First Snow at Star City - Winter 2010

Sick.Blah.Sick

Sorry about not posting. Sick since before going to Bulgaria and haven't gotten better yet. Two rounds on anti-biotics, 1 bottle of Nyquil, 1 box of Coldrex, everything I can throw at it...and nothing.

I hate being sick.

Back from The Black Sea

After a long series of adventures I have made it back to Moscow. Varna was, as always great despite the reason why I was there. After a visit to the grave and a brief memorial, attempted to have as normal a visit as possible. Did some shopping and spent as much time as possible at the coast.

Varna is still an awesome city despite the influx of Americans and Russians. Hope to spend a lot more time there in the future.

Moscow is great too...glad to be back.

The flu is coming...

All plans for extra activities in Varna have gone awry...I feel a cold coming. Weezing in the lungs, tired, feverish. Dang it...my favorite holiday, wasted again! Need to get with my doc Jose and get some drugs.

Off to the Black Sea

Leaving tomorrow morning for the Black Sea coast town of Varna, Bulgaria. Every time I have visited this place, its been a happy occaision. Unfortunately, this isn't going to be one at all. Off to pay my respects to my late sister-in-law, Irina. Also going to do my best to distract my mother-in-law, do some walking around, maybe take some pictures. I am afraid that I will never feel the same about Varna now that both my father in law, and sister in law are gone. With my absense from the city, and my wife's as well, I am afraid that Varna will become one big memorial to the past. I hope not because I love the place but we will see if we can move forward from here, I want my daughter to know Varna, and know it well...but I fear it will never be a home-away-from home for her as it has been for my wife and me. I wonder if my daughter has kids, will they know Varna? Time will tell I guess.

Irina Kirilova Leskovska, 1980-2010

Yesterday, my sister-in-law, Irina Leskovska, was laid to rest in her hometown of Varna, Bulgaria. She was only 30 years old, and died, from my understanding, of Bacterial Pneumonia and health care provider neglect.

Irina was an old soul who wrestled with her demons in the only way she knew how to. She was a beautiful girl in flesh and spirit, a poet, an artist, and full of untapped potential and without warning, her journey ended abruptly. I find a strange comfort in believing that her father met her on Sunday, and guided her every step of the way and now, together, the past forgotten, they smile down on the ones they left behind, Ilka, Diana, and  Leanna.

You are, and will be missed. Goodbye friend. Say hello to Heaven for us.

Lots of Walking

Spent the weekend walking all over Moscow...including the trip on Saturday. Sunday morning was cool and crisp at a balmy 49 degrees! Went to check out The Church of St. Phillip, Metropolitan of Moscow, at Metro Prospekt Mira. Awesome place...again no pictures from the inside...I need to figure out how to arrange to get some inside pictures. This church is a whole compound right in the middle a shopping complex.

After the church ceremony...I wanted to check out Chistie Prudie (Clear Ponds), which is an oasis of peacefulness in the midst of noisy downtown Moscow. I like the place alot but, have to admit, its better in the winter because it turns into a grate ice skating park...great in the evening...will be some nice pics.

Ended up walking for like two hours to get home...forgot how far away it actually was...even though its only one subway stop away! Doh!

Trip to Novodevichy Convent and Cemetary

Finally made it our to Novodevichy Convent and Cemetary this morning. I have been wanting to get out there but between work and a lot of distractions hadn't been able to make it out until now. Got some nice pictures, and have created a web album of the better ones. While I was there I said hello to Nikki Khrushchev (See Below)

 

Nikita Khrushchev's Grave

and paid my respects to Boris Yeltsin.

 Check out the pictures in the web album.

Paka!

Shop - WOW!

http://www.europe-trade.ru/fotogal.php
Last night...decided to head over to my old stomping grounds of Kievskaya Metro Station. For those who don't know, a long time ago, I lived at the Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel for almost 9 months.Well gone are the old kiosks and lines of taxi drivers yelling at you. Nothing says "Welcome to the new Moscow" than this!

Its so big, it has its own bridge over the Mosckva River!

The Evropasky Mall now adjacent from the Kievska Rail Station is the biggest mall I have ever been in. 7 Floors with every shop and restaurant imaginable (Including Cinnabon and Burger King BTW). Consumerism has arrived in Russia in a big way. The 7th Floor is an Ice Skating Ring...very cool!

Americana Overload

Last night decided to venture out and try to walk from the house to the Kremlin...should be about 6 miles. Sounds like a lot I know..but goes by quick when your window shopping. Made it about halfway when I ran into this monster...

http://www.mn.ru/arts/20100812/187980803.html

The dark, grey streets of Moscow suddenly illuminated in Neon...and an old Shoney's Big Boy by the door...had to go in and take a look. Bah...more America and in America. Even down to the waitress uniforms straight out of the 1960's-1970's. Had a salad and left...to much America for me...

Weather Turning Cold so did the natural thing and found a pub!

Damp with a side of chilly...that about sums up the weather here in Moscow. Everyone seems to have a sense of foreboding about the coming winter. Since the summer was the hottest on record...my Russian friends are quietly keeping an eye to horizon looking for the first signs of snow. Naturally, since I have decided to return to Russia, it stands to reason that this will in fact be the longest, coldest winter on record. To be sure.

Found my local pub last night...Katie O'Shea's (http://www.katieosheas.ru/en/node/8). Went in for a pint and a bite to eat...so looks like I'll be hanging out here through the winter. Guinness on tap (Of course) had the "Meat and Guinness Pie". Essentially an Irish Pot Pie...totally awesome. My version is close but I still haven't found sources for most of the ingredients so was comforting to go find one so close. Besides...O'Shea's is within Winter Walking Distance so its a good find.

Otherwise...all is well and going smoothly. Still on the search for Schools and dancing schools for my daughter when she comes.

more late...

Happy Accident on a Sunday Out!

Today was dedicated to Novodevichy Monastery and also, the avenue in front of the Monastery where some of the homes of the Decembrists Revolutionaries have been preserved. But on the way to the Monoastery, I accidentally ran into a Mass being given by the Metropolitan (Like the Arch Bishop) of Moscow at the Cathedral of Our Saviour. (See Below).

 Ended up going inside and watching the mass for a while. It was my first time inside and oh man is it impressive. No cameras allowed inside unfortunately but I don't think photos can do it justice.

The temperature must have dropped 10 degrees while I was inside so decided that Novodevichy is going to have to wait until I have warmer clothes on. So walked over to the one place I have been avoiding. Tourist Central, just because everyone is asking for pictures of the place...so yes I walked over to....

Out of fun, decided to walk into the GUM. (Pronounced Goom) just to see how its changed since I was here last. Jeez...I can't afford to walk into the door anymore...and apparantly neither can Christian Dior!

Thats right, Dior is outside of the GUM...The Position of the store is determined by its exclusivity I am told. Those stores closest to the center of the store are the most exclusive. Dior can't even get into the building...so that should explain how expensive this place is. (Hint, there is a Cafe advertising Lattes at only 765 rubles a cup...(In dollars thats about $25.00)

Ended up walking up Tverskaya to Mayakovskaya Metro Station ( Tverskaya is the Main Central Street in Moscow leading to the Kremlin). Scouted out an old haunt of mine to see if it was still there and was pleasantly surprised...

The American Bar and Grill...an Oasis of Americana in the heart of Moscow...decided to go in and eat on the cheap because most of the food is ultra expensive. They now have a Sunday Brunch which includes an appetizer, main course, beverage for about $16.00 (In Moscow that's very cheap)...so ate there. Then was going to go find some other stuff but it was like freezing so...decided to go home. On the way home, walked past a metro sign showing schedules and the temperature. It was 1 degree Centigrade which is almost freezing...so called it quits for the day. More pics available from today at the picassa site. http://picasaweb.google.com/YaNeWes/SundayOuting#

My local Church at Sukharevskaya

The Email Issue

Chances are, if your reading this you've heard about my email issue. Someone hijacked my hotmail account that I have had for over 12 years now and started sending out emails stating that I am in London and that I have been mugged and need $2500 sent to London.

Well its not true, I am in Moscow and safe and sound. However I am still fighting to get my original hotmail account closed and wanted to pass on some lessons learned for those of you out there who use free email accounts from places like hotmail, gmail, yahoo, live.com, etc.

1. If an email account is free, that means without anyone telling you, YOU HAVE NO SUPPORT OR HELP, at all, case closed.

2. Always do the following at least once a week. Empty your deleted items. ALWAYS delete everything out of sent items and then Empty your deleted items.

3. Never send personal information via a free account. The first thing someone does when they take your account over is go through your deleted and send items to try and find personal items by which they can get into your online identity.

4. All of these free accounts have a couple of ways to recover your account if it gets hacked, all of which, the hackers know and that will be the first thing that they will fix so that you can't get it back.

5. Finally, sit down and think of every site you ever signed up for using your free email account. Now, think about the times you have forgotten the password and went to the link on that site and clicked on "Forgot your password?" You get an email that gives you a link that allows you to reset your password. You click on it and almost instantly, you have access to your account again. Now, a hacker that takes over your email account will be able to do the same thing...think about that.

6. Finally, NEVER use the same password over and over and over again (You know who you are). Once a hacker guess your password, he/she will go through your email to the sites you visit regularly, and try that password first.

7. All passwords should be a minumum of 12 to 14 characters long with symbols (i.e. !@#$) and combinations of letters (Upper and lowercase) and numbers.

8. Never access your free email accounts on public accesss computers or computers you don't trust 100%. Most people and most public access computers remember usernames and passwords by default.

Later,
Wes

I am here!

Greetings everyone! Welcome to the new blog. I have made it back to the Russian Federation in one piece and have kind-of almost gotten over the jet lag. Last night was the first full nights sleep I have had since arriving 5 days ago. With a little help from Advil PM, I may have finally "Circadian Shifted" (There's a word for ya!).

The flight over was uneventful with the exception of being on the same plane as a Russian Musical Legend (see here)...that was pretty cool.

All in all, pretty good so far. Biggest priority is figuring out the food situation...grocery shopping is an adventure here.

More Later...
Wes