LOOKING BACK ON 2015

 

Looking back on the last year, 201h here in Moscow and what comes to mind it has to be May 9^th first of all. The Veterans Day with the People Parade I am first of all remember from this year.

 

 

 

Seeing the veterans sitting outside the Bolshoi Theater have old as young listening into their stories and handing over flowers in respect for their participation to have free Rodina.

The hundreds of thousands participating in the parade carry pictures of their family members that participated in the big war that ended 70 years ago on that date.

I remember Easter and the blessing of our food at the local Monastir. Taking part in the local tradition for Easter celebration, understand the local culture and their background even more, and understand the connection to the church the people have in this country.

 

 

Other than this, as I look back to the pictures taken, bringing the camera with me day after day just to pop into special occasions. Like weddings or during a festival either along the boulevard, in any of the parks or just outside the Bolshoi Theater and Red Square. It all brings back memories and again I just see that Moscow is full of surprises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is hard today to give you all, only thing I could say I would do a better job in 2016, promise J

 

I already noted I missed out on visits to great restaurants here in Moscow and as well some visits to a few of the 365 museums and galleries around. In January we have two visits to the Bolshoi Theater to see both The Nutcracker and The Swan Lake. Yes not to forget see new to see some plays at the local Theaters. Already in January we will see a Norwegian director straight out from the local theater academy direct a play in Moscow.

See you in 2016

3 Months of winter in Moscow

 

So what to do at this time? It is our second winter in Moscow and we can compare one winter to do other. One thing is the weather another is what we have done this winter compared to the first.

Not to forget what have happened this winter months compared to last year.

My last update on this blog was in middle of January. Since then we have had a gray day most of the time. Days with sunshine in between and days with snow, it is more or less like winter in any place around the world. We have not been challenged with the minus 30 degree C this winter, just touching the minus 10. We do expect that the two winters we still will be here in Moscow we will challenge to low, low minuses again. Just let it come we are prepared for it.

One thing I can say, the viruses hit us. Not for the computer, but the heavy cold due to the up and down in temperature. Bronchitis and pneumonia it us both once and twice, but good doctors helped us through the 2-3 weeks and got back on our feet’s.

So what have happened over these 3 months for me and my camera?

 

 



One specific is the anti Maidan rally that was in February. I love to watch people and with 10 thousands of them demonstrating there were a lot of possible photos to take. I did not go to fare away from our house as the demonstration started just outside our doorstep. The pictures I have chosen was put together in a short video.

 

The week after the Anti Maidan demonstration we had the sad story of the killing of Boric Nemtsov. It has happened before and it will happen again I am sure, but when it will happen it touches us. The place where the killing took place I had past just evenings before and took photos of the red sky over Kremlin. A week later it was the ocean of flowers I could direct my camera towards.

 

 



Moscow is so much more than described above, first of the museums. We have lately visited Moscow Museum of Modern Art. It not only consists of one gallery, but five in total. One specific that interest me is the Multimedia Art Museum Moscow. MAMM have exhibition over 7 floors and a separate photo or multimedia exhibition at each floor. We can see old Soviet pictures from many time zone, or French or American photographers on display. Even this year Pirelli calendar is on display with videos from the days of shooting the photos.

 



Some of the pictures from the visits to the galleries are put together in a Youtube video



 

Some amazing photos were on display showing the fantastic and famous Russian Ballet dancer Svetlana Zakharova. Study them could take a long time, but see the movement put on canvas and displayed was a special moment. Seldom it is possible to catch the moment and put the person in to a perspective as these pictures shows.

 

 

There are many specific museums for most interest. Tolstoy have his, Pushkin have is and so on. The aeronautic museums are special and we will be back to that later this year. One we have visited twice is the Bulgakov. Made it a habit of having a Bulgakov evening visiting special of important places, the two most important is the Museum itself and Restaurant Margarita.

Last place also serve us live music.



We enjoy the concerts we go to as well. Ticket once or twice a month to the conservatory and the big stage there will always be a positive experience. Student with very high standard presents their quality each day along with concerts by other Russian and international artist. Just happens that this is the place we enjoy to go out of so many places to listen to high quality music.

 

Have to include Children’s world in Moscow for you. For the time we have been here in Moscow we have passed this building under refurbishment, and we wondered many times if it ever would be finished before we were to leave Moscow. To our big surprise it got ready by end of March and opened even that not all of the space was taken or made ready by the leasers. Toys, Toys and Toys along with clothes and fast food on top floor, I am sure you can spend a day here from early morning to the end at 22 pm and not seen it all. Special if you have a 3 year or a 8 year old with you. So if we have visitors with children, one day is gone.

In between all this I managed to get to Oslo and support my youngest daughter in her performance in The Voice in Norway. Exciting experience even she did not make it, I am proud and happy that soon 10000 hits have made her Youtube performance from the show.



Walking in Moscow is an experience of its own. Every time there is something new to see and find new places that we like to experience. This like the Rhythm and Blues place we discovered. Thought it was graffiti, but obvious a nice place to go one evening, with live music most evening. Not difficult to recognize the place in case you look for it.

 

And if you are in doubt, people in Moscow were interested in the total solar eclipse. I did not have to tool to make a good photo, but good enough to show the people interest.

 

 

Coming weekend we have Easter in Russia and with the promised 15-16 degree C in the forecast along with sun it maybe time as some restaurants needs to do quite often, do some cleaning.

Wish you all the best from a happy Easter celebrating Moscow.

 





A new year have started!

I have used my camera since my last update on this blog. After 1,5 year after our arrival in Moscow we are not getting stuffed with impressions even we could feel that way. Due to each day we walk around in the city it changes and new impressions get to us.

 

 

 

 

It is the architecture that we can look at and find it more amazing second time we look at a building or third. Always something new to discover, and so with the cultural activity that the city authorities organize, it just gets us in the mood like they did this New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We very often come across walls painted, either in an artistic way or as a memory for famous Russian cultural artist like Bulgakov and others. It gives a clear indication that people are not forgotten and that the city cares about these people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another event we very often come across is married couples out in the city to get their wedding photo. Coming from a country where it is a regular custom to have a large party, in Moscow it is almost like the have the party as they shot the photos. OK I am sure most ends up at a restaurant and later with a smaller party in a home, but it cost a lot and most newly married in Moscow have a restricted income and now parents that throw them a big party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X-mas was here, first our European Christmas and into January the “local” Christmas so we have celebration for a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now winter is here, a bit more than last winter so we have seen more snow, have had more cold weather and we are just days into the New Year. It is nice to have some to look forward to, like we know what is coming during the next 2 – 3 months of cultural activity and fun walks around this beautiful city and more to tell about in the process for more friends to be interested to dare visit Moscow.