Love

Masha and I have a very strong and deep love.  We have decided to get married.   I proposed to Masha in Moscow on 9 January 2009.  There is no date set at this time, we can not set a date untill the immigartion process is further along.  The current estimate is that she will be in the US some time around August.   It might be sooner, it might be later.  We will get married during 3 months after Masha's arrival and everybody will be informed about this great event.  Now congratulations for the engagement are being accepted.

Moments after Proposal.

Happy together.

A bridge in Иваново.

Train station in Moscow.

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ПЕСНЬ  ТОРЖЕСТВУЮЩЕЙ  ЛЮБВИ
Мирра Лохвицкая

Мы вместе наконец!.. Мы счастливы, как боги!..

Нам хорошо вдвоём!

И если нас гроза настигнет по дороге,— 

Меня укроешь ты под ветром и дождём

Своим плащом!

И если резвый ключ или поток мятежный,

Мы встретим на пути,— 

Ты на руках своих возьмёшь с любовью нежной

Чрез волны бурные меня перенести,— 

Меня спасти!

И даже смерть меня не разлучит с тобою,

Поверь моим словам.

Уснёшь ли вечным сном,— я жизнь мою с мольбою,

С последней ласкою прильнув к твоим устам

Тебе отдам!

Post Production

So The trip is over, but I have have so many pictures I will have to do a bunch of updates to share them.On the last full day we went to a few different places. One of them was a large shopping center under red Square.  I don't know the name of it but its 3 stories underground, and its main entrance is from the metro.  Masha was trying to find a gift for her mother, but the thing she was interested in they didn't have the right version of.  The shopping center was very interesting, it was very large.  Just a little smaller than the Rosdail mail.  Totally underground, you can see the top of it on Google Earth, but it looks like a dome on the ground, which is a skylight.

We walked allot in Moscow on our last night.  Mom, don't be to upset, but I have things to tell you that might make you a little crazy.  We had a wonderful time.  I did not have a single moment of unhappiness or disappointment.  Masha was more wonderful than I could have expected or hopped for, and Russia was far more friendly and fun than I had anticipated.  It was very safe.  If you could see a monument you could see a police officer, and if you are in St. Peters or Moscow then you can see a monument.  I don't think I was ever out of shouting distance from an police officer for if I needed one.  Never was I given an unfriendly look, and many times people approached me and asked me questions in Russian, so I look enough like I belonged that people did not assume I was an American tourist as apposed to a Russian tourist.  I had a strange sense of belonging that I'm not used to.  I'm not sure if its the more social attitudes of the people or just being with Masha.

The only thing I will say is without an interpreter, it would be a difficult trip.  In Moscow many people speak English, but in St. Peters there was very very little.  If any one wants to go, I'm happy to go along, and I'm sure I could convince Masha to come again.  

So Chicago cancled my flight to minneapolis, so I got to spend an extra day on the trip.  I'm about to board a plane to Minneapolis finaly, and get home.

Moscow The Next Day

There is definitely something different about Moscow.  I would say that I liked St Peter's better.  Its a nice place, and everyone is friendly, its something about the buildings.  Mom you may not like this news, but I have committed my spring break to Masha.  I will come back in March to visit Иваново.  I'm not sure just what.  In both city's there are police everywhere.  An officer or a guard on just about every other street corner.  With so many monuments, and historical structures, it only makes sense, and most of them are in positions near such monuments and structures.  In St. Peters, there was never a problem with taking a photo of a building of any sort, however in Moscow some buildings are active government buildings, and guards are quick to let you know not to photo the building.  Of course we usually got a few pics first.  We didn't even get to find out what this building was, but its not to be photoed.

It seams each day we spend more time together and less time sightseeing.  Thursday was cold, and snowy and Mashas mother said to be careful and better to stay in and watch movies, so we did, one of these movies was Russian film called Moscow Vacation.  Today we are setting out to find an open air art market, a flash drive so Masha can have all the pictures also, and some other things.

Here is a picture of our final day in St. Peters, it was a very magical sky that night.

Moscow

So I made it to Moscow safe and sound.  The hotel is well, a little different.  They are very good extortionists here.  One hour of Internet at this hotel will pay for a month of Internet in MN.  And Masha says the same for her hometown.

So for those that are worried.  MOM... I made it safe, and sound, my computer is fine, and everything is going great.  Moscow does not feel quite the same as St. Peters.  I liked it better there.  It is still a very nice place people are friendly.

Some thing a little interesting about Russian theater.  Since there are no black people here, black face is still alive.

When I get back home, I will have to make a few large updates to this to bring any one interested up to speed.  Pictures and such will be coming then.

Watching a supper old Russian move, what a way to pass a little break in the action.  The travels from the airport to the hotel room was quite long.  First there was a express train, and then a metro train and after that a  6 hour wait at the train station.  We deduced that when we return to Moscow we will have to visit each of the metro stations.  They are truly something else, and something worth seeing.

  When we made it to the train station we checked our bags at a bag check, with a very friendly Russian man who did not steel anything from the bag the 6 hours it was in his care.  During the time we took a very nice and long walk in Moscow, Hilton has a really nice building near to the train station.  We walked around 3 kilometers down проспект мира a very busy street.  The thing worth noting above all else, there are cars everywhere.  I should have taken some picture of the park methods.  Its really something different.  One tire on the curb no problem, two tires on the curb that's fine.  If the two tires on the curb happen to be the front two, that's just fine.  3 tires, no problem.  Go ahead and park on the sidewalk, its ok, and point which ever direction you wish.  I found it a little funny, and very interesting that the parking would be like this.

I will say that so far it would seam that the Internet has gotten a few things wrong.  First people really look happy.  I see many smiling faces.  The first person I heard speak English was a British couple that are at our hotel.  The places that say things about the Russian expressions being dryer, morose, and such I now feel are silly and incorrect.

So after walking around Moscow and sitting in the train station for 6 hours, we finally got on the train and made it to St Peters.  Here we took 2 metro trans, and walked about 8 blocks.  It was a long walk, and even though we never went the wrong way or even started down the wrong street we thought we were going the wrong way at least twice.  Finally to the hotel room.  Internet works but it is a little slow.  Soon we will go out to find an activity for the rest of today.  Маша is very nice and we are getting along great.  She is quick to ask questions of people in Russian which is convenient, and she translates for me very well. 

More Details

A few things about Moscow have been firmed up. Ticket to two shows at the Большой театр (The Bolshoi Theater). The two shows The Tzars Bride, and The Golden Cockerel. Both Russian Operas, at one of the largest theaters in the world. Its interesting that in St. Petersburg almost all things are less expensive than Moscow, but for theater tickets, 2 shows in Moscow coast the same as one ticket in St. Petersburg. Just an interesting note.

Russian Trip Details

So here is a brief overview of the upcoming trip.

Leave Minneapolis on the 28th of December. Arvie in Moscow on the 29th at around noon. There will be a half day in Moscow, fallowed by a night train to St. Petersburg. Arriving in St. Petersburg at around 8am on the 30th. The daily details of the days in St. Petersburg are not detailed out just yet, there will be a lot of playing it by ear. Tickets have been reserved for a showing of "The Nutcracker" and a Russian Opera called "Christmas Eve". Remember, Christmas is not until the 7th of January in Russia. On the 5th, a night train will be taken back to Moscow. The details of Moscow are not fully developed but the obvious sights will be seen. One task is going to be to find the outdoor art market of Vernisazh. Then I will fly out on the 10th of January, and be back in Minneapolis on the 10th.