Upon arrival to the airport, the airline had lost my luggage and I had to deal with them for about 2 hours until I actually got all my stuff. Then I found out that my debit card was denied. I had 50 dollars on me so I exchanged that and hoped it would be enough. I had to take an express train from the airport to Moscow city center for 45 minutes. Upon arrival, I went down into the maze that is the Moscow Metro. There is absolutely no English anywhere in the Metro and each stop is not even marked in Russian! You literally have to the count the number of stops based on where you think you are located. It took me a bit but I figured it out. When I got out of the Metro at Pushkinskaya I had a map out looking like a total tourist. A woman stopped to help me and after a few minutes of speaking with here I found out she was from Stavropol, the city where I will be teaching 32 hours south of Moscow. She walked me straight to the hostel, gave me her number, and told me that she could help me if I have any problems getting to Stavropol. She also has a brother there that she said could give me advice. So that was how I got here; I basically lucked out. I'm glad I can read Russian or else I would've been stuck in the Metro for a while.
It's hard to describe Moscow in a blog, especially since it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Walking through the streets these past couple days I don't really know what to compare it to. It is strikingly unique and unmatched in grandeur. Everything you see here is awesomely majestic. Walking to the Red Square was something that I have dreamed of since I was young. Strolling through the square, I admired the spectacular architecture of Muscovite Russia. St. Basil's cathedral 10x cooler than any pictures you've seen of it. It looks like a candy/ice cream palace that you could eat with a spoon. All of the architecture was awesome but I have to say that the most interesting thing I've done thus far is visit the tomb of Lenin. His body is preserved and embalmed for all of the public to see. He has been chillin in the preserved container since 1924. Having said that, he looks pretty good! After that, I walked around the city center seeing numerous Orthodox churches and monuments until i was too tired to walk. Today, I will try to visit more sites and see more of the city. It's too much to take in and I won't be able to visit it all. I will be back to Moscow for sure.
It's hard to describe Moscow in a blog, especially since it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Walking through the streets these past couple days I don't really know what to compare it to. It is strikingly unique and unmatched in grandeur. Everything you see here is awesomely majestic. Walking to the Red Square was something that I have dreamed of since I was young. Strolling through the square, I admired the spectacular architecture of Muscovite Russia. St. Basil's cathedral 10x cooler than any pictures you've seen of it. It looks like a candy/ice cream palace that you could eat with a spoon. All of the architecture was awesome but I have to say that the most interesting thing I've done thus far is visit the tomb of Lenin. His body is preserved and embalmed for all of the public to see. He has been chillin in the preserved container since 1924. Having said that, he looks pretty good! After that, I walked around the city center seeing numerous Orthodox churches and monuments until i was too tired to walk. Today, I will try to visit more sites and see more of the city. It's too much to take in and I won't be able to visit it all. I will be back to Moscow for sure.
I leave for Stavropol, where I will be teaching for a year, today at 9:45pm. It's a 32-hour train ride south. Yeah, it's that far from Moscow. More late and remember, Putin knows Judo.
Nice blogggg....good job. Photos look absolutely amazing. It looks incredible. Wondering if you made it to Stavropol yet??
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