Adventures in Moscow

Sailor's song

2005-06-19T18:24:00.000-05:00

So on that same car ride I heard another Russian gem of a song..."girls like me are pretty hard to find so if you leave me I'll kick your heinie..."

That's a bold bolo

2005-06-19T18:23:00.000-05:00

So I was walking down the street and met this guy sporting a t-shirt with a Russian rock star on it...he was also wearing a substantial bolo round his neck...

Painting with broad strokes

2005-06-19T18:16:00.000-05:00

So I went to part of a vigil in a Church on Red Square...I was there for the annointing and the Bishop was there so he did the annointing...so when it became my turn I venerated the Icons and was annointed...the brush (opposed to those dinky metal sticks I've seen used before) the Bishop was using was like a small painting brush...for the rest of the vigil oil was dripping down my nose...

Rockin' with the Russians

2005-06-19T18:11:00.000-05:00

So... I was taking the hired car to the airport and was enjoying the fine selection on the radio. It seems the Russians like to learn whatever English they can and string it together in a song no matter how nonsensical it is... "Blue jeans baby for you is all right...blue jeans baby is what I like..." to a catchy pop electronic track...

2005-06-15T17:53:00.000-05:00

I would have loved to been able to use this bed...it was right below those power lines...

2005-06-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

So I could here these wires buzzing from at least twenty feet away...

2005-06-15T17:42:00.000-05:00

Fagotinni...a delicious treat...

2005-06-15T17:41:00.001-05:00

Kids seem to think "The Zone" is a laughing matter...

2005-06-15T17:41:00.000-05:00

The wasteland that is "The Zone"...

2005-06-15T17:40:00.003-05:00

The marshlands of "The Zone"

2005-06-15T17:40:00.002-05:00

A watchtower over "The Zone"

2005-06-15T17:40:00.001-05:00

Zoney Village gateway

2005-06-15T17:40:00.000-05:00

Zoney Village

2005-06-15T17:39:00.001-05:00

A zoney warning...

2005-06-15T17:39:00.000-05:00

That barbwire would scare any wisher away from "The Zone"

2005-06-15T17:38:00.001-05:00

They know how to keep "The Zone" secure...

2005-06-15T17:38:00.000-05:00

zoney village

2005-06-15T17:37:00.002-05:00

zoney village...

2005-06-15T17:37:00.001-05:00

I'll just call it "zoney village"...

2005-06-15T17:37:00.000-05:00

Village on the outskirts of "The Zone"

2005-06-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

The entrance to "The Zone"...

2005-06-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

"summer snow" it's everywhere...I was even attacked in Church and on the marshrutka...

2005-06-15T17:34:00.001-05:00

Even in the summer one can't escape the "snow".

2005-06-15T17:34:00.000-05:00

zhiguli...I was told the name was changed to Lada as zhiguli sounds like gigalo...

2005-06-15T17:31:00.000-05:00

A sculpture in a park.

2005-06-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

I think next to vodka the Russians favorite things are gates...they love to block off perfectly fine walkways or stairways...this happens especially in the metro where hoards of people have to use one passage.

2005-06-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Statue of Tsar Aleksander II outside Christ the Saviour.

2005-06-15T17:27:00.000-05:00

The Moskva River...

2005-06-15T17:26:00.001-05:00

...

2005-06-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

Hall of the Church Council (where the Bishops meet) at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

2005-06-15T17:25:00.002-05:00

Another Church in town.

2005-06-15T17:25:00.001-05:00

Chapel outside the gates.

2005-06-15T17:25:00.000-05:00

Statue of St. Sergius outside the monastery.

2005-06-15T17:24:00.002-05:00

Another part of the wall.

2005-06-15T17:24:00.001-05:00

...

2005-06-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

The garmongous tower in the wall of the monastery.

2005-06-15T17:23:00.001-05:00

Another Church...

2005-06-15T17:23:00.000-05:00

Another small Chapel and the Trapeza.

2005-06-15T17:22:00.003-05:00

Another small Chapel...

2005-06-15T17:22:00.002-05:00

Another small Chapel.

2005-06-15T17:22:00.001-05:00

The bell tower.

2005-06-15T17:22:00.000-05:00

In this unassuming Chapel are the relics of St. Sergius. When I went in an Akathist was going on and after that another one...

2005-06-15T17:19:00.000-05:00

Holy water springs in courtyard

2005-06-15T17:15:00.001-05:00

The main Church of Sergiyev Posad.

2005-06-15T17:15:00.000-05:00

Sergiyev Posad through the trees...

2005-06-15T17:14:00.001-05:00

The entrance to Sergiyev Posad.

2005-06-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

On the way to Sergiyev Posad. Birch trees...can you say Tarkovskii?

2005-06-15T17:13:00.001-05:00

On the way to Sergiyev Posad.

2005-06-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

On the way to Sergiyev Posad.

2005-06-15T17:12:00.001-05:00

The bell tower and Chapel of Pokrov.

2005-06-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

Another view of the monastery. The line closest is for venerating an icon on the wall of the Church in the middle.

2005-06-15T17:11:00.000-05:00

Pokrov Monastery-where the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow are. So I went one day to venerate and found this huge line so decided I would come back early in the morning...so I came back the next day and the line was almost all the way to where I was sitting in this picture... So I waited for two hours in line... Then when I finally get to the reliquary there is a security guard moving people along...(only three seconds to venerate, move it along...) reminded me of viewing Lenin's body (I haven't done so, but from what I've heard)

2005-06-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

Entrance to Pokrov (Protection) Monastery.

2005-06-15T17:02:00.002-05:00

Faithful Vesta...buried here...

2005-06-15T17:02:00.001-05:00

...

2005-06-15T17:02:00.000-05:00

Kazan Church at Kolomonskoye.

2005-06-15T17:01:00.000-05:00

Cemetary at Kolomonskoye.

2005-06-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Main Church at Kolomonskoye park.

2005-06-15T16:59:00.001-05:00

Monument to first space flight.

2005-06-15T16:59:00.000-05:00

Monument to first space flight.

2005-06-15T16:58:00.001-05:00

Random memorial on a building.

2005-06-15T16:58:00.000-05:00

Pizza, pizza, pizza

2005-06-15T16:57:00.004-05:00

No funky dancing!

2005-06-15T16:57:00.003-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:57:00.002-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:57:00.001-05:00

Territory of Valaam Monastery.

2005-06-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:56:00.002-05:00

Mitino-the district I moved to.

2005-06-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

a big pig...

2005-06-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

And you always thought the Eifel was in France.

2005-06-15T16:55:00.003-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:55:00.002-05:00

An adventure in the woods.

2005-06-15T16:55:00.001-05:00

The apartment building I stayed in.

2005-06-15T16:55:00.000-05:00

Fill in your own warning here

2005-06-15T16:53:00.002-05:00

same

2005-06-15T16:53:00.001-05:00

Church of St. Constantine and Helen.

2005-06-15T16:53:00.000-05:00

Desperado casino

2005-06-15T16:52:00.000-05:00

A decorated garage (accidentally caught the runner; notice jogging shorts)

2005-06-15T16:51:00.000-05:00

No talking cars allowed!

2005-06-15T16:50:00.000-05:00

Posed and ready at the bells...

2005-06-15T16:49:00.000-05:00

The dome of All Saints Church.

2005-06-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

Mentos...fresh solution...

2005-06-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

A country Church.

2005-06-15T16:41:00.000-05:00

Cows grazing in the woods.

2005-06-15T16:40:00.000-05:00

Instructions for those who do not know...

2005-06-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

zvyozdnii ... stary town

2005-06-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

When there's a traffic jam it's always an option to go around...

2005-06-15T16:37:00.000-05:00

Another view from apt.

2005-06-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

The hallway.

2005-06-15T16:34:00.000-05:00

My room.

2005-06-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

My view of the forest.

2005-06-15T16:31:00.000-05:00

My new view when I moved in with a friend.

2005-06-15T16:29:00.001-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:28:00.005-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:28:00.004-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:28:00.003-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:28:00.002-05:00

...

2005-06-15T16:28:00.001-05:00

...another pretty Church

2005-06-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

...another pretty Church