67:A visit to the cinema

Russian cinema buildings have reinvented themselves the same way that UK cinema buildings have and are, to a large extent, flourishing. Old single-screen cinemas now lie idle (See first photo). Multi-screen, often as part of a large shopping complex, has taken off in Moscow and appears to be very successful. Tickets are, to my mind, reasonably priced but where they really make the money is in the sale of food and drink (See second photo).
I've just returned from watching the latest Sherlock Holmes adventure. I thought it was going to be the end of any further movies after he, and his arch-enemy Moriarty, fell from the castle high in the mountains of Switzerland. But, just in the last few moments, we were given a reprieve and can, I believe, now expect a sequel. A pleasant couple of hours of pure escapism. The slo-mo camera action was especially good.
As I write this there are fireworks going off in the distance. Can't begin to imagine what they're celebrating now. Do fireworks have a use-by date?

66:Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace

A line from the Paul McCartney song "obla-di, obla-da". I want to state categorically that I don't have, and never have had, a barrow in the marketplace. In fact, I don't understand markets at all. Row after row of shops, or stalls, all selling more or less the same thing for more or less the same price. How does it work? How come they don't go out of business? How can stallholders have the patience to stand there all day and every day for the sake of a few roubles? 
For me, one of life's great mysteries. If somebody could explain the "market economy" I'd be grateful.....
Today's photos are of Timiryazevskaya market, which must be a quarter of a mile long and contains three different types of goods; the food market, the clothes market and the market that sells everything else - including lots of kitchen sinks.

65:Going back to bed and Old New Year

The joy of going back to bed after the first student of the day has cancelled knows no bounds. Having had a couple of hours extra in bed I am now fully refreshed (believe that if you will) and ready to face the day - even though it is Friday 13th. Unlucky for some.


Perhaps now I'll manage to stay up until midnight to celebrate Old New Year. This is the last of the 4 celebrations (Christian Christmas, New New Year, Russian Orthodox Christmas and Old New Year) and is a commemoration of the coming of New Year according to the old Julian calendar. Russians do like to celebrate life.


Here is a link to "Russian Blog" with a more detailed explanation of the old New Year and how it is celebrated together with lots of interesting Russian phrases. I would recommend this blog to anybody interested in Russia and things Russian.
http://www.transparent.com/russian/out-with-the-new-in-with-the-old/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=languageblog&utm_content=russian


Moscow has slowly been filling up during the week as people drift back to work. Whereas this time last week I could be guaranteed a seat on the metro, now it is more usual to stand, depending on the time of day and the particular line.


Here is a recent photo of a mural on the wall on Savyolovskaya metro station.

64:The girl with the dragon tattoo

Two lessons, out of two, were cancelled yesterday so I had a day to myself apart from having to go into the office to re-register. Normally foreigners have to register or re-register with the authorities within 3 days of arriving but when all of Russia is on holiday for 9 days then foreigners are allowed to wait until the first official day back at work (i.e. yesterday). 
I decided to visit the cinema after going to the office and it transpired that they were showing "the girl with the dragon tattoo" (and with Daniel Craig) at the Pushkin cinema on Pushkin Square. Today's photos are of the cinema. Isn't the building impressive? 
Had some nachos before I went in. 240 roubles (about £5!). Daylight robbery!
I enjoyed the film, but not the ending. I won't give it away in case you are planning to watch it.

63:Here comes Winter now

Two days ago, in my blog about the snow ploughs, I mentioned how unseasonal the weather was.
I think somebody REALLY IMPORTANT is reading my blogs because now the snow has arrived.....
Spooky!
The burning question is: am I going to buy skis or not? On balance, probably not as I spend enough time on my feet as it is - using Shanks's pony.

62:Solnechnogorsk

I'm just back from a brief visit to Solnechnogorsk, a small town 60km to the NW of Moscow. It lies on the main road from Moscow to St Petersburg, which is affectionately known as the Leningradka. 
I took photos of these war memorials to show any non-Russian readers the reverence that is placed in Russia on remembering those who died in battle, especially in the Second World War, known here as the Great Patriotic War. Russia didn't join the war until 1941 when Hitler tore up the Molotov-Ribbentrop non-aggression treaty and his troops marched into Russia. 
German troops occupied Solnechnogorsk for a while but were beaten back in December 1942 (?). Fresh wreaths are laid every December to commemorate this event. In the photo on the left the illuminated section in the middle scrolls constantly  to show the names of the fallen. The inscription at the bottom reads "Eternal Glory to the Heroes".

61:A convoy of snow ploughs

I've mentioned the unseasonal weather before. Maybe it's Global Warming and maybe it isn't but it is certainly true that the weather in Moscow at the moment is unusually mild. In early January there is usually lots of snow and temperatures  can be -10 to -20. Yesterday it was +2. Today it is -2. Perhaps the cold weather is lurking just around the corner.....


Here is an amusing picture of a convoy of snow ploughs all lined up and waiting for the snow to fall so they can clear it away.... Shame there's nobody in authority to say "you don't need to go out today lads, there's no snow"