Saturday, December 11, 2010

Random Observations...

Russia knows snow removal.  When it snows, Moscow turns into a human ant hill of street and sidewalk clearing. It seems like they’re removing snow the second it hits the ground.  This place is hyper-prepared for foul weather and it is quite impressive.  Compare this to Atlanta and the deep south - mere gossip that it might snow or ice 5 days out - schools, airports, stores closed. Bread and milk, not a chance.

3 workers clearing snow in our courtyard this morning - they're on it!
Recycling = nyet.  No such thing here.  There’s almost a pride in how much trash can be accumulated in one day.  Now, I will say Moscow is an impressive early adopter to charge for plastic grocery bags.  When you step up to the cashier you’re asked how many bags you want to buy (at least I think that’s what she’s asking).  You look at your stash and size up the need and hope you get it right, ‘cause there’s no going back once you state the number.  Adien, dva, tri, chateria...and then you bag your own.  All good.  I made the mistake my first time through of thinking I could make it with adien (one) bag.  Note to self:  wine bottle and large water bottles are heavy.  Big rip on the way home and ended up hand carrying the whole lot.  Smooth.  Clearly the new American on the block.

Big purchase day yesterday.  With the help of our driver, picked up a new TV, microwave, 3 humidifiers and an iron.  Interesting note:  there is no such thing as a back door pick up window at stores where you can drive around to pick up larger items that you can’t haul through the mall out to your car.  You just haul them through the mall out to your car.  Here’s the scenario:  you haul the beasts through the store, dodging people through the mall, down the snow covered steps, across the slippery parking lot and slide into home base which is your car.  Perspiration level is high since you have 10,000 layers on.  When this process is over - I refuse to look back to see the carnage and the wake of bodies we’ve taken out along the way.  In situations like this, why do you always feel like you’re the only one who looks like a complete baffoon.  Probably best not to dwell on that too long...
Here's the panel from our new microwave:  Glad to see the buttons are in Russian, as is the instruction manual.  Looks like we’ll just go with the pictures...