off to London for Christmas - so snovim godom!

Have had a crazy busy week, and - suddenly - it is christmas time and I am off back to London until the new year. So с ноым годом! (the stereotypical joke being that there is no 'happy' in the Russian phrase for 'Happy Christmas').

on photographing

Went to check out GUM and its christmas decorationss (which are different from the last two years - when they were the same - but also not as good) and couldn't move for people photographing each other, mainly wedding parties. I counted 16 brides-and-groom pairs, as well as several women being snapped by their boyfriends. As I have mentioned before, Russians have no problem posing; everyone seems able to gurn to the camera as if to the manner born, all happily dolled up in thick makeup, (male and female both) and enough hairspray around to destroy the planet. 

christmas arriving

Bleak solid grey skies today, varying between rain and sleet; but hurrah, those christmas decorations are appearing in the streets and shops. Feeling surprisingly cheery about this - which is not my usual way. So just going to go with the happy flow for now...

Happy New Year!

christmas time again

And whilst I am doing GUM, just thought you might like to see the Christmas decorations. Different from last year. Just.

No sympathy

Of course, the reason we (here) have no sympathy for British whining about snow and cold is that this country has all the 'kit' already in place.  Lots of dead animals to wear (there are even different words in Russian for a coat with the fur on the inside, and for one with the fur on the outside). Lots of snow-clearing devices, ones I have listed in an earlier post, but also a whole range of snow shovels and snow lawn-movers, which get pushed along the pavement. And whole bunches of people whose job it is to move snow around on roads and pavements, onto climb roofs and sweep the edges, to climb ladders and knock ice off drainpipes, and to put up miscellaneous barriers, warning of icy surfaces or dangerous icicles above. 

In fact, no snow left un-turned.

Queueing for church

There was a quite a queue to get in Christ the Saviour, where I had hoped to sit in on an orthodox religious service, so I went to one of my favourite cafes (Academia) which is right next door, and instead had my favourite snack which is a perfectly formed Melange Parmigiana, with a fan of parmesan pieces.

On a roll

On a bit of a roll on this snow and ice thing, which - especially for the English - is pretty current. (Sadly, I listen to BBC Radio 3 all the time, and the last news item was listing minus degrees everywhere across the UK in precise detail; for example, -13.2 degrees, which is a bit like saying your age is 23 and three-quarters).

Went for a lovely walk yesterday, down by the river. Because it was the day after Christmas here (!) the snow - which fell softly all day - has been less cleared up/messed up then usual, so everything is looking beautiful, clean and bright. 

and more ..

....But we did go skating on the rink erected at VDNKh. Looking very much like Winnie the Pooh and Piglet (well, quite a big Piglet). 

Thanks to Erica for the photo, even though I don't think this is my best side.

More Katok news...

So, we also didn't go ice-skating on the pond at Chisty Prudie, despite locals clearing a small amount of snow and skating in very small circles (as well as making some pretty good ice-slides).

And I have not yet joined the gang of enthusiasts who are currently arguing on-line about what time to go skating at the Palace of Sports Krylatskoye.

Meeting Tiger Rocky

Another slightly unintended experience centred on our attempt to see a 'typical' Russian New Year show. Quaintly, Google translates these as  'Firs', the yolka or Christmas tree celebrations for children. By the time I got around to booking, all the best tickets had gone or were inordinately expensive.

So I plumped for something called The New Year Adventure of Tiger Rocky (there is definitely a tiger theme here this year, related to the up-coming Chinese Year of the Tiger) because it was on ice, and included acrobatics and magic. It was a 3.00 pm matinee at the Sokolniki Sports Palace, in Sokolniki Park, and the first problem was that we couldn't find the stadium, despite being given many contradictory directions by people we asked. We arrived very late - which was a kind of blessing -as the audience was pretty sparse and the show a local, mainly amateur, affair. We did get our gifts from Ded Moroz at the end though, a bag of sweets, and the children who were there seemed to have a good time, with much shouting and joining in. And now we do know what yolka is. 

With thanks to Peter for the photo which shows Ded Moroz (Father Frost) in his rather fetching blue version - he also comes in red like our own Santa Claus - together with his grand-daughter, Snegurochka  (snow girl)... oh, and Tiger Rocky in the background. 

Happy New Year, Russian Style

Moscovites, like Londoners, advise you to stay away from the big party in Red Square/Trafalgar Square for New Year's Eve; so in the end, after various vague notions of finding a restaurant without a private party/huge entrance fee/face control we just sat in front of the TV and watched right through to President Dmitry Medvedev's speech (in front of images of an unrealistically quiet and  empty Red Square and Kremlin) at midnight. 

Which turned out, from my google researches, to be the 'proper' way to do it: 

“Most Russians celebrate New Year's Eve with their families and close friends. The celebration usually starts one or two hours before midnight and the common tradition is to "say farewell to the old year" by remembering most important events of the last twelve months. At five minutes to twelve most of the people watch the president's speech on TV or watch popular New Year TV shows ("Goluboy Ogonek"). There is a tradition to listen to the Kremlin clock bell ('Kuranty') ringing twelve times on the radio or on TV. During these last 12 seconds of the year people keep silence and make their secret wishes for the next year.” 

Which is exactly what we did. Well not the silences and the wishes thing, And to be honest we didn't watch the TV show,  we gaped at it. It was all glitter,  flashing coloured lights, bling, celebs, loudness, singalong songs, over-acting and gurning for the camera, and endless over-the-top theatrical gestures. I've stolen an image from the brilliant English Russia website, because I was too stunned to photo the TV. And in fact, for a great inside story and more images, go to their blog and read Happy Fake Year.

Disco time

I think I should mention that the boat - see previous post - does turn into a bit of a discotheque (and that is definitely the correct term) towards the end of the evening. So come prepared with your glitter ball and some 70s dance moves!

Handy hints for travelers 8: take the boat trip!

We did our Christmas dinner aboard a special ice-breaking tourist river boat, the first one working of the 5 recently bought by Radisson as part of their renovation of the Hotel Ukraine (another of the Stalinist skyscrapers.) Although the ice was mainly in thin floes, there was still enough to give an occasional satisfyingly eerie screech against the hull, and nothing beats seeing a city after dark from the water. The trip included dinner and cost 1,500 roubles a head (including food but not drinks). Brilliant.

Snowballs in Red Square

Had the glorious treat of my daughter and some friends spending (English) Christmas and New Year in Moscow with me. Had planned to wow them with the deep and crisp and even, and with bright skies and cold but clear  days. Of course was stymied by the fact that 1.) it has been snowing heavily in England 2.) Moscow was unseasonally mild, wet and therefore extra slushy 3.) that Moscow is not the easiest of places to get around in whatever weather.

Anyway here we are, exchanging snowballs (photo courtesy of Peter) in front of St Basil's, having arrived too late to visit Lenin, and before we worked out that the only way into the cathedral itself was via a door that very firmly said Exit/выход. (And the cathedral is a must-see inside, if only because it is so unexpectedly unexpected.)

Christmas decs on my kitchen window, courtesy of дед мороз (Father Frost)!

A bit better...

Was going to continue my grumblings about Christmas, since they appear to be building a gigantic Santa's grotto in Red Square. But now feeling rather more excited as it is turning into an outdoor skating rink. And one of my (slightly peculiar) hobbies has been to ice skate in the centre of cities - the Rockefeller Centre in New York, outside the Natural History Museum in London, and by the Rathausplatz Vienna. Was planning to add the Ice Park in Rautatientori Square, Helsinki in early January but can't now make the trip. So ice skating in Red Square will be a good substitute.  

Christmas grumps

I don't know why, but I thought that because Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th (based on the Russian Orthodox calender), Moscow would not be full of Christmas tat like everywhere else European. But I was wrong. The place is ablaze with baubles. And with the worst of UK Christmas pop songs. And with fat red Santas and various other sentimental figurines. Bah humbug.