September Update from Moscow

Now that the blogger tools are working better for me and I am somewhat recovered from my sad state of sending away my best friend, it is time to put up more images from Moscow and other places in Eastern Europe.  So, stay tuned and look at all the postings, not just the current one.  I will also be doing alot of travel in the next while so there will be lots to see.
I will start with this update from Moscow. For those who are wondering if the smoke and fires are gone (especially my Mother), I hope to show you the truth.  The Fall season is beginning to settle in as you can see in this first picture.  This is the pathway outside our apartment that I follow every day to go to work.  I took this picture today, a beautiful Sunday afternoon, as I was on the way to the park for a relaxing walk.  (Yes I have learned to relax a little)

In the pictures below, the ones on the left side are images during the heat and fires and smoke.  It truly was a challenging time.  Unfortunately Geri's Mother and Brother Todd were here on their one week vacation during the worst time.  It really is beautiful over here but it wasn't very beautiful during the record breaking heat in July and August and the terrible smoke from the fires.

This picture on the right is taken from the same location

as the one above on the left, but after the smoke was gone.

This is another picture taken during the smoke time.

This picture on the right is taken from the same location

 as the one above on the left, but after the smoke. 

 We were wondering if we would have to get

nicotene patches to help us with the withdrawal.

In the picture on the left, Mom and Todd are on Red Square looking towards St. Basil's Cathedral, one of the most beautiful images in Moscow.  It can barely be seen in the distance. 

In the picture on the right, you can see the beautiful St. Basil's Cathedral without the smoke.

The picture on the left was taken while Mom and Todd were here on our visit to Izmaylova, the great souvenir shopping open air market. The open air wasn't very inviting that day.

The picture on the right is one I took yesterday,

Saturday September 25, 2010 at the same location

as the one above on the left, at Izmaylova.  It's almost Disneyland like.

We have really been blessed to be able to associate with the Senior Missionary couples here in Moscow.  On a Saturday morning two weeks ago, I invited them all over to our apartment and fixed a wonderful breakfast for all of them. Then we all went down to the park to do some sightseeing. 

The time goes by fast during the week while I am working but the weekends seem to go by slowly and it is very lonely.  I have given my tourist trips a new name - I call it "Zombie Tourism". It's because I walk around like a Zombie because I don't have anyone to talk to.  Sometimes I point to something really cool and talk to myself and say "Wow!  look at that"  then I step to the side and respond "Wow, that is cool!"  I cannot figure out why people think I am so strange. 

Yesterday, Saturday, September 25, I went "Zombie Touring" again.  I wanted to see Red Square at night.  The pictures below are at night on Red Square.

The picture below is of the famous Clock Tower on the wall of the Kremlin.

This is the large shopping mall, GUM.  It looks like a Christmas scene.

This is looking back to St. Basil's Cathedral.  I guess my hand was a bit shaky so it is somewhat blurry.

This is St. Basil's Cathedral at night.  This picture does not do justice to what it really looks like in real life.  A professional photographer might give you a better idea.  OR - you could come over for a visit and I will take you there to see for yourself.

Today, Sunday, September 26, 2010, was a beautiful Fall day in Moscow - I think it may be one of the last of the season.  I decided to take a walk to our favorite park, Novodeviechy Convent.  The park was full of people walking and taking in the beautiful scenery.  Wish you were here to see it.  I can only imagine how fun this will be in the winter with the frozen lake.   

This is the post card view of the Convent with its many domed Cathedrals.  I love the reflection on the lake of the Convent and the fall colors. We love this park since it is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment.  Come on over and I will take you for a walk.

Get ready for the next posts on the blog. We will be seeing scenes from Sergiev Posad; Madrid, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; and Sofia, Bulgaria to name a few.

I miss all of you. 

Zombie Tourist.....  :)