General Trip Update

So at this point, my trip to Russia is half way over. I feel like I’ve done enough of the touristy things that I thing that the trip can be called a success on that front. I’ve been to churches, museums, parks, and done a fair bit of just plain walking around. Using the metro has become second nature. I’ve successfully negotiated calling a car from the street and actually got to where I needed to be. As I write this, I’m sitting at a local bar just waiting for a few friends to show up. I’m starting to feel a little bit less like tourist (as long as I keep my mouth shut).

I do have a few things remaining on the must do list. The first is to go back to the Hermitage and go through a few of the exhibits that I missed the first time though. I fundamentally like the idea of going to a ballet while I’m here, but I’m not sure if I can pull it off. The thought of going alone isn’t appealing, and I also don’t want to have to pay an arm and a leg. We’ll see how it goes. A trip to a Russian banya was moved to the tentative list; kind of like the foot massage in China, this one could backfire quickly if I’m not careful.

From the original wish, I’ve been able to pull a few of them off, but others are proving harder. I went to a Zenith football match and made it to Peterhof. A friend and I have found an alternative art exhibit that we’d like to visit, which I’m looking forward to. I’ve seen some live music at a few local bars, but none of it is something that I would listen to on my own. And regardless of how much vodka I drink, it seems that I’m still not able to pull it off without a wrenching expression on my face.