Re: Thanks for the phone call
Hard to say what things are like yet. We got in after a long 7 hour train ride. It's only 300km so it should really only take 3-4 hours. But lots of stops and a very long 1 hour stop at the border slows it all wayyyy down. The scenery was the same the whole way: tall birch and pine woodland interspersed with fields of green hay and the occasional farm house. Pretty monotonous but still pretty. We traveled with Alessander, the guy that took over Jaakko's former job. He's an Italian that married a blue eyed, blond haired Finn 12 years ago and mover to Finland to raise the family. He's a really nice guy and we great conversation the whole way.
The region just across the border used to belong to Finland so it looks pretty much the same as well. Until you get closer to St Petersburg. Then things start to change - for the worse, unfortunately. Things start looking very run down, disused, and, well, drab. What a bummer. St Petersburg also greets you with a very run down look. Big long 3 and 4 story buildings that look like they've seen their haydays.
We were greeted by a university student, Maria, who is the most agressive women driver I have ever met. The traffic lights might as well not be in working condition, which many are not, as no one pays any attention to them at all. It was an interesting 10 minutes of weaving in and out and around and through the busses, trucks, and cars that were all also ignoring all the usual rules of the road. Despite that though, things move along and we did make it to the Hotel Nautilus (tel. 812 449-90-00) I'm in room 326.
I've got an hour to kill before we meet with Eduard, the Russian organizer, who is going to walk us over to the campus to check out the computer lab for our workshop tomorrow. I was going to go on my own little walk, but I'm not feeling that adventurous right now. Maybe later, after I get a sense of things.
My internet connection here is a bit spotty. Hopefully the campus wireless will be good.
Love and hugs from Russia!
Bruce/Dad
The region just across the border used to belong to Finland so it looks pretty much the same as well. Until you get closer to St Petersburg. Then things start to change - for the worse, unfortunately. Things start looking very run down, disused, and, well, drab. What a bummer. St Petersburg also greets you with a very run down look. Big long 3 and 4 story buildings that look like they've seen their haydays.
We were greeted by a university student, Maria, who is the most agressive women driver I have ever met. The traffic lights might as well not be in working condition, which many are not, as no one pays any attention to them at all. It was an interesting 10 minutes of weaving in and out and around and through the busses, trucks, and cars that were all also ignoring all the usual rules of the road. Despite that though, things move along and we did make it to the Hotel Nautilus (tel. 812 449-90-00) I'm in room 326.
I've got an hour to kill before we meet with Eduard, the Russian organizer, who is going to walk us over to the campus to check out the computer lab for our workshop tomorrow. I was going to go on my own little walk, but I'm not feeling that adventurous right now. Maybe later, after I get a sense of things.
My internet connection here is a bit spotty. Hopefully the campus wireless will be good.
Love and hugs from Russia!
Bruce/Dad
From: Bruce Muller <bruce@mullerb.com>
To: Bruce Muller <bruce@mullerb.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 9:35:53 PM
Subject: Thanks for the phone call
Hi Honey,
It was great to hear your voice again. Hope you have a cool train trip with Jaako. Loved seeing your pictures.
Let me know how things are in Russia.
Love,
Lightly
It was great to hear your voice again. Hope you have a cool train trip with Jaako. Loved seeing your pictures.
Let me know how things are in Russia.
Love,
Lightly
