My Russia: Italian pasta with Irish accent!
When, around 15 years ago, I was a grown up 11 years old boy I used to pay a lot of attentions to all the happenings in the world with a particular interest in the mysterious "Cold War", the Perestroika and all what happened in those days in all East Europe!
Later I got kind of interested in Marx and its Manifesto with the brilliant start of "A spectre is haunting Europe" which, by the way, I have never read too further than that!!
Last but not least the passionate board game Risk, simulating a world war: which colour could I always pick if not the Red army to then put aside my real game goal and focusing to conquere Russia with my little red armies?!
All the above to introduce the wonderful Russian experience I just had: 8 days spent between St.Petrersburg (Spb) and Moscow!
There would be definitely too much to say, therefore I prefer to concentrate my thoughts of a few brilliant elements of this trip and then leave the rest to pictures and other blogs ;)
First of all the company: the Irish accent of Eoin has been a great company fitting at the very best my intention to have a both cultural enriching and relaxing vacation. Although not always easy for somebody else, his sense of humour and the difficulty for other (and myself too) to understand his accent have been a good entertainment all the week and plus long!
In Spb the company of Tanya, some friends of her and her family (dog included, attempting to beat me when I tried to cares him with my feet!!) have been a great experience for many aspects like the overwhelming hospitality of Russian people: we have been fed properly, carried everywhere, taken care even while crossing the road or deciding what to drink. Language barriers have shown up and if on one hand we improved our Russian and body language skill, on the other hand we realized how frustrating it can be not having a common platform for communication... above all when you are English native... with Irish accent!!!
In Moscow an extremely nice Tasha from Russia has left us only for her job interviews: she came to pick us up at the train station and eventually made sure we caught our train back to Tallinn, with a lot in between! We all stayed in Katya's place, another lovely Russian girl which hospitality and sense of humour (despite of some English difficulties) have struck me in many ways.
People would have been enough to make our Russian experience a great one... but you then add the places and you find yourself having had an unforgettable adventure!
In Spb, visited in almost every corners and characterized by its beautiful palaces (the winter palace standing out) churches and parks, we got above all the chance to visit both the Russian museum and the famous amazing Hermitage hosting art from any part of the world. I must admit that I never enjoyed museums so much as in Spb... although the whole (raining) day spent into those 2 art houses, I enjoyed my time looking for (and often finding) something grabbing my attention in a mysterious way, admiring famous artist and already forgotten names, randomly stealing the knowledge of tourist guides and comparing them while resting in front of some important piece and seeing/listening them passing one by one; even my almost tragic disaster of splitting some vanilla coke on a Picasso has fortunately turned in simply something to tell my grandchildren... they should forbid drinks in a place where so many valuable pieces are not even cover by glass... or, as general advice I would suggest you not to drink in front of any uncovered piece in there!
In this way I already mentioned my beloved vanilla coke, a drink which seems being produced for me only as most of the people dislike it... instead the presence of it in Russia demonstrate what a develop country it is: definitely comparable to Switzerland, where that drink has signed many of my memories :)
Back to Russia: If Spb offers definitely more to see, including some nice places just outside the city like Petrograv (or something like that) with its beautiful park and fountains, Moscow seems to have a different "personality"... Spb, built in the last 300 years lack of what in Moscow is a concentration of beauty, like the Red Square and the Kremlin, and therefore represent the real centre of the city, the soul around which everything else has developed and keep on growing.
And still so much to say:
The metro stations being each a different art gallery and the many, thousands, millions of people around: wow we weren't used to so many people anymore!.. The boat trip during the sunset trying to take some picture without flash and with a shaking boat... The random communist gathering (renamed Communist party by us) in the red square with around 20 people joining it... the country people or farmer park... the illegal picture taken lying on the grass just on the shadow of the Kremlin red wall... my attempt to perform some bike tricks in front of Karl Marx statue with consequential hurting of my finger... a serious of fascinating contrasts between new and old icons and realities, like Lenin with McDonald background, the 7 Sisters (high similar buildings)... the memorial to cosmonauts reminding the big race to the space after WWII... ... ...
And that's all?! Oh come on... Davai... How about the nights spent in Katya's place either lying on the bed drinking... hmm, guess what?! Russian Vodka, of course... or eating dinners and breakfasts?! Maybe I'm a better cook when motivated by 2 nice girls, but I must admit the dinner prepared was really good: with the vital support of Eoin we cooked pasta with salmon and... eh, eh... you wish I would go more in details! Anyway pasta was good and got the nick of "Italian pasta with Irish accent!" Accompanied by some nice wine Eoin had chosen, our pasta was cooked in honour of our two hosts and celebrated with several toasts!
Other than that: I cleaned the kitchen after all... but it was a pleasure since the nice memories that kitchen is saving for us!
For you all: if you have read till here and still want to know more, feel free to read Tasha's and Eoin's blogs and also have a look at the pictures: all the links are on the right!
Concerning me: the more I think back to this Russia experience the more I would write... but I guess it's fine like that, keeping something hided somewhere in my mind and heart sure that these and other great moments spent in Russia will come up in random places and times to give me a stupid smile of pleasure!
Later I got kind of interested in Marx and its Manifesto with the brilliant start of "A spectre is haunting Europe" which, by the way, I have never read too further than that!!
Last but not least the passionate board game Risk, simulating a world war: which colour could I always pick if not the Red army to then put aside my real game goal and focusing to conquere Russia with my little red armies?!
All the above to introduce the wonderful Russian experience I just had: 8 days spent between St.Petrersburg (Spb) and Moscow!
There would be definitely too much to say, therefore I prefer to concentrate my thoughts of a few brilliant elements of this trip and then leave the rest to pictures and other blogs ;)
First of all the company: the Irish accent of Eoin has been a great company fitting at the very best my intention to have a both cultural enriching and relaxing vacation. Although not always easy for somebody else, his sense of humour and the difficulty for other (and myself too) to understand his accent have been a good entertainment all the week and plus long!
In Spb the company of Tanya, some friends of her and her family (dog included, attempting to beat me when I tried to cares him with my feet!!) have been a great experience for many aspects like the overwhelming hospitality of Russian people: we have been fed properly, carried everywhere, taken care even while crossing the road or deciding what to drink. Language barriers have shown up and if on one hand we improved our Russian and body language skill, on the other hand we realized how frustrating it can be not having a common platform for communication... above all when you are English native... with Irish accent!!!
In Moscow an extremely nice Tasha from Russia has left us only for her job interviews: she came to pick us up at the train station and eventually made sure we caught our train back to Tallinn, with a lot in between! We all stayed in Katya's place, another lovely Russian girl which hospitality and sense of humour (despite of some English difficulties) have struck me in many ways.
People would have been enough to make our Russian experience a great one... but you then add the places and you find yourself having had an unforgettable adventure!
In Spb, visited in almost every corners and characterized by its beautiful palaces (the winter palace standing out) churches and parks, we got above all the chance to visit both the Russian museum and the famous amazing Hermitage hosting art from any part of the world. I must admit that I never enjoyed museums so much as in Spb... although the whole (raining) day spent into those 2 art houses, I enjoyed my time looking for (and often finding) something grabbing my attention in a mysterious way, admiring famous artist and already forgotten names, randomly stealing the knowledge of tourist guides and comparing them while resting in front of some important piece and seeing/listening them passing one by one; even my almost tragic disaster of splitting some vanilla coke on a Picasso has fortunately turned in simply something to tell my grandchildren... they should forbid drinks in a place where so many valuable pieces are not even cover by glass... or, as general advice I would suggest you not to drink in front of any uncovered piece in there!
In this way I already mentioned my beloved vanilla coke, a drink which seems being produced for me only as most of the people dislike it... instead the presence of it in Russia demonstrate what a develop country it is: definitely comparable to Switzerland, where that drink has signed many of my memories :)
Back to Russia: If Spb offers definitely more to see, including some nice places just outside the city like Petrograv (or something like that) with its beautiful park and fountains, Moscow seems to have a different "personality"... Spb, built in the last 300 years lack of what in Moscow is a concentration of beauty, like the Red Square and the Kremlin, and therefore represent the real centre of the city, the soul around which everything else has developed and keep on growing.
And still so much to say:
The metro stations being each a different art gallery and the many, thousands, millions of people around: wow we weren't used to so many people anymore!.. The boat trip during the sunset trying to take some picture without flash and with a shaking boat... The random communist gathering (renamed Communist party by us) in the red square with around 20 people joining it... the country people or farmer park... the illegal picture taken lying on the grass just on the shadow of the Kremlin red wall... my attempt to perform some bike tricks in front of Karl Marx statue with consequential hurting of my finger... a serious of fascinating contrasts between new and old icons and realities, like Lenin with McDonald background, the 7 Sisters (high similar buildings)... the memorial to cosmonauts reminding the big race to the space after WWII... ... ...
And that's all?! Oh come on... Davai... How about the nights spent in Katya's place either lying on the bed drinking... hmm, guess what?! Russian Vodka, of course... or eating dinners and breakfasts?! Maybe I'm a better cook when motivated by 2 nice girls, but I must admit the dinner prepared was really good: with the vital support of Eoin we cooked pasta with salmon and... eh, eh... you wish I would go more in details! Anyway pasta was good and got the nick of "Italian pasta with Irish accent!" Accompanied by some nice wine Eoin had chosen, our pasta was cooked in honour of our two hosts and celebrated with several toasts!
Other than that: I cleaned the kitchen after all... but it was a pleasure since the nice memories that kitchen is saving for us!
For you all: if you have read till here and still want to know more, feel free to read Tasha's and Eoin's blogs and also have a look at the pictures: all the links are on the right!
Concerning me: the more I think back to this Russia experience the more I would write... but I guess it's fine like that, keeping something hided somewhere in my mind and heart sure that these and other great moments spent in Russia will come up in random places and times to give me a stupid smile of pleasure!
3 Comments:
Hey hey Augusto!!
Haha so glad to see your fun trip to Russia! Very nice captures on the pictures!! Missing that.. but now will go to eat some sweet mangos : )
Lots of greetings from Singapore!!
By triin ??, At 7:08 PM
Hey :)
thanks for advertising my blog :) hehe... and Thanks for being a great guest in my country!! ;)))
Tasha from Russia :)))
By Anonymous, At 8:58 PM
I also love it :)
By marina, At 12:35 PM
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