June 2: Snow in June

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 16: Fountain

May 16:  Greek Fountain

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

May 14: Shoe Shopping

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 4: Parade Practice

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

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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 1: Window Washer

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: Grass Seed

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

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

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 23: Men at Work

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 12: Street Performance

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 9: More Wet Paint

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 02: Wet Paint

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. 

March 27: Exchange Rate

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 24: Spring Flowers for Sale

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 19: Pedestrian Walking Path

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 17: Men Drinking

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 14: Books for Sale

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 9: Old Posters

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 6: Adverting in Ice

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