Good day Bloggets. Yesterday we spent the day with our
besties. I can’t believe how fast the day went. I missed them before we had to
say goodbye. But we are seeing each other again in a few weeks as we are going
away for the weekend to my beautiful home of Northumberland where we are
staying in a cottage. Still though,
weeks away is too long!
Our Son is off work today as is Shamrock. They are out
somewhere looking at birds, must be some kind of tourist place. I told him he
can look at birds in our back yard, as long as he doesn’t mind most of them
being blackbirds and the sounds of the motorway blasting into our space. For
some reason, he wasn’t impressed at that idea.
We have the new £10 now in the UK. I haven’t seen one yet
but if it’s anything like the newish £5, I won’t be too pleased. I don’t like
it. Apart from it using animal produce it’s like a receipt. so, you have to be
so careful not to throw it away. I wonder if one day money just won’t exist? We
get new notes even coins now because of fraudsters copying, so, why do we have
or need money? Personally, I will be sad if we ever give it up totally though I
don’t really use it much now, I tend to use my card all of the time, but as a
child I loved saving penny’s in a jar and counting them as they got higher and
higher in the container or money box.
Last night Hub and I watched an interesting program about
Moscow. Gosh as many readers will know Russia is close to my heart, but I visited
after Perestroika and it had changed so much, I just didn’t feel a part of
Moscow any more. In the days when I frequented the country, it was full of mystery,
many conspiracies, sadness an yet I could have the happiest times there. The
people were so kind and strong.
After the fall of communism, I faced greed, cold hearts and
suffering on the streets of Moscow. My heart cried for the lost people and I have
learned that the old apartments that Russians now are allowed to own, are all
to be knocked down to make way for new high-rise apartments that the normal
Russians will not be able to afford to buy. So, where will they go? According to
the program last night there is no alternative for the Russian people to
continue living in the capital.
Many years ago, up to four families could live in one house.
So, a Mother, Father two children and a dog could live in one room, and share
the bathroom and kitchen with another three or more families who also had one
room per family. And I’m not talking that long ago. Then people were allowed to
buy the full houses/apartments. So, families could have two bedrooms a sitting
room which was normally used as a bedroom too for the elderly members in the
family, and they had their own kitchen and tiny bathroom. The apartments were
small rooms too.
The Moscovites, who currently live in Moscow, are going to have
to live outside of the capital, I guess like people do all over the world as
any capital is too expensive to live. Then, they are going to have to do
something about the traffic. The program
showed one girl who drove to her place of work. She travelled five hours to
work and back every day and I think it said that if there were no traffic, it
would take no longer than forty minutes.
I remember the metro in Moscow, it was amazing and in last night’s
program it said that there is a train every minute and a half without fail. One
thing I do remember is never having to wait for a tram/train or trolley bus and
the cost was so cheap. At one time, you could travel so far for only 5 Kopeks,
not even a penny back then. No matter how bad the weather in winter, nothing
broke down. I travelled a lot by taxi too or private car, ether Government or Trade
Union and they were so reliable. You never saw a truck during the day, they all
travelled by night, keeping the roads free of such things. Back in those days,
not many Russians owned their own cars but now I guess it’s very different. I
just wonder where they all park their cars as there were, no garages, and
because people lived in apartments/flats, there were no driveways like we have
for our houses in England.
One thing I found odd about the documentary last night was
it didn’t show Gorki Park. I wonder why? At one time that was the place all
tour information programs concentrated on.
Gosh, in winter, a walk through the park would have images of
children skiing. Younger children being pulled along on sleighs by a parent and
the beautiful Troika’s pulling carriages by three horses. The centre horse
would trot and the two side horses would canter. Before cars came along, the
Troika’s were used a lot to transport mail. During the Russian Empire, the
rich/upper classes, would use the troika’s driven by a livery-clad, postilion.
The snow was so thick that the voices in the vast park were
muffled. White virgin snow hung onto the tall Berioska trees, the birch trees
that are one of many simples of Russia. Though in summer, you could hear loud
strong voices being played through huge speakers of opera singers or classical
music. Happy people grateful for such a vast park, I think the park covers an
area of 300 acres, people would pass by with ice creams and small crowds would
gather to hear some speech given about politics or proper gander. Picnics would
be held near the Moskva Riva and there would be small kiosks selling Russian
juice or café’s which were famous for Shashlik.
The park with ponds and attractions has now changed I think
there is only one of a hundred attractions left in the park and that is the Ferris
wheel. Many flowers and grass verges has replaced the ancient fairground amusements.
You used to have to pay to enter, but not now, it’s free. People can go there
to iceskate play hockey and dance.
The park is named after Maxim Gorky, an author, playwright
and editor who was an orphan by the age of eleven so lived with his Grandmother,
but ran away from home at the age of 12 and tried to commit suicide then travelled
five years doing all kinds of jobs until he found his feet as a writer.
I could write forever about life in Russia and my
experiences. I love the spark that Russians have when it comes to humour and
last nights program showed me that there is still humour in the capital, even
though now Russian people are wanting and expecting more than they ever did.
Just like us in the west. I just hope they never lose their past as every bad
thing that happened to their family, passed on a drug of strength. Their
culture is fascinating and they certainly do have so much history. I wish them
all well for their future as I have such fond memories of Russia, of course
really bad and painful ones too, but those are for another blog, past blogs and
inside of my head. Not a good place to be. Smile.
As I leave memory lane I’m reminded where I am, my lovely neighbours
are from India and their cooking is coming through my open window. It’s making
me really hungry. So, I shall leave you for now to have a safe and happy day.
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