Izmailovsky Market

Izmailovsky Market is a HUGE outdoor market with hundred of booths selling souvenirs to tourists. Thousands of Matroshkas, Russian Medals, Birch and Laquer boxes. If the Arbat is Chinatown, Izmailovsky is Tiajuana. Part of a single aisle is pictured. There were dozens of aisles. The Russians do everything BIG.

We strolled around the market for a couple of hours selecting items we would eventually purchase. We decided that Randall would return to Izmailovsky after we take custody of Dasha. The airline charges for over-weight baggage out to Siberia, and we were already at the 40 pound limit. So next Saturday Randall will return alone to pick up souvenires and gifts.

We ate Sashlik for lunch. Sashlik (pronounced sash-leek) is meat that is cooked on a skewer. I've eaten several, and all were overcooked. I asked for Beef, which they explained was Pork. That would account for the 2 helpings of beef I had in restaraunts which tasted suspiciously like pork! It was quite atmospheric, but the food was just OK.

Riding the Metro is quite an adventure. Some of the signs are tansliterated to english characters, but none of the instructions are. My ability to decipher Cyrillic has been invaluable. I look at the Metro map, and figure out where we want to go . This often requires 2 transfers, on 3 lines. At each station, we have to figure out which line to get on, which line to transfer to, and which direction to go. We've gotten pretty good, but it took a couple of days. For example on this sign, we want to head for Taganskaya (ТАГАНСКАЯ). Can you find it on them sign, and figure out which way to go?

The Russians do not seem to appreciate my efforts to speak their language. There are 3 distinct reactions. On the first day, I would formulate a question, and do a good job of asking it, so I'd get an answer far beyond my ability to comprehend. Other people look at me as if I were saying "Blue Martians are eating the Eiffel Tower - butter the blinni!" The most annoying reaction comes from the people who allow me to struggle, indicate that they don't understand me, then speak to me in fluent english. They NEVER say 'good job', or 'nice try'. These people make the French look friendly.

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