Snow - at last!

Last night (20th Jan.)it snowed on Moscow. It is still snowing as I write.
Now the city looks as it should in the middle of January.

Straight away teams of snow clearers and clearing machines were busy everywhere. At bus-stops and other strategic points the snow is actually loaded onto lorries and taken away. Scraping it to the side of the road is just not enough.

The driving style does not alter. It is still crazy. The 4x4 owners are in their element!
I put on my thermal long-johns, trucker boots and wooly hat etc. and went out for a walk. Olga says I look like a proper Russian and I think she is correct: I was stopped three times and spoken to. I guess it was to ask directions but I have no way of knowing!

I walked to a major road heading North out of the city, Prospect Mira. It was carved through the old suburbs by Stalin and is bordered by the very distinctive Stalinist style of buildings. It takes one to an extraordinary monument situated outside of an extraordinary park. The monument is to the Russian cosmonauts and is a pleasing sweep of concrete heading up to the sky with a rocket at its pinnacle. (I would post a picture but the Blogger system will not allow me to). The park is the D V N X, usually called 'davenkha', and it is a celebration of Soviet culture, commerce and economic achievement. The old exhibition halls are now a celebration of capitalist enterprise. I hope the old tyrant is feeling sick, spinning in his grave.

Do svedanya,

Graham

Factoid: 'Prospect Mira' means 'View of the World'