymore. Don't know whether I could head for Germany or other EU place if I could not get to UK tonight? Read that it is difficult and expensive if you over stay your visa - not worried, it would just end up being an expensive fuck up, probably not get change from a grand. Just wait and see.
looks like it might be the right train. car park looks familiar and people putting coats on.
5.40
Checked in and in holding pen - still don't quite believe it, takes longer to get through Bristol when going to Edinburgh!
Potential fuck up started when I just spent the morning arseing around red square - time creep got me again (why don't I learn?) It got to half one and I realised it was going to be tight - had to get back to hotel to get bag etc etc. Started to go wrong then. that was also the point when that rather quaint Russian trait of "tell someone who gives a fuck" started to piss me off. Then I ballsed up a metro change - another 20 mins. decided to cab it to the airport.
Moscow taxis - worth going all the way there just to experience one! Love to get the same one again next time I go - he was fucking fucking (supposed to be twice) insane! Never had a car journey like it, had a grin on my face the whole time, not sure why though cos I am sure i was only inches from death! Then we hit traffic - that's when I thought it is really going wrong. And - as he got me to the station, he got nicked! He was having a row with a fat Moscow copper! (only fat copper I saw in Moscow).
And most of it is because of foot situation - not good. They are probably oozing a bit. Got back to the hotel yesterday (Tuesday) and they were agony, kept me awake a long time. Wrapped them in half a field hospital this morning and have been shuffling around like a Moscow drunk, scowling at everybody - especially the Moscow drunks. Doc Martens are brilliant. They keep you warm and dry, you could probably drive a bus over the steel toe caps and would not feel it. Mental note to wear them in if I ever get another new pair though, avoid having feet that look like plates of chopped liver that way.
(still got some more to finish)
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
03.11 moscow 01.11uk.
I am sadly home, in bed and in some discomfort. Wonderful place Moscow - I have some 6 or 7 pages of notes to put on blog asap from last day and journey home. it was, as it should be, quite eventful, and at times very close to the wire. I have done much swearing, mostly at myself, and vowed never, ever to go further than 50 miles from my front door ever again. that was over half an hour ago and has now thankfully been booted into the long grass. Got some good pics - a few which I think are absolute gems, of Moscow State University at sunset on the way back from sparrow hills. Not transferred them yet so dont know yet.
After i have finished blog as such I am going to put a little summary on of my thoughts about the whole thing - for my benefit of course.
God that bed in the hotel was shit! this is the first time i've been comfortable since saturday night.
until the morning then.
I am sadly home, in bed and in some discomfort. Wonderful place Moscow - I have some 6 or 7 pages of notes to put on blog asap from last day and journey home. it was, as it should be, quite eventful, and at times very close to the wire. I have done much swearing, mostly at myself, and vowed never, ever to go further than 50 miles from my front door ever again. that was over half an hour ago and has now thankfully been booted into the long grass. Got some good pics - a few which I think are absolute gems, of Moscow State University at sunset on the way back from sparrow hills. Not transferred them yet so dont know yet.
After i have finished blog as such I am going to put a little summary on of my thoughts about the whole thing - for my benefit of course.
God that bed in the hotel was shit! this is the first time i've been comfortable since saturday night.
until the morning then.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
I think i am being observed - computer is acting odd.
moscow 21.35 uk 6.35
bit more time tonight so i hope to write a bit more. first of all the hotel - it is not too bad, have stayed in far worse courtesy of the bank. The reception feels like a real throw back to Soviet days though - all huge hall and shiny counters and floo. dining room is the same - massive with wooden style tables and lots of space between tables - designed to be slightly intimidating i guess.
the metro is really very good - takes a bit of understanding because there seem to be three types of language to understand. took me an hour and a half when i got here to work it out. asked a pretty girl and got the moscow stare - probably because ehe thought i was hitting on her. I was not - anyway, moscow stare = stare at someone as if they are not even there without batting an eyelid. look on the side of the tunnel - always right to left and the names will correspond to the map. some of the intersections are tricky but its generally ok.
they also strickly follow the stand on the right protocol - goo for them. Interestingly, there is a babushka in a box at the bottom of each escalator staring at screens which show cctv images. a bit odd i though at first but then it dawned on me - must be safety thing to see escalator is ok. nice touch but not much of a career.
lenin was closed today - shame but not really a surprise - been told that it can happen quite often. no gags about hanging around today afraid. Red square is really wierd. Firstly its not that big - say leicester square twice - secondly, kremlin on one side and GUM dept store on the other. GUM is a bastion of capitalism and must have always been to a certain extent? wierd.
Another wierd thing about red square. I can see how Breshnev and Kruschev et al got all their toys in on those big parades, but it must have been a hell of a job getting them out the other side. I would not like to drive a ICBM (inter continental ballistic misile to you and me) out of there. I can just visual the conversation that may have gone siomething like this:" got a bit of a problem comrade Kruschev, those toys we built in between building lots of tractors, you know, the ones that go bang, well we have not worked out how to get them out the other side of the square once every one has seen them and cheered"
At which point, general 3 star is replaced and sent off to the kgb building up the road. speaking of which, that is a huge almost non-descript building but looks slightly scary now. apparently ther was a massive prison built underneath where many hundreds of thousands of people were taken and disposed of.
It feels quite strange walking around with a camera taking pics all over the place - it does not seem to be that long ago (certainly no more than 25 years) when having a camera in moscow would simple be out of the question - now noone bats an eyelid - not the police or the red army.
the whole of the centre of moscow round red square is a wonderful lively cultural beacon. its a really buzzing place - quite easily just hang around and waste some time there. Be good.
went to sparrow hill this afternoon (not strawberry - must have had draycott on my mind) The moscow state university is up there - great building, another showpiece place. strawberry hill gives a view over the whole of moscow, great on a good day which it was today, and sun was setting on the way back so got sdome pics which hopefully turn out to be good.
wanted to buy a generals hat from a seller up there - got into negotiation mode but could not find one that fitted. got a leather flying hat though - negotiations went how much, 3500 roubles, i'll givew you 2000, my children and wife etc etc, no its 2000 or nothing. the lowest i can go is 2800 - i loose money then anyway. i'll buy now at 2500. we agreed the deal at 2500!! I bartered for a flying hat with a Russian junk seller on sparrow hill! Brilliant!
I somehow knew moscow would be great - lots more to write some day I hope, but I was thinking the best way of summing it up is that moscow just is, you can take it or you can leave it, but moscow just is!
run out of time, as promised to myself, not read through or edited!
till next time
moscow 21.35 uk 6.35
bit more time tonight so i hope to write a bit more. first of all the hotel - it is not too bad, have stayed in far worse courtesy of the bank. The reception feels like a real throw back to Soviet days though - all huge hall and shiny counters and floo. dining room is the same - massive with wooden style tables and lots of space between tables - designed to be slightly intimidating i guess.
the metro is really very good - takes a bit of understanding because there seem to be three types of language to understand. took me an hour and a half when i got here to work it out. asked a pretty girl and got the moscow stare - probably because ehe thought i was hitting on her. I was not - anyway, moscow stare = stare at someone as if they are not even there without batting an eyelid. look on the side of the tunnel - always right to left and the names will correspond to the map. some of the intersections are tricky but its generally ok.
they also strickly follow the stand on the right protocol - goo for them. Interestingly, there is a babushka in a box at the bottom of each escalator staring at screens which show cctv images. a bit odd i though at first but then it dawned on me - must be safety thing to see escalator is ok. nice touch but not much of a career.
lenin was closed today - shame but not really a surprise - been told that it can happen quite often. no gags about hanging around today afraid. Red square is really wierd. Firstly its not that big - say leicester square twice - secondly, kremlin on one side and GUM dept store on the other. GUM is a bastion of capitalism and must have always been to a certain extent? wierd.
Another wierd thing about red square. I can see how Breshnev and Kruschev et al got all their toys in on those big parades, but it must have been a hell of a job getting them out the other side. I would not like to drive a ICBM (inter continental ballistic misile to you and me) out of there. I can just visual the conversation that may have gone siomething like this:" got a bit of a problem comrade Kruschev, those toys we built in between building lots of tractors, you know, the ones that go bang, well we have not worked out how to get them out the other side of the square once every one has seen them and cheered"
At which point, general 3 star is replaced and sent off to the kgb building up the road. speaking of which, that is a huge almost non-descript building but looks slightly scary now. apparently ther was a massive prison built underneath where many hundreds of thousands of people were taken and disposed of.
It feels quite strange walking around with a camera taking pics all over the place - it does not seem to be that long ago (certainly no more than 25 years) when having a camera in moscow would simple be out of the question - now noone bats an eyelid - not the police or the red army.
the whole of the centre of moscow round red square is a wonderful lively cultural beacon. its a really buzzing place - quite easily just hang around and waste some time there. Be good.
went to sparrow hill this afternoon (not strawberry - must have had draycott on my mind) The moscow state university is up there - great building, another showpiece place. strawberry hill gives a view over the whole of moscow, great on a good day which it was today, and sun was setting on the way back so got sdome pics which hopefully turn out to be good.
wanted to buy a generals hat from a seller up there - got into negotiation mode but could not find one that fitted. got a leather flying hat though - negotiations went how much, 3500 roubles, i'll givew you 2000, my children and wife etc etc, no its 2000 or nothing. the lowest i can go is 2800 - i loose money then anyway. i'll buy now at 2500. we agreed the deal at 2500!! I bartered for a flying hat with a Russian junk seller on sparrow hill! Brilliant!
I somehow knew moscow would be great - lots more to write some day I hope, but I was thinking the best way of summing it up is that moscow just is, you can take it or you can leave it, but moscow just is!
run out of time, as promised to myself, not read through or edited!
till next time
Monday, 23 February 2009
10.40 Mosco 7.40 UK
Off to see Lenin right now - mental note:- if do not want to get shot, do not corpse (and that is not an intentional pun). Strawberry hill and the seven stalinist sisters later. Experienced legendary Soviet hospitality at breakfast - serving babushka obviously bollocking me for something but I have not got the faintest idea what? Never mind.
Beatiful day in Moscow today - netween minus 11 and minus 14 yesterday but did not feel that cold unless you took a deep breath and then it got you in the lungs.
15 mins is nearly up so best be off.
Off to see Lenin right now - mental note:- if do not want to get shot, do not corpse (and that is not an intentional pun). Strawberry hill and the seven stalinist sisters later. Experienced legendary Soviet hospitality at breakfast - serving babushka obviously bollocking me for something but I have not got the faintest idea what? Never mind.
Beatiful day in Moscow today - netween minus 11 and minus 14 yesterday but did not feel that cold unless you took a deep breath and then it got you in the lungs.
15 mins is nearly up so best be off.
22.15 Moscow 19.45 uk.
I've just got 15 mins before they close - it does say 11, but the poor babushaka has been here all day and it does look an awful boring job.
I have wanted to come to Moscow for a number of years, and in the 15 hours or so that I've been her, I can say for certain I am not dissapointed. Lots of things sum it up, but one in particular. I have just got off the metro and come back in to the hotel, it is about minus 14 outside right now, and as I was coming up the steps, I heard a bot of a racket that turned out to be two old boys, both of whom appeared to be sober having a game of some derivative of backgammon - loudly! And without gloves with the board on the ground. brilliant.
Not got time to say what I want, but hope to pick up tomorrow with, amongst others, why do so many people cop off on the metro and generally in public? why is it not customary to put lighted cigarette ends in the bin? why are you not allowed to take explosives in the lift with you? and why do stray dogs have the free roam of the metro? And, why Moscow is simply better than New York by some margin!
Tomorrow hopefully.
I've just got 15 mins before they close - it does say 11, but the poor babushaka has been here all day and it does look an awful boring job.
I have wanted to come to Moscow for a number of years, and in the 15 hours or so that I've been her, I can say for certain I am not dissapointed. Lots of things sum it up, but one in particular. I have just got off the metro and come back in to the hotel, it is about minus 14 outside right now, and as I was coming up the steps, I heard a bot of a racket that turned out to be two old boys, both of whom appeared to be sober having a game of some derivative of backgammon - loudly! And without gloves with the board on the ground. brilliant.
Not got time to say what I want, but hope to pick up tomorrow with, amongst others, why do so many people cop off on the metro and generally in public? why is it not customary to put lighted cigarette ends in the bin? why are you not allowed to take explosives in the lift with you? and why do stray dogs have the free roam of the metro? And, why Moscow is simply better than New York by some margin!
Tomorrow hopefully.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
5.50am local time. 2.50uk.
Well I can live up to the name now. At Domo thingy airport having just woken the attendant on the pc's to rent one. cant be much of a job though - a mc job i guess. Domo airport is just like any other international airport - but boy are the taxi touts fucking persistent - and they all have dodgy mostaches - one even followed me and was still trying as i was having a coffee.
Getting in was dissapointing - it was quick and easy. the only problem was the guard who did genuinely look like a shot putter. she called me forward and i had one of those irrational moments when i just had the urge to giggle - i used to have a boss like that - me and a colleague would try to catch each others eye in meetings to make tother one corpse.
i nearly corpsed when getting through border control in moscow. Brilliant.
gonna run out of credit so off for now.
untill.
Well I can live up to the name now. At Domo thingy airport having just woken the attendant on the pc's to rent one. cant be much of a job though - a mc job i guess. Domo airport is just like any other international airport - but boy are the taxi touts fucking persistent - and they all have dodgy mostaches - one even followed me and was still trying as i was having a coffee.
Getting in was dissapointing - it was quick and easy. the only problem was the guard who did genuinely look like a shot putter. she called me forward and i had one of those irrational moments when i just had the urge to giggle - i used to have a boss like that - me and a colleague would try to catch each others eye in meetings to make tother one corpse.
i nearly corpsed when getting through border control in moscow. Brilliant.
gonna run out of credit so off for now.
untill.
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