2012-04-06 Comrade, Why Are You Not in School?
It has been almost two weeks since my last post with text, and I think the hiatus I have granted you, my readers, is more than enough. I filled the void with the small collection of photos I have taken during my trip only to pause before finishing in order to at least have a single entry about Russia before I run off again. ‘Where to?’ you might wonder. Well Tuesday I leave for Poland and the Czech Republic, adding countries to my quest to see Europe. My east to west conquest is hitting some major obstacles. The unbelievably expensive price of the Scandinavian prices and the strangely costly and strict Belarus border.
Yet, do not fret my dear compatriots. I am more than thrilled to be visiting these two epic states of the Eastern half of the continent and I hope (according to my plan) I will be able to visit Warsaw, Krakow and Prague.
In return to Russia, since I assume most of you are wondering why the blog has strayed so far from my city of Saint Petersburg, I shall update you on the going ons that have occurred. In a short and to the point style entry.
First, the weather needs to be addressed. I arrived from Romania to a warming climate hitting about 40 F degrees. The snow began to melt, and things looked like it would turn into spring. False, of course, as the temperature plummeted we were struck by a blizzard and daily snow for at least a week. I have likely mentioned this earlier but I cannot seem to get enough of the snow. I love it. I can’t help but smile whenever it comes down, I enjoy walking aimlessly amongst it, and enjoying the city painted in white. It is my wish for it to snow until the hour I leave in May, however I do not think that is likely since it has begun to warm up again…
The Russian commute I have been taking, which my local friends claim will make me experience the Russian city at its finest, has been quite tame… until this morning. The tram I take from my apartment complex to the metro station died. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I boarded the tram and there was an announcement and people exited. Some people stayed on in hope that it would revive itself, but alas it would not budge. However through some interrogating of other passengers I concluded the electrical grid that the trams and trolleybuses run on was the actual problem. By the time I gave up on the tram the intersection was chaotic. At least a dozen trams waiting on either side, stuck at the crossing. Half a dozen trolleybuses also came to a halt on the street. The cars struggled to drive around the stalled buses and thousands of people mulling about trying to find their way to work. It was mayhem.
Classes have been okay. While I believe I am more awake due to me waking up two hours before hand instead of two minute, I think the commute has made me more surly and less amiable. Nevertheless at this rate I should pass all my classes without much of an issue.
Sights… I finally went to Kunstkamera, a museum of random things in Saint Petersburg. The most startling exhibit was the room of… well gross things. Basically this main attraction was filled with jars of… fetuses… (shudder) this giant collection of fetuses were not just normal fetuses… but mostly deformed ones, as they were more interesting. There was a whole section of human Siamese twin fetuses (gag)… along with deformities, missing limbs… I am going to stop. I did not enjoy it as much as I was thoroughly intrigued as to why, and that my friends were intent on examining every single one. It was interspersed with animal fetuses (with multiple heads, bodies, limbs…) and skeletons. Of children, dwarves, and giants. Despite all of this nonsense, I found the redeeming find of the room. A Narwhal whale tusk/horn. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I knew that this creature was even real. The display had it hidden in the corner behind these pickled babies, and explained that it had been originally traded as a unicorn horn! I want a Narwhal horn! Apparently though, they are illegal to hunt… someday I’ll get one…
I am improving my Russian literature exploits, as well as finding plenty of great restaurants in the city. My most recent read novel is Diary of a Madman by Nicolai Gogol, and the most recent found restaurant, Conchita Bon Ita, was a wonderfully quaint Argentinean restaurant where you receive a glass of blue champagne, a shot of some tomato-ey pepper-y concoction, and a slice of cake, for free!
Well I hope that brings everyone up to speed. I will also post a bucket load of pictures along with this, to sustain y'all until I leave Tuesday.
Also… I am giving up on the trip photos… takes to long to upload them. Please attend my Facebook page, if you would like to see them all.