From Russia

Russia was one of those places I wanted to go to ... but kind of just found myself there one day without much planning or preparation. It was one of those trips that I was thrown into last minute...like, the week or two before I was given a ticket and told to get a rush visa. I'd arrived on a Sunday in winter and was staying on Tverskaya Yamskaya which is in one of the busiest areas in central Moscow. My first impression was ... I can't read anything, its grey, hard and cold and where is everyone? I know, I sound like a new yorker. Since then I've been a couple more times and I'm fascinated by it. I love New York and, if New York is a girl, Moscow is like New York's older brother. Like NYC, there is so much going on every day, but the Russians seem to approach it as if its their last, which gives everything a different spin, from business politics to parties to art, music and fashion. You still feel the presence of the mafia, albeit in a way that blends into the backdrop like its no big deal, and adds another layer to the grittiness and extravagance. I've experienced parts of it with business expats, some with a fellow aussie, a little with the moscovites and also on my own. I hope to go back for longer and see more of the country outside of Moscow.... in any case, stay tuned, I may have to go back before the new year.