After visiting the schools in Moscow, I set off into the depths of the city in the Metro. Vadim, concierge from previous adventure, had provided the name and location of a stamp shop. I navigated the great city with success after a few twists and turns. The stamps that I bought for a few dollars in the states really are worth nothing but memories and gifts! The gentleman in the posh post shop sent me across the street to the lesser postage collector - and yes, the stamps are worth little to nothing. I still love the project and was truly interested in trading. | |
Riding the Moscow Metro is difficult, based on reading the Cyrillic alphabet on signs for the next stop on the line. I got situated on my way back toward town, walked in front of the Bolshoi, found a grocery store with high priced items, STORY TIME: bananas are sold by weight of course, as I rang through the checkout line receiving a scolding learning that bananas are weighed and priced at the back of the store by an employee - whoops, reminder, simple things aren't weird, they might be just different than in the States. I returned to the walk past Hotel Metropol, along Red Square stopping at the tomb of Vladimir Lenin, and returned to the hotel by 7 pm. The blogosphere erupted as our groups posted. I admitted my stamp faux pas, inviting my travel colleagues to take stamps to their liking. It makes for a favorite story and I look forward to giving them all away to the best of my ability!
| I feel that the best "selfie" thus far is in this set of pictures with the sign of train station Moscow. Our taxi driver was mean about the size of bags (we did have nearly 200 lbs. between the three of us) and treated the IREX staff person with us with unkindness. I wanted to defend and explain that we brought gifts for children in Tambov Oblast, but I am a language away from being understood, and with a man like that - an effort that may be poory received. STORY TIME: the middle plain button on the train is EXACTLY the same as two neighboring buttons, HOWEVER pressing that button brings our ticket taking employee RUNNING - found out through experience. The clack clack of train track soothed our ride and I slept from 11 pm through nearly 5 am. We departed our train at 5:25 am to a waiting Yaroslava S. who admitted to be so touched that we finally were here, that she shed real tears - truly special. |