Taking a leisurely ride along the River Styx

I debated whether or not to post this for a long time because it can easily be taken several wrong ways. I eventually decided that writing it out may help think through some things, and I guess you get to participate in that. Read further only if you agree to look for the right way I mean this to take.

I work as a freelance translator when I have a little extra time on my hands, and recently took a job translating at a multinational company's party of about 100 Russians and 30 people from other countries. The party was on a chartered boat-tour of the Moscow River, which I've been meaning to try for a long time anyway. I figured it'd be nice to get paid to be a tourist. Particularly since they promised on board entertainment and food.

The first hour of the trip went splendidly. Fantastic food, the live band was great, and we had a dance party (dance parties with old Russian people always crack me up, they are such awful dancers. But they either don't know or don't care because they really get into it). Anyway, it was turning into a great evening, and on top of it all, I was getting paid for it.

Great way to spend the night, right? Well it was, up until the evening show started up. I was translating for the host when  two  girls come up from behind the host and I, dressed, um...business casual: night shift. This is where my hopeless naivete kicked in. 'This is a company party, they can't do anything too crazy, right?' or 'Half of these people are women, this isn't going to go too far...right?' I foolishly thought as I continued to translate. As my gross misunderstanding of Russian propriety was shattered by the two strippers on board, I slunk into a corner, staring at my shoes till I could slink away. 

Luckily, we turned the word (sort of) over to the ladies of the night, and I slipped out to the buffet area to mull over what I was going to do about the odd turn of events. I'm morally opposed to strip shows, go-go dances, etc. so it wasn't really a question for me of whether or not to watch. I think it's a cheap representation and exploitation of a human's body. But the harder question of what I was supposed to do about translating for this filth when it's my job, and I can't really just jump into the Moscow River and swim away (really, no one should swim in the Moscow River...ever). This next video is full of my awkward musing, chuckling as I tried to figure out what to do.

Well, like I said, the evening was a variety show, so I just hid in the buffet room whenever they decided on one particular 'variety' of entertainment. I really found myself hating a large number of people on the boat. As the night rolled on, and the passengers got more and more drunk, they showed their ugly side. I don't want to get into the details, suffice it to know that it's disgusting seeing people reduce themselves to animals. 

I usually write about how I come to love Russia, because I honestly do love so many things here. But I couldn't help looking at the people on the boat (to be fair, there were people from other countries taking part too) differently after they'd indulged themselves in such an unsavory way (and I'm not talking about eating a whole thing of candy beans). I asked some of the girls on the boat what they thought about this sort of behavior and they said, 'They're just joking, it's fine,' or 'I don't know, I'm used to it.' 

It was also sort of interesting seeing the 'dancers' when they were just in a non-performing capacity. I've seen 'women of the night' before, and they always seemed to have a uniform look of hopeless, degraded sadness about them. But these dancers seemed fine with their career choice. I'm sort of still mulling that over. Thinkers better than I have spent novels characterizing sex traders by giving them hearts of gold or souls of black muck. Their clientele is usually glanced over as the cowardly, weak man driven by unchecked passions or the brutal abuser.  No one at this party fit character though. Everyone acted basically the same as when the musicians were performing, this was just another act for casual entertainment. Oddly, the whole time I felt like the coward, the timid little bird who had flown into a house and couldn't find its way out.

In the end, I'm likely going to look back on this with sort of an awkward humor...sort of the 'oh Moscow, you're insane' sort of humor. 

Nothing special, just гречка and a балкон. It's silly really.

The glorious Moscow summer has officially set in. As my time in Russia is likely winding to a slow, dragged-out end, I've taken the time to really just sit back and enjoy time as it slips through my open fingers. I guess it started with my disappointment with my last race, ironically the last post on this blog. It seemed like a good excuse to change things up, so I decided to start eating better, particularly beefing up my breakfasts, and cutting down on midnight meals. I figure that devoting more time to my meals forces me to get up at a reasonable hour, and starts the day off right...

Part of a balanced breakfast! Buckwheat is a popular choice in Russia. I've really grown to like it mixed with spicy cheese and eggs...apparently eating whole grains doesn't help me clean my messy desk though.

I guess the buck-wheaties have paid off, because I've set aside more quality Bryce time. I've  recently taken to balconying as much as possible. One thing I love about living in a larger city is having a balcony...a wonderful little lookout on my little part of town. I like to go out and read (currently going through East of Eden--so good!), play the guitar, hang out, or just think. It's quickly becoming my favorite spot, it's a shame the weather prevents me from even considering stepping onto the balcony for 8 months out of the year.

Today there was a gorgeous summer rain, with the sun peaking through just as it was about to set.

So I stepped out for an evening read...the sun glinting off the raindrops did a good job of distracting me though.

No overriding lesson to be learned from this blogpost, no deep thoughts, no new little place I've explored. Sorry.

But seriously...why run?

Today I'm suffering from post-race pains. I feel sort of like my legs are made of extremely painful jello...or since we're in Russia, kholodets (meat jello, it tastes exactly as good as it sounds). What, you ask, caused this great pain to come about? For the past few months I've been dealing with minor foot injuries, and haven't been able to consistently train. Two weeks ago, I decided that two weeks is plenty of time to prep for a half marathon, and signed up for the Весенний Гром (Spring Thunder). After all, it's only half of a marathon, how bad could it be?

This must be one of those cases of temporary insanity, because no matter how you count it, 21.something kilometers didn't feel like half of anything. In fact, it felt like a whole lot of something. The race started out like most, and I ran out like I was doing a 5k, but around 8k I realized that something was horribly wrong. Like a ton of neatly stacked, well placed bricks, I hit it...THE WALL. The wall is a mental and physical realization that you are, in fact, a moron. It's your body's way of telling you, "Oh, you think you're in great shape huh? Wehehell, I've got some bad news for you tubby, you still have 13k to go." At this realization, I significantly slowed my pace just hoping to finish the race.

This general feeling of wishing death upon the past version of myself that signed up for the race (and actually PAID for this!) continued for quite some time. Luckily, I guess, 21k is a long time, and it gives you the time to have many ups and downs during the race. That's an hour+ time for thinking, and re-thinking. When I had about 4k to go I was finally able to convince myself to run faster, and try to catch some of the guys who had passed me in my pitiful state. I ended up taking 9th place, and feeling pretty crumby about my time, but it all goes into the large, overstuffed folder in my brain of 'lessons learned the hard way.' I know now that I need to prepare for half marathons a bit more than I do for 5ks. A lesson that should really be simple, but for the overconfident Bryce, nothing in life comes easy.

V for Victory

Happy Victory Day! I talk to Russians about WWII all the time, it's a really big deal here. Usually they bring up the question of why Americans say that we won the war. I always like to point out that, while we generally don't give Russians enough credit during the war, we certainly did our part. Anyway, then we usually get into a conversation about how Americans really just can't understand having a war on their own land. I actually really agree on this point. Over the past year I've come to better appreciate how hard it really hits when the war is brought to your front step.

Anyway, today I went to the parade with my friends from the dorm, and later  the fireworks display with some other friends in celebration.

Jets flew the Russian colors over the Kremlin after the parade, a  great spectacle.

The fireworks at Vorobiovi Gori

68 years

Happy Victory Day everyone!

Power Trip: Day 2

Upon arriving in Suzdal, we started our search for a place to stay the night. We had heard you could stay in a monastery, so we asked around, and after a few missteps, eventually found it. I've personally never stayed in a monastery, and the Rizopolozhenski Monastary seemed like a great place to start (although I'm pretty sure they doubled the price when they saw how tired we were, those nuns will get you if you don't watch out). 

The grounds for our monastery were spectacular

Things got a bit sultry with the leopard print furniture

We managed to catch some fantastic views as the sun set over the sleepy town.

I've mentioned before that I love running in new locations, and this was no exception. The air almost had a sweet flavor as I breathed it in, and I did so deeply on a  countryside jaunt. About three people (which ends up being just about every single person I saw on my run) actually stopped me to ask what I was doing, or to just talk...another small-townity that was more than welcome.

The next morning was filled with visiting as many of the temples that dot the quiet village as was possible. Some highlights:

                             

I kind of got us lost on this one, and we took about an hour detour. Luckily, we had bought ice cream beforehand, so  spirits were high.

  

The wooden ones were really cool, and they had a little district dedicated to things made of wood.

Having packed the day with small-townities, we headed back for Moscow, this time taking the much more comfortable fast train.The trip ended up being such a great little escape from the hustle and bustle of Moscow, and the fantastic company didn't hurt either.

Seeing the other Russia, the one not engulfed by the Moscow monster.

One of my favorite parts about living in Moscow is when I get to leave Moscow. That may sound odd, but the city really is well positioned to take trips, large and small. Well, Monday and Tuesday my good friend and I took a quick power trip to two cities in the Golden Ring, Vladimir and Suzdal. The two cities (towns really) are famous for their historic cathedrals and their back-country Russian charm.

The planning for the trip (on my part at least) consisted of a 5 minute phone call on Sunday night, and reading the lonelyplanet and wikitravel posts about the two cities. The next morning we were on our way (a bit later than planned because I may have caused us to miss our initial train...oops) We ended up taking the antiquated electric train to Vladimir. As the train slowly dragged its clunky metal frame through the short bursts of tiny towns, the pockets of forest, and the rolling hills we filled the time talking to some absolutely delightful elderly locals of Suzdal who enthralled us with their descriptions and vivid retelling of the history of the small towns. This was the first hint of the cliche small-townities that came up the whole trip - perfect strangers talking, laughing, and sharing stories on a train. 

Vladimir was a great preparation for Suzdal. We spent about half the day slowly meandering around the old part of town that overlooks the Klyazma river.

 We dropped by several cathedrals, I don't remember what this one is.

The Cathedral of the Assumption  was definitely the most impressive for me.

 A statue of Vladimir the Great, Cathedral of the Assumption, and I'm not sure what's going on with me here.

Cathedral of the Assumption, view three

We also visited the Golden Gate, not the one in California.

wait...that's not right either, although it is tantalizing 

Here we go. The Golden Gate is what's left of the old city walls,  with a nice little museum inside.

We had a pleasantly inexpensive lunch (Moscow is so expensive!) and took the short bus-ride to Suzdal. You'll have to wait until I'm less tired to hear about what happened on the other end of that bus-ride.