one weekend, two matches

My one and only friend outside the office, bus-buddy from the airport James, got as a sports journalist free tickets for Dynamo and Spartak. I was the lucky one to join him on this noble mission.
Singing along with the hooligans, cheering for the wrong team, seeing Dick Advocaat and EC 2008 starplayer Arshavin at work and being amazed by the poor level. It all happened.

What a nice weekend!

appearance update

Still look the same
To compensate with the lack of sports I eat less.
To compensate with the bad air I use facial creme.

Life can be so simple...

minor detail: they only sold bavaria malt

on the catwalk

Although my perfect pronounciation of nyet and da and even the use of some rough Russian slang that I picked up at a party my appearance is far from Russian. I often get the look of the locals, especially on the endless long escalators that lead down to metrostations deep under the ground. Get on it, stand still for a minute or three and stare at people that are going in the other direction.
So they look at me for approximately two seconds, do something in between pulling up their nose and frowning and seem to accept.

Guess that indicates how western Moscow already is. Respect.

mighty russian rivers

The last weekend in Russia for my housemate Lili, so of course we had to go out to one of the numerous clubs in Moscow. First we took a cab to head of the office Willem. I didn't dare to get out of the car, nor did Lili. Due to the heavy rain of the last hours the street literally turned into a mighty 20cm deep river. We drove a bit further to get on the shore/walkway, but nyet, it was an island and the cab was gone already. Climbing on big stones, leaping from hooks in the wall and jumping from flower barge to flower barge we managed as true Indiana Jones' to get to the house with dry feet.

In the end the club was still ten minutes away by foot, so still completely soaked we arrived. Looking as miserable as possible I had one of the best nights so far.

cold shower

Moscow feels like a true metropool, ready to compete with most western metropools, but there are some particularities with it that can only be found in Russia. After arriving from Amsterdam I was ready for my shower to start the Moscow adventure bright and shiny. Not knowing any better I stepped into the bathtub and turned on the water. Icecold!! I wanted to be fresh, but this was a bit overdone.

Once every year the hot water is cut off all over Moscow for a few weeks for maintainance, mainly in the summer months and area per area. One collegue told me that her warm water was cut off in early May when temperatures were still around 0 degrees.

I wasn't complaining, I swear.
Fortunately the warm shower is back again now.

from home to worksky

dear guests

For everybody who is planning to pay me a visit or after this message will also be coming.
Maybe you already knew that I share my luxureus apartment with one of my collegues, but what is new is that she will be leaving soon, leaving behind a genereous room for guests. So no worries anymore if everybody fits, it will provide space for everybody.

have to go to a party now, more news monday!!