Possibly the Second Longest Day of my Life

Today was rather awesome.  For breakfast again, my host mom, Marina, made me aladi.  I freaking love aladi.  Marina does not have a coffee pot at home, so I think finding a place to get a huge cup of coffee before class (most likely by my metro station or the on the way to class) will become a part of my daily routine.
Anyway, we met up well after one o'clock, and we went to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.  That's another reason why I'm up late, I did homework tonight, and it took me about an hour.  The homework assignment was really simple - just write ten phrases about the Cathedral.  But I made it hard on myself.  I made complex sentences so it looks a lot more like an essay than it probably should, and I re-wrote it like, three times.  I have Professor DeBlasio to thank for that.  I can't write ten phrases without thinking it's a blog assignment.  Well, I didn't know that women have to wear headscarves in East Orthodox Churches, so I bought one in the metro on the way over. So today I bought something on my own in Russia for the first time (the cell phones don't count because Irina (our program director) told us what to do and we forked over money)  AND I bought something in the metro for the first time. Two first-time blocks are now checked off!

On our way over to lunch, we went down the main bridge over the Moscow River.  There was a lot to see and we didn't finish crossing it. We just sort of turned around. Afterward, we ate pelmeni, had tea, and went over the program details. It was good stuff.  I was also excited to find out Regina Spektor is having a concert here . . . then I was disappointed to find out it's not until July 15.

From there we went close by Red Square. In the garden outside of it I got to see the Changing of the Guards at the (Soviet) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  I didn't get really good pics because it happened really spur of the moment and it was overcast from rain outside.  I'll go back when it's sunny and I'm early so I can get a good spot.  But overall, it was really exciting because I remember going to our Changing of the Guard Ceremony all the time when I was a kid, and now I know a lot about our Drill and Ceremony because I'm a cadet. It was interesting to see it all done differently. Then we went to a mall.  It was absolutely beautiful in there.  Irina says it has THREE FLOORS and each floor is decorated in it's own style.  I think it's that the bottom floor is done in eighteenth, second floor in nineteenth, and third floor in twentieth century styling, but don't quote me on that.  In the center of the mall there's a big stained glass dome that has a map of the globe on it. I found Dallas and it made me real giddy.  Also, there was a picture of a buffalo right next to Dallas.  That made me giggle.  And so, on top of the dome, outside and off to the side of Red Square is a statue that was on our textbook for sophomore year.  Irina asked if we wanted to go over to get a closer look, and I said, "No, for me that thing is an eyesore." Which, it really was at this point.

Outside the gates of Red Square it reminded me of the DC mall a little bit. There were lots of souvenirs, people taking lots of pictures, and tour guides trying to advertise.  There were also these Lenin and Stalin look-alikes you can get your picture taken with. Needless to say, I'm going back.
Inside the gates, I saw Saint Basil's for the first time (check) and all the other pretty buildings and things to see there. It was really beautiful and very exciting.  I had to keep reminding myself it wasn't a picture and that I was actually there.

Then we went to Tomorok, which is Russian fast food.  They sell blini there and make it in all different ways. They also sell a lot of other traditional food and drink, like kvas and borsch.  I loved it.  And also, it was strange because I learned fast food adds its own little flavor to things, no matter what country or style the cuisine is.

After that, we went to the Russian circus.  I liked it a lot better than the American circus.  I think it's because it's not the spectacle that the American circus is.  Ringling Brothers is the only real circus in the US, and because they travel and they're SUPER expensive, they make it a super-huge flashy thing and it's honestly just not as fun.  Here the circus is still flashy, but it is more commonly accessed and just more fun overall.  Don't get me wrong, there were some parts that were boring.  However, those parts did not involve Chinese yo-yos, balance boards, bears, monkeys, dogs, bunnies, foxes, and lions.

Then we went home.  It was close to 10pm when we got out of the circus but it was still light outside, so I didn't feel tired at all.  I kind of wish the sun would stay out for as long back home.

That's really all that happened for today.  Well, tomorrow I've got class and I need to wake up on time. That means I need to upload my photos from today, change into some jamas, and hit the sack. Споконой ночи, мир!

 

Us on the bridge

 

 

Us still on the bridge, "talking" (posing) for Irina

 Памятник лева. Люблю.

 Danielle and Mackenzie standing with Dostoevskii and a million pidgeons as he slouches and pouts through all the ages.

 Changing of the Guards.

 Goose Step, March!

 Good luck for Eli and Kenzie, and some other Random guy posing for his own picture.  So who's photo-bombing who here?

Why, yes, that is a fancy statue inside a mall.

 The dome

  

The US

 

Detailing around the dome

My picture. That's the one (of millions) I took. Because I was there. And not just seeing a picture.

A pretty church on inside the gate in Red Square. Apparently, it's one of the oldest churches in Moscow (if not Russia).  There was a service going on while I was taking this, and it sounded beautiful.

The gates.  Covered in East Orthodox iconography.

Stalin!

An Il'ya for Il'ya (Илья для Илью!)

Just your typical Moscow Metro station. No big deal.

Children posing with a famous clown/circus director outside the circus.

The Circus Ring

Bear! I took a million bear pictures for my friend Shawn.

And this lovely lady for my friend Flo

Monkey!

Now back to the bear. And I guess he found himself a girlfriend.  I think the cop is jealous.

He most definitely is.

Aww he's a sleepy bear!

Hey Dickinson kids: it's hard to see but look, he's got DPS written on his butt! haha

Professing his love.