Podmoskovnii Vechera

Yesterday I had my individual lesson with my professor so I had class from 10am to 4pm, and damn was that rough! My brain felt like a puddle of mush by the time I was done, but I got to do some cool stuff. I told her I wanted to improve my reading, conversation, and vocabulary, so I read part of a report on how tourism affects the world GDP (11%). So. Intense. I promptly proceeded to head back to my room and pass out for a while, only to get up later and do more homework. It never ends! The week has been pretty labor intensive so far, if I do say so myself.

Last night we had an excursion of sorts: the program purchased tickets for us to go see Swan Lake (Лебединое Oзеро) at a small theater next to the Bolshoi Theater in the Teatralnaya area. The ballet was fantastic and the dancers performed beautifully! I truly felt for them though, it was deathly hot in the theater! I love ballet, so this was a nice treat. 

After the ballet, we decided to go to the Red Square at night again. A group of people turned into just Austin and I, so we hit up a store to grab some snacks before heading over. We got there at about 10:30 and the sun was still setting. We walked around a bit then parked it on the curb where we watched the sun set and ate chocolate. The buildings in the Red Square light up at the night and the Spasskaya Tower bells chime ever 15 minutes. The overall effect is very ethereal. I love the Red Square at night, and I could sit there very happily for hours if the metro didn't close at 1am. So, below are some of the Red Square by night shots I took. Enjoy! 

L to R: tower, History Museum, GUM

Spaskaya Tower

Austin taking a picture of St. Basils: PICCEPTION

GUM lights

Spaskaya and the Kremlin Walls

Oh hey there, militsia!

Lenin's Mausoleum and The Armory Building

St. Basil's by night

GUM Window -- Red Square

We were also in the Red Square for a specific reason: yesterday was the 450th Anniversary of St. Basil's Cathedral! Commissioned by Tsar Ivan the Terrible and finished in 1561, St. Basil's popular name comes from a homeless miracle worker, Basil, who lived and performed miracles in the space where the cathedral sits today. Legend says that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects after they constructed St. Basil's so they would never be able to create something so beautiful ever again. And beautiful it is! Ура for 450 years of Russia's most beautiful cathedral!

Yesterday's Google logo for 450th Anniversary of St. Basils!

The rest of this week promises to be rainy and hot, so who knows how much we'll get out. Moscow is proving harder to get around in than St. Petersburg. There's just something off putting about the hour long metro ride into the city...

ALSO, it's the week of Harry Potter in the States right now, and you guys have no idea how much I want to be there right now! So everyone go see the movie for me, cry and laugh for me, and then go see it again with me when I come home! I'm wicked jealous! Here's to a happy conclusion to my childhood!

And now it's time for (more) homework, goodnight/good morning to all! xoxo