the changing seasons

Before leaving Australia I worked in the drought affected areas. One day I found myself sitting by a river bed - which was drying up because of the lack of water. As I walked along the river I discovered all sorts of interesting things. Old bikes, shopping carts , drink bottles and in one spot I even discovered an old cash tin. Obviously stolen and jimmeyed open and thrown away - only to be revealed when the water line had dropped to its low point. It is an interesting parrallel in Moscow at present as the layers of snow melt away. Months of refuse build up is being unmasked. All the human trash that has been discarded and covered by snow is now reappearing. Drink bottles, papers, general trash. Standing by the bus stop i realised again a big problem in this culture. Smoking. The amount of cigarette butts just thrown on the ground now being unmasked as the snow melts. There are no smoking bans here as we see in Aus. Smokes are really cheap and the majority of people smoke. Smoking is still permitted in resaurants, people smoke in the streets, just everywhere. This has taken some getting used to and you appreciate the regulation we have at home to give us free air.
It is also a reminder of how far behind this country is in valuing the environment. There is no sense of the damage that discarded cigarette bring to the environment. No fear of damage to others, to children who might pick up butts. No worry about the butt washing down drains - we dont have them and we are too far away for them to wash into the sea. Still a long way to go to bring change in this way of life.
Recycling is a non event. I have not a clue where the trash from 15+million people goes. we just put ours in a dumpster at the back of the high rise and a couple of times a week it is emptied.
Life is different in many ways.

We live in a 15 story building - 4 apartments on each floor. Our neighbors took over the passage way for a month to care for their farm animals. 6 rabbits and 12 turkeys. Finally some pressure must have come to them as they cleaned up the mess when the smell began to consume the lifts and could be smelt all the way to the top floor!!! I am sure the animals will be relieved as they can at last see daylight and have room to move - but then we begin to think - maybe they just moved into their flat and have taken over a bedroom?? There are some smells that stay with you - and unfortunatley that one will. But for now they are gone and we can again reach the fire escape. neighbours are interesting. the people below us play at least 4 instruments - must be a musical family or they conduct music lessons. We don't hear much from above.

Communal living Moscow style!