Moscow!!!

On the day I arrived in Moscow, I went downtown and walked around. The sun was setting only around 10:30 pm while I was there. This photo was taken about at dusk. I'm standing on a bridge over the Moscow river, looking at the Kremlin. You can see clearly one of the Kremlin towers and in the background one of the 4 ancient churches that stand inside the Kremlin walls.

I was in Moscow primarily to officiate at the church wedding of my friend Masha and Nathan. The wedding took place at a charming little church located within an old cemetary in the eastern part of Moscow. The wedding was beautiful and meaningful. It was a bilingual wedding as we had those who only spoke English, only Russian, or both. The service was conducted in English with an excellent interpreter translating into Russian. Afterwards was a very nice reception in a different part of town.

Besides officiating at the wedding, I spent my time sight-seeing and visiting. I stayed with Sasha and Ira -- brother and sister-in-law of my friend, Vladimir, in Austin. They have a spare room (a real luxury in Moscow) and gave me the run of the apartment. They were gone to their summer cottage (dacha) from Friday to Monday night, so during that time I felt like a real Muskovite with his own place. It was fun.

I got good at riding the Metro (subway), ate some new foods, made some new friends, and saw some beautiful sights.

Now, to plan the next trip back!!

In Moscow

I arrived in Moscow on Wednesday, June 7th at about noon. Masha and Nathan (bride and groom for Saturday's wedding) were there to meet me. We grabbed some lunch at the stolovia (cafeteria) and talked for an hour and then waited for Vanessa (Masha's friend from D.C.) to arrive. Vanessa had trouble with her luggage and so she was late coming out to find us, but after she did we all rode the marshrutka (shuttle bus) to the closest Metro stop and then rode the Metro together. Nathan, Masha and Vanessa all got out at her stop and I rode on to the station where I changed lines and then rode on to my stop in southwest Moscow.

I had a little trouble finding Sasha and Ira's apartment, but did finally and when I did, they were not home! It was nearly 5:00 and I expected Sasha to be home. I decided to try to talk to a neighbor (the apartment entrances are in clusters of 4 on each floor, and often these people if they live in the same place a long time, become good friends with their neighbors). One neighbor answered the door and I succeeded in communicating in Russian who I was and what my problem was regarding finding Sasha. He made some calls and then he got the key to Sasha's apartment and let me in! Hurrah! I was a little concerned that Sasha's dog -- a beautiful big German Shepherd would not remember me, but if he did or didn't at least he didn't attack, we greeted each other (he smelled my hand) and then all was well.

Sasha and Ira came home by about 6:15, and we had a nice reunion.

This post is coming from an Internet Cafe in the underground mall next to Red Square. I'm almost out of time, so further posts and (I hope) some pictures will follow.