Friday, May 29, 2009

Moscow Pictures

OK, Peeps ..... here are the first batch of pictures from Moscow!!
Can you stand the excitement?!
P.S.  Pay no attention to the date that my camera stamped on most of the pictures when I changed batteries.  Huge, huge sigh.

    
       This is a building that I think is used as an entertainment hall (or something like that).  It's a perfect example of how un-pretty a lot of the buildings are.  Everything is grey and square and solid.  


            This is just outside of Red Square and the Kremlin:

     This is one of 4 or 5 cathedrals at the Kremlin:


         They are all next to each other and only 2 were open:






             This is an example of the strange parking practices.  They park in the middle of intersections.  I think the first person there in the morning gets to decide if it will be a parking lot that day!

           Another example of parking --- no room for your car?  No worries!  Park it sideways and on the curb!!  The sidewalks were sometimes so full of cars that we had to walk in the streets.


      These are from the famous "Cat Circus" (video to come later!):




      This is another day at the Kremlin.  It was the last week of school and the tradition is that the kids wear big bows and sashes.  It appeared that the graduating seniors wore the sashes:


              I think these two guys thought they were intimidating-looking, but the fact that they looked about 12 didn't help them pull that off  (but I still behaved!):

       Red Square and St. Basils in the background (the colorful building):


           Lenin's tomb (no, we didn't go in):


                  St. Basils --- it was very beautiful:



              We weren't sure why the school girls looked like French maids, but many did.  Weird.


              KFC (they also had McDonald's and Pizza Hut ---- Lenin must be spinning):
                   
                  Another pic, though I can't remember if it's from the Kremlin or from St. Petersburg:

                        Bride and groom taking pictures:


There you go.
Those are most of the pics from Moscow.  I have better pictures from Petersburg.  There wasn't a lot to take pictures of in Moscow ...... not a lot to remember, unless it was tons of people wearing black and frowning.  Oh, and shoving their way past me.

Thanks for the prayers from yesterday.  It was sad.
My friend K dropped by and brought me some beautiful roses.  
I have the most wonderful friends.

Spent the evening with A & M.  It was so loving of them to share that night with me.  It was tough, but it was great to be with them.

Son #2 came home and is delighted to be here.  
I am delighted to have him here, too.  He is a totally different person than the boy I took to military school in August.
I'm glad.
And relieved.
And thankful.

I think it will be a much better summer.
:)

More pics tomorrow, if I have time to post!  Going to a graduation party and then to graduation.  Big day in our town.  
I'm just glad to be watching this year and not participating!
:)

10 comments:

susan said...

thanks for the pics...st basil's is the thing i was talking about when you asked what to see in russia...i just didn't know the name of it...but the pictures are beautiful (even if the country isn't)

glad you're back safe and sound...glad to hear s#2 is back as well, but as a new person.

God's blessings today!

Carrie said...

Janine, I am SO glad your son is doing better - that's great. I do hope you have a great summer. How many kids will be home for the entire summer???

Also, that St. Basil's IS beautiful - and not something you'd expect to find in Russia, where you think of boring buildings like the first picture you posted. :)

Janine said...

Hi Carrie -- I will only have the two boys home for the summer. Son #1 and D2 and D3 are all working at camp this summer. D1 will still be back east -- she'll come home for a week or two in August.
Yes, St. Basils was beautiful .... it really stood out.
Thanks for the the encouragement!

Leslie said...

I am astounded at how beautiful D1 is with her bangs (and all grown up). When does it all happen?

Lisanne said...

Hiya Sis! I'm SO glad that you're home safe and sound. The pictures are great. I'll bet that Gabby has Panosteitis. (giant breed growing pains) Hopefully she'll outgrow it after a while.
I love you!!! Get some rest.

Lis

Mary Lou said...

The pics swere great. Thanks for taking so many. Can't wait for the video of the cat circus....hope you get some rest this week end. Know you will enjoy the graduation even more since you don't have one in it. Know it will be good to be with your sons and life be smoother with them than it has been in the past. Glad you got thru Thursday, know it was hard. Anniversaries are special to us too, and know that makes it so bittersweet. Hope your next month is a little slower. Blessings on your day and week...sleep well tonight....Mary Lou

Nat said...

Welcome home to you and son#2! Thanks for the photo of you and Jim-what a beautiful, loving couple. You two were blessed with the love that you shared and the family you created. And I am so thankful for the friendship we share.
Love you!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the pics. Glad you are home safe.

JB

Anonymous said...

Dear Janine,
I'm glad you are home safe. Those are some great pictures! It's funny about the crazy parking you saw. I always have imagined that if there was ANY place where you really needed to mind your p's and q's, it would be Russia. To find out they are all willy nilly...
Ann

Anonymous said...

Great pictures again! :)