Thursday, February 21, 2013

The most recent images are from the end of January

Which makes me wonder, if I should just try and upload the last thousand images on here and stop with the witty comments.
In my mind I considered this to go much faster, but in reality it was complicated. Of course the four people who are viewing this regularly I wouldn't end the images prior to our return to the states, because I still have a handful of awesome.
I am continuing this post, back in Oregon. I haven't dug the camera out and I would love to upload some photo's but I don't really have the umph. I am hoping to finish my project soon. Hoping!
The flight(s) were long, and painful at times.
Hoping to have more for everyone soon!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

We went to an Aquarium in a mall.

They actually call it an Oceanarium over here. I did scream when a Koi fish jumped towards my fingers, and when I thought a Sturgeon was going to eat my face. It was really close to me, and it freaked me out. I was pretty scared of the sturgeon. The sturgeon are a big deal overe here. 

This is a sturgeon that scared the crap out of me. It was right next to my face, and I was pretty sure it was going to eat me. 


So the aquarium/oceanarium is situated deep under the ground of a mall. It was pretty intense. I guess it gets the moniker, "the deepest aquarium in Russia". This is one of those walk through exhibits. It has a moveable walkway. Guess what Loki loved the most! 

During the time we were watching the scuba diver clean the glass panels off. 




This a portion of the aquarium before the seals/ sea lions. 

Loki and Grandma and Grandpa. 

Looking at the seals, in their environment. 

This is the mall, and the Oceanarium. The Oceanarium, goes pretty deep into the ground. It's a pretty awesome experience. 
The crowd at the museum was pretty diverse. A lot of them were older teens, some where maybe young couples, there where a few children. Loki really enjoyed the aquarium. He has been watching Finding Nemo  a lot lately. So he really enjoys the aquarium. This was really close to where Peter went to university, so it was an interesting walk down memory lane for Larisa and Sergey. When Peter was in University, Larisa and Sergey would take the bus from Veleike Luki to Saint Petersburg. I can't really imagine taking the 6 hour bus ride to visit a 17, 18 year old kid. But that's the case for them. Maybe when Loki gets a little older I will understand this. 

Some Images that I like recently.

When Peter was still here, I was told that it was pretty much forbidden to take pictures inside of the Metro. They are federal property, police and cameras monitor them constantly. But the interiors are so gorgeous considering they are subway stations. The exteriors are gorgeous also, but I always forget to take pictures of those because... 
I really liked the composition of this image. The two elderly women sitting underneath the lady and her scales mosaic. I can't remember this particular station, I believe it was built in 1955, and mosaics covered both sides. 

At the Central Park of Leisure there were two sculptures pretty close to the entrance. The right is Gustav Klimts' "The Kiss"  Which has also been rendered on nesting doll, and lacquered box, and possibly scarf. 

This is "The Dance" by Matisse, also you can see the painting in The State Hermitage. 


Here's a McDonald's that has a walk up window, because drive thru's are for squares. Yes somebodies using the window. 

Interior of McDonalds. This time I got some counter shots. 

McDonalds' workers are required (as part of their unitard)  to wear polo (or whatever) and jeans. Also from what I could infer they are not to pleased to have some tourist taking pictures. (It wasn't busy to my credit, and it's not like I was trying to take his picture.)  Sometimes the lady employees had on jean skirts, sometimes just jean pants. These were uniform, as they all looked the same and had a wider cut then the skin tight jeans as is preferred over here. This McDonalds was super fancy on the inside, attached to a mall and aquarium. Also they occasionally have a McCafe but as a separate cash register/stand whatever. I noticed Teremok also did this. What's Teremok you ask? Well it's a blini (crepe) fast food joint. It sells ethnic Russian food, blini's, borscht, and salads(Salads not like in the states but Russian style: Heavy on the mayo and usually combined. For instance we have had them with boiled egg, peas, pickles and lots of mayo.If you like Mayonnaise severed a million different ways, this is the place for you!), also Russian desserts.