Thurs 19th of May
Lying in my bed in the hostel was sooo awsome. 32 hrs of traveling all together. It is quite a drive to the center of Moscow. The drive to the WELCOME TO MOSCOW sign only seemed 15- 20 min but from there to the center was another 25 min. So LARGE ass city. I just read the subway here transports more people a day then London and New York combined. Some 8 milion people a day! Think I may take a tour they are suppose to be quite amazing stations.
So when I got here my hostel took a picture of my passport and got my invitation/ visa verification while I showered. They made it sound so difficult before I got here, I hope everything is this easy...
A gentleman acrost the room from me is from siberia (krasnoyarsk a town I now wish I was stopping in) and has confirmed that I will arrive at 8 at night in Irkusk on the 26th- that is 4 and a half days of staight up train riding.
Today I woundered around Moscow and got moderatly lost, while looking like I knew where I was going. A women tried to ask me for directions ( I think). still working on my crappy russian and said " nit Russian" though the first words to my head were " no habla espanol" HAHAHA!
Found a new pastry that is alot like musaka, that greek lasagne with bechemel and pastry and meaty sauce. Then I got my barrings by finding a park that had tons of jasmine trees and smelled super pungent in a really good way. It was in the high 70F and the sky was clear.
Friday 20th of May:
I was to go out last night and did not, as with tonight. Its funny this hostel has all early 20's people and then mid 40's people. The good thing is I got tons of stuff looked at. Woke early this morning and went the kitchen to find a cpl of people still drinking. 1 russian and two from Kazakestan. They were quite talkative while I enjoyed my salami , cheese and tea breakfast.
After getting my feel for Moscow yesterday I walked to Red Square without getting lost. WOW! St. Basils is even crazier in person. I tried taking pictures but I don't think they do justice to the building. Red square " Oh the things you have seen". Lenins moseleum, fire for the unknown soldier. Oh and dont forget the mcdonalds and sbarros above the fountains...
I then needed a snack so treked back up twards the hostel and got some more food at the grocery. I am trying all the varieties of" add hot water to it" foods they have so I know what to bring on the trian Sunday. Russian cup o noodle and instant potatos in a cup hooray! The bamboo silverware set I got at REI ( knife, spoon, fork, chopsticks) is awsome for these and easy to clean.
I then walked back down threw Red Square agian and into the kremlin. For me truly a once in a lifetime undergoing. Some of thesee churches have been around since the 1400s. I wondered about the churches and gardens while listening to gogol bordelo.
Back at the hostel an Indian guy bought me a beer and I filled out some postcards and then napped away, and as I said didn't go out with the kids tonight, instead I am laying in bed writing this and looking forward to tomarrow. I am paying for a tour of the underground and then going down to Gorkey park to listen to the winds of change
