Hi Family and Friends!
Just wanted to update everyone that Maria and I are safely in Russia! My visa worked out fine, now we are staying with her Grandmother, who lives in St Petersburg. Just wanted to let you know (in case anyone is following the news in Moscow/worried) there are fires in Moscow and it is very smoky. Today the US government issued a travel warning telling US tourists not to go to Moscow right now, so though we planned on going we are not going to go any more, instead we will stay in St Petersburg. But ya, everything is great, it is a beautiful city along the river and I have my own personal translator and tour guide!
lucky! united said they have not canceled any flights. TV shows people wearing masks outside. Go at the last minute by train from St. Petersburg to Moscow and stay inside! Cant wait to see you in L.A. Aug 14! So great you have local tour guides and you got to see the Amber room of St. Katherine's palace! Sweet!: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Room Lucky your hosts live in St Petersburg not Moscow! Not many Americans have lived 2 weeks in St. Petersburg (was it Leningrad?). I visited Grandad and Joyce in Hollywood and we are all proud of your travels. All is boring here. CU soon! love KEY
ReplyDeleteLeningrad was my favorite city when Grandad and I travelled Eastern Europe in 1977, just after I graduated from high school. Have you been there? It had a river too.
ReplyDelete(OK, I know, I know, same place. Just a little joke.)
We jogged along the river early in the morning...and were stared at like we were freaks or tourists or something. The fact I had hair to my shoulders and wore a coordinated blue and orange sweat "outfit" with matching bandana I'm sure had nothing to do with it.
But it WAS my favorite Russian city. Although in Moscow, I met another high school/college kid on the metro coming back from a Communist Party bar where I danced with hugely fat Russian women. We kept in touch for a few years (the high school/college kid, not the hugely fat Russian women!). That was fun. The kid's name was Victor something or other. Let me know if you run into him. How many Victor's can there be there?
--UM--
Hello Kim and Maria,
ReplyDeleteGood thinking about avoiding Moscow until flight time. A big picture on the front page (above the fold) in the LA Times today showed a smog-congested view of Moscow and people wearing breathing masks.
I thought Top Dog would have picked Moscow as his favorite Russian city, because that's where a pretty Russian girl asked him to dance.
In case Joyce reads this I want her to know that I am definitely taking care of her cats.
According to the itinerary she gave me, today she is in Monte Carlo.
All of us homebodies are happy you have had this great adventure, Kim and Maria. I think we'll be even happier when you get back home. You'll find it relaxing, because (as anonymous has sagely observed) there nothing going on here at all.
Love from Grandad
Hi! I am in Moscow! My flight was delayed so hope I make it back okay! haha!
ReplyDeletekim
haha, now im in SB! Yay! I will still post more pics on the blog though!
ReplyDelete