30 June 2007

Today I traveled to my last area and took a picture of myself in front of the last place where I lived. You can't see her, but there is a babushka sitting on a bench behind me. She was giving me the evil eye as I walked around trying to figure out if this was the place where I used to live. Babushki are the gate keepers here.
I don't worry about dying and ending up somewhere that I shouldn't be. I figure there are Russian babushki chillin in front of most of the gates who aren't afraid to reprimand you if you're going somewhere that you're not supposed to or if you aren't dressed warm enough for the weather.

28 June 2007

Old school Soviet architecture, and blue steel.

Ooo, so pretty. Nick and Lane at Patriarch's ponds. I guess this place is the setting for the opening scenes of Master and Margarita. I've never read it.

The left half of my face, and some swans

Nick, Chase, Lane at Patriarch's Ponds

Crossing the river to Red Square

Kremlin (notice the time)

View from off of the bridge

Sunset on Red Square

Moscow time... 10:00 and that's not AM. You can't stop partying till it gets dark. And it gets dark late...

Lane in front of Lenin's lenin's mausoleum. (Can you believe it's 10pm?)

Just me being a cutie pie

Random 26-27 June 2007

26 June 2007

You know those times when you take a picture only to find out later that some weird soul was behind you making a silly face? Yeah...

So that blue building behind us was built and condemned. Now it just sits there.

The latest in advertising on Leninsky Prospect. ( Translation): Only 6.6% of families in Russia have 3 or more children. Happy adding! (to your family)

I thought it was interesting when in his State of the Union address a few months ago, Putin called on families to have more children, however, I never figured they would advertise on the streets.

And in other news, the national anthem is being changed to include excerpts from Barry White's "Best of" album.

23 June 2007

Cool statue of Russian partisans (WWII) in the metro "Partizanskaya"

At the entrance to Izmailovsky Park (big open air market) they had some bears. The darn bears kept moving whenever I had a good shot set up.

This poor little guy just wanted to go see the sights in Moscow but he's got that big metal cable around his neck. "I think that means he's married or something."

This place is awesome. It's got everything from matroshka dolls and souvenirs to swords knives and army surplus stuff. Almost like a grown fellar's Chuckee Cheese.

This is the clothing section of the market. This row alone stretched about as long as a large city block. (Male reader's cringe) Now I know what you're thinking guys, cuz the thought went through my head a few times as well. "That's even worse than Super Target" but let me reassure you. Two rows over, you've got old army hand grenades and gas masks. Now she's going to be the one whining "Haven't we been here long enough?" "No" shall be your reply. And with the best Darth Vader impression that you can muster up, you'll command her to hand you your light saber and prepare the thrusters for light speed.

Yes, this is why girls question our place in a species of intelligent beings. But, is she going to want to go shopping again next weekend? I think not... And if she does, will she want to bring you along? Exactly... Now that's what I call intelligence.

This guy had his arm around the bear and was smiling for the perfect camera shot, then he saw me pull out my camera and walked away. Maybe it was my "Stop exploiting the animals" t-shirt that did him in.

Is it just me or is there something strangely hot about a girl in a skirt with a machine gun?

22 June 2007

Today someone at work was sitting at "my desk" so I went outside and ate my lunch, peach juice and honey cakes, by this playground. Figured I'd take a picture.

Playground

Alyosha and I in front of a painting. Somebody painted it on a brick wall. This was at an old Wine factory that is being renovated into modern art galleries.

Alyosha Vargin, James Tippets

21 June 2007

So I'm really tired and am not about to attempt the whole detailed captioning thing. Here it is, good night all.


This guy played at a concert last night at the main meeting building here in Moscow

Lenin's statue on the street where I live "Leninsky Prospect"

Walking home along the Moskva River. Speedo row just ahead and to the right.

Me taking a picture of myself.

Wierd building

Statue to Gagarin on Leninsky Prospect

Oooh, that's nice

Alyosha, James, Alyona, David

James, Alyosha

Bird... I named him Clarence

Cathedral near Clarence's place of dwelling

Clarence and his friends come here for religion

Some street that I was walking on

Electric train going through a bridge under me.

Me and the train

17 June Sunday in Podol'sk

Подольск

Podolsk, welcomes you

Olya from the Podolsk branch

Lane, David, Sveta, and Sasha (Sveta's husband)

Lane, David, Sveta, Dima

Snezhana, Sveta's daughter (party pooper)

Ah...Lilia, i'm glad to see you too but uh... you're tugging on my cheek...

Lane, Lilia, David

16 June monastery and such

I call this post "A day in the life of a devilishly handsome young American with strikingly sharp features, in a Russian Orthodox monastary" Come... Enjoy...

A cathedral

Cathedral in the background, Headstone and other thingie in the foreground

Picture taken in the monastary

A lot of people come here for wedding pictures it seems

Babushki... the heart and soul of Russia

Chillin

Throw a couple pictures of me in there..

yyyep...

Babushki hangin' out... I totally overheard their conversation, "Did you watch Oprah yesterday? I tell you what, that woman is off the hook yo."

(rough translation)

Kinda cool lookin', so I had to take a picture

Monastery guy: So uh... You ladies come here often?

Babushka: Quick, we can lose him at the gate.

So tranquil, so serene, still water reflecting the majesty of a landmark whose history dates back into the centuries. The makings of a perfect picture... and then that cunning dive bomber of a bird comes along and spoils everything. And tonight, over a dinner of ground worms and river bugs, he's going to laugh it up with his whole family. Argh.... is there no justice in life?

Now here's a guy worth mentioning. His thoughts and stories have probably influenced numbers in the millions. His name will go down in history not only in Russia but throughout the world. Just look at the magnificence, the splendor. Just think of the time and effort needed to create such a stone chiseled masterpiece.

Oh yeah... And that Tolstoi statue in the background is worth noting too.

yeah... I know what you're thinking... and.. uh.. I have no idea.