Pavlovsk

January 27, 2006

So it may be cold, but it snowed all day today, and that makes everything ok. It makes bundling up less of a chore. Today was sort of amazing. We took a half hour train ride out to Povlosk, the palace of Paul I. The train was wonderful and had wooden seats that faced each other. After arriving, we walked through snowy forest paths and over little stone bridges to get there. Povlosk was everything I ever dreamed a palace would be. Every fairy-tale I’ve ever read could have come to life.

I’m getting more comfortable here everyday. The rough exterior of both the people and the places are less and less intimidating. They use their smiles sparingly, but when they do smile, it’s so real. It’s just so hard not being able to talk to them. I want to know about them and not just stare. I really don’t want to spend the next four months in a bubble of Americans. I need to find a church.

I think I’m really truly coming to love this place already.

What I do not love is Mexican food in Russia. Last night we went out and I ordered a quesadilla. It seems like you couldn’t really mess that up. Well, inside of it there were a few canned mixed vegetables, and no cheese. No cheese whatsoever, and the salsa had dill in it. Everything has dill in it. It’s getting old.