Every day is an adventure!

I celebrated my birthday in Russia this year and my adorable husband bought me 11 roses (not 12 because an even number of flowers is for funerals only), wrote a beautiful card and then we went out for dinner at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant. It was good food. Not fantastic, but good. The pizzas looked really good! After dinner we walked back home in a park adjacent to the Kremlin walls. An amazing day... well, that was the day before my birthday because the day of my birthday we went to the Hungarian Embassy for a function.

Off to the Hungarian Embassy

Every day really is an adventure here! We woke up Saturday morning and decided to go to the auction held by the U.S. Embassy. It was quite far from our apartment, but we figured it would be interesting getting there if nothing else. I don't even remember the routing by Metro, but it was WAY out of town at the last stop on one of the lines. That only took about 30 min. and then we had to find a local bus, got on going the wrong direction, but thanks to Yandex Maps, we realized it when the arrow was pointing the wrong way and hopped off the bus, crossed the road and got on going in the right direction! We arrived at our stop, but it was a warehouse district and we didn't really know which direction to take...we knew it wasn't far, but things weren't well marked. So, my wonderful husband asked for help and they managed to steer us the right way. We found the auction spot, registered, got a number and then quickly found out that this auction wasn't for us. They were selling some great stuff if you need washing machines, fridges, bedroom and dining room sets. If they were selling it by individual pieces, perhaps we could have had some fun, but they were selling it by the sea container! You know, those huge metal boxes you see at sea ports? So we would be bidding on the whole lot - a sea container filled with furniture. But hey, it was an adventure! lol

Washing machine or fridge anyone?

First time using "the hole" style bathroom

Here's a few random shots of our life here....

View of the Kremlin from a pedestrian bridge really close to our apartment

The adorably cute blue building across the street from us

Our little street...



So people in this new diplomatic world of ours travel... a LOT! We've caught the fever and have already booked TWO trips! So excited! More on those later. We hear all kinds of interesting travel stories from the people we've met, but the best one so far is a story about getting a Kalari massage in India! It's not as lovely as it sounds! First, it's a man getting a massage by another man, then the masseuse asks "John" to take off his clothes and put this diaper-like underwear on - while he stands there and waits for John to do so....."John" reluctantly does so. He is then asked to lay on the floor and not long after is asked to take said diaper off (why bother putting it on???). "John" does so reluctantly. So picture a naked man on the floor while another man hangs onto ropes attached to the ceiling and massages naked man with his feet. It's not sounding too bad, but then it gets nasty! Masseuse massages "John's" butt crack with his toes! But wait... it gets even better! Masseuse asks "John" to turn over! I'm laughing at this point while the story is being told to us. So, naked man, laying on his back, full frontal and the massage continues. Feet are using sort of an "X" pattern for the massage, which means, something gets in the way every time his feet hit the centre of the "X"! You probably guessed it... feet flick said obstacle to the other side each time he comes to the "X" junction! I don't think "John" will be getting another Kalari massage... well, at least not by another man! lol That's awesome! The world is an interesting place!

On Monday I joined Alice, her Aunt and an American lady on the Great Kremlin Palace tour. Organized through Patriarshy Dom Tours. Thank you Alice!
Built between 1837-1849. Formerly the tsar's Moscow residence (The Romanov family) and currently the official residence of the President of Russia - Vladimir Putin. Its five reception halls (Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Aleksandrovsky, Andreyevsky, and Ekaterininsky) are named for orders of the Russian Empire: the Orders of St. George, Vladimir, Alexander, Andrew, and Catherine. Georgievsky Hall is used today for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies. This palace is absolutely AMAZING! Unfortunately there are rooms we were unable to photograph, so those will have to live on in my memory only, but the rooms we were able to photograph as absolutely stunning. We weren't allowed to touch anything and to help preserve the magnificent, intricate, wood inlay floors, we walked on the carpet only. See http://www.caroun.com/Countries/Europe/Russia/Kremlin/17-Kremlin-GreatKremlinPalace.html for more info.

Say "Cheese" Alice and give me your best pose!

Absolutely stunning!

ok, so I didn't take this shot, obviously, but it's a great overview of the whole Kremlin area

A great week!

It's been a great week and a busy one too! We went to an awesome outdoor market with a couple in our building. They sell everything from fur hats, nesting dolls (matryoshka dolls), lacquer boxes, hand-painted bowls, antiques, etc. Definitely a place to bring anyone who comes to visit! (Hint hint)

I enjoyed two ladies functions this past week. One with AFASA (Attache spouses from all branches of the military from all countries represented here in Moscow) and then the smaller AFOSA (attaché spouses from Air Force branch only). The ladies are very welcoming and friendly. I'm going to enjoy getting to know them and building friendships from around the world.

We were at the impressive Polish Embassy for the Polish Constitution Day function. Anna, my friend, I was thinking of you! Hmmmm.....Polish sausages!

On Monday we enjoyed lunch and a stroll in Gorky park with our fellow language training friends, Alice and Rob. It was a great day with them! Thanks guys!

My awesome neighbour Helen took me to the  Euro Mall (loved it)  where we had lunch at a Uzbek restaurant  and then on to this meat market. A unique experience!

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Not sure how we got here!

So we went out to explore, took the metro and planned on walking back. We ran into so many road blocks that we ended up walking into this as we kept trying to head in the right direction. It looked like a memorial for those lost with all the signs with people's pictures on them. Next year, we will stay in, but it was interesting!

Then, we had to get over the river and the first bridge we were able to cross to get back towards home turned into a great route as it went directly into the back of Christ the Saviour Cathedral by our apartment! Whoohoo!

Victory Day long weekend

This weekend the Russians are celebrating Victory Day - 70 years since the WW II surrender of Germany. Yesterday we went to a memorial service in a park hosted by the French Embassy followed by a reception at the French Attache's residence. It was our first official function and it was wonderful to be a part of it. Although ... everything was in French and Russian so I only understood some of it. Between the French and Russian, Craig managed to understand most of it. My Russian is better than my French.... A point not missed by a French gentleman who said "You're from Canada and you don't speak French"?

Last night we went to Canada House at the embassy....where they celebrate TGIF. Craig is their newest bartender - and of course he loves it!  I tried some great Russian vodka (Beluga)! Afterwards we walked to an Italian restaurant where I had delicious ravioli with wild boar (540 Rubles = $13 or so).

Today we joined the masses for the Victory Day Parade. I'm not sure how many people were downtown but I imagine hundreds of thousands. The closet experience I've ever had is Canada Day
on Parliament Hill. I got up close and personal with a large Russian man! Luckily Craig was directly behind me when everyone started pushing forward. When the tanks drove by the whole ground shook....I didn't realize tanks could move so fast! Below are a few pictures. The second last one is the planes forming "70" in formation. We weren't at Red Square because it was closed to the public but Putin was there speaking and troops were marching. We could see that on a big screen. All very cool to be a part of. Wish I had a picture of the crowds, but we couldn't get up high enough to get a good photo.

I think I'll go back to bed and start this day over...

Today is starting out badly...friend in hospital here in Moscow, but it turns out to be nothing too serious, thank goodness!

So .... we ordered groceries online a few days ago through this Russian company and delivery was expected today between 8-10 am. When I was eating my breakfast I realized there was a missed call from 7:10 am on my cell and then it rang again at 7:20. I answered, but my language training went out the window when the person on the other end was speaking at what seemed like warp speed! Lol

I figured it was our delivery guy early, but I couldn't understand much other than "order" and him asking me what apartment we were in. I went to our intercom system, but I couldn't see him on the video. This is where things went from bad to worse and in a panic over the language barrier I buzzed my neighbour who speaks fluent Russian....not remembering it was only 7:20 am! I had been awake already for 3 hours, so I didn't clue in. My poor neighbour....she's going to want to move! I SHOULD have just gone downstairs and he should have just buzzed the intercom instead of calling my cell. 

Lesson learned! Credit card wouldn't work, paid cash and because I was in a state I don't think I even paid him enough. I'll make it up to him next time. Once he left I tried the tv for the first time and was glad when I turned it on and there was an English Channel clear as a bell. My mistake was changing the channel....now I can't get anything but fuzz. I try calling Craig for the first time at work and that number didn't work. So....I've decided to go back to bed and start this day over! 😉

Hello from Moscow!

We have arrived and are settling in very well here in Moscow! So far our Russian language skills have come in handy at restaurants, the metro, grocery store and the market at Gorky Park where we purchased some artwork (below)!

Our apartment is great and so are our neighbours (including Henry, the 165 lb. Newfoundlander). The area we live in has many restaurants, banks, hair salons/ spas, small grocery stores and churches. We have two churches (cathedrals) very close to us and I love hearing the bells! We can see the man manually ringing them from our
bedroom window.

We learned through our neighbour that a haircut at the fancy salon at the end of our street costs $500! Yikes! Guess I'm growing my hair out! Lol That's what it costs in some salons, but not all. I have lots of people here to help me find all those services.

I walked to the Kremlin/ Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral from our apartment! It's amazing really! We still can't believe it.

That's all for now....






Sent from Kerry's iPad AirHello from Moscow!

It's official!

It's official! We received our DIP passports and Russian visas and we leave next week! Let the adventure begin!

Following this blog

Hello!


People have been asking me how they can follow this blog without having to remember the web address or create a favorite and now I have created a "gadget" to help make it very easy.


On the top right of the screen you will see "follow by email" and you simply enter your email address and click "submit". You will then be notified whenever a new post is added. Once you hit submit, a screen will pop up telling you that an email will be sent to your account (and gives some other information). Click on the link in your email and voila!

Sneak peek into luxury

Today we had a sneak peak into the luxurious world of Abu Dhabi. At 9:30 we hopped on the Big Bus tour (ok, that part wasn't so luxurious). Our first stop was the beautiful Marina Mall where Craig bought himself some snazzy two-toned dress shoes (they look like golf shoes to me) and some souvenirs at the Carrefour. Our next Big Bus stop was the 74th floor of Etihad towers where we were treated to an absolutely amazing view of the city! It would be great to see it at night too. Normally I'm not one to be afraid of heights, but now I know what it feels like! When I stood on a little ledge right next to the window and turned my back to the window for a picture I felt all tingly and wobbly! It's really not a pleasant feeling!



From there we grabbed a taxi to be ushered to the Emirates Palace Hotel. I had heard that sometimes the guards turn people away at the gate when walking in, so we pulled up in a taxi and the guard gave us a quick look over and let us through! Phew! This hotel is so opulent! At a cost of 6 billion USD, it is the second most expensive hotel built - next to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. For Christmas they erected an $11 million tree draped in jewels and gems, but it was seen as a misrepresentation of the holiday and an excessive display of wealth, so the next year it was more traditional.



Craig was a real trooper having afternoon High Tea with me at the 7-star hotel and he could not resist ordering a Camel burger! He loved the burger, and even the tea! The hotel is a tone on tone sea of gold. Even some of our deserts at tea had flakes of gold! Seriously! It was a great experience that we will never forget.



Our last stop for the day was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. We knew ahead of time to dress accordingly so we didn't have to use the gowns they provide, which allowed us to walk right in (after taking our shoes off, of course). The grandeur of this mosque cannot truly be captured in pictures, but of course we tried. It is definitely an amazingly beautiful place and I feel grateful that we were allowed to see it as it is the only mosque where non-Muslims are allowed to visit in Abu Dhabi.



The mosque has some impressive facts....
1. The carpet in the main prayer hall is considered to be the world's largest carpet made by Iran's Carpet Company. This carpet measures 60,570 sq ft.
2. There are 7 imported chandeliers from a German company costing over 8 million dollars! They incorporate millions of Swarovski crystals and 24K plated gold. The largest of these chandeliers (3rd largest in the world inside a mosque) has a diameter of 33 feet and height of 49 feet!


Above: The view from 74th floor of Etihad Towers looking at the
 7-Star Emirates Palace Hotel (on right) and future Presidential Palace (on left)

Me on grounds of Emirates Palace Hotel with the
Etihad Tower in background

Emirates Palace Hotel entrance

Some beautiful tapestry in the Emirates Palace Hotel

Inside the Grand Mosque - main prayer hall

 

Outside the Grand Mosque



Us attempting a selfie outside the Mosque



Inside the Mosque - the chandeliers were incredible!



The inner courtyard of Mosque

Ferrari World UAE

Ferrari World - UAE - home to the worlds fastest roller coaster, "Formula Rossa"! 0 - 240 in 4.9 seconds! It was fantastic! Craig instantly broke out into a sweat and was NOT going back on for another turn, but of course I did! Go karts there were electric and the track was super slippery (apparently called a slide track), so there was a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to slide around the corners. Craig came in second (of course he says he didn't even try to get fastest time) and I came in 4th out of 8! The park is an architectural wonder and it is impressive for sure, but at AED250 pp ($85) it is pretty pricey and the gift shop, forget it! A small sticker costs $5! We had a 2 for 1 entry fee coupon, so it was reasonable. It's not a place you can spend an entire day at, well, maybe with kids or if there are huge lines I guess, but for us, the park was nearly empty! We arrived right before it opened and there were only a couple of dozen people there. Timing couldn't have been more perfect. It's all indoors, so I slathered on all that sunscreen for nothin'!

Life in Abu Dhabi

Here we are in Abu Dhabi and it's been amazing! The temperatures are ideal at 25 -30 degrees Celsius during the day and 16 or a bit higher over night. Apparently it's the rainy season, but there hasn't been a cloud so far.

I've been a busy tourist! Lunch with a friend of a friend Stephanie (who was very nice) at a great Indian restaurant (tasty food at a reasonable price), shopping at the mall attached to our hotel (big mall with some big name stores like Rolex), walking to the gold souks at the Madinat Zayed Mall (Craig did some amazing, endurance bartering and my dad and I benefitted with new gold necklaces), walking the Corniche area (a pretty walkway area by the water) where we will rent bikes one night, Marina Mall (Beautifully laid out, again with high end stores like Prada and they even have a nice skating rink) and Heritage Village (where I met my camel friend and bought my first pashmina), more shopping at the World Trade Center Mall.

Today I stumbled upon a market area that sells pashminas, brass camels, carpets, fancy pillow covers, linens, etc. I was a bit overwhelmed by the pashmina choices and I just could not decide, so I left empty handed! Not to worry, it's just across the street, I could go back. I need to bring the camera next time.

Tonight we ate dinner at "Lebanese Flower", which is apparently a chain restaurant, but it was so delicious and inexpensive. Craig had a half chicken and I ordered the Shawarma Plate. First we got this huge plate with olives, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers on it and a basket of pita bread, then a large bowl of hummus, French fries (kinda random) and we tried something new, "fattoush salad", which was tasty, then our meal came! Mine was a huge plate of chicken shawarma meat and a few more fries. Just when we thought we couldn't eat another bite, after the meal they brought this large plate of watermelon that we didn't even ask for! All that for 87 Dirhams (equivalent of $30).