holes in the ground

It does not matter where you go in Moscow you will find these little man holes. And very often the lid will be up and a small flag indicates that someone is working beneath. They can be on paths, middle of lawns and especially common in the middle of roads. It is a constant reminder that there is a large complex undergound system. Firstly the rail or metro as called here is undergound and there are 11 major lines traversing all the corners of the city. Then there is a complex sewrage and water system that creates large undergound pathways. Anyone who has lived in Bendigo or Balllarat is aware of the complex undergound chasms created by the mines and I used to sometimes wonder why the ground didnt collpase. Well we were faced with a ground collpase at the back of our unit. A large hole just opened up - it started out as perhaps a 6 foot hole and maybe 6 foot deep and all the soil from the roadway disappeared into the hole. Before they had finished filling in with several deliveries of soil the hole had spread to maybe 15 feet wide. It was interesting to look down and and see the way the gound just opened up and swallowed the contents. People just mildly stepped around it and within a short time the hole was filled and once agian we are driving over it. I think the thing that surprises me the most is the way the Russian people take everyting in their stride. There is no way i am walking over that piece of ground and I carefully look each time I am near it to see any signs that the ground is dipping again.

I had an excursion to the Australian Embassy this week - seems they like you to register - just in case they want to contact you? So I went along and filled in yet another piece of paper. Looked at some nice pictures on the wall - took a patriotic picture in front of the flag and then it was back to work.

We continue to enjoy the challenges of living and working in a new culture. If I was to confess what i am missing this week - not counting family - then today it would be the peace and solitude of living in the country. Our flat is on a 6 lane city road and traffic noise is ever presnt all hours. Rarely do we hear a bird sing or a dog bark. Yesterday we took a walk in the hills and spent some time in nature and refreshed we face another week of spreadsheets and project proposals.