Trip to the Tourist Market & Red Square

The Tourist Market

Saturday 18th October we ventured further than our unit and THQ. I had finished my assignments for the semester so I had no exuse not to play tourist for the day. We hopped a train, changed from the pink line to the blue line (that means nothing to you I know) and ended up on the other side of the city at the tourist market. This is the place where you are supposed to find all those treasures that you take home and add to you dust specimens. It was an interesting place. It is built in a style that gives the impression it is old when it is not. On the lower level are all the tourist things - Russian dolls, fur hats with big red stars on them. As if I didn't stand out all ready, I was not buying one them even if they were reasonably priced. There were plenty of paintings and other arty things. I'm not cultured so there was no temptation there. I had heard that they sold belalikas here and that was of some interest. Here was a disappointment, sure they had them but they were ornamental, not what I was after.

Upstairs it was just like a trash and treasure stall. Some of the things looked like they had just been dug up from the tip and put on the floor. You could almost see the sign, "rare treasure, one owner, in the ground a hundred years". I guess with a bit of perserverence you may be able to find something. As I continued through the stalls I noticed a lot of military memorbilia, helmets, amunition, even an old machine gun. I could see the smile on the customs officer face now!!! In reality this market had everything and I mean in some stalls by themselves and yes overall as well. You will see a picture posted that is representative of a lot of the stalls. They really were a place where a bargain could be found and many things they sold could only be bought at this place.

In the afternoon we travelled on the train to Red Square. I guess you can't say that you have not been to Russia unless you have your picture taken in front of St.Basil's Cathedral. It is quite spectacular. No matter what time of the day or night you go there the place is busy. It is also popular with newly weds, who want to get that special picture. The brides always look spectacular in there flowing gowns. The wedding cars always seem to be a stretch something or other. I saw a stretched pink cadillac, and a stretched hummer. Flowers are the other thing that people seem to spend a lot of money on.

Red Square is one of those places, a bit like federation square in Melbourne, in that you never know what is going to be happening there when you visit. The day we visited the military were rehearsing for something or other. They had erected a big marque type building and had roped off a large section of the public area. The soldiers looked like they were getting final instructions on where to stand. Then without warning out trots a mounted soldiers and he starts to parade on his horse inside the barricaded area.

There is so much to see around this area. We spent an enjoyable afternoon walking around the wall, visiting the war memorial. We still didn't see everything. There are areas where you need to pay money, we will save that up until we have visitors. I think it will be more fun with others than just ourselves. We thought we would have a refreshment stop at the golden arches (yes they have that here too) but it was so busy we just couldn't get excited about waiting in line for that long. We had a quick look through one of the shopping malls, refused to pay 20rb for the use of the toilet, so we hopped on a train and went home.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog. If you do, leave your comments, who knows I might write another page some time. For now, all the best and say good'ay to a stranger. Look forward to connecting with you in blog land.

MoscowRon

I'm just wondering?

As we walk to work there is a little old lady standing in the underpass, she is elderly, its getting quite cold and she stands there with a small cup in her hand hoping that people will put in a few kopecs. She does not say much - just stands there. I don't know for how long. What will the kopecs buy her - they are of less value than our old cents. 10 of them make a ruble and she will need 10 rubles to buy a small bread roll.

I look out my window at work -oneof which overlooks the dumpster and I notice a lady probably in her 50's. She appears well enough dressed. She starts scratching in the dumpster - and finds something that looks a bit like jelly fruit and she moves to the back of the dumpster. She scratches through a few more bags. The care with which she opens the bags suggest she is not used to this - she hold them at arms length. And then she takes a spoon from her pocket and starts to eat from the container she had picked out. She realises its not edible and discards it and heads on her way. I watch her until she fades in the distance.

Today I stand and watch and wonder that God has brought us to this place. What can I do? I don't speak the language. If I feed them today they will be hungry again tomorrow. What is the answer. What should I do? What should our army be doing? How do we respond to such needs in such a great population.

May God give me the wisdom to know what I can do.

week 5

Our initial settling in has gone fairly smoothely. We can manage the transport, shopping and work. So the essentials are covered. Our small apartment is manageable although at times the crowded space gets on your nerves. The luxury of 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of an Australian quarters is off the agenda for a while. Instead we are learning to mangae our space as needed in the one person bathroom and one person kitchen. Ron now has a good excuse not to 'dry up' - can't put two people in the kitchen at the same time. Mornings are the worst as we both try and get ready for work and manage breakfast, prepare lunch etc. The flat is also very hot so there is an agreement when we are ready to leave - you cannot put your jumper or coat on too soon as you boil while the other finishes getting ready. So if you are ready too soon you just go outside to wait. The entry doors to the flats are also different. Each has a steel framed door with a lock and you step into a small vestibule , which is dark to open another steel framed door which has 2 locks to enter the flat. I usually let Ron go ahead and open the doors and I follow or I leave before him and meet him outside. It is very different to be once again working so closely. We now have no car, share an office, and live in a tiny house. Good thing we are good friends.

This week has been a week for continuing to understand our new roles. There is a lot of paperwork and process in ensuring the projects are funded and that there is good accountability to ensure that donor money is spent correctly. Ron has also been busy this week with 2 major assignements. This has been complicated by our close living arrangements as we have the one room which is lounge, office, diningroom and clothes drying room. This has given me the opportunity for a couple of excursions so he could have the house to himself and no excuses for not working. On Friday after work I ventured off to the large shopping complex - a train and bus ride. I just wandered around and picked up a few household things, arriving home after 9. My first big excursion on my own. On Saturday I went with some of the other officers to a holiday house in the country for the day. Ron stayed home for study - but I had a lovely day out of the city. We sat around, drank tea and ate food, took a walk through some bushland arriving home around 9 again. It was just nice to get out of the city - masses of people noise and dust left behind for the natural forest of country russia. As you drive through the bushland you are reminded of the many war movies - you expect Hogans Heroes or Robert Redford to jump out of the forest - its that sort of bushland. The leaves have almost all fallen - just a few autumn colours remain. It has been very beauiful to watch the leaves fall. Now everyine is waiting for the first snowfall.

I visited a 'dacha' on saturday - a russian holiday house. They wern't all like this one. Guess what this one looked like inside?










complete with spiders webs - but I did not see any redbacks!





The steps to be taken to get our permanet work permit go on. We have been through a range of medical tests. Chest Xray, blood urine and sputum checks as well as an interview to talk about our drug and alcohol experiences. We have so far passed them all and have our peices of paper that will soon give us a green card. This means we leave the country to get a new visa to come back and convert the visa into a working visa for 12 months. Its all very complicated and the rules constantly change. We were to go to London for our visa - but they do not process in less than 2 weeks so we will go to Moldova which should be a quicker turn around. We can also do some work while we are there.
So it is back to work tomorrow, more files to read and cross check, a few meetings with other workers this week. Our routine is becoming settled and we are comfortable with where we are and what we are doing.

Emotions are funny things?

I am not prone to get too excited about things. I do get passionate and expressive - but I do not often get to the point of 'goose bumps' but I have had a couple of experiences recently.

Last weekend we visited to another officers home to see if the Grand Final was on the telly - when we discovered it I got very excited - not so much that I was following a team - but because I new at that very moment on the other side of the world my kids would be somewhere watching the match. We did not seem so far away. The other moment of excitement - that's 2 in a week was friday afternoon when our luggage arrived. Beside the extra clothing & shoes that we were needing - we at last would have some photos and books and some especially nice treats that people had given us before our departure. It did not take to long to pull the 21 boxes apart - 3 of them filled again with packing paper and it was time to find some places for everything. We are in a temporary apartment - one small lounge and one bedroom so it did not take much to fill all the spots. We have managed to eat one packet of Tim Tams over the weekend - well we did have american visitors for afternoon tea on Saturday - so we shared them.

I get excited as well when I hear from home - either by note or by phone. Skype is a blessing and we sometimes manage to see the boys through the camera. It brings everyone closer.

The Corps here in Moscow is an interesting place. Hard to really describe and difficult to guage the size yet. It is currently inflated with cadets in session and with a number of ex pat officers attending. But each week there are different people and not a Sunday has gone by without the mercy seat being used. The band ventured out for another openair today. It is difficult to get permission to hold an open air. So we just go and there is a fear that the police will come and make it difficult. Today as we playded a large troop of Militis came toward us. 3 abreast they marched toward us and then down into the Metro. Then an amazing sight. One of the Militia assisted an elderly, disabled uniformed Salvation Army soldier up the stairs out of the metro. It was good to see. The cadets have been a little timid in this new experience - but today you could see them building in confidence. The police did come today - ask what we were doing and went on their way. God is Good and with the sun shining it was good all round.

Its back to work tomorrow - the man we have replaced has now departed we are on our own - orientation is over. The job is ours to do. it going to be interesting!!!!!
regards
Lyn