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motodraconisPictures from when I was an undergrad doing BA Architecture at Oxford Brookes. Field trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. (Or as it was then - Leningrad.)
Inside the Monument to the Conquerors of Space. I think!
I took 6 rolls of film over 2 weeks, but I can only find 16 photos. Alack. I considered doing a bit of post production on the photos but in the end, decided to leave them in all their faded, vintage reel glory.
It was an exchange trip with Russian architecture students. Week 1 in Moscow, and week 2 in St Petersburg.
We were to spend the first week inside the university, working on an architectural project. I complained, as I wanted to see Moscow, but was told we could have all of week 2 to be tourists. That was all very well, but week 2 was to be spent in St Petersburg. I'll be forever grateful to the students I was staying with, who basically said... "when will you get another chance to see Moscow?" We played truant, (the only students to do so, the others stayed indoors working) and they took me to see loads of stuff. They were awesome.
They took me to the Kremlin...
I recall, there was a huge queue to get into the treasury. In those days, you had to book in advance with special letters of permission or something. My students walked me to the front of the queue and argued us in on the spot! Inside I was blown away. Golden thrones, a throne made entirely of ivory. Priests robes stiff with pearls, Peter the Great's thigh-length boots (which seemed as tall as me.) So many gem-set crowns. Huge golden bangles and a massive pendant set with 100 diamonds - these for horses to wear. Just when I thought there could be no more gold and gems, there was another huge room of bling. Sadly, no photos allowed.
We ran off outside Moscow to a monastery, which had the worst toilets I have ever encountered, then and even now, after many years travelling. There was never any paper, and Moscow toilets always stank, but this one had no doors, so you could see ladies peeing away, skirts hitched up. I couldn't get too close, as the stench was like a solid wall. I crossed my legs and hung on until we could get back to the family flat (the only toilet what was clean and did not smell.)
EDIT: I feel I ought to add, in all fairness, that the reason the toilets were so universally grim was that sourcing toilet roll and cleaning detergents was really difficult. We take for granted that when our loo at home (or at work) gets a bit iffy we can pop to the shops to get disinfectant, sprays, scubs and wipes, or grumble to HR who will get cleaners provided with full kit to sort it out. This was not an option in Moscow 1991. Credit to the family I stayed with for keeping their home (and loo) so spotless in the face of difficult circumstances.
It was not uncommon for the smell of the bogs to be so bad that you'd smell god knows what while trying to eat in a restaurant. I recall the food to be pretty dire. This is the university canteen, where we ate terrifying processed "meat"...
Don't let my cheery smiling face fool you, this was diabolical stuff. Even raised on dreadful English School dinners I had to struggle to eat it, and didn't dare reject any for fear of being rude in the face of scarcity. I put on about a stone in 2 weeks from all the lard-laden food, and returned slightly unwell. To be fair, Russia in those days was a pretty sad place. Empty shops, food (except lard) difficult to source. (When my exchange students came to the UK we popped into Tesco and the girl burst into tears when she saw all the shelves groaning with fruit and veg and variety.) We brought them money and Malboro cigarettes (which we used as currency on the streets.) I took my students to the Bolshoi Ballet to see Sleeping Beauty. It cost me 10 quid, nothing for a UK student. It was all mortifyingly embarrassing for them. To us, an 8 quid duty-free packet of Malboro bought at the airport was nothing, my Russian family (both parents architects, living in a tiny "tower hamlet style" flat) were proud, and spoiled me rotten with gifts and food grown on their allotment and saved for the foreigner.
The English students wanted to change money, having no roubles. We asked our tutor where and when we might manage this. He went and complained to the Russian tutors. It turned out that the Russian families putting us up had been given a lump sum each, to pay for expenses, food for us. Our tutor expected them to give us the roubles. WHAT THE FUCK? I've never forgiven the ignorant cunt for stirring up trouble over this. We didn't want their money, for fuck's sake, 10 quid of our own cash would go a long way in Moscow at that time. I was also not impressed at my tutors' attitude (and that of the other UK students) who were off at the posh hotels eating fancy food (without their exchange families.) I went home every night with my guys, and ate with them at their table. I offered to treat them to a posh dinner, but they wouldn't hear of it. (It was hard enough insisting they accept tickets to the Bolshoi.)
Actually, I saw a lot of stuff that shocked and freaked me out. Partly because I was hanging out with my guys and seeing the real Moscow that my tutors and the other students were not seeing. I'm not entirely sure I want to elaborate further on an unlocked post. To this day, it was one of the best overseas trips I have ever been on. Partly because my guys were so amazingly kind and generous to me, but partly because I saw so much that horrified and saddened me. It was an eye-opener.
We saw gorgeous things too...
Then off, on my first overnight train to St Petersburg...
It is the bane of my fucking life that whenever I go to a big museum that I'll probably never have another chance to visit that I get lost in the cocking Romano-Greek section, and miss entirely the cool local artefacts, in this case, a collection of Fabergé. Arse arse!!!
I didn't like St Petersburg much. It was like a Western European city (Rotterdam), but with appalling, hideous food. I much preferred the alien exoticness of Moscow. Our exchange students stayed behind, and we were staying in a hotel. Vile processed dung-meat, starters of half a boiled egg topped with caviare(?) The boiled egg probably cost more than the caviare. Mental.
I'd like to go back one day (to Moscow at least) if only to see how much has changed and be horrified anew. Sadly I lost touch with my exchange guys.
So there you go. Blast from the past.
Inside the Monument to the Conquerors of Space. I think!
I took 6 rolls of film over 2 weeks, but I can only find 16 photos. Alack. I considered doing a bit of post production on the photos but in the end, decided to leave them in all their faded, vintage reel glory.
It was an exchange trip with Russian architecture students. Week 1 in Moscow, and week 2 in St Petersburg.
We were to spend the first week inside the university, working on an architectural project. I complained, as I wanted to see Moscow, but was told we could have all of week 2 to be tourists. That was all very well, but week 2 was to be spent in St Petersburg. I'll be forever grateful to the students I was staying with, who basically said... "when will you get another chance to see Moscow?" We played truant, (the only students to do so, the others stayed indoors working) and they took me to see loads of stuff. They were awesome.
They took me to the Kremlin...
I recall, there was a huge queue to get into the treasury. In those days, you had to book in advance with special letters of permission or something. My students walked me to the front of the queue and argued us in on the spot! Inside I was blown away. Golden thrones, a throne made entirely of ivory. Priests robes stiff with pearls, Peter the Great's thigh-length boots (which seemed as tall as me.) So many gem-set crowns. Huge golden bangles and a massive pendant set with 100 diamonds - these for horses to wear. Just when I thought there could be no more gold and gems, there was another huge room of bling. Sadly, no photos allowed.
We ran off outside Moscow to a monastery, which had the worst toilets I have ever encountered, then and even now, after many years travelling. There was never any paper, and Moscow toilets always stank, but this one had no doors, so you could see ladies peeing away, skirts hitched up. I couldn't get too close, as the stench was like a solid wall. I crossed my legs and hung on until we could get back to the family flat (the only toilet what was clean and did not smell.)
EDIT: I feel I ought to add, in all fairness, that the reason the toilets were so universally grim was that sourcing toilet roll and cleaning detergents was really difficult. We take for granted that when our loo at home (or at work) gets a bit iffy we can pop to the shops to get disinfectant, sprays, scubs and wipes, or grumble to HR who will get cleaners provided with full kit to sort it out. This was not an option in Moscow 1991. Credit to the family I stayed with for keeping their home (and loo) so spotless in the face of difficult circumstances.
It was not uncommon for the smell of the bogs to be so bad that you'd smell god knows what while trying to eat in a restaurant. I recall the food to be pretty dire. This is the university canteen, where we ate terrifying processed "meat"...
Don't let my cheery smiling face fool you, this was diabolical stuff. Even raised on dreadful English School dinners I had to struggle to eat it, and didn't dare reject any for fear of being rude in the face of scarcity. I put on about a stone in 2 weeks from all the lard-laden food, and returned slightly unwell. To be fair, Russia in those days was a pretty sad place. Empty shops, food (except lard) difficult to source. (When my exchange students came to the UK we popped into Tesco and the girl burst into tears when she saw all the shelves groaning with fruit and veg and variety.) We brought them money and Malboro cigarettes (which we used as currency on the streets.) I took my students to the Bolshoi Ballet to see Sleeping Beauty. It cost me 10 quid, nothing for a UK student. It was all mortifyingly embarrassing for them. To us, an 8 quid duty-free packet of Malboro bought at the airport was nothing, my Russian family (both parents architects, living in a tiny "tower hamlet style" flat) were proud, and spoiled me rotten with gifts and food grown on their allotment and saved for the foreigner.
The English students wanted to change money, having no roubles. We asked our tutor where and when we might manage this. He went and complained to the Russian tutors. It turned out that the Russian families putting us up had been given a lump sum each, to pay for expenses, food for us. Our tutor expected them to give us the roubles. WHAT THE FUCK? I've never forgiven the ignorant cunt for stirring up trouble over this. We didn't want their money, for fuck's sake, 10 quid of our own cash would go a long way in Moscow at that time. I was also not impressed at my tutors' attitude (and that of the other UK students) who were off at the posh hotels eating fancy food (without their exchange families.) I went home every night with my guys, and ate with them at their table. I offered to treat them to a posh dinner, but they wouldn't hear of it. (It was hard enough insisting they accept tickets to the Bolshoi.)
Actually, I saw a lot of stuff that shocked and freaked me out. Partly because I was hanging out with my guys and seeing the real Moscow that my tutors and the other students were not seeing. I'm not entirely sure I want to elaborate further on an unlocked post. To this day, it was one of the best overseas trips I have ever been on. Partly because my guys were so amazingly kind and generous to me, but partly because I saw so much that horrified and saddened me. It was an eye-opener.
We saw gorgeous things too...
Then off, on my first overnight train to St Petersburg...
It is the bane of my fucking life that whenever I go to a big museum that I'll probably never have another chance to visit that I get lost in the cocking Romano-Greek section, and miss entirely the cool local artefacts, in this case, a collection of Fabergé. Arse arse!!!
I didn't like St Petersburg much. It was like a Western European city (Rotterdam), but with appalling, hideous food. I much preferred the alien exoticness of Moscow. Our exchange students stayed behind, and we were staying in a hotel. Vile processed dung-meat, starters of half a boiled egg topped with caviare(?) The boiled egg probably cost more than the caviare. Mental.
I'd like to go back one day (to Moscow at least) if only to see how much has changed and be horrified anew. Sadly I lost touch with my exchange guys.
So there you go. Blast from the past.
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no subject
Date: 2014-04-17 07:15 pm (UTC)You do not know of the Moscow Mafia Three at w-s? I cannot believe it. (You could bounce around a bit of the world via just visiting w-s members. Although I think Australia is under-represented, not sure about NZ. But Belgium...you could do really do Belgium. There are at least 2 folks from Belgium.)
no subject
Date: 2014-04-17 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-04-17 08:43 pm (UTC)I'm sure Moscow of today and Moscow of the early 1990s were pretty different in some (maybe a lot of) ways! But there are non-expats in w-s now, too. I'm sure they know all the current Moscow hotspots. They are the Bright Young Things of Moscow (who work crazy hours sometimes).
no subject
Date: 2014-04-18 07:55 am (UTC)By contrast, in Ethiopia the posh expensive hotels were where I had the worst, most inedible food, while the cheap places used by locals had the tasty stuff. There was abundance in Ethiopia, though not the infrastructure for a vast variety of ingredients.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-18 10:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-04-17 10:55 pm (UTC)I also want to scan some of my old photos, if I ever find the time. I have all my Romania pics and my Iceland trip, particularly as so many friends have been to Iceland this year.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-18 08:37 am (UTC)Might be worth scanning highlights of your trip, my photos are so degraded now. At least I now have some scans saved.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-20 06:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-04-20 08:30 am (UTC)