Moscow
I haven't written anything on this blog for a good month now. I've mostly written my thoughts and experiences down in a regular journal. But, just because I haven't written, doesn't mean that I dont have anything good to say...
Now, after a 23 hour train ride, we are in Moscow. We stepped off the train into chilly weather, a perfect wake up call after the mind numbing train ride. In these train compartments the temperature is non-negotiable, which means that you roast alive, or as Nelya said, "It feels like my insides are in a pot of boiling water." Though we had all the goodies neccesary for a 23 hour train ride (lots of greasy food, cheese, chips, vodka, beer, wine, and candy), I didn't feel up to snuff. In fact I just wanted sleep. But this warrants some explanation.
On Friday night, after I had finished packing my duffel bag for Moscow and Petersburg, Luda picked up her cousin from the train station at around 11pm. At around midnight, Luda burst into my room and told me to follow her. Set up in her room (the only other room) was a table set with a feast. Though I was not exactly hungry, that didn't matter because Luda is a hell of a cook. As soon as we all had sat down, Luda produced a well used kvas bottle and poured out three shot glasses full. One for me, one for her, and one for her cousin. (It was NOT kvas). They explained to me that it was a homemade, self made liquer. Basically it was Soviet moonshine made from fermented berries of some kind. So after the first shot, we all dug into the food. There were fresh veggies straight from her cousin's garden, fresh fish, fried fish, pork and beef cutlets, cheese, ham, and saussage, black bread, and mushrooms. Soon it was time for another shot of the moonshine. Now let me mention that when Luda walked into my room, I was already half way through a good liter of red wine and plowing through Dostoevsky--and also I like to eat black Swedish salty licorice.
So after more eating and two more rounds of liquer, I was seeing double. After Luda toasted to the loved ones who are no longer with us, we began to talk about family. Soon I produced a picture of my own family and showed it with great pride to Luda's cousin. After some more talk she began to sing. Before I came to Ukraine I was quite taken aback by the sadness level of many of the Russian and Ukranian songs. All seem to have certain threads of melancholy. I couldn't have been more wrong! I absolutely love to listen to these songs now, even more so when the people across the gable are singing them. So she sang a couple of songs and then we had one more shot of that stuff. Honestly speaking, I could barely hold my food down at this point.
Luda had made scalding hot tea, and they brought out piles and piles of cookies, candy, sweets, and more candy. (I love sweet things.) Though at this point in the midnight dinner, they began speaking Russian to each other and of course then I couldn't quite keep up. So I gave them both a kiss on the cheek and retired to my bed.
Of course the next morning my head felt like somebody was hitting it in the crotch with a frozen sledgehammer (The Office quip). I was distressed to learn that there was no more water in our apartment, and went back to bed.
My Internet time is up now, and besides, these Russians really love shoot em up games, so I'll give mine computer up.