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My company teaches English face-to-face or over Skype.

Wednesday 31 October 2012

199:October bows out

Three pictures taken during October. The first shows some babushkas selling flowers at the entrance to Timiryazevskaya metro. Every time I see them I can't help but think how lucky we are in UK that our state pensions, low as they are, at least obviate the need for our old ladies to have to stand outside all day to try and raise a few pennies to supplement their too meagre income.


Next up is the aeroexpress. These run from certain mainline stations to Moscow's three main airports - Domodedovo, Sheremetovo and Vnukovo. 

Just over £6 for a single journey that takes about 40 minutes. In terms of cost it beats the Paddington Express (Heathrow to Paddington) hands down; £19 for a 15 minute journey.
Last, but not least, here is a picture of my back garden taken today, 31st October. The leaves are falling. Soon it will be Winter.


Sunday 28 October 2012

198:'snow use complaining

Only God controls the weather (apart from when the Russian Air Force seeds the clouds on big parade days).
This morning we woke up to a light covering of snow. It won't last. The snow has already turned to rain. It will all melt and disappear whilst I am in UK this coming week. Famous last words?






















Here is a link to the famous song "walking in the air" from the book and film "the snowman".

Sunday 21 October 2012

197:A sight for sore eyes

This idiom means you are pleased to see someone that perhaps you haven't seen for a long time. It can even be applied to inanimate objects - for example a favourite meal you haven't enjoyed for a while.
Here, though, I have chosen to use it to preface this photo I took the other day of a contact lens machine where you can buy daily contact lenses. It stocks a range of prescriptions so, provided you know yours, pay your £20 a day (!) and stick 'em in your peepers*. What a throw-away Society we live in.

Today there is also a link to Alex Jude's website where Vanessa Smith has written a very interesting article about the British, and Russian, class systems. I commend it to you. The clip at the bottom is as funny now as when I first saw it in the '60s.
Social Class

*peepers = eyes (colloquial)

Saturday 20 October 2012

196:Autumn

Autumn is upon us. Snow is forecast for next week. This is early, even for Moscow, so I though I'd better show my autumn photos before everything is white instead of multi-coloured.
This is a view of the trees from the window of "my" flat. Some nice colours but the leaves are falling fast. I think I'm a week or so too late for a more colourful picture.

Here is a nice colourful, "autumnal" picture! The reds and blues and greens of Autumn! :)
And here, to finish off, a video clip. Sorry there's no playback from within this blog, but it will direct you to You Tube. (If anybody knows the HTML to avoid this?) 


Sunday 14 October 2012

195:The Cambridge guided bus

I love visiting Cambridge. It's a beautiful city. As far as I know the townsfolk and students live together, cheek by jowl, fairly harmoniously. No (current) rift between the city's "town and gown".
Today I wanted to show you the Cambridge guided bus system. It runs from Huntingdon to Cambridge and is, allegedly, the longest in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridgeshire_Guided_Busway
Living, as I do, on the edge of the Fens, it is a simple matter to drive to St. Ives and then take the guided bus into Cambridge. And at my age it is free too!
The buses are specially adapted with little guide wheels that come out of the sides of the bus when it enters the guided sections of the route. These wheels keep the bus stable within the channels. The driver no longer has to steer but just control the speed.











Friday 12 October 2012

194:Peterborough - around and about

It's been a busy week. 
Svetlana has, I think, enjoyed her week at my house. Her aims were twofold; to improve her English and to see some more of England. Both of these aims were achieved. I hope she goes back and tells her friends so that Inter-Bridge (UK) can continue to flourish.
I've been in Peterborough a couple of times this week and took the opportunity to take these pictures. I'm sorry they are of such poor quality - I didn't have my usual phone with me.
A special timetable is implemented every Autumn to take account of falling leaves! Apparently the trains leave earlier because the falling leaves on the rails make them go slower so they need more time for the journey!
A Big Issue seller. People who sell these magazines are either homeless or out of work, or perhaps both. They buy the Big Issue for £1.25 from the Charity that produces them and sell them for £2.50. They are allowed to keep any money they make to help them reintegrate back into "normal" Society.
 This is the Gloucester Police choir. They gave a very fine performance yesterday in Peterborough cathedral. 
And these are views inside the magnificent cathedral.

Saturday 6 October 2012

193:At the airport - again

It's beginning to look like the only time I can find to write a few lines and add a few photos is at an airport during an enforced period of inactivity waiting for my flight to be called. Domodedovo is better than Heathrow because Internet access is free. 
My block of flats is having a major makeover. Here a tiler is hard at work re-tiling the entrance hall. More photos later as work progresses.

I wanted to add more pics but blue tooth has let me down and anyway it's time to go and make sure the plane hasn't gone without me.