Friday, while The Boy headed to the office for another day of auditing, I headed into town for a bit of shopping and to meet up with an old friend from Kenya.
Who would have ever thought that I’d be able to stop and visit a friend from 15 (ahem) years ago while on an unplanned trip to Moscow? It’s a small world…K and her family now live in Moscow.
(Oddly enough, they were living in Kyrgyzstan when The Boy and I made an unplanned trip there in 2005. I guess I’m destined to meet up with her whenever I travel somewhere that I never imagined I’d visit!)
Anyway, it was a great day of catching up, strolling by the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (currently closed for renovation), eating bliny with egg and cabbage, and drinking iced Starbucks while we sweated out another steamy afternoon in the city.
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| Tchaikovsky Monument outside the Conservatory |
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| Iced coffee is a must when it’s dreadfully hot! |
I dashed back to the hotel to meet up with The Boy, then headed back into the city to meet up with another one of his colleagues working in Moscow.
After strolling around Arbat Street, we headed to A’s apartment for more visiting and a light meal of summer borscht.
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| Arbat Street – very much like Montmarte in Paris |
I didn’t take a photo of our meal, but The Boy looked at me and said, We need to get this recipe from A. It’s a list item.
It was really late when we finally got back to the hotel and it wasn’t at all the “normal” type of tourist day. But somehow, it was a perfect day in all of the ways that matter.
I always find visiting in a foreign country much more meaningful if you are invited to the residence (and go!) of someone who lives there, even if it is not a "native". Most tourists don't get that opportunity.
So true! There's something about touching "normal" life that transforms you from a simple tourist into one who is truly connecting with life overseas.