Comments | mytza: Moya Moskva

mytza

Moya Moskva

Jan 05, 2009 08:43

Maybe the most unexpected and memorable thing that happened to me last year was a short trip to Moscow, as part of a work assignment (a few interviews for a feature about expat managers in Moscow - yes, the crisis was not talked about at that time). Two full working days, with very little time for walking and the city seen mostly through the car ( Read more... )

the city

Comments 16

svetosila January 5 2009, 09:18:08 UTC

mytza January 5 2009, 09:28:38 UTC

*unfriendly* :))
There's a pic in the slideshow with a Starbucks cafe on the Arbat; I stayed there for a coffee and I tried to imagine you entering there (of course, in my mind you look like in the picture from Spravochnik).

svetosila January 5 2009, 09:35:11 UTC

svetosila January 5 2009, 09:32:12 UTC

mytza February 25 2009, 11:17:27 UTC

Hehe, it wasn't cold at all. In fact this was another winter almost without snow; we had only the predictable media blizzard, with the same stories about Nabucco, gas wars and what politicians should do. Meanwhile, some smart guys silently took advantage of the gas shortage and made a lot of money selling fuel oil at a higher price - and that was all :)

I remember well the winter from that Dnevnik. That's when I learned the word "moroz"; I was listening to Nashe Radio, trying to imagine how it feels to endure 20 degrees or more below zero. Much later I noticed that e-mae from ru_aquarium is from Chita and saw that there were -30, which is almost unimaginable for me (here in Bucharest, even -10 means unusually cold)!

svetosila February 28 2009, 17:04:23 UTC

svetosila January 5 2009, 09:41:11 UTC

mytza February 25 2009, 10:59:43 UTC

I wish that people won't be that blind or hypocritical when talking about "Europe". Because you know there are many kinds of blindness or hypocrisy - the West towards the whole East, the EU towards non-member countries and the "rest of the East" (EU and non-EU members) towards Russia. Once there was a big and visible Iron Curtain, now there are many subtle Clichés Curtains, equally painful and with curious nuances ( ... )

svetosila February 28 2009, 16:57:36 UTC

svetosila January 5 2009, 09:45:51 UTC

mytza February 25 2009, 10:42:34 UTC

Unfortunately, I didn't enter Novodevichy - we only had the time to visit Arhangelsky and Vasily Blazhennyi and to see the rest of the churches from outside. But is was really great, especially with such a guide! I hope that next time will be different (and that I'll be able to call you then).
Before the trip, it crossed my mind indeed that I don't know anything about Afftar's thoughts on Moscow and my only reference, if I can call it like this, is the abstract Moskovskaya Oktyabrskaya :)

Long live the grey routine, it's almost always welcome when things are tough. Sometimes it's the only effective medicine. And I'd add that with the current crisis, even the greyest routine can seem golden (but I hope you don't ever need to consider this argument).

svetosila February 28 2009, 16:31:54 UTC

havoc_mind January 6 2009, 17:22:27 UTC

Omg, you were in Moscow!
Next time, when you are in Moscow, i would be glad if you could find even 5 minutes for a meeting.

Anyway, S Novim Godom.

mytza February 25 2009, 11:36:37 UTC

Thank you for this, it's so nice!! I'll take seriously your invitation - next time I hope to prepare the trip, so I can tell you about that at least a few days before leaving for Moscow.
Sorry I took so long to read and answer... I missed even your birthday :(

havoc_mind February 25 2009, 11:58:33 UTC

Well, he-he, you must be really busy, then.
Nevermind, i will have another one next year)
Waiting for first news from you about your visit.