This weekend was less eventful that the previous two - we're finally bored of imperial palaces and parks, so we decided to stay in the city. I'd read on the internet about a 'Day of Europe' which meant that embassies were opening up all over the city and giving away free stuff. Unfortunately when we went to have a look the only things they were giving away were brochures - in Russian - advertising their various countries. But it was a lovely sunny day and we got to wander around the city in the sunshine - making the most of it while it's still here!! Then in the evening Rachel and I indulged in an Italian meal (our second meal out in as many days - several of us went for a Chinese on Friday night which meant venturing into *gasp* the suburbs). We briefly debated whether 500 rouble (about £10) 'champagne' would be drinkable, before deciding to bite the bullet and go for it. And whether it's two years of Castle 'champagne' receptions or whether I just have really bad taste, I thought it was pretty good!! Afterwards we went to the Кофе Хаус for dessert and cocktails - all of the big coffee shops on and around Nevsky Prospekt are open 24 hours so this may become a regular occurance. So even if the day disappointed slightly, the evening certainly didn't!
On Sunday I had another interesting conversation with Vera. As I was getting my breakfast I realised that the milk was off - not soon enough as I'd already poured it all over my cornflakes. After asking me if I still wanted breakfast (no, of course not, the fact that there's no milk has completely killed my appetite) she told me to put kefir (sort of plain drinking yoghurt) on my cornflakes, and went to throw the first bowl away. After a few minutes she returned, laughing. "I threw the cornflakes down the toilet and now they are floating!" (If you don't find this funny, try saying it in a Russian accent. Trust me, it works every time.) This took my mind off the fact that kefir on cornflakes is possibly the worst combination of foods I have ever eaten. I was very grateful when Vera went out later to buy more milk...
I have also completed a couple of personal challenges in the past few days. On Sunday, I went somewhere entirely on my own. It was the Museum of Political History, and although it was only two stops away on the metro and I ended up misreading the signs and going round it backwards, it was very satisfying to do something by myself (and even more satisfying to be able to report it to the teachers in my lessons this week). I enjoyed the museum too, there was an amazing array of random things which people had kept purely because they thought that commemorating events is important - for instance, a bullet from the assassination of a politician in the 1800s. As anyone who's seen my bedroom will know, I never throw anything away, so this definitely appealed to me! Entrance is free to anyone with a Russian student card, so I'll definitely be going back - maybe next time I'll make it from Lenin to Gorbachev in the right order!! But my biggest achievement was today, after far too many experiences of leaving the supermarket trying to balance my purchases on my stack of textbooks, today I actually managed to ask for and receive a plastic bag! Result!
In other news, I have succumbed to evil Russian freshers' flu (others may call it a cold but I prefer to be melodramatic). This is not great news, especially I have to do a presentation on my home town in front of dozens of unsuspecting Russian students tomorrow!! Those lucky, lucky students!!
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