On San Petersburg - intro

I just did what happened to do.

I had no real plan (-again!) for San Petersburg. I mean, I sort of had an idea.. my friends gave me a map of the city and some general information.

The map and all the information written on it, was in Russian. Thank goodness drawings have a universal interpretation.

Xhenja is the reason I took it so easy. She is a friend of mine from San Petersburg, back there for a weekend. For two days she’s been my free, all round, fully knowledgeable English speaking guide.

In addition to that, I had sunshine on me most of the time (quite unusual for this time of the year).

29.10.2011 On trains and people

It wasn’t as bad as I expected. A friend of mine used words like “cattle truck conditions” when travelling on a second class night train in Russia.

We were surely quite packed up, but it could have been worse. (I like to see the glass half full, not half empty).

There was room for the passengers’ luggage, there was a cafeteria (= two middle-aged, plump women, with tired legs and weary makeup serving tea and snacks. Their grey uniforms spoke of the fatigue of all the sleepless working shifts). There was a toilet.

Each passenger had a set of blankets, sheets, duvet and pillow to ensure a – hopefully good, night of sleep.

I do not quite like sleeping on bunk beds. Luckily I slept on the lower one. It took time for people to fall asleep, someone kept smoking all night long (there was a sort of smoking area. Although the door was closed, the smoke leaked in). The man sleeping above me, used rock music as lullaby.

But, as I said, it could have been worse.

29.10.11 Komsolmoskaya train (&metro) station 1.04 am

And here I am.. standing in a crowded hall, sorrounded by other travellers like me.

In this set made of luggage, people, shops and cafes, we are the bored and sleppy component.

In this confined space everyone is in waiting. We will all leave sooner or later.

My train to San Petersburg should arrive in half an hour or so. I am quite exicted.. I need a break from Moscow. The hectic life that is lived here is not quite for me.

There is a massive screen facing the main entrance. It broadcasts-in loop, the future of Russian railways according to the present government (Medvedev + Putin). It looks promising.. but it also looks very much like propaganda to me.

Later on, on the train, when it had just departed:

“Leaving always fills me up with a sense of peace and calm. The feeling of satisfaction is suddenly overwhelming. What surprises me is that I always manage to forget what it feels like…”

Sunrise, November 2011

View from home.
Modern times??

Yaroslav at night

On our first and only night there, we walked all along the Strelka. A very pleasant and relaxing stroll, with the Volga on the left, flowing silently and discreetely.

At the end of it, a show of colours, music and water surprised us.
Here a short video of what I heard and saw.
             
                                     

Getting&arriving there

No planning means no advanced booking for train tickets.
Buying tickets half an hour before the stimated departure time means paying at least twice the average price.
We wanted to leave Moscow so price did not matter to us.
The rest of the morning was spent in shared sleeping cars chatting and sleeping. I took out a friend's guide and  read something on Jaroslavl.. I thought it could have been useful having some infomation on the palce we were going to visit.

So Jaroslavl is the result of a killing of a bear by Prince Jaroslav. It seems like he was such a strong and bald young man that he faced this wild animal only with a axe and killed it with just one hit. What a fearless hero! To make sure such perfomance was not going to fall into oblivion, he built a fortress. And they all lived happily ever after.

After four hours, some hiccuped rest and munched food, we got off the train, bought the ticket back  and tried to find the hostel/hotel.
There is one thing to be aware of when travelling around Russia: make sure you perfectly know how to get to wherever you want to go. Asking passers-by is no use. Not cos they aren't willing to help but cos they will give you opposite information.
And you are left there with a big question mark: should I go straight?or turn left?or should I turn right?should I ask someone else?should I cross the street?
What is for sure is that it builds up your diplomatic skills.
Somehow - andafter a considerable walk up and down Jaroslavl, we got to the hotel which was clean, comfortable and welcoming. And very close to the old part of the town.

Jaroslav: no planning needed

Four of us got together for the trip to Jaroslav.

We've been talking about it for two weeks. Talking, not planning.

"So, are we going to Jaroslav?" "When are we going?" "Who's coming?" etc etc.

The part related to - how we get there, where will we stay, what we want to visit, wasn't taken in consideration too seriously.

We kind of knew how to get there ("there are trains leaving from Moscow to Jaroslav" we were told), we kind of knew how to come back ("well, if trains get there then trains will also come back" - we thought) and we knew there was a place were we could spend the night. We booked it few hous before departure.

Approximate directions were given on how to arrive at the hotel/hostel by a friend of us: "Just go straight from the train station. Keep right. It is a 20 minute walk". 

Jaroslaw counts nearly 700.000 inhabitants.

None of us printed a map of the town.

We only checked the weather forecast: Saturday max temperature 20 Celsius degrees, clear sky. Sunday: light rain (maybe).

The evening before leaving and after a few text messages, we agreed on meeting at 9am at Komsomolskaya metro station, on the platform.

That has been the only thing we planned of the whole trip.

A weekend away : Jaroslav

Just what was needed.
A break away from Moscow.
At times you just want to spend few hours somewhere without metro, traffic, pollution.
Moscow is a great place, but walking distances (no need for metro in Jaroslav!), friendly faces, cheap restaurants and clean air, can actually recharge your batteries.

The weather was kind both on Saturday and on Sunday. No rain, no cold wind, no snow.

Back to Moscow

It’s been more than a month now.I’m back to work and back to life.

I spent the first two and a half weeks at a friend’s house while looking for a place. I found a flat halfway from work and the “ring”: the brown circle metro line that marks off the centre of Moscow.

It is starting to be quite chilly.. plus 10 Celsius degrees in the afternoon. From the balcony of my bedroom (I’m on the eight floor) you can see two of the “Seven Sisters”. At night the view is inspiring, sexy, intriguing.

It happened to me to walk around Moscow at night. Or to get a taxi back home at 4am. It is incredibly fascinating and I always feel safe.

Soviet car history in a minute or so

Here some Soviet cars from early 1940s up to 1990s.

"Victory", "Zhiguli", "Volga" and "Moskvich" are some of their names.

Fuel consumption: from 6.5 to 12 litre per 100 Kilometres.

That's all the information I managed to remember.

They were a curious and unexpected surprise while visiting the Television Tower at Okstankino.

The cathedral of Saint Vasily

St Vasily (and not Basil!!) is a colourful, narrow, startling mix of altar pieces, vaults, precious stones and gold, frescos, corridors, small rooms and steep spiral stairs. It is an incredible labirynth of hidden corners and unexpected marvels. They are all awating for your curiosity to show off.

The cathedral ows its shape and beauty to Italian architects and craftsmen who lived and worked here in Moscow between 15th and 16th century.

It has a pretty peculiar structure which lies on one single foundation. There is a central church and around it 8 side churches. It was commissioned by the tzar Ivan the Terrible to celebrate the Kazan Victory (when Russian troops took kazan in 1551).

- While doing some research on religious and sacred places of Moscow, I discovered that most churches, cathedrals or convents have been built to commemorate a particular war victory-

Walking around the ring

The ring is a circular route that sorrounds the centre of Moscow.

Originally here stood the long and tall defensive walls of the city of tsars. Between XVIII and XIX century a two way road with a green boulvard in the middle took their place. That green boulvard is now considered the longest park in Moscow. It is also the park with the most original shape and -I would like to add, the narrowest park I've ever walked.

I went to explore it last week.

I found literature (the statute of Aleksandr Griboyedov - Russian playwright), architecture ("monastyr" seem to mushroom in Moscow), politics (the statue of Nadezdha Krupskaya: Lenin's wife - writer and fierce Bolshevik), music (the statute of Sergei Rachmaninov - composer), art (several museums). In Petrovsky Bulvar, between Petrosky Monastyr and Art Nouveau buildings I also found "globalization".

Click on video :)

Garage - contemporary art

This is one of the many contemporary art museums here in Moscow. It is close to where a live and yesterday I went to have a look at it.
I am not a massive fan of contemporary art, but I believe that visiting a museum it is always worth it. You never know, you may discover something new.

I very much enjoyed the photography exhibition on the on "Alternative fashion before Glossies 1985-1995". Here what was written on the wall when I entered the room:
"..history of alternative fashion, a trend that emerged at the junction of rock and squat club culture during the period that started with early perestroika and ended with the arrival of glossy fashion periodicals in mid 90's."

My understanding is that when Russia opened its frontiers to the Western world, young people got overwhelmed by this new freedom, by the trends and ideas coming from Europe and the United States. And they liked it so much that they mixed punk with rock with New Wave and whatever else was available from the West. The result was an underground culture that created an alternative fashion.
When I first looked at those pictures I thought they were exaggerated both in terms of clothing and poses. Unprobable dresses or half naked models, masks and elegant hats, heels and boots, propaganda poses with design dresses.. it was all so mixed and messed up!
Then I thought that -maybe- there was such a hunger for freedom that they did not care about making distincions and they took it all.

I can't blame them.

Stary Arbat - Old Arbat (from my Moleskine)

It claims to be one of the oldest streets of the Russian capital (15th century). It was home of craftsmen and was an important trade route. It was burnt down by Napoleon but was rebuilt soon after. In the 19th century you could spot Pushkin and Tolstoj walking up and down this busy street.

Today you can find here portraitists, painters, musicians, singers and lots of shops selling all sorts of matrioska, chess boards, jewelery and Cold War souvenirs. Being a pedestrain street, no cars are allowed. So you can stroll freely without worrying of being run over by a reckless Russian driver!

The master and Margherita - Michail Bulgakov

" At the hour of the hot spring sunset at Patriarch's Pond two citizens appeared.

The first of them -some 40 years old and dressed in a a grey summer suit- was short, well fed and bald.... The second - a broad-shouldered. gingery, shock headed young man.... was wearing a cowboy shrt, crumpled white trousers and black soft shoes.

.... ....

Yes, the first strang thing about that terrible May evening should be noted. Not just by the booth but along the entire tree-lines avenue, running paralled to Malaya Bronnaia street, not a single person was about...

.... Having quenched their thirst, the writers immediately started hiccuping, they settled up and seated themselves on a bench with their faces to the pond and their backs to Bronnaya."

(from www.oneworldclassics.com)

This is the beginning of one of the most interesting books I have read so far.

The picture here portays the Patriasrhi Prudy, where Bulgakov set the opening scene of this intriguing and surprising story.

Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov - part two

So.. I got inside.

What opens up to you is a dark square room where a weak beam of light illuminates the glass shrine from above. HE is lying there on a read silk cloth. He is dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. From chest to feet his body is covered with a black blanket. He is very pale, I was surprised at the fact that he still has hair and beard.

You walk around him and then walk away from him. You are not allowed to stop there as long as you want: guards will ask you to move forward.

Was it scary? No, it was not.

I was suprised though to realize how "real" he looked. Just like in the pictures or portraits you can see in a history book.

I read on the guide that the formula used to embalm him is kept secret.

I was also told that they regularly cut his nails, hair and beard. A periodic injection to keep his skin "alive"(and real) has such "countereffects" on his body. This is scary!

Poor Vladimir.. He wanted to be buried next to his mom in St. Petersburgh and he is instead alone in an impressive mausoleum and has become a turist attraction...

The Red Square

The first time I went there it was closed for the parade of May 9th. The second time it started raining half an hour after I got there. Considering that I do not like giving up, I went there a third time.

It is a grand, enticing, somehow open-ended place. When you step in you find The Cathedral right in front of you. On your right sits the Kremlin with its red walls and impressive towers. On your left stretches a stately 18th century building (which now hosts a high-priced/extravagant shopping centre called GUM).

Over the centuries the Red Square has been the place of markets, incoronations and death penalties.

Now it is a busy must-see, a stroll into Russian history.

Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov - part one

I am sure you have heard of him. Remebering those days at school spent reading those articles on the Russian revolution?Rembering someone called Lenin? Well that's him.

Last week I eventually managed "to meet" him.

Somehow half way from the entrance to the Red Square, there is a square monument on three levels, made of dark red marble and guarded by the "militia". Every day from 10 am long queues move slowly to pay tribute to one of the most important politicians and philosophers of the Russian Federation.

The mausoleum is sorrounded by graves of famous Communist leaders. Some of them are lined up on the wall of the Kremlin. Actually, there are not only political personalities. There are also social figures..Like Lenin's lover, for example. Such graves are your "welcoming promenade" towards Lenin.

Before entering such sacred and honoured place, you have to leave your camera and your mobile in a secured deposit. Then you pass through body scans and eventually you may be able to walk in the mausoleum. In few minutes you are at the entrance and in a couple of steps you go from daylight to darkness. There is no light inside but a very dim one.

Walls are of black/dark grey marble and steps lead you to the only available way: downstairs. Silence accompany the short walk to meet the inmate (I felt like I was entering the nether regions..)

Chistie Prudy - Friday 27 some time before dinner

9th May: patriotism at its best

On this day Russians remember WWII and the day in which the Red army defeated the Nazi.

Arrangements start well in advance.

A month before the big event the city ic covered with placards and posters. Their detailed charts, lenghty explanations, pictures and drawings have the purpose of "refreshing" yor memory, if not to make sure you understand what happened on May 9 a few decades ago.

Rehearsal instead commence a couple of weeks before.

So you may be sitting at a restaturant in the city centre, having dinner with your friends. all of a sudden windows, tables, chairs and glasses start shaking. "An earthquake?" you wonder.

No - replies a Moscovite, they are tanks, they are rehearsing for the parade.

Few days later, on a fine morning, you are enjoying your breakfast, watching the birds perched on the green branches of a tree. Out of the blue, you hear a gunshot and all the birds fly away. Then you hear other gunshots, repeated ones. And more shots again for quite a few minutes.

The artillery is rehearsing this time.

Then comes the music: mighty marches are played and sung in the middle of the day.

On May 9th, I woke up too late to be on time for the parade. but I was on time for the demonstration that followed the parade and ended by the Red Square. Red flags with the iconic symbol of the hammer and sickle were waving at the sky. War veterans with their uniform honoured with medals and bravery awards, headed the march.

Every year the sun shines on Moscow on May 9.. and it is not a coincidence.

There is actually a master plan being carried out. In case of cloudy weather, jet planes are sent in the sky with the aim of "sweeping away" the clouds. The planes shoot at the clouds some kind of chemical mixture made of silver and dry ice..and here comes the sun.

Moscow: facts

- It is the most expensive city in the world

- It hosts the tallest builing in Europe (the Federation Tower)

- Its saint patron is Saint George (just like Great Britain, Greece, Georgia, Spain, Brazil, Malta, Portugal, Palestine.. and boy scouts and butchers, farmers and field workers).

- It has more billionaires living in its streets than any other city around the world.

- Inhabitants: 12 million is the official figure (add a few million if you want the unofficial one).

- Life expectancy: male 63 years, female 75 years.

- Average salary of a teacher working in a public school: 15000 rubles (300Euros/260£).

- Average rent : 18000-20000 rubles.

- It concentrates 80% of Russia' s money and 10% of its of its population.

The Russian Federation is home to 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous people.

Moscow: some history

Moscow was founded at some point between the year 1000 and 1130. History books write about settlements around the area of Moscow in those years.

(I have been told that Moscow originally started out as a horse estate).

It was officially mentioned for the first time in 1147 when the Great Duke of Kiev - Iurij Dolgorukij, wrote to his allies invinting them over for a banquet.

Moscow did not have an easy life.

It was initially invaded and razed to the ground by the Mongols (1240 circa).

Then it was burnt down by the Tartars in 1571.

In 1721 Peter I the Great realized that Saint Petersburgh was a better place and moved the status of capital city there up north, abandoning Moscow.

Sixty years later a plague halved its population.

Then came Napoleon and Moscovites rather than surrending to him, decided to burn down the city. With no much left to conquer, the French Army withdrew.

Then it was the turn of WWI. No room for development there.

WWII did not help Moscow either. Nor did Communism help Moscovites socially or economically (well.. this actually depends on points of views..)

In the 80's Gorbacioev tried to reform Russia and so did Eltsin.

In 2002 Chechen guerrilla brought terrorism to Moscow.

According to a friend of mine who has been living here for a while now, in Moscow there is a terrorist attack at least once a year. The last one was in March 2010, in the underground.

Moscow - first impressions

It is huge, massive, polluted, dusty, noisy, crazy, busy.

It is crowded, glorious, magnificient, modern.

It is tiring, at times nonsensical.

It is full of contrasts, it can be old and scruffy as well as exclusive, ladylike and elegant. Surely imponent.

Domodedovo Aiport -to Marina Rosc(i)a

An Armenian taxi driver came to pick me up at the airport. I don't speak Russian and he did not speak English. He did not seem disocurage though and he tried more than once to have a chat with me. I couldn't go further than "Da" "niet" or " spasiba".

3 millions motorvehicles race and rush on the roads of Moscow every day. The drive to the flat was not easy, not for me! No one cares about speed limits, pedestrian crossings or crosslights. Changing lanes is a question of speed and luck, just like when you play tetris and you only have a couple of seconds to decide where and how to move your piece. Pretty stressful.

Almost two hours later I was in my room, trying to remember all the information I was given.
First thing firts: do not drink tap water. Water pipes in Moscow are quite old and are releasing chemicals in the water. Boiling it is no use (two days later a filtering jug made its appereance in the kitchen). I was then told stuff about my new mobile number, the tube map and I was given the keys.
To me though, those were just sounds, not words. I was so tired!.I went to sleep at 1am RUtime and woke up 10 and a half hours lof deep sleep.

Getting there, May 3rd - from my moleskine

"5.44 am Venice Airport, Italy

Here I am watching an awaking dawn half an hour before boarding. Firts stop in Frankfurt - after few hours the flight to Moscow. I found it difficult to fall asleep last night and so was for the night before that.

I am happy to leave but I have no idea what to expect.

11.19am Frankfurt Airport, Germany

I am ready to leave Europe and step for the first time in Asia!

(Later on, on the plane)

Not quite sure what time it is, I keep on falling asleep and waking up. The view has not changed since the plane took off. The panorama from this small oval window has only two colours: white (a mat of white clouds - bottom of the window) and blue (genuine, flawless sky - top part).

I still can't believe I am on a plane to Moscow!

The biggest country of the world

It's been a while since I last updated this blog.. There wasn't much to share. Lazy, maybe bored, surely plain days and weeks followed each other, like water flows in a river.
I did not do much, did not go anywhere, did not meet anyone new or interesting.. But then by chance, something started to change.
It happened on a Sunday afternoon, it was raining outside and out of boredom I was looking for jobs on the Internet.
It took me months to realise that that application from was the first step to freedom, the first gleam of light at the end of the tunnel.

Here I am now, waiting to leave the country once more.
I will spend the next three months in the biggest country of the world: Russia (actually "Russian Federation" as it is put on my Visa).

Wondering what is Moscow like, what is the country like and its people.. wondering how much of its great history I will be able to discover and appreciate..

Leaving on my birthday.. what a great present!

Saturday 8, Gozo island

In Gozo the lady working at the Tourist information office right by the harbour, sold me a guided tour of the island in less than 3 minutes.. I was not sure it was a good deal, but I had only few hours and wanted to see as much as I could. Well, I had a very good time! Paul, the guide, drove me (and others) up and down the island, telling us all he knew about Malta, its history, language and culture.
We started from Victoria and its citadel, moving then to the salt pans and Marsalform, stopping at Calypso’s cave and then having a look at the fourth biggest dome in the world. Our journey ended at the “Belvedere view”: a breath taking view of the 3 islands of Malta: Gozo, Comino and Malta (of course!).
And as if that hadn’t been enough, on the way back to Malta on the ferry, I had the chance of seeing the sun falling asleep on the sea and the moon taking its place in a sky shading from bright pink to pure white the into clear and and then deep blue. Not a cloud was spoiling such an elegant and magnificient work of nature.

Saturday 8, change of plans

“I would like to go to Popeye’s Village” I said “ I know there is a bus service going there..” I did not even end my question that the man replied “I am sorry dear, but the road to Popeye’s village is closed and there are no buses going there.. You can walk if you want, it will take you an hour”. Too much time, I thought, I will surely run late for the ferry..
I suppose the old man understood my disappointment because he then added “.. but there are quite a few interesting things to see here in Mielleha too!”

5 minutes later I was ready to discover all the hidden corners and beauties of this small town: the sanctuary and its healing powers (unfortunately I am not a big fan of mysticism …I very much appreciated though the marbles and mosaics decorating the floor of the church and the two impressive statues of lions guarding the main altar), the church built underground in a cave (quite a frightening experience I have to admit…walking down sloping wet stairs, almost crawling into darkness, smelling dampness and musk…) and finally a walk in the sunshine and silence all the way down to the bay.
Images:
A solitary black cat sitting on a wall, wooden windmills, cactuses and prickly pear trees. A light sea breeze, the pleasant warmth of the sun, the colours of a tropical sea right in front of me.

Once I believed I had enjoyed enough the nature around me, I checked the time and realised I was running later for the ferry! I literally jumped on a bus to Cirwekka but once I got to the harbour the ferry was already ready to leave and did not let any more passengers for boarding.
Waiting for the next one wasn’t such a waste of time: I had something to eat (pastizzi!) and took (more) pictures.

Saturday 8, January

I hung around Sliema strand while waiting for the 645 bus to Cirkewwa. It was a luminous morning, it was going to be another sunny, fine day. The bus left with a slight delay on the scheduled departure time… the bus driver made up for it keeping a heavy foot on the accelerator. The bus journey lasted 45 minutes and followed northwards the Maltese coastal line.
I decided to stop in Mielleha before getting the ferry to the Gozo island. I needed some information and according to the map, there was an Information Office there. The door of the Tourist office was open and the light was on but no one was there. “The office is closed!” someone said behind me. “Is it really?” I replied surprised turning to the voice that just spoke to me. An old man with a British accent smiled at me “Can I help you?”.

Friday 7, 10 pm. From my moleskine

“I am back at the hostel after having spent the rest of the day making myself comfortable with what seems new and different.
The hostel develops vertically. Marble, steep narrow stairs, bright red walls and a black deco-style banister walked me all the way up to door 7A. My room is on the fourth floor, the top floor. It has a big terrace which overlooks the Old Sliema with its balconies and flat roofs. In the darkness I can still see the outline of Valletta – the capital city. It is hiding the stars sliding into the sea. Next to it, the blinking light of the lighthouse tells me that the harbour is just there.
I wish I could fall asleep on the terrace.. such view is the best lullaby for my eyes…”

Friday 7, January

I had a good night of calm and deep sleep. I let the alarm clock snooze a couple of times before eventually getting out of the warmth of the woollen blankets.
The snow of the precedent day had turned into freezing drops of water. Patches of snow though, still coloured the brown and wet garden.
It was still quite dark; the dawn had just woken up too.

While driving along industrialized areas, fog surrounded me, blurring the shape of factories and warehouses. Everything looked quite and silent, drowsy.
I boarded the plane whistling softly a melody made of random notes. I found a sit by the emergency exit and experienced the pleasure of stretching legs and body in the confined space of a low-cost flight.
“Clear sky with plenty of sunshine and a temperature of 17 Celsius degrees” , the Captain announced. “And it is only 11.30 am..” I thought.
I smiled and followed the instructions given by someone of the cabin crew: I sat back and relaxed.
What a great idea booking a 3-day holiday in Malta, a dot of land (actually 3 dots) in the Mediterranean sea.
When in Malta, if you stretch your neck northwards you may be able to see Sicily.
Westwards instead you may see the coastal line of Tunisia. If you instead prefer looking southwards then make sure you turn your body all the way to the East: you may feel the beauty of Africa rolling from Libya all the way to Turkey, Cyprus and Greece.


When I got off the plane, I immediately felt the warmth of a southern sun. In two hours I went from a European winter to an early spring weather. Let’s start exploring this country then..

31/12

(On a train to a new year's party)

There is a group of friends sitting next to me. They look in the early 20's, they are quite excited, certainly in waiting for midnight. They are all carrying bags that look quite heavy. They do not stop chatting and -at times, buzzing about family and same age boys and girls.
One of them has just suggested to write on a piece of paper a bad memory of this 2010 which is coming to an end. "We will then burn it before midnight so we will not bring the bad memory in the new year". Her friends agreed.
"Good idea" I thought and I agreed too.
So i started thinking to all the bad things that occured to me in these past twelve months.
Not and easy task reviewing facts and people. So much happened and I was starting to struggle in trying to disentangle the hank of situations that I have experienced in this 2010.
After some time, I surrendered.
I was unable to choose the worst memory of all.
All along this 2010 I kept on stepping of my feet, stumbling over, lacking attention and a self fulfilling direction.
I may simply write "2010: the year of missed chances and wrong decisions". Then I'll fold the piece of paper up , take the lighter from my pocket and burn my bad memory.

For the first time in my life I have a new year resolution.