This morning we woke up to find Ryan, Ben's missionary trainer, asleep in the next room. Ben went out and got breakfast for us while we let Ryan sleep. He arrived a day later than we did. For breakfast we had some bread, an orange and a bottle of drinkable yogurt.(actually very good).
Even though we use the metro, buses and trains we end up walking quite a bit. This morning we took several subways and ended up at a large cathedral that didn't open until 1PM. We had a couple of hours to kill so we decided to visit the museum nearby but of course it is Monday. I think the UN passed a resolution some time ago that all Museums were to close on Monday. We wandered around for a bit and took pictures, bought some fruit for lunch and worked our way back to the cathedral. As we were standing in line an old gentleman came over and told me I could not take my backpack inside because it was too large. Ben and Ryan also had backpacks but were apparently within regulation however, Ben was wearing shorts. He was speaking Russian so I understood none of it but the gentleman told Ben he should take my backpack and get out of here.
Obediently, Ben took my pack and found a bench to sit on while Ryan and I went into the cathedral. Oddly, it was like looking at a 1929 Ford Roadster replica. Impressive but not real. After having been through many of the most impressive old cathedrals it was really strange to see one that had been recently constructed. It looked like the old ones but everything was new. All the floors, furniture, murals and icons were new. It just didn't seem right. They had an icon very similar to one of mine with St. Peter holding an open book. When we came out I offered to change pants with Ben in the public square but he declined. For 400 ruble each we took an hour and a half ride on a tour boat around Moscow. I'm pretty sure we took the same ride 17 years ago. We went past the Olympic venues, the Kremlin and Red square. We stopped at the train station and bought tickets to St. Petersburg. 2900 Rubles/$100 round trip for both of us. We will take the sleeper train at night.
I told Ben I was going to the WC but changed my mind when I found two large Russian women guarding the entrance. I didn't ask what they wanted but suspect it was money. I just turned and walked away. Ben had arranged for us to go back to Leningrad to stay with some members. They were to meet us at the train stop at 6 and of course we were there at 6:30. We hopped into his van and drove to the apartment.
On the way to the apartment Boris mentioned that he had got Ben's invitation and wondered if he was married. Delighted to hear he was not he offered Ben a cow to marry his daughter. At the apartment we got out and Boris began handing us bags of groceries. He had obviously done a lot of shopping for us. His daughter also remarked how it was enough food for 20. Ben tells me Boris was an Olympic greko roman wrestler and he looks like it. Boris now drives for the mission president. He was just told the president is going home in July and he will be out of a job. As Ben visited with Boris and his wife in Russian, I talked to the daughter in English. She served a mission to Siberia and has a research degree in food processing. Specifically cheese. I told Ben he should at least see how high he can get Boris to raise the offer before he turns down the deal.
She is a very nice girl and cute. They brought the subject up several times during the evening. When they told of another Russian girl who had married a returned missionary and was living in Rexburg, Ben leaned over and commented how they thought that was wonderful but he is opposed to such things. I have always been opposed too but may want to reconsider.We had dumplings and cabbage sandwiches. When they offered tea I declined so Ben told them to give me ????. I'm sure it was similar to the fermented mares milk from Mongolia. When I asked if it was fermented Ben insisted it wasn't but after some discussion in Russian told me it was 1% alcohol. It said 1% on the box so I suspect this was accurate. I could only take about half the small glass. It seems they always serve candy here for desert. I'm really beginning to like this place.
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