Woke up Sunday in the M Hotel, a place the girls chose right off of Nevsky Prospekt in the city center. lI'd bought passes to the Hermitage museum online earlier....you are advised to do this because the regular ticket queues get really oppressive otherwise. I took some pictures of this line that I will post at a later date. I brought the wrong cord for my camera and tablet on this little trip. Took a bunch of hermitage photos too. The place is impossible to imagine....for me, the 19th and20th century European art collection defies imagination. Monet, Cezanne, Matisse collections are amazing.Seems like they have most of Gauguin'sTahitian phase.The architecture is just over the top, marble and tile everywhere, ceilings, doors, floors are decorated lavishly....carving, painting, decorative detail everywhere. The Russian royalty collected, bought, impounded so many beautiful things..Czars collected, communists appropriated private collections, and there is of course some Nazi stuff, stolen by the Reich and then grabbed by the Russians. The place is so huge it would take weeks to see half of it. We are there for 5-6 hours. Laura went back on Tuesday for a few more hours.Pictures to follow.. We made arrangements to meet up with my friend Stepan's friend Dmitri on Monday for some sightseeing.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
April 9, Kazan
The little dog was remarkably well behaved. I like dogs, and I think she could tell. Soon I was scratching her ears and we were friends. The lady didn't speak any English but I now know enough to be fairly communicative. I even overheard her telling the Providnitza that I could speak a little Russian. She soon lay down and was asleep, along with the tiny dog. Someone hawking food poked their head in the door and the dog barked pretty fiercely but never at me....for the whole 26 hours. I should also say that the woman never took the dog for any bathroom breaks for 26 hours! I noticed after a couple of hours that police were getting on at every stop and industriously walking through the carriages. These guys never bother me and actually make me feel very safe. The providnitza did keep coming in the car and looking for something...I even got some blankets off a high shelf for her once to see if anythi g was there. Each time something like this happened, they would wake up my sleeping lady. Finally 3-4 police officers poked their heads in, asked about a black purse above my bunk....I had assumed this was my neighbor's, but she said it wasn't hers! They quickly removed it and about 10 minutes later, a cop actually stuck his head in again and apologized.
I'd prepared for this trip pretty well, buying bread, cheese, sausage, figs, apricots, cashews, candy bars, and a liitle bottle of cognac. I spent the next few hours gazing out the window and taking photos. These will be posted later because I am lacking in certain technical things so this will happen when I am back to Saratov. I must say that you can never prepare yourself for the vastness o Russia...at first there were miles upon miles of fields with towns and villages sprinkled along the tracks. The Russian countryside reminds me so much of my own New Mexico, little homesteads, fences made of numerous material...not much inthe way of large stock...more poultry and goats, tin/metal roofing, aging wooden structures, old vehicles and farm equipment laying about. People are walking everywhere. From time to time you go through a bunch of tiny houses...I think these are people's dachas....summer cottages in the country. Many of them are shabby, but they seem really cool to me. Almost every dwelling has a small greenhouse. People here rely on small gardens and greehouses for their actual food budget. I am envious. One thing I have not seen anywhere in Russia is the ubiquitous trailer scene.Not a doublewide in site....ever. I can't tell you how iterrible these things ruin the American panorama. Not in Russia.I hope it stays this way. The countryside is beautiful, little shabby, dilapidated wooden homes trimmed in bright blue, purple, green, and yellow. From time to time you see huge crumbling brick industrial areas of varying age. Even this has it's own beauty...there is not a lot of renovation here in some places...and the decay . As evening began to fall the train went through huge stands of birch trees, also very beautiful. For a while, it snowed heavily. Then huge tracts of pine forests, frozen ponds, rivers, marshes. Russians on trains like to hang out in the corridors...not a lot of room to squeeze by, nor is there much aversion to brushing up against your neighbors.It takes some getting used to.We stop at some random town with a statio every hour or two, people get out, smoke, buys snacks, chat. The providnitza kind of keeps her eye out for me and tries to get me to stretch my legs. ? She is one of many very kind people I'run into in this country. As darkness falls, I prolong sleep for a while, but soon settle in with my babushka snoring gently on the other side of the compartment She sleeps a lot.
I'd prepared for this trip pretty well, buying bread, cheese, sausage, figs, apricots, cashews, candy bars, and a liitle bottle of cognac. I spent the next few hours gazing out the window and taking photos. These will be posted later because I am lacking in certain technical things so this will happen when I am back to Saratov. I must say that you can never prepare yourself for the vastness o Russia...at first there were miles upon miles of fields with towns and villages sprinkled along the tracks. The Russian countryside reminds me so much of my own New Mexico, little homesteads, fences made of numerous material...not much inthe way of large stock...more poultry and goats, tin/metal roofing, aging wooden structures, old vehicles and farm equipment laying about. People are walking everywhere. From time to time you go through a bunch of tiny houses...I think these are people's dachas....summer cottages in the country. Many of them are shabby, but they seem really cool to me. Almost every dwelling has a small greenhouse. People here rely on small gardens and greehouses for their actual food budget. I am envious. One thing I have not seen anywhere in Russia is the ubiquitous trailer scene.Not a doublewide in site....ever. I can't tell you how iterrible these things ruin the American panorama. Not in Russia.I hope it stays this way. The countryside is beautiful, little shabby, dilapidated wooden homes trimmed in bright blue, purple, green, and yellow. From time to time you see huge crumbling brick industrial areas of varying age. Even this has it's own beauty...there is not a lot of renovation here in some places...and the decay . As evening began to fall the train went through huge stands of birch trees, also very beautiful. For a while, it snowed heavily. Then huge tracts of pine forests, frozen ponds, rivers, marshes. Russians on trains like to hang out in the corridors...not a lot of room to squeeze by, nor is there much aversion to brushing up against your neighbors.It takes some getting used to.We stop at some random town with a statio every hour or two, people get out, smoke, buys snacks, chat. The providnitza kind of keeps her eye out for me and tries to get me to stretch my legs. ? She is one of many very kind people I'run into in this country. As darkness falls, I prolong sleep for a while, but soon settle in with my babushka snoring gently on the other side of the compartment She sleeps a lot.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
train
My train left Saratov on Friday morning at around 10:50 am. The Institute kindly arranged a car and driver for me, and Valentina texted me that she and the car woul gather me at my apartment at 9:30. They were right on time I was organized so we were off quickly. Train station was uneventful, except the driver was able to drop me off in a very convenient, secured, prohibited parking area.
We entered the station and quickly determined that my train was at track 4. One has to find the correct train car....the number is usually on a card in a window. When you find your car, you wait for the providnitsa...the lady who works your car....she takes your ticket and confirms your passport. As we were waiting for her, there was an older woman waiting withwhat looked like her grandson and a little dog...a chihuahua. Valia emarked jokingly that she hoped they were not in my berth. We found my compartment, I said goodbye to Valia, and started to settle in. The young man from outside soon entered my berth be with a lot of bags and what looked to be a dog carrier. The grandmother soon showed up with thelittle dog, the kid brusquely said "poka"...goodbye....and it dawned on who my neighborsin close qquarters would be for the next 26 hours. I had been told in many guidebooks, the ticket website, and by Russians themselves, that berths are usually gender segregated. Apparently not if is a babushka and a dog.
We entered the station and quickly determined that my train was at track 4. One has to find the correct train car....the number is usually on a card in a window. When you find your car, you wait for the providnitsa...the lady who works your car....she takes your ticket and confirms your passport. As we were waiting for her, there was an older woman waiting withwhat looked like her grandson and a little dog...a chihuahua. Valia emarked jokingly that she hoped they were not in my berth. We found my compartment, I said goodbye to Valia, and started to settle in. The young man from outside soon entered my berth be with a lot of bags and what looked to be a dog carrier. The grandmother soon showed up with thelittle dog, the kid brusquely said "poka"...goodbye....and it dawned on who my neighborsin close qquarters would be for the next 26 hours. I had been told in many guidebooks, the ticket website, and by Russians themselves, that berths are usually gender segregated. Apparently not if is a babushka and a dog.
Arrived safely in St. Petersburg yesterday around 12:30. Saw my wife for the first time since mid January. We both almost cried. Janet is here with her friend, Laura, who lives in Vermont.. We are staying in a nice suite at the M hotel near the center. After I arrived, we all alked to the Russian Ethnographic museum. Absoltely fabulous. Wonderful, well maintained exhibit of Armenian, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turmen, Russian jewish, Siberian, Bylorus, etc. Cultures.I aplogize for typos and brevity, I am on a tablet, but will try to blog nevertheless.We also dropped by the Church of th Sacred Blood. Went to dinner at a wonderful Indian restaurant, Tandoor, near the Hermitage. More on that and my Very intersting 26 hour tain ride soon.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
WED 4/2
Last night I had dinner with a couple of acquaintances from the business community in Saratov---their invitation. They are entrepreneurial and wanted to pick my brain about a few things. I try to encourage these discussions every chance I get. For one thing, I find other people's ideas fascinating and exciting. The other is that while I have not been a rousing success at business, I feel like I have a lot to share regarding the planning process and so forth.
Anyway, as is usual if you know me, this discussion starts to get philosophical. I am always very curious about how Russians look at the world and at Russia. One of my friends didn't speak English well, but his friend did. Whenever I am around, some poor soul has to work real hard at translating back and forth. I am however, beginning to be able to understand some things and also speak a bit.
The conversation revolved around my curiosity about the tectonic political/economic/cultural shift that occurred here when the iron curtain fell. I am beginning to feel that there are a great deal of Russians---many of them younger than I---many of them relatively successful----bankers, teachers, etc---have a sense that somehow things were BETTER for the society as a whole during communist times. We in America have this sense that people here must be so happy that they are free of this yoke---but I have a sense that in Russia this is a more complicated scenario. One of these people at dinner has a nice middle class job; he is highly educated; he is entrepreneurial; he drives a new Subaru; he has two great little kids. He turned to me last night and said----"I would go back to the way it was, people were more secure, worked HARDER, it seems to me like it was just better".He was considering the fact that Russia took care of ALL its citizens in those days. The lack of this "net" now, very much concerned him! Now, I don't think he is old enough to remember much, but my jaw just dropped. Wrapping my brain around this is going to take a while----and I get this vibe from many others. This is a complicated, nuanced, thoughtful culture that goes much deeper than the talking points on capitalism and socialism. I can't get enough of these kinds of conversations.
I had red wine, a good salad, and river perch on a bed of mashed potatoes. Very tasty. Restaurant was called Soho....down near the water. English feel to it. Huge sort of photo painting of the Rolling Stones on the wall. All in all very pleasant. I was home by 10pm but I have been thinking about this all day today.
I visited a wonderful secondary/high school today called the Lyceum. Spoke to about 100 students in two classes----9th graders and seniors. Sharp, argumentative(which I love), ambitious kids. Really great back and forth on Crimea and Russian interests. Many of them speak very good English. Somehow when I get back, I have to try to communicate to my students how critical it is to learn other languages. When and if these Russians hit the job market they are going to have advantages. They ALL know that English is critical for their success. I wish our young people felt the same about Russian---or Chinese---or Hindi.Where I might ask, is foreign language represented in the idiotic "common core" , "race to the top" crap?
St. Petersburg in two days.
Anyway, as is usual if you know me, this discussion starts to get philosophical. I am always very curious about how Russians look at the world and at Russia. One of my friends didn't speak English well, but his friend did. Whenever I am around, some poor soul has to work real hard at translating back and forth. I am however, beginning to be able to understand some things and also speak a bit.
The conversation revolved around my curiosity about the tectonic political/economic/cultural shift that occurred here when the iron curtain fell. I am beginning to feel that there are a great deal of Russians---many of them younger than I---many of them relatively successful----bankers, teachers, etc---have a sense that somehow things were BETTER for the society as a whole during communist times. We in America have this sense that people here must be so happy that they are free of this yoke---but I have a sense that in Russia this is a more complicated scenario. One of these people at dinner has a nice middle class job; he is highly educated; he is entrepreneurial; he drives a new Subaru; he has two great little kids. He turned to me last night and said----"I would go back to the way it was, people were more secure, worked HARDER, it seems to me like it was just better".He was considering the fact that Russia took care of ALL its citizens in those days. The lack of this "net" now, very much concerned him! Now, I don't think he is old enough to remember much, but my jaw just dropped. Wrapping my brain around this is going to take a while----and I get this vibe from many others. This is a complicated, nuanced, thoughtful culture that goes much deeper than the talking points on capitalism and socialism. I can't get enough of these kinds of conversations.
I had red wine, a good salad, and river perch on a bed of mashed potatoes. Very tasty. Restaurant was called Soho....down near the water. English feel to it. Huge sort of photo painting of the Rolling Stones on the wall. All in all very pleasant. I was home by 10pm but I have been thinking about this all day today.
I visited a wonderful secondary/high school today called the Lyceum. Spoke to about 100 students in two classes----9th graders and seniors. Sharp, argumentative(which I love), ambitious kids. Really great back and forth on Crimea and Russian interests. Many of them speak very good English. Somehow when I get back, I have to try to communicate to my students how critical it is to learn other languages. When and if these Russians hit the job market they are going to have advantages. They ALL know that English is critical for their success. I wish our young people felt the same about Russian---or Chinese---or Hindi.Where I might ask, is foreign language represented in the idiotic "common core" , "race to the top" crap?
St. Petersburg in two days.
Monday, March 31, 2014
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