baltic

so everything went okay, especially in comparison with the mongolia border time. but i should note that i have recently been outside of russia. but i will try to summarize my time here, day by day, in telegraph style:

dec. 30 - flew to moscow. plane only delayed by 1 hour- miracle! being incredibly shocked by the sophistication and worldliness and wealthiness of muscovites. drinking a warm (?!) milk shake for 6 dollars in KOFEE HOUS.

dec. 31 - Patrick and I visited VDNX, or the exhibition of the achievements of the people's agriculture, ish. Now re-named the All-Russian Exhibition center. Basically a huge park surrounded by huge gaudy buildings built in a half fake classical palace style and half socialist concrete style. My favorites were the arch that had two proletarians grabbing a bushel of wheat on the top, the Karelian and Armenian pavillions, the rocket ship in which Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, and the fact that all these buildings are now turned into strip malls.

Also, my first encounter with the infamous Moscow police. "Good evening. Your documents please. Hey, Vanya, look, an American passport! Wow!" I wished him happy new year's, which was probably too much, but I think that speaking Russian a little and having a more permanent visa helps.

Then we went to our rented apartment and got ready for New years. We walked down Tverskaya street to Red Square, passing through 3 metal detectors on the way there. The countdown was suprisingly lackluster along with the fireworks, but it was still Red Square on New Years eve. The best part was walking back to the hostel with thousands of drunk, estatically happy Russians. We couldn't stay up because by Irkutsk time it was 6 in the morning already.

In Moscow I realized that I love cities, I have since I was a kid, and Irkutsk is like a trial. Because I will speak better Russian after this year, but when I come back to Russia (and I better, considering the fact that I'm majoring in it, etc.) it will either be probably to St. Petersburg or Moscow.

Aw hell this is going to take forever so I'll just do it in installments. So thus ends my time in Moscow, or approximately 1/7 of my trip so far.