Weekend Pictures

     In apologies for this being put up late, here is a slightly over-the-top (and badly-filmed on an inexpensive camera) video of the opening ceremony at Peterhof Gardens. There are something like 300+ fountains in the entire park, and 100+ of them are in one location: the display directly in front of the castle. This is what we got up at 8am to try to catch; apparently the people in front of us had gotten up at 6 to be there at 8 so they could get front-row seats for the 10:30 commencement. It's pretty, but not enough to wake up at 6 am, in my opinion. Here goes!

     With that done, here are some pictures of the gardens, randomly selected from the twenty or so that I took throughout the day.

The Gulf of Finland- the only place I've been where the
clouds make me feel claustrophobic.

A view from the boat taxi of our apartments.

The fountains before the ceremony.

The grand carriageway.

Random clover I found clustered around a tree!

The "cottage."

Lake fountains.

Random marching band!

My group coming down the escalators on the
metro... I run down the stairs cause I could.

     In other news, we have tomorrow off! There's going to be what the professors call a "CultFest" and "CogFest," which, while at first rather scary, are just opportunities for students to put on their own cultural or cognitive presentations of five minutes or less. Apparently one of the professors put on a presentation all about the letter N and how its pronunciation changes before or after other letters in the Russian alphabet last year. I think I'll be sleeping in and shopping instead. Yay day off!

     While I would absolutely adore having a day to myself to just sit back and read, this is made difficult by two factors. One is that our apartment doesn't have anywhere to sit other than the (wooden) chairs in the kitchen, or our respective beds (which are about 18" from the floor to the top of the mattress, and you can feel the springs poking through). Not the most comfortable way to spend a relaxing day.

     The other factor that goes against relaxing at home, sadly, is my roommate. Yes yes, we all knew this was coming. I am not good about sharing space in general, and substantially less so if it means I don't have anywhere to be private and enjoy silence. Add the typical Russian weather, cutting off the sun (and a means of energy/ relaxation) from me, and I knew it would be a matter of time before I found someone to gripe about. I would like to temper that slightly with the observation that I have been given ample, ample irritants that I've tried to let go, but there comes a time...

     I picked the chicly with whom I currently share a room because she seemed quiet and closed off. The two women who are in the other room in the apartment are outgoing and social (though not drunkards), so the three of us get along just fine, and often talk in the kitchen until quite late. This other chicly, whom we'll call K, at first snuck around like a mouse and kept quite to herself, a situation I was just fine with. I made the mistake of being nice (no good deed...) and asking her if she wanted to tag along while I went to Nevskii Prospect- the huge shopping district- last week, and was rewarded by two hours of a non-stop, 30 decibels-too-high dissertation on the game of Go, it's roots, history, and current role in Europe, America, and Asia. I was not only embarrassed for being around a loud American, but also because said loud American didn't have the courtesy to do things like not stand in the middle of aisles and sidewalks, making everyone's lives more difficult.

     I also don't do well with brainless chatter. I understand when people are passionate about things, but really? Shut up. Learn to embrace silence. Especially if you're in a foreign country. Even more especially if its obvious your audience doesn't give a rat's tail about the topic. Just. Shut. Up. But no! She is the type who is immune to things like body language and noncommittal responses. This past weekend, she actually made it home before midnight for once, and proceeded to talk my ear off (almost literally) about some Russian phonological quirk. Keep in mind she hasn't taken any Russian before, so she only knows what she's learned int he last week, but yet she managed to hold forth for three bloody hours about it, while I was trying to get reading done for homework. My temper is wearing thin....

     Last night, I got home late-ish (I have classes til 6, then use the university internet til 7:30 or so), and found that, despite the wind, rain, and 55 degree temperature, the door from our room to the balcony was wide open. When I asked what the deal was, she replied "oh, I couldn't figure out how to close it." It has 3 latches that turn 90 degrees from vertical and open, to horizontal and locked. Really? Then this morning on the bus, I had my headphones in, and I noticed she was holding a lollipop out to me. I declined, thinking she was offering me one, but no... she couldn't open the wrapper and wanted help... again, really?

And have no desire to be, either...

     As unthrilling as it is, I'm going to have to have words with this... female. We've all had to deal with her inability to lock the front door at night (the washing lady just wanders in in the morning and gives us lectures in Russian about how we'll all be killed in our beds), her inability to put trash in the waste bin, and the fact that once we started comparing stories, she's telling us all different things. This is so not kosher, and I'm done dealing with it. Don't get me wrong, it's better than living with Sergei, but I refuse to have to deal with this level of helplessness and idiocy. Keep an eye on the paper for news about an American battle in St. Pete's. Cheers!