All the Touristy Things

A few lessons from a week in Moscow:

1. Don't smile at strangers. They think it's weird. Even in your own dorm.
2. People can always tell you're not Russian once you open your mouth. The more "helpful" establishments will then reply to you in English.
3. Nothing is free (except for the WiFi). 
4. It's not unusual to see vodka or beer cheaper than water on the menu. (Tap water is not a thing you want to drink.)
5. You can sit in a cafe all day on one cup of coffee and nobody will say anything to you.
6. The bread from the grocery store is more delicious. However, it completely lacks preservatives (probably why it is more delicious) and will go moldy in 2 days. 

I've found that I know enough Russian to get through basic tasks (buying food from the grocery store, ordering in a restaurant) without making a fool of myself, but more complex interactions elude me. "I don't understand" is becoming a key phrase. Usually people can repeat the key words from a sentence and I'll get the meaning. 

SO. Onto the fun stuff.

Wednesday afternoon, a few of us decided to head down to Red Square (Красная плошадь) after we finished our homework.

St. Basil's Cathedral / Собор Василия Блаженного

Kremlin on the left, St. Basil's on the right

Friday we went on a very extensive walking tour of the city center.

Bolshoi Theater / Большой Театр

Church just inside Red Square

The two arches to this church are actually the entrance to Red Square.

GUM / ГУМ (giant fancy shopping mall - think the Galleria, but with the architecture of a Victorian train station)

Red Square

St. Basil's

Looking down the river towards the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Red Square is just out of the frame on the right.

Kremlin / Кремль

the lock/bridge trend is still a thing here

Random church right by the metro

Just like in the rest of Europe, it's totally common to be in a very modern part of town, then turn the corner to find yourself looking at a very old church.

I just like the colors on this one...

Yesterday I went to Gorky Park (Парк Горкого) with a couple of friends. They've just recently re-done the park, so it's all fancy and free now. Most of the people there were actual Russians, not tourists. You can swim in the fountain, rent rollerblades, play volleyball/basketball/ping-poing, or rent a giant cushion to lie in the sun.

They also have a space shuttle in the park.

rad statue garden thing across the street from Gorky

A few things here took getting used to, like the complete lack of air conditioning and the general shoviness of people on the metro. Regardless, I'm having a great time, and I think I will definitely enjoy my time living here.

Did I mention that the metro stations are all very pretty?