Well finally, post three. I am wicked behind mostly because the internet cafes' computers are pure shit and after battling with them for an hour or two I usually give up and resume my position on the beach. A lot has happened since my last post but I will try to keep these things in order, so first things first... Moscow...
Well thank god that I had Masha to show me around the city because there was no hope with out a russian translator. I ran into a few people that spoke a little english, the gals at the airport information desk and thats about it. Thank my lucky stars that Masha was able to meet me at the airport on time and I didn't have to try and decipher the train station names, which was our back up plan. But everything worked out great! She was there waiting for me and just like out of a movie, we were both nerviously scanning the masses for a familiar face. Then the second we locked eyes, our hearts jumped through the top of our skulls with excitement. Very cheesey I know... Anyway, so after re-adjusting to our language barrier for 30 minutes while chit chatting, we jumped on a train into the city and to our hotel. The subways in moscow are the craziest I've ever seen. People just plain don't give a shit there. I was run over at least twice by a couple of old Ba-bushkas (old ladies) while trying to get on a train. It is by far the most popular form of transportation and is pretty much free-for-all warfare during 'rushhour'. Masha and I had to devise some sort of leash system so I didn't get shoved off a train. That was until I just started throwing bow's. Much move effective.
So once we got settled into our crappy hotel room which cost $120 a night (in thailand you can rent an entire hotel for that) we were off to have some din din with some of her friends. I had some traditional broskt or whatever ever it is called. Its a light beat soup. Not to bad. They also have this brewed soft drink that tastes like a combination of stale college keg beer and my running shoes. But I politely drank it down, smiled and said "mmmmmmmmm" and then of course I had some russian pancakes (crepes). The dinner was good but the conversation pretty much blew. She hadn't seen her friends since high school so they had lots to talk about... in russian. I sucked it up though because I pretty much put her through the same thing all summer with my fast, slang talking (and usually slurring) friends from 'boozebay' harbor. During dinner though I had to use the little boys room so I ventured off looking for it on my own. I figured there would be some sort of sign with a symbol that resemmbled a toilet or some clue to point me in the right direction. Nope. They just use russian words there. fuck. I forgot to mention that we were eating in a place simular to a food court in a mall which was quite busy. So once I think I find the way to the toilets down this extraordinarily plain hallway and stairwell (everything is plain and basic in russia) I feel a sigh of relief and make a B-line for the men's room as I'm about to explode from that Sneaker soda. It is here where I learn my first lesson of the trip the hard way: you generally have to pay to use public bathrooms in other parts of the world. As I am jogging to the bathroom door I hear an explotion of russian curse words coming from a russian lady who then starts chasing after me! I duck into the shitter and without hesitating, she zips in right after me and starts yelling all sorts of shit at me in her wacky tongue. at this point I am half laughing and half petrified (as well as almost pissing my pants) and trying to figure out what the hell this lady wants from me. She obviously doesn't speak a word of english so this conversation is going no where. So I end up letting her drag me back down the hallway by my forearm to her Pee-pee payment stand and figure out that I basically just ran right by her with out paying. I give her the 10 flippin' rubles and go about my business. Whoops
Masha had lots of stuff planned for my visit and the most important being the russian bathhouse. She had briefly talked about this bathhouse in months prior but would not prepare me for what I was in store for. I will have to save the bathhouse story for its own entry as it was quite a tale and this one is getting to long.
The last night we went to a club called Cafe fresh... It was a great time. Met up with a couple of my new comrads from the bath house party and drank lots of vodka and tequila. Russians like shots.
All in all it was a great stop and was great to see masha. we parted at the train station with as few tears as possible. I was going to miss her of course but its hard to be upset when you are on your way to paradise.
till next time
