And it begins

Even in Moscow, Tajikistan is for real.

Gritinks dir frekhnds,

I assume many of you have been checking out my old blog (http://tjisforreal.blogspot.com) on a daily basis for these last two years and wondered why I haven’t been posting regularly. Well, today your patience has been rewarded! And somehow you've find your way here! After a long absence I endeavor once more to prove to you that Tajikistan is a real place, just as I did in the summer of 2008, and I will do this by recording my thoughts, conclusions, and photographs of Moscow. Confused? You should be. Basically, I wanted to continue my old blog, but I think it's past its shelf life, forcing me to start anew. But my passion for proving the realnost' of everyone's favorite small, mountainous Central Asian republic has not abated. I will simply have to do so from Moscow.

Several days ago when I bought my fancy new camera, I was excited to learn that Nikon has quite the mastery of grays and blues. So you, loyal reader, have lucked out! Because you can’t find a richer array of grays than a rainy Moscow November! I endeavor to “explore the space” of grays and rain and will pass the benefits on to you.

One of the other mysteries: will or won’t Charles be able to register his visa? He was told by the “international department” at RGGU (state university of the humanities) to register his visa the day after he arrived in Moscow. Yet today upon arrival at RGGU was greeted by throngs of students leaving the gates and a security guard who sneered, “Can’t you see you’re going the wrong way?!” Turned out there was a “terrorist threat” and they were emptying the building, students and faculty smirking and glad to be returning home in the darkening, rainy, windy hour of 3:30pm. Charles will return tomorrow. (And make mental note, if you want to give an entire campus the day off, simply phone and say, “Yes, Svetlana Borisovna, please? Hi, yes, I would like to make a terrorist threat for the day. Thanks.”)

Check out the first two photos, which are essentially the daytime and nighttime views from my apartment. In the left foreground is the Greek embassy, to the right is the Stanislavsky house-museum, and across the road all dressed in aquamarine is the UN's Moscow outpost. My mission for Moscow is to concoct a logical story which necessitates a visit to all three of these establishments in the same day. (i.e. join a Greek troupe of traveling actors to pay homage to Mr. Stanislavsky and then visit UN in preparation for upcoming peacekeeping/theatrical mission to Chechnya...)

My roommates, the two Mashas, a great. Both are actresses from Chelyabinsk. Which reminds of an old Soviet song I know ("Two Mashas from Chelyabinsk," said to be a favorite drinking melody of Marshal Zhukov). Check back for more news from Moscow's theater life.

I’ll head out to the market tomorrow and look out for any Tajiks.

Best, Charles