Saturday, January 27, 2007

maybe the last post...

Today's our last day in Russia! We leave tomorrow at 3 am and will be in transit for a day and a half? two days? dunno. And with time zone changes...
Anyway, last night we went to the opera, which was really good. Today we're free (for the first time in Petersburg)! I'm not gonna do much, maybe get some delicious bliny at a kiosk for lunch, maybe run and buy a backpack to carry home all the stuff I bought here. It's snowing! Second time since we've been here, and it might stick! It's almost pretty outside our window, except that it's mainly just slummy.
I'm really excited to go home, but Russia actually has been a blast. It's been quite the experience. Luckily I knew mainly what to expect. I have some more great pics, but I don't have time to post them. Plus I've grown to hate Ideal Cup (Идеалная Чашка), the place in Petersburg from where I've been uploading pics. It pretty much sucks. Also my plug-in for my computer is not working well, so I think I'll just run out of batteries until I'm home.
Hermitage was great again yesterday. There were some really nice babushkas working the coat-check at the opera - which was shocking. We ate at an Irish pub for dinner; I felt like such an ex-pat. It was really sweet. Some of us took the bus home, or at least tried, but we ended up going the wrong direction! When we got to the outskirts, the driver told us "Last stop!" and we had to get off. We ended up getting on the right bus then, but it was kind of an adventure.
That's about all I have to say about the rest of the trip for now. Unless I get on the internet during our 6 hour layover in Frankfurt, this will be it!
As they say in this country, do svidaniya (до свидания), and see you in America!

7 comments:

Catherine said...

What a wonderful last post, and what a wonderful adventure you have had. I think you are leaving around 6 PM tonight which is 3 AM your time (tomorrow). We can't wait to see you! I love you mom

Paul Halverson said...

Hey Colin - thanks for keeping such a wonderful blog for all of us stuck here back home. You have described things so well and provided such great pictures, I feel like I've almost been there, looking over your shoulder...
I can't wait until you're home and Mom can stuff you full of wonderful food.
Your trip home sounds like quite an ordeal, but we'll try to make it worth it.
Oh - we watched a great DVD last night - Sherry Baby - did you ever see that?
We of course have several new DVDs for you to watch when you get home and have to veg out getting over jet lag....
Can't wait to see you - love, dad.

Karl said...

Thnaks for blogging Colin- it's been a very fun read!
Have a safe trip home and stay warm!

Karl said...

Thnaks again!

Unknown said...

Guess I gave up on you for a while! I thought you were done posting!

Anyway, good to get these last posts and photos. St Petes does seem to be a prettier city than Moscow.

We need to have a "Colin in Russia" evening at our family reunion!

Thanks for keeping the blog! YOu've made it fun for all of us too!

Cody said...

Sounds like you had quite an interesting bus ride! haha. Awesome blog, I feel like I've experienced Russia VICARIOUSLY through this thing. Look at that, I used one of our vocab words from level 1. I hope the Russians were COPACETIC enough for you and that your layover in in Frankfurt isn't for an EXORBITING amount of time!

Katya said...

Privet, Colin!

This is Katya- we met once at the hostel in Moscow...I was leaving for Alaska the next day, you gave me this blog address...

Awesome job! I really enjoyed reading about your trip....you made me laugh! I went through so much of the same stuff....in Yakutsk our dorm curfew was 10 PM and those babushki made you wait outside, stomping your feet in -50 degrees, if you were even a minute late! And man, they do love to yell!

Anyways, I hope you made it back alright. Please tell Sean he was a trooper (and bummer we never got to say goodbye).
I kept a journal too...it's at http://jedimindtrick4.livejournal.com Unfortunately I haven't been able to load the photos but I'm working on it...check back!

Take care!
Poka!
Katya