This is a Russian Life in Photos

June 2: Snow in June

2010-06-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

June 2: Snow in June
As you can see in the picture above, it looks like it has been snowing in Moscow. Snow in June???
The white summer snow on the ground is called pukh. It is released each year by the female balsam poplar tree.
My apologies for being off-line for the past week, but I have not been feeling human due to my allergies.
You can read more about the trees over on my other blog by clicking here.

May 19: Ice Cream

2010-05-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

May 19: Ice Cream

Russians love ice cream! It sells equally as well year around - Russian eat ice cream in the summer and winter. I took this picture back in February, but never used it as a photo. I thought it would be interesting to show as I posted a picture of Russian fast food yesterday.

The temperature was about -15 C the day I took this photo. The man in the picture had just finished eating his ice cream.

May 18: Russian Fast Food

2010-05-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

May 18: Russian Fast Food

This is where people in Moscow eat when they are in a hurry. These stands are located in all major pedestrian areas and near the entrance / exit of metro stations.

I have eaten at a couple of kisosk stands - yes, I have an iron stomach. The food is not differant than any other type of fast food restanurant and, at least, you can judge how clean the place is as you can see into the kitchen.

May 17: Wing and a Prayer

2010-05-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

May 17: Wing and a Prayer

Once again, there are so many comments that come to mind with this picture. It is really difficult to just chose one.
According to an advertisement I saw, are work such as picture above cost just as much if not more than the car itself.
A friend of mine, who works in the auto industry in Russia, told me people apply custom paint to cars to in an effort to prevent theft. I was skeptical, but now I am a believer. Who would want to steal a mini-coop with doves painted on the side? Do you think a thief would be embarrassed to tell us other thief friends about the hot ride he stole?

May 16: Fountain

2010-05-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

May 16: Greek Fountain

This is a fountain located in front of the a theater near the Moskovskaya metro station.

May 15: Lenin Library

2010-05-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

May 15: Lenin Library

The Lenin Library is one of the largest libraries in the world. This library, also know as the Russian State Library (Российская государственная библиотека), is located across the street from the Kremlin and a short walk from Red Square.

The statue on the front steps of the library in the picture above is of Fyodor Dostoyevsky. He is a famous Russian author and is most note outside of Russia for his novels Crime and Punishment (Преступление и наказание) and The Brothers Karamazov (Братья Карамазовыand).

May 14: Shoe Shopping

2010-05-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

May 14: Shoe Shopping

This kiosk does not sell shoes, but everything for your shoes. The words in red letters at the top of the kiosk translates as "Everything for Shoes"; the words in white letters on the side of kiosk translates as "Shoe Repair".

The little shops are usually busy as Russia is a pedestrian country, the pavement is uneven / rough causing a lot of wear / tear on shoes , and women wear high-heels daily here.

May 13: Church Under Construction

2010-05-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

May 13: Church Under Construction

I am not sure of the name of this church and could not find it on a map. I was walking with a friend when we saw it. I thought it was beautiful even with the wooden scaffolding.

May 13: Scaffolding

My friend and I walked into the church grounds. I took this picture of the scaffolding up close. Would you walk all of the way to the top?

May 12: White Trees

2010-05-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

May 12: White Trees

This is a picture of several fruit trees at the dacha. A few people have asked me why the trees are painted white. This is done all throughout western Russia to prevent bugs.

By the way, the building in the back is the outhouse and storage shed.

May 11: Victory Day at the Dacha

2010-05-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

May 11: Victory Day at the Dacha

Our family did the same thing on Victory Day as millions of other Russian families do on Victory Day; we went to my husband's family dacha. This is a picture of their dacha located just a few minutes outside of Nizhney Novgorod. You can click here if you want to read more about our day at the dacha.

May 10: Patriarch Pond

2010-05-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

May 10: Patriarch Pond

Patriarch Pond (Патриаршие пруды ), located near the central of Moscow, is a popular destination for both tourist and locals. One month ago, on April 10, I published a winter view of the Pond. You can view it by clicking here. I thought it was interesting to see the contrasting difference.

May 10: Patrish Pond

The picture of the pong was taken from different points along the same edge of the pond.

May 9: Victory Day

2010-05-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

May 9: Victory Day Flags

Today is 65th anniversary of Victory Day! In summary, this day celebrates the victory of Russia over Germany in WWII. Russians refer to the war as The Great Patriotic War. You сan read more about the holiday in Russia by clicking here.

Moscow, as well as several other cities throughout Russia, decorated their streets and building to commemorate the events and will hold military style parades. This is a group of flags located celebrating Victory Day.

May 9: Order of Victory

This is a billboard of the Order of Victory Medal located on Tverskya. The medal is one of the rarest in the world. You can read more about it by clicking here

The parade official Victory Day parade was in Moscow today. It was attended by several heads of states. In addition, participants from the allied forces (France, America, UK) marched through Red Square as part of the parade.

May 9: We Remember

This banner over Tverskay I took from Pushkin Square translates as "We Remember". Note the red, orange, and yellow banners lining the street.

Only government officials and invited guests were allowed to view the parade. Red Square was closed to the casual observer as well as most of the city streets along the parade route for security reasons.

May 9: We Salute You!

This banner was hanging on a side street near Tverskya. No translation needed. This evening when I walked up the store I saw a veteran dressed in his uniform walking with his wife on the street. People of all ages stopped to greet him and shake his hand. You could tell him and his wife were enjoying the evening as they were smiling and happy to talk to everyone. ( I did not have my camera and was kicking myself!)

May 7 : TACC Building

2010-05-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

May 7: TACC Building

This is the TACC building. You pronounce it in English as TASS (short a; the letter c in Russian sounds like an English S).

May 7: TASS Building
TACC is an acronym. In English, it would translate as Telegraphy Agency of the Soviet Agency. This news agency is a newswire service in Russia.

May 6: House on the Embakement

2010-05-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

May 6: House on the Embankment
This is a view of the House on the Embankment from across the Moscow. This building was constructed in the 1930s as a place for Stalin's party members to live. I found an interesting post on another blog that is no longer updated regarding the building. You can read it by clicking here.

May 5: Movie Poster

2010-05-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

May 5: Shrek in Russia
I just love to read movie posters in Russia. Sometimes the titles of a movie translate well; other times the titles of movies do not translate well. It always makes for a good laugh.
Foreign language movies in Russia are usually dubbed. You can hear the original language being spoken in the background. This drives my brain crazy when the original movie is in English. In my brain, English dominates and it turns into a translation game.

May 4: Parade Practice

2010-05-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

May 4: Parade Practice

In celebration of Victory Day, a large military style parade will take place in several cities through-out Russia. The participants in the Moscow parade have been practicing for the parade. This mean several streets along the parade route - including Tverskya, the main street in Moscow leading through the city into Red Square - has been shut-down for hours at a time to traffic.

This is a picture of several types of sanitation trucks (street cleaning, gravel trucks, etc.) waiting to block side streets leading to Tverskya when it is shut down for another parade practice.

May 3: For Sale

2010-05-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

May 3: For Sale

An old women was selling these scarves, shawls, and blankets in the park. She knitted them herself and is trying to earn extra income in addition to her pension.

May 2: Police Directing Traffic

2010-05-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

May 2: Police Directing Traffic

This is a weekend is a holiday in Russia. May 1 is Spring and Labor Day. Most office and government offices are close on Monday.

This police officer was directing traffic as the armed forces were preparing to practice for the Victory Day ( May 9) Parade.

May 1: Window Washer

2010-05-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

May 1: Window Washer

I came across this man washing windows last week. He was attached to the roof by one small roap. A man stood on the sidewalk and would yell at him to stop when people walked by to keep them from getting wet.

May 1: Window Washer

The cord for the power washer winded down the sidewalk, ran through a window, and into an apartment on the second floor. No cones or notices were set-up to keep people from tripping on the cord.

April 30: Church Door

2010-04-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

April 30: Church Door

This is a side door for entering Christ the Savior Cathedral.

April 30: Grass Seed

2010-04-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

April 30: Grass Seed

A city worker is throwing grass seed on a common area between the sidewalk and street. All city workers dress in orange vests or jumpsuits.

April 28: Bears on the Playground

2010-04-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

April 28: Bears on the Playground

I thought this teeter-totter was cute. It was carved out of wood. You will find ones similar to this throughout Russia. I would like to tell you where this one was, but I was actually lost when I was walking. It is somewhere near Novey Arabat.

April 27: Gone Fishing in the Moscow River

2010-04-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

April 27: Gone Fishing in the Moscow River

This man is fishing in the Moscow River near the Moscow River. I know it is hard to see the fishing pole, but look close as it is there. I am not sure if I would want to eat fish out of the river due to the pollution. This street next to the embankment is one of the busiest in Moscow. I was only able to snap a picture with no cars as they street was closed for some government official.

April 26: Wooden Church

2010-04-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

April 26: Wooden Church

This is a small wooden church located on the ground of Christ the Savior Cathedral.

April 25: View from the Kremlin

2010-04-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

April 25: View from the Kremlin

This picture included four historical landmarks in Moscow: Kremlin wall, Christ the Savior Cathedral, The House on the Embankment (building with the Mercedes emblem on top, and the Moscow River (flowing next to the street and under the bridge).

April 25: Russian Wedding

2010-04-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

April 25: Russian Wedding

This is a picture I took on Friday of a couple coming to Red Square to take picture on their wedding day. They arrived in a stretch limo to Red Square with their wedding party. The Kremlin wall is in the background.

April 25: Wedding Traditions

It is very common for a couple to go to a well know park or historical site before their ceremony to have pictures taken. As soon as the weather turns nice, you will see wedding parties every where having their pictures taken while drinking champagne.

April 25: Wedding Pictures in Red Square
The couple is walking up to Red Square between the Kremlin Wall and St. Basil's Cathedral.

April 23: Men at Work

2010-04-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

April 23: Men at Work

As I walked around the other side of the Kremlin wall, this scene made me laugh. One guy is working painting traffic barriers (far right) and the rest are sitting around eating and drinking. (It was 11:00 AM - way to early for lunch in Europe.) I have seen this same scene so many times before in America. Nice to know people are the same throughout the world.

April 22: Kremlin Wall

2010-04-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

April 22: Kremlin Wall

This picture was taken along the road leading from the Moscow River to Red Square. The road (closed to traffic and only used during parades or official government business) runs between the Kremlin wall and St. Basil's Cathedral. The Cathedral would be directly to the right, just across from the tower.

The word Kremlin in Russian means citideal or fortress. However, the international community uses the word Kremlin to represent the Russian government.

I took this picture earlier this week. I could not believe the bright green grass. No leaves on the tree, but bright green grass....

April 22: Cow on the Street

2010-04-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

April 22: Cow on the Street

This cow statue is located on Old Arabat street. It is located outside of a Russian cafeteria style restaurant called "Moo-Moo". You can eat here for around 200 rubles ($7).
You know it was a slow day for me if I am taking a picture of a cow on the street. One day a beautiful church; the next day a cow. This is my life...

April 20: Cathedral of Christ the Savior

2010-04-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

April 20: Cathedral of Christ the Savior

This cathedral is located on the banks of the Moscow River near the Kremlin. The original cathedral was demolished by dynamite in 1931 (videos can be found on YouTube) and the foundation hole was flooded by the river creating an open air swimming pool.

This replica of the cathedral was opened in 2000 and provides serves as a stunning reminder of what was lost. It is absolutly stunning on the inside and worth visiting if you ever make it to Moscow.

April 20: Traveling

2010-04-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

April 20: Traveling Out of Russia

I was out of the country last week. If you want to know where in the world this picture was taken, then click here. Back to Russia tomorrow....

April 18: St Nicholas at Nikitniki

2010-04-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

April 18: St Nicholas at Nikitniki

The church St. Nicholas at Nikitniki (1630) is located in Kitay-Gorod section of Moscow ( a few blocks from Red Square). This is an excellent example of baroque Russian architecture. The church use to dominate the skyline, but it is now located in a courtyard surround by modern buildings. You can not see it from Red Square or any other surrounding streets.

April 17: Back in the Metro

2010-04-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

April 17: Back in the Metro

I took my first metro ride since the terrorist attacks. It was a bit eerie at first, but I quickly fell back into my normal routine and my thoughts quickly escaped to other issues at hand.

This is a picture of a clock hanging above where trains exit the station. There is a clock at each station for in / out bound trains. The first number denotes the time (14:42 - 2:42 PM) and the second number is how long since the last train left the station. During peak hours, a train arrives at the station every 45 - 60 seconds. I have never waited more than 4:00 minutes for a train.

April 16: Board Games

2010-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

April 16: Board Games

This is a picture of several well know American board games translated into Russia. The games displayed are Monopoly (location and board is in Russian), Pictionary, Risk and Life.

April 15: US Tax Day

2010-04-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

April 15: US Tax Day

As today is tax day in America, I wanted to post a picture of some money. This is a picture of a $100 USD and three 1,000 ruble notes. The exchange rate for ruble to dollar today is 28.80 rubles to $1 USD. This mean the 3,000 rubles is worth about $100 USD ($103.80 to be exact).

You can click here to read more about American expats paying US taxes.

April 14: Flowers for Sale

2010-04-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

April 14: Flowers for Sale

Several vendors line the street outside of an outdoor market selling flowers. The woman in this area use to to "set up shop" closer to the metro. However, they have moved to the side of the street since the bombing. My only guess is the do not want to be close to the police or the police asked them to move away for safety purposes.

April 13: Floor Cleaners

2010-04-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

April 13: Floor Cleaners

You will find workers operating these machines in almost every public building in Russia. They are basically street sweepers for indoors. Workers push them around in stores to clean up the dirt and water tracked inside.

Some of the operators are ruthless and will practically mow you over if you are in their way. A group of my friends and I were talking the other day about how many times we all have been side swiped by one.

As I have two children who are outside all the time and I live in Russia, I would love to have one of these at home. I need this industrial size version and not just the scoomba.

April 12: Street Performance

2010-04-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

April 12: Street Performance

I have not seen as many street performers in Russia as I have in other parts of Europe. There are plenty of street musicians, but not performers doing other things. I do not know why.

This is a picture of a man performing an act with a small crystal ball on Old Arabat Street. There were about 50 people, mostly locals, standing around watching him.

April 11: Russian Fables

2010-04-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

April 11 : Russian Fables

Several monuments representing beloved Russian fables by Ivan Krylov are located at Partish Pond. This moment represents a fable tilted the Fox and Crow.

April 11: Russian Fables
The nose and hands of the characters are "polished" as many people are and the nose or hands of a statue when the pass by for good luck.
I took these photos yesterday when I was at the pond.

April 10: Patrish Pond

2010-04-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

April 10: Partish Purdy

Patriarch Pond (Патриаршие пруды ), located near the central of Moscow, is a popular destination for both tourist and locals. The area is consists of a pond, playground for children, walking path around the pound, and some sculptures dedicated to Russian fables. However, the pond is most famous for being the opening location for the famed Russian novel "The Master and Margarita".

The pond freezes solid in the winter allowing people the pleasure of ice skating on it. No swimming is allowed in the pond during the summertime, but you will see people fishing from the banks.

These pictures were taken from opposite corners of the pond. The yellow building located on the pond is now a restaurant.

April 9: More Wet Paint

2010-04-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

April 9: More Wet Paint

People in Moscow tend to get excited when workers start the process of painting outdoor common areas and buildings as this is a sure sign of spring. I find myself smiling when I see the workers hard at work slapping a fresh coat of pain on these various items. You know warmer weather is just around the corner.

These workers were painting the back of a building at a market.

April 8: Tram

2010-04-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

April 8: People Entering / Exiting Tram

This is a picture of people entering and exiting a trolley located on the Moscow Tram system.

Moscow has one of the largest Tram networks in the world. A tram is an electrical powered car (trolley or tram) guided by railway tracks. In English terms, this system is usually referred to as light rail.

Transportation officials estimate only about 7 - 10% of the population in Moscow uses the Moscow Tram system in their daily commute. People tend to rely on the networks of buses, trolley buses (electric buses not guided by tracks), and metro for transportation. However, the trams are packed as tight as the metro cars during rush hour and remain the only available option of public transportation for some people in Moscow.

April 7: Stop!

2010-04-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

April 7: Stop!

A traffic light and stop sign in Russian. The white sign with four letters printed in black writing says "Stop!" in Russian.

April 6: Fresh Bread

2010-04-06T03:12:00.000-07:00

April 6: Fresh Bread

One of the best parts of living in Europe is fresh baked bread!

I also took this picture on Sunday at the same bakery where I took photos of the Russian Easter cake and eggs posted on April 5.

I received an e-mail asking me what else the bakery sold and if I purchased anything else. The bakery offers the same types of bread and pastries you would find in any European bakery as well as a lot of local favorites (Russian black break, pirogi, etc.)

I bought two loafs of bread (white and Russian black), one quiche, and some tiny chocolate chip cookies. My family has eaten most of the goodies, so I can not take a picture of them. The Easter cakes were a bit expensive at this bakery and no one in the family is that found enough of them to spend $30 on a giant cake. The Lieutenant just bought a mini-cake at our local grocery store.

April 5: Few More Easter Photos

2010-04-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

April 5: Easter Window Display - View from Outside

I wanted to post a few more Easter themed photos for everyone to see. Easter was the the same day this year for Orthodox and Western Christian Easter. These days - both celebrating the resurrection of Christ - conincide every few years. You can click here for an explanation as to why the dates are different.

April 5: Easter Window Display - View from Inside

This photo and the one posted above were taken at the same bakery. The hand-painted eggs were geourgous and cakes cooked delicious.

April 5: Easter Cake

This is a picture of a traditional Russian Easter cake. I am not sure if this is an Orthodox or Russian only Easter cake. I think it tastes like a light think white cake with candied fruit, nuts, and raisins inside. The XB stands for "Christ is Risen"

April 5: Outside of the Cemetery

In Russia, it is traditional to honor the dead by decorating the grave. A few of my Russian friends have given me different explaintion as to why this is done at Easter. However, all of them agree place the flowers on your departed one's grave to honor them and signify your loved one is deserving to be resonrected in the second coming of Christ.

I did not take any pictures inside of the cemetery as it was packed. I felt this would be too intrusive.

April 4: Happy Easter

2010-04-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

April 4: Happy Easter

This is a picture of a church right off the one of the main pedestrian streets (Old Arabat) in Moscow. The sign on fence is the standard congratulations people wish each other for Easter. It translates as happy / congratulations "bright, holy Easter" or, as we say in America, Happy Easter.

April 3: Fuit and Vegetable Market

2010-04-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

April 3: Fruit and Vegetable Market

I can tell spring is here as the fruits and vegetables are looking better everyday at the market.

April 02: Wet Paint

2010-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

April 2: Wet Paint

You can tell spring as arrived in Russia when workers start painting away the winter grime. This gives the entire city a bright, clean look.
My daughter and I encountered several workers painting fences, trashcans, gates, parking blockades, etc. on our walk today.

April 1: Crowds in the Metro

2010-04-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

April 1: Crowds in the Metro

I took this picture at 1:55 PM on Thursday, March 25 in the Moscow Metro at the station Pushkinskya. My original intent was to post it as the picture of the day to show how crowded the metro is in the middle of the afternoon.

I did not post it as it turned out dark. However, I do believe it relates nicely to be blog post today and warrants being posted. You can read the post by clicking here.

March 31: Traffic

2010-03-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

March 31: Traffic

Moscow has some of the worst traffic in the world. There are too many cars and people for a city designed prior to the invention of the automobile. This combined with a limited number of places where making a left turn is legal and a law against moving an automobile crashs off to the side of the road (even a fender-bender) until the police arrive causes traffic to come to a complete stand still sometimes.

Today, I sat somewhere between 80 - 100 minutes in my car in this tunnel. Did I mention my son was in the car? Not the best picture; just my pain and frustration.

March 30: Peace Throughout the World

2010-03-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

March 30: Peace Throughout the World

This tile mosaic - titled "Peace Throughout the Word" - is located in the Moscow Metro station Novoslobodskaya. The 3 letter word written in Russian near the top of the mosaic is "мир" (mir). This word is one of my favorites in Russian as it has an interesting double meaning. Mir means both peace and world.

The banner stretching from side to side has the Russian words "Мир во всем мире" written on it. This can be translated as "Peace Throughout the World", "Peace for the all of the world" or, more simply as, "World Peace".

A friend of mine from Houston visiting me last fall took this picture. I wanted to share it with all of you today given the events yesterday and the fact it is a splendid example of artwork in the Moscow metro.

March 26: Woman Entering the Metro

2010-03-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

March 26: Woman Entering the Metro

As you have probably heard, two women suicide bombers blew themselves up in the Moscow Metro today killing at least 40 people and injuring dozens more. I took this picture at around 2:00 PM this afternoon of a woman entering the metro. ( The sign on the door translates as "Entrance to Metro".) The people of Moscow were doing the same thing they and residents of too many cities to name have done after other terrorist attacks: they were living their lives and taking the metro as needed.

Click here if you want to read more about my Moscow metro system and my thoughs on today's events.

March 28: Pizza Time

2010-03-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

March 28: Man Dresses as a Big Slice of Pizza

I finally found the man dressed as a big slice of pizza. He is standing out in front of Sabarro.

You can click here to see a man dressed as a big mug of beer. If only these two worked the same street corner....

March 27: Exchange Rate

2010-03-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

March 27: Exchange Rate

The electronic sign depicts the buy / sale rate for the dollar to ruble. These signs are common throughout the city.

The sign directly above is for a popular chain of coffee houses. The name of the establishment is Coffee House. This is written on the sign in the white letters below directly below the picture of the coffee cup.

March 26: Bright Blue Sky

2010-03-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

March 26: Bright Blue Sky

The sky was a brillian blue today in Moscow. It was a bit crisp out side as the temerature was 40 F (+4.5 C) and it was windy. However, it was a great day to be outside.

This winter as had a lot of sunny days and, even though the winter sun has provided no warmth, I have really appreciated these days. There was nothing but grey skies day after day last winter for 3 - 4 months.

This church is located off of Tverskya near Belaruskaya train station. I do not know the name of the church. I was walking along thinking about the blue sky when I saw the church. I thought it would make the perfect backdrop to the blue sky, so I snappd the picture.

March 25: Sea of Green

2010-03-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

March 25: Sea of Green

I was so happy today to see a patch of green grass appear from under the melting snow.

March 24: Spring Flowers for Sale

2010-03-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

March 24: Spring Flowers for Sale

This women selling flowers outside of the metro was the only sign of spring today in Moscow. A light snow blanketed the city early in the morning before turning to rain.

March 23: Frozen Showers

2010-03-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

March 23: Frozen Showers

After a full-day of spring rain, the water freezes in the drain pipes at night. This is the part of the year where you have to be very careful where you walk. The rain and melting snow freeze at night on the sidewalk and roads. You never know where there will be a patch of black ice.

March 22: Spring Showers

2010-03-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

March 22: Spring Showers

Spring has sprung in Moscow a couple of days late. It rained most of the day and the temperature was a warm + 4 C (40 F). This is a welcome change after the cold winter weather.

Although a good portion of the snow has been removed from the city, there is still a lot of snow piled-up in various places. The rain did a great job of melting the snow and the street are flooded.

March 21: Man Dressed as Giant Mug of Beer

2010-03-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

March 21: Man Dressed as a Giant Beer Mug

I think the title of this post says it all. Not a lot of other words are needed.

This beer mug was standing on Tverksya Avenue about mid-way between the Kremlin and Pushkin Square. He is advertising beer for a local restaurant. I have seen people in the US dressed in a lot of costumes to advertising a place of business, but I have never anyone dressed as a giant mug of beer.

I am still looking for the "Man Dressed as a Giant Bottle of Vodka". I am sure he is out there, some where on the streets of Moscow.

March 20: Beep! Beep!

2010-03-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

March 20: Beep! Beep!

Parking on the sidewalk is an illegally accepted method of parking in Moscow. The Volkswagen is this picture is parked illegally. In order to get to this spot, the driver had to drive about 50 yards on the sidewalk.

As I was standing on the sidewalk talking a picture, I was almost hit by the driver of this Volkswagen. I was so engrossed in what I was doing I did not realize he was honking at me to get get out the way. At least the driver did apologize for almost running me over.

Little did you know...I risk my life for these pictures.

March 19: Pedestrian Walking Path

2010-03-19T00:41:00.000-07:00

March 19: Pedestrian Walking Path

This pedestrian walking path is located across from Pushkin Square. It is bordered by two busy one-way streets and runs perpendicular to Tverskya. This pathway is about 1.5 miles long and provides a beautiful place to walk in the city center.

March 18: Tverskaya Ulitsa (Part II)

2010-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

March 18: Tverskaya Utiltsa (View II)
A reader requested a picture of Tverskaya Utiltsa leading into the Kremlin. This picture was taken about a 100 yards (90 meters) from the picture I posted on March 15. ( Click here to view March 15 photo).
Tverskaya stops about 50 yards before the red building. The red building is the State Historical Museum. This building is wedged between Red Square and Manege Square. The Kremlin is just off to to the right and you can see the towers in the picture.
If you have ever seen a photo of a military parade in Moscow along a street, there is a 99% chance the photo was taken on this street around the area these two pictures were taken.

March 17: Men Drinking

2010-03-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

March 17: Men Drinking

Several men stand outside of this small grocery store drinking (vodka, beer), smoking and talking. I have seen them start to gather as early as 10:00 AM and the crowd will grow larger at around 6:00 PM. There is a well-used bus stop located in the front of this grocery store (in front of the tomato) about 50 feet away; therefore, the sidewalk in front of the store has a lot of foot traffic. I have never worried about my safety as I have walked by the men drinking and no one has called out to me.

March 16: Tverskaya Ulitsa

2010-03-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

March 16: Tverskaya Ulitsa
This is a view of the main street, Tverskaya Ulitsa, in Moscow. The street starts at the Kremlin and ends just outside the city center.

March 15: Honey Festival

2010-03-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

March 15: Honey Festival
This picture was taken about 2 weeks ago at the semi-annual Honey Festival in Moscow. Over 400 vendors from Russian and the former Russian Republics attended the festival to sale their honey.

March 15: Separation of Honey Comb from Dividers

This women is separating the honey comb from the hive dividers. The comb tastes like honey filled candy. Most people suck the honey out of the comb and chew on the comb for a bit. They spit it out once all the flavor is gone.

You can read more about our adventure at the honey festival by clicking here.

March 14: Books for Sale

2010-03-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

March 14: Books for Sale
These vendors are selling used books on Old Arabat street in Moscow. As a friend of my in Moscow pointed out, these vendors haul their books down the street everyday and set-up shop regardless of the weather.

March 13: Bread - Xлеб

2010-03-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

March 13: Bread

This is a kisok for buying bread and other products full of carbohydrates (cereal, crackers, oatmeal, etc.) near my house. Xлеб (Hlyeb) is the Russian word for bread. Every day at 4:30 a truck delivers bread to this kiosk. The seniors citizens are often waiting for the break truck's arrival.

March 12: Meeeoooow!

2010-03-12T10:07:00.000-08:00

March 12: Meeeeooow!
There are so many comments that come to mind with this picture...I am not sure where to start. It is hard when you are as sarcastic as me to find just one appropriate comment.

The fact is a lot of cars in Moscow have custom paint. This is by far not the strangest one I have seen. Imported cars are extremely expensive - almost 40% - 80% more than in the US. A friend of mine in the auto industry told me car owners apply customer paint to help prevent a cars from being stolen. Not sure if this is true, but it makes sense to me. Who would want to steal someone's cat?

I bet the dogs have fun chasing this car! Bark! Bark! Meeeeooo!

March 11: Ice Skating on Red Square

2010-03-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

March 11: Ice Skating on Red Square
This is a the outdoor skating rink located on Red Square. You can see St. Basil's Cathedral rising in the back and the edge of the Kremlin wall on the right. The workers have started the process of ismantling the rink. This is a sure sign spring is just around the corner....

March 10: Waiting at the Ritz

2010-03-10T12:33:00.001-08:00

March 10: Waiting at the Ritz
About 300 young girls were lined-up oustide of The Ritz-Carlton waiting to see Tokio Hotel. You can read more about my experience when I first moved to Moscow with celebrity stalkers by clicking here or about how I can hum along to five lines of a Tokio Hotel song by clicking here.

March 9: Old Posters

2010-03-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

March 9: Old Posters
Posters advertising a wide range of products and events use to line the side of this building. This is all that is left. A worker has been scraping the side of the building for two day trying to remove the remnants.

March 8: Happy International Women's Day

2010-03-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

March 8: Happy International Women's Day
Today is International Women's Day. In Russia, it is very traditional to give and receive flowers for the holiday. My daughter and I received the flowers in this picture from two of my friends. If you want to learn more about the holiday and gifts we received, you can click here and here

March 7: Underground Shopping

2010-03-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

March 7: Underground Shopping
This "little shop" is located in the underground passageway for entering / exiting the Metro near my apartment. There are thousand of shops like this one located in underground passages throughout the city. These shops are independently owned and sale about everything you could imagine. The cost of the items sold depends on the quality of the item and location of the kiosk.

March 6: Adverting in Ice

2010-03-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

March 6: Advertising in Ice
An advertisement for a tabloid magazine is encased in a block of ice located on Red Square.

March 5: And the Snow Starts to Melt

2010-03-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

March 5: And the Snow Starts to Melt
This is what happens to the streets and sidewalks of Moscow when the mercury climes a couple of degrees above ZERO. It is a big, wet mess in the city! I have to navigate through this puddle every day on my way to the metro.

March 4: Flower Shops

2010-03-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

March 4: Flower Shops
Most of the flower shops are open 24 hours a day in Moscow. This is a picture of 2 flower shops located side by side.

March 3: Snow is All Gone

2010-03-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

March 3: Snow is All Gone
What happen to the snow? Did it all melt? The answer is NO!
The snow was removed from the street as I mentioned here and here.

I took the picture below February 21 and posted on this site. It was taken at almost the spot as the picture above. You can use the red building on the right as a reference point. There is a 10 day elapse between these two pictures.

March 2: Club Football (Soccer) Practice

2010-03-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

March 2: Club Football (Soccer) Practice
Russian children often focus on only one sport or extra-curricular activity at at time. They will train 5 - 6 times a week. Some club's train year around while other will take a short break depending on the club's level, sport, and season. This approach to children's activities today is similar to the approach employed during the Soviet era.

This children's club football team practices 5 times a week. Practice is only canceled if the temperature drops below -15 C or they can not see due to poor conditions. The children in this picture looked to be about 7 - 8 years old in person to me.

March 1: Moscow Kremlin

2010-03-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

March 1: Moscow Kremlin
This is a view of the Kremlin from the embankment of the Moscow River. The word Kremlin translates as fortress in the Russian.

February 28: Stuck in the Slosh

2010-02-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

February 28: Stuck in the Slosh
Public places in Moscow do not always have parking available. Drivers have to sometime park on the sidewalk or grassy area. My driver parked in a field today and got stuck in the slosh. It took 6 strong men to push our van out of the muddy snow.

February 27: Memorial to Michael

2010-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

February 27: Memorial to Michael Jackson

This is a small memorial (flowers, cards, poems, etc.) in memory of Micheal Jackson located next to the American Embassy in Russia. I pass by this area at least once time a week and am surprised Muscovites are still memorializing him. Don't mistake me as a Micheal Jackson fan - I am not. I think it is just interesting people are still leaving stuff bears on a sidewalk in his memory.

February 26: Buried in the Snow

2010-02-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

February 26: Buried in Snow

Snowplows clearing the street have almost buried this car in snow. This car has been moved at some point this winter as there is not a lot of snow accumulated on the top of the car and the windshield has been cleared. The owner will need to get a shovel and start digging. This would be a good job for Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame on the Discovery Channel.

February 25: M is for Metro

2010-02-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

February 25: M is for Metro
M is for Metro in both Russian and English. These large signs are located on the street at every entrance to the metro. Over 7 million passengers use the Moscow Metro each day.

February 24: Wet Clothes Drying

2010-02-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

February 24: Wet Clothes Drying at School
After playing in the snow, my son's class hang up their clothes to dry. Notice the pants and gloves in the cabinet next to the coats. The white object located in the bottom of the cabinet is a heater used to help dry the clothes quickly. All children are required to wear a snowsuit, hat, gloves, and boots to / from school each day.

February 23: Defenders of the Fatherland

2010-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

February 23: Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland

Today is the Russian Holiday "Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland". This holiday was originally created to celebrate the day the red army was formed. Now it honors all men who have served in any branch of the military. This poster, and several others displayed throughout the city, commemorates the day.

February 22: Storm of the Decade - Part II

2010-02-22T06:59:00.000-08:00

As forecasted, almost 20 inches of snow has fallen in Moscow in the past 24 hours. This makes the 4 day accumulation total approximately 26 - 27 inches.

February 21: Heavy Snow
The residents of Moscow go about their life as this was any ordinary day. All stores are open for business and public transportation is running on time.

February 21: Snow Remove Vehicles
Snow remove vehicles work as fast as possible to remove the snow. They do not wait until after the storm as it would be to difficult to remove at one time and to easy travel during the storm.

February 21: Digging Out
Snow plows clearing the streets encase cars parked along the street in snow. This man is shoveling the snow around his parked car so that he will be able to move his car.

February 21: Removing Snow from Building
This man is removing snow and ice from the roof of the building. This is done on almost all buildings in Moscow to prevent falling snow and ice from hitting people standing or walking on the street. Several people in Russia are severely injured and / or killed each year from snow and ice falling off of a building.

February 21: Car Wreck
Despite the fact Muscovites are use to driving in treacherous conditions, car wrecks still occur.

February 21: Coffee Break
Alex and I take a break from walking in the snow storm to enjoy a hot cup of coffee.

February 21: Storm of the Decade

2010-02-21T04:29:00.000-08:00

In the past 12 hours, 6 - 8 inches of snow has fallen in Moscow. The forecast calls for another 20 inches to fall by the end of day tomorrow.

February 21: Convoy of Snow Plows
During or after a heavy snow fall, snow plows will travel in a convoy formation to push as much snow as possible to the side of the street. You can see the third plow in the formation about to turn the corner.

February 21: Snow Removal
A bucket loader is used to move snow from the side of the street into dump truck or a designated point on the street.

February 21: Helping Hands
This machine is called "Helping Hands" in Russian. Snow is pushed up a conveyor belt (located on the left) by metal hands and is dumped in the back of a dump truck. The snow is then removed from the city.

February 21: Man Shoveling Snow
A man shoveling snow outside of a store during the snow storm. The snow needs to be removed as quick as possible in order to prevent an icy build-up and allow people to walk on the sidewalks.

February 21: Chemical Spray
A chemical to melt ice and snow is sprayed onto the main streets in Moscow. This will prevent the ice from forming for approximately 24 hours. Locals say the chemicals are sometimes so strong that they will melt a hole into the bottom of their shoes.

February 20: Fur Boots

2010-02-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

February 20: Fur Boots

That is not a cat next to her leg!

Not only do women in Russia wear fur coats and hats, but many of them also wear fur boots. After all the pictures I have posted of dirty snow, can you imagine what those white fur boots look like after wearing them 1 day in Moscow?

Feburary 19: Militia Oustide of Red Square

2010-02-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

Feburary 19: Militia Oustside of Red Square

Militia Men (police) gathering meet outside of Red Square. A public concert was schedule for later in the day and they were there to help with crowd control.

Feburary 18: Best of Intentions

2010-02-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

Even the best of intentions and well thought-out plans sometime fail....

I was feeling rather smug with myself for posting a daily picture on "This is a Russian Life in Photos" for 14 days in a row. I mean, come on...14 days is a long time! Think of it in dog years! In fact, I was in the process of writing an post for my other blog regarding the daily pictures when my computer suddenly experienced a major electrical failure.

The man behind the curtain decided to reminded me not to get to smug with myself.

As Alex kindly posted on both of my blogs, I had no back-up plan for posting a picture. Using a public computer in Moscow is not really an option. Not only are the expensive to use, but there is a high probaility any data typed on a public computer is stolen. Russia is the number 1 producer of SPAM - and I do not mean canned meat - and second only to China in hacking / internet theft. Imagine if someone got a hold of the passwords for my blog and started posting content. This would no longer be a family friendly blog. No telling what you would find when you logged on to look at the daily photos.

Alex has taken my laptop to the an authorized dealer of the brand we own for repairs. ( I am not going to mention the brand as it is my former employer. I still own stock and want you to buy as many products from them as possible.) Anyway, the authorized dealer is located in the electronics market in Moscow. This is a place where you can find anything related to electronics, legal or illegal, that you want. There is not doubt in my mind the data on my computer is being stripped and sold as I write this sentence. Good news is I listed to my mom and do not have any of those type of photos that could be embarrassing stored on my laptop. I am sure she is proud!

In the mean time, I am now working on a new mini laptop Alex bought be when he was in Asia. ( Please no comments from my friends and co-workers at my former employer. This is what was available when he went to purchase the laptop. Think of it as a desperation purchase.) Alex and I had been talking about buying a min-laptop for when we travel; our hand was just forced sooner than later.

Here is a picture of my new mini-laptop:

I think I will wait a couple of months before I congratulate myself again posting pictures daily. And before I do, I will make I have backed up my primary computer on to my external hard drive and my new little laptop is up and running. On April 18th I am going to have a party and invite everyone from Oz for my celebration. You can hear me laughing now at the man behind the curtain. Ha! Ha! Ha! I do like to live dangerously as long as I have a back-up!

I will start posting again daily....

Crash

2010-02-10T07:09:00.001-08:00

Samantha's computer is refusing to start and Alex is traveling (again) somewhere in Asia. New photos will be posted when Alex returns from Hong Kong with a brand new laptop.

February 7: Fur Coats

2010-02-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

February 7: Woman in Fur
Fur coats in Russia are considered fashionable. The majority of the local woman own fur or fur-lined coats.

February 7: Women in Fur
As this has been one of the coldest winters on record in the past 10 - 20 years, almost all of the local women have been wearing their fur coats daily.

February 7: Women in Fur
People often wear fur hats too. The women on the right has on a black sable hat. This hat costs significantly more than her coat.

February 6: Dirty Side of Snow

2010-02-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

February 6: Dirty Side of Snow
This is is what happens landing on a street in Moscow!

February 5: Stalin Skyscraper

2010-02-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

February 5: Stalin Skyscraper
This is one of the seven skyscrapers Stalin had built to dominate the Moscow skyline. These skyscrapers are referred to as the "seven sisters". This "Seven Sister" skyscraper does not have a particular name. It is now used both as an office and residential building.

February 4: Russian Church at Sunrise

2010-02-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

February 4: Russian Church at Sunrise
A small Russian Orthodox church at sunrise. The wooden structure in the foreground is also located on the church grounds and is used as an office and storage facility.

February 3: Perfect Parking Spot

2010-02-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

February 3: Perfect Parking Spot
Due to the poor driving conditions in the winter (ice, snow, tire requirements, etc.), there are some people who park their car for the winter and do not drive. This car has not been moved since late November.

Febuary 2: Mini Storage in Russia

2010-02-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

February 2: Mini Storage in Russia
This is a typical metal storage building / garage located outside of an Solviet style block apartment building. These garages serve the same function as garages in America - somethings they store cars, but most of the time they store junk. Someone spray painted "slut" in English on the outside of these garages and several kiosk last Spring. Instead of removing the graffiti, the "U" was transformed to an "O" and now the word "slot" appears.

February 1: Shopping at a Street Market

2010-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

February 1: Shopping at an Open Market
Russians buying fresh fruit and vegetables at an area market.

January 31: Snow Removal

2010-01-31T04:34:00.000-08:00

January 31: Snow Removal - Step 1
Shovel snow into a big pile via a small bulldozer (orange) and manual labor

January 31: Snow Removal - Step 2
Scoop snow via front loader and transport to blue trash bin.

January 31: Snow Removal - Step 3
Put snow into trash bin for collection. All of the snow on the streets and a good majority in parking lots is removed from the city. Snow can not be piled up on the sides of the street as there would be not enough room for the cars to drive and park.