A Walk in the Park

Last week Mr. U found the coolest link showing all of the locations in Moscow where one can find statuary of Владимир Ильич Ленин (http://ru-lenin.livejournal.com/40157.html).  One of these locations (#19) was at metro stop ВДНХ in the NNE part of town.  The city happened to be showing the Olympic events on a large screen at the All-Russia Exhibition Center (http://www.vvcentre.ru/eng/) so we figured why not check it out and kill two birds with one stone and see a new part of town?  We live centrally so a quick ride on the circle line and then a transfer to the orange line headed north and we were on our way to check it out.

We popped out of the very deep underground station (*shudder*) and blinking, stepped into the sunlight.  A quick look around to orient ourselves brought us face to face with a breathtaking monument dedicated to space travel.

Crossing under the monorail system (a never-fully-realized project left over from times gone by), we arrived at the grounds of the Всероссийского Выставочного Центра (ВВЦ or All-Russia Exhibition Center) to find amusement park rides, open spaces, pavilions of every sort and impressive and monumental architecture.

Inaugurated in 1939 as the Exhibition of Agriculture, it has since evolved to become a site for the “promotion of Russia's economic, scientific-technical and social infrastructure, business activity, formation of innovatory products and intellectual property market, introduction into production of the science-intensive technologies and projects, interaction with the republican, regional and local exhibition and fair structures.” 

*Whew*  That was a mouthful!  In plain English, that means that it is a state-run fairground that is holding onto the history of this proud nation.  There is a veneer of strength and power covering a crumbling infrastructure that is struggling to keep up with the rapid evolution of the global economy.  There is something comforting, though, about the imposing buildings, grand spaces and Soviet symbolism found throughout the sprawling territory.

nod to the origins of the VVC

Walking through the Romanesque triumphal arch that serves as the main entrance to the grounds, one comes face to face with a giant screen broadcasting the Olympic events of the day.  I couldn’t help but smile at the irony when I noticed the Sochi 2014 banners draped around the space while watching London 2012 events.  There were very few people watching the Olympics as the relentless sun was high in the sky and the area provided no shelter from its burning rays.  We paused for a few moments and decided that finding a shady spot was preferable as we are both as pale as the underbelly of a fish and would burn to a crisp in under 5 minutes.

*ahem* live site London 2012

Hidden directly behind the screen’s scaffolding was none other than the statue of Владимир Ильич Ленин that we sought, standing stoically by while his normally unobstructed view of the entrance was temporarily blocked by the oversized TV.  I wonder what Lenin would say about that?

With ice cream in hand (a narrative imperative in Moscow), we strolled through the exhibition grounds and the adjoining Парк Останкино for a few hours, enjoying the sights and sounds and beautiful weather. 

The People's Friendship Fountain

I'm sure someone wants to be her friend...

It seems that Sunday the 29th of July was Navy Day.  I was hoping there was something going on and that these fashion choices weren't just a huge (and frightening) coincidence.

Ukrainian Pavilion

Pretty girl posing in front of the Ukrainian Pavilion

 

People in the park...See?  Just like back in Canada.

Learning to drive???  That explains a few things...

Would you believe that actually says bonsaï?!

яблоня

After 3 hours wandering around the great outdoors, we were tired and ready to sit down.  We made one more stop on the way home to pick up a watermelon for Mr. U to juice.  What a perfect way to spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon.  It is easy to forget that the winters are so long, cold and dark on days like this.

Tempus Fugit

365 days ago we landed here in Moscow, bewildered, breathless and excited.  It was a gorgeous summer day, not unlike today and we were exhausted yet eager to discover what we could about our new "home".  It has been a year and we're going strong.  With my studies finished and time to spare, I'm looking forward to more travel, hosting more dinner parties, spending time with friends, new and old and discovering more of what this culturally-rich city and this country have to offer.

Mr. U is getting a special dinner of magret de canard tonight.  I know better than to do this to myself but what the heck, it is a special milestone, right?  One down, two to go.

Not too shabby, eh?

An Alphabet of a Year!

A is for adventures, big and small
B is for beautiful summer weather
C is for crisp and cold winter
D is for Daddy, lost this past year
E is for everything is expensive
F is for fabulous
G is for Georgian restaurant (just down the lane)
H is for home
I is for interesting
J is for the juicer we bought mainly for watermelon (Mr. U’s new toy)
K is for kindness of my friends and family when I needed it the most
L is for leisurely lifestyle to which I have become accustomed LOL
M is for MEd (to be officially awarded this coming October)
N is for new friends who have become like family
O is for old friends who are family
P is for paperwork (needed for everything)
Q is for how quickly a year has gone by
R is for rest now that school is over
S is for simple
T is for travel to places new and old
U is for Mr. Unmentionable’s unwavering support
V is for very thankful and grateful for all that I have
W is for wonder
X is for eXcellent eXperiences so far
Y is for yes, we made the right move
Z is for Zavie, always and forever in my heart

365 Days of Wonder

The 26th of July marked the one year anniversary of our departure from Ottawa to The Big Apple on our way to Moscow.  I can’t believe how quickly time moves on.  It seems like just yesterday that we were checking in for our flight with our shiny, new passports and paying a crazy amount in overweight luggage fees (oops).  I was filled with a mix of excitement and fear of the unknown underwritten by deep sorrow.  “Moscow in my head” was a strange, dark, scary place with large, imposing buildings and boulevards, years of grime covering every surface and squalid living conditions -a post apocalyptic scene implanted oh-so-kindly in my mind by Mr. U.

Needless to say (thankfully so), my mental image was the furthest thing possible from reality.  It has been a year of ups and downs, discovery and settling, loss and sorrow, friends new and old and growth in every way imaginable.  It is hard to believe that one third of our time here has elapsed, seemingly going by in the blink of an eye.

Nobody knows what the future holds for any of us but one thing that it brings is possibility. 

So I raise a glass to possibility, come what may.

наше здоровье

«Недальний Восток» Not-Far-East Restaurant

My first clue should have been the AMG Mercedes roadster (http://www.mercedes-amg.com/#/slsgtroadster-overview) and the Lamborghini (http://www.lamborghini.com/en/models/) that were parked outside.  The second clue should have been the two doormen and the third clue -the two waifs that greeted us upon entry to sweep us to our table.  Still, I was just happy to be out with Mr. U for a dinner à deux.

Since we were planning an early meal, there was no issue booking a reservation for two.  It seems that the dinner crowd arrives much later in the evening.  It made for a quiet and intimate setting.  It was nice to step into the tranquil atmosphere and escape the hustle and bustle of Moscow.  Welcome to Nedalniy Vostok.

http://novikovgroup.ru/en/2/56/477/

A quick glance at the drink menu and I was immediately reminded of why we are not regulars at this restaurant.  Mr. U's Asahi beer cost руб 380 (or $11.80 CAD) which is actually a reasonable price for Moscow, believe it or not.  A Bellini -champagne and peach purée- was priced at руб 1200 (at an exchange of $1 CAD/руб 32.22, the math adds up to $37.24 CAD per drink) and I couldn't in good conscience go down that route so I opted for a Сёка instead.  At the bargain basement price of руб 970, our very sweet server brought me a martini glass full of what can only be called "a mouthful of delicious".  The nectar of the gods contained within was just the right proportion of vodka, crushed raspberries and cranberry juice aromatized with a subtle hint of kumquat.

 

I had two.

Since he had been to the restaurant before, Mr. U ordered a few appetizers that he knew I'd enjoy.  Wasabi prawns and calamari tempura arrived quickly and did not disappoint.  The prawns were cooked to perfection and smothered in a subtle wasabi sauce that provided a small amount of heat and delivered a huge amount of flavour.  The calamari was tender and delicious as well.

Our main courses were equally as satisfying, with my salmon steak tender and flaky and Mr. U's kasha and duck confit hot pot filling the rest of our bellies with pure sunshine.

A trip to the loo between courses took longer than expected as the trek through the restaurant and down a flight of stairs led me into a designer space in which to freshen up.  I was very surprised to note there was more square footage in there than in my apartment!  The only thing missing was dental floss, I was sad to note.  L1 can attest to that being the measure of a fine restaurant.

This was obviously meant as a hang out place as well as a place to freshen up.  The floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall mirror in the entryway is irresistible to the Russian "Fashionista" crowd.

Dessert was a paper-thin apple tart and vanilla bean ice cream, both bursting with flavour.  I paired it with my traditional end of meal espresso that drives Mr. U crazy for some reason.

Our server must have taken pity on us because when it came time for the счет, she gave us the Early Bird 20% discount.  It seems that we can buy a year's discount card which would give us 10% off the bill at any of the restaurants in the Novikov Group (of which this is a part) as well as 15% off at Глобус Гурмет, an imported goods grocery store.  We rarely leave there with a bill under руб 6 000 so we don't shop at Глобус Гурмет too often but at least I can always find what I'm looking for.  For the low price of руб 10 000 we could start saving money... Wait, what? I need to pay to save?  How does that work itself out?

At any rate, after dinner we decided to cab it home instead of fighting our way through the rush hour metro commute.  Our taxi driver was sketchy to say the least but he seemed to know where he was headed.  He fell asleep at one point when the traffic was stopped for more than 30 seconds and he seemed to not really want to take our fare at first but eventually, reluctantly agreed.  Pуб 400 is better than no руб at all, I guess.  The taxi ride was interesting as we were flanked on one side by a pristine, black Rolls Royce and on the other a dove-grey Bentley.  

Ahhh...so this is how the other half lives.

36 hours with Dragonladyink -Haarlem and beyond!

On my way back to Ottawa from Moscow I decided that a stopover in Amsterdam was in order.  You see, if you fly with KLM, you can book a layover in Amsterdam for mere pennies.  After much back and forth on the website and the phone (that is a whole other story for another time) I booked my transit for what I thought was an early evening arrival in the 'Dam and a mid-afternoon departure the following day.  This had to be done over the phone because the website was being difficult.  The agent took the info, booked the itinerary and confirmed it with me multiple times before reserving the ticket.  I was given 72 hours to call back and pay with a credit card, the normal booking charge being waived due to the technical issues.

After a number of further futile searches, it seemed that the ticket booked over the phone (despite it being $300 more expensive than the internet price ARGH!) was the most reasonable in terms of itinerary, routing and ease of transit.  I then had to eat a bit of crow pie and call the KLM agent once again.  Did I mention that I was frustrated, not impressed and might possibly have been short with the phone agent?  Pride carefully stowed in my back pocket but ticket now booked, I went about my business happily under the impression that my flight was to depart at about 5PM from Шереметьево airport and I would arrive in time for dinner with my sister in Amsterdam.  I'd then spend the night at her place and we'd hang out in the AM before I had to head back to the airport to catch my flight to Montreal and then a bus to Ottawa.


You know, it is a good thing that Mr. U keeps a very close eye on me.  You see, the Thursday before I was to leave (departure planned for the following Monday) he verified my itinerary to make sure that all was in order.  The home phone rang and I was delighted that Mr. U had taken the time out of his oh-so-busy-and-important-day to call me.  That jubilation was short-lived when I realized that something was not quite right.  Judging from the tone of his voice when he asked me, "WHAT time does your flight leave on Monday?", I could tell that there was something amiss.  My flippant response of: "oh, some time around 5PM", didn't quite cut it.  The question was repeated in a more growly tone and I immediately checked the email confirmation to find that my departure flight did, indeed, leave around 5:30 BUT it was AM and not PM!  Good thing he checked, I tell you.  I burst out laughing, realizing how disastrous that could have been.  Oddly, Mr. U didn't share my mirth.  I wonder why?


**Note that I was going to check my paperwork the following day or on Saturday just to confirm.  I'm not completely incompetent, you know.  I've made it 40 years without too many mishaps and I have never, ever missed a flight in my life.


Thankfully Mr. U was able to book a car to pick me up as there are no trains or metros running at the hour I would have had to have departed for the airport.  He grumbled and growled but secretly I know he likes to take care of me.


Lessons learned:

1) check the work of others -I had requested the evening flight from Moscow to Amsterdam but the agent booked me on the AM flight

2) there is a crazy amount of traffic in Moscow 24/7 -at 3:00AM there were slowdowns and tons of cars traveling to/from Moscow (it still took the better part of 45 minutes to get to the airport in the middle of the night!)

3) 2:50AM is a completely uncivilized hour to have to leave for the airport (or anywhere else for that matter!)

4) it was totally worth it because I got to spend an awesome 36 hours with my sister


After an uneventful flight to Amsterdam (check-in, boarding and flight were all smooth -yay free wifi at the airport terminal) I hopped a train to Amsterdam-Centraal and caught up with Dragonladyink (after asking two very nice men where the Starbucks was located).  We decided to take a cab back to her place as the pouring rain showed no signs of letting up any time soon.  Now having a full day ahead of us, we took some time to figure out what to do.  You may remember that barely 2 months before I played tourist for a week in Amsterdam so I did not feel the need to tour around the city once again.  After tossing around the idea of Antwerp or Utrecht, we decided to hop a train out of town to Haarlem (20 minutes away... close enough to be convenient and far enough away to provide a change of pace/scenery).


Mother Nature decided that she approved of our plan and turned off the waterworks and turned up the sunshine to make our adventure all the more pleasant.  

down an alleyway

gates surrounding an old nunnery

doorways in the cloister

cloister gardens

street in Haarlem

stopped for a drink here, an old church transformed into a micro-brewery

Ye olde flower shoppe

shopping street

ye olde chocolate shoppe

random person

my fries in a cone!

  afternoon treats

interesting architecture

Haarlem canal

Shopping and photos and a quick drink later, we had spent the better part of the day enjoying each other's company and it was time to head back to the flat for some rest before our dinner reservations.


Supper was fantastic in an intimate Italian restaurant in the Jordaan district.  We walked around after dinner to work off our gluttony before turning in for the night.  The next morning it was up bright and early as I was heading to the Van Gogh Museum and Dragonladyink was off to the gym to have her ass handed to her on a platter by her personal trainer.  Neither worked out according to plan.  I was prevented from even entering the museum -too many people in line, museum 25 minutes late opening and I was short on time to begin with and Dragonladyink kicked her trainer's ass instead of the other way around (way to go MM!).  My walk around the Museumplein was peaceful and the weather was perfect so I took advantage of the time and space to snap a few photos.  At least I got to ride on the tram and didn't get lost or mugged this time (unlike 15 years ago when I first visited Amsterdam).  All was not lost.

this is as close as I got to the museum

structure on the Museumplein

catching a few rays in the grass

Realizing that trying to negotiate cobblestones with my 20kg suitcase would be an exercise in futility, Dragonladyink called her driver and had him take us to the airport for the low price of 35€.  When we parted ways at security/passport control, she was heading back home and I was heading on to Montreal and then to Ottawa for an adventure-packed, whirlwind of a week.

All in all, MOS-AMS-YUL-YOW with KLM is my new preferred routing when I head back to Canada.  I think that is what we will do in October but this time I'll really check my ticket to make sure I have the flight times right!  Mr. U's heart just can't take any more of my shenanigans.