... and that went even better (Part II)

Sorry about that. I've come down with my usual, "my body wants me dead" tonsillitis case I get every three months or so. Back to the story...

After Kolomenskaya, Олег and I went downtown to find some sort of food. We ended up at "Shakespeare: bar and restaurant," which I somehow had already seen and taken pictures of in my wanderings. Like everything in Moscow, it was tad over-priced, but quite amazing. I had delicious stroganoff, and was upset that the portion sizes were big enough that I couldn't even finish. The decor of this place (which was underground) was both calming and traditional... the walls were hung with dozens of Pre-Raphealite prints, and I pointed out the Waterhouses (my favorite painter).

From there, we decided to wander some more. We walked through ЦУМ for awhile... Leave it to Rachel to locate a mall MORE EXPENSIVE than ГУМ. But that doesn't really matter. Nobody, I think, actually buys anything in these malls. The few people I do see holding shopping bags, I silently make up back stories for them... presumably the wives and daughters and mistresses of oligarchs. Some of the clothes were quite nice, D&G and Armani and the like. Some were quite horrible... One store featured a rack of shiny, sequined, shoulder-padded, Michael-Jackson-esque jackets. For hundreds upon hundreds of dollars. *shudder*

After we tired of exploring the mall, we decided to go back to Олег's. Yes, I know... a lady probably shouldn't be going to a man's apartment on the first date. But he had a hookah, and I was enjoying myself far too much to go home quite yet.

A note on that: Contrary to what Denner and my grandmother have drilled in my head about Russian boys, Олег was absolutely beyond the perfect gentleman. I don't know if I have ever been treated so well by a man, which isn't to say I'm not usually treated well. But he usually held my hand or arm, and held the small of my back when we had to step somewhere (such as onto the metro or escalator) as if afraid I was going to fall. I'm really not used to such affection, but found it very nice, and comforting.

So, Олег lives in a small but cozy apartment not too far from the university. Too be honest, I don't think I have every met a bachelor who keeps his house so clean. So, we smoked hookah, and listened to Middle Eastern music for while, and then watched a film.

We went for a walk through a nearby forest. It was quite beautiful, and peaceful... away from the noises and pollution of the city. Still, I am not accustomed to going through snow-covered, frightening woods at night, and expressed my concern. Олег, being immensely helpful, explained how there was a murdered who killed about 15 people in these woods about 10 years ago. He had been caught, and it was on the other side of the woods, but people walked through it during that time like nothing was going on. Oh, and there were rumors of pagan temples were sacrifices were made... Yeah, not a big help.

I must prepare for class, now. I was awake all night ill, and missed my first class. I am still trying to get ahold of my program director about getting antibiotics or seeing a doctor, as I cannot keep this illness up too much longer, especially when we leave for St. Pete tomorrow (and I'll likely get no rest).