Let's start with a fun fact today. A nurse comes to my class everyday and looks into the kids' throats and takes their temperatures. They are extremely health-conscious.
I went to my little local store the other day because I was out of cornflakes. I got what looked like and interesting brand and they were godawful. They were like cheese flips without the cheese and were about 90% sugar. Went back yesterday to get the good kind I like and the manager started asking me all these questions about why I come to his store. With the help of a customer who spoke a little English, I explained that it was on my way home from work and it was very convenient for me. Then of course, everyone was asking how I like it here. It's just so interesting being a foreigner. The people in my neighborhood are genuinely interested in what would make an American come to their city.
This morning, after cleaning up, my first stop on my day in Kazan was at my bike shop. My new pedal was already broken and the guy replaced it again. I love this bike shop. Then I just went down the street to a nice little coffee shop and had a cappichino before hitting the Metro. I got off at the end of the pedestrian zone and rode up to the Tatar National Library. It is in a lovely old mansion that some guy built for his bride-to-be. I heard that the architecture was phenomenal and they had tours in English. I went in and asked about them. They are only on weekdays, so that will be on my program for my upcoming vacation. And, you're not allowed to look around the library unless you are on a tour.
So, using my tourist map, which is pretty worthless because half the streets aren't indicated, I found my way to the government building which has the tree on the front portal. It is really very attractive. The building itself is in front of a lovely park and is not far from the Kazanka River, which is a tributary of the Volga. The weather wasn't the greatest today, so when it started raining while I was in front of this tree, I took off up the hill to the Kremlin, where I spent an hour or so in the Museum of Tatarstan Statehood. The cashier made everyone put on those plastic coverings over their shows. In fact, I think that was the only phrase she knew in English, Put on clean shoes.
Boy, we Americans do a lousy job of teaching history in our schools. It's a shame that we only concentrate on our European roots. We might mention Genghis Khan once, but we never really explore what an influence Asian and African cultures had on European culture and helped shape what Europe eventually became. It is really so interesting to see the connections and begin to see how events in other parts of the world can change whole continents. It wasn't just they Roman Empire which shaped the world, for crying out loud.
After the museum visit, I rode a circuitous route back down the hill to the promenade along the Kazanka River. It was gorgeous in rainy weather; I can only imagine what it will look like in summer when it is crowded with people. There is a wonder signed bike path and separate pedestrian walkway. There are carousels, little restaurants, gift shops and lots of places to sit down and enjoy the view. It was maybe a half mile long. And naturally, since the weather was lousy, there was hardly anyone there. I rode to the end, and up the hill where I photographed the beautiful buildings and made my way up Pushkin Street where I found the statue of Lenin and the Tatar National Theater.
Then it was a quick bike ride down Pushkin Street to the subway station again. When I got off at my stop, I immediately walked around the corner and bought not one, but TWO loaves of that great bread. It was hot out of the oven.
Before I went grocery shopping , I went into MacDonald's and had a fish sandwich this time. It didn't do much for me. As I'm sitting there eating, I'm noticing that a lot of the street vendors from the open market next door come in to use the bathrooms. No different than in the States or Germany.
I quickly went grocery shopping for a few things, then pedaled home. I missed the first half of Wait,Wait, Don't Tell Me so I'll have to try to catch it tomorrow night. I sometimes miscalculate the time difference.
Tomorrow I'm heading for the old Tatar part of town with the great old wooden houses. I should have lots of pictures to post tomorrow.
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