Super-Duper Wacky n' Tacky Euro Adventure

So tonight I’m winding down by listening to some Snow Patrol and uploading my pics from this weekend. Can’t say it was a terribly exciting weekend, but it was fun and I can actually keep my eyes open this Sunday; so it is a definite improvement.

For at least the past five days it has not gotten above 3 degrees during the day and it is dropping way below 0 at night. So why is there no white stuff on the ground?! If there was at least some precipitation, it would blanket the city in a beautiful white layer, but so far nothing since that huge snowfall over two weeks ago!

During the day Saturday we were given a lovely tour of the famous Tretekov gallery here in central Moscow. It was full of famous Russian art ranging from 12th century icons to 19th century Russian impressionism (yes, there is such a thing as Russian impressionism! (no, it’s not nearly as good)). The tour was great, as usual, but it also lasted way too long, as usual. Either way, thanks to Marina, our lovely tour guide that puts up with so many bitchy Americans!

Saturday night an envoy was sent to the far reaches of the Moscow suburbs to have cocktail party at Oleg’s apartment. It was on the way over that I was informed I would be the only straight man at the party. I had to take that in for a moment as I still have this imaginary place in my mind called Russia where homosexuality is so unacceptable that absolutely no one is openly gay. Think again. What a progressive country! Well, not really. But it’s getting there. If only we could work on our own country now!

While at Oleg’s, he introduced me to a French singer with an amazing voice and I just have to have her music. Does anyone remember what her name was? Oh I hate when I have music in my head and can’t scratch the itch!

So I just a very surreal moment. I had taken a break from this journal entry to do some homework. During the homework we were reviewing the verbs “to eat” and “to drink,” which of course I thought was kind of stupid this far into the class. But I did the assignment. Then, as I was returning my empty mug to the kitchen, Iosef asked me if I had just drank some tea. If I hadn’t been able to review the verb, I would not know the past tense of the verb. But I knew because I had just done it in the homework. I confidently informed him, that yes, I had just had a cup of tea. Guess I won’t be so quick to judge next time!

Ok, time to relax with my good friend Bulgakov, and his bed buddy The Moscow Times, all to the mood music of Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Those two are constantly together in my bed, it’s hard to keep them apart! Tomorrow I get my fresh issue of the New York Times from Izvestia. Happy Days!