Russia, Day 17

Day Seventeen 

Got up late.  Didn’t sleep well.  Went to the office and got into a spat with Katai.  There was a lot of holdover anger she had due to a plane ticket sale that I backed out of.  Actually, she, on her own, had initiated some steps in buying the tickets, presuming that I was definitely going forward.  I wasn’t.  Anyway, I pushed some buttons this morning and all this came to a head.  Luckily, Jennie was there.  I let off my steam by talking with her.  She did refer to me as a “provocateur.”  I accepted it. 

Kade and I took a trolley to an electronics/appliance store.  We found a good deal on an electric fan.  This was going to be our savior for the remaining part of our time in the hostel.   After leaving the shop, we stopped at a very nice coffee shop.  It was much more contemporary than other coffee shops we had frequented.  Kade ordered an omelet and I got a pancake.  The food and the latte were both excellent.  Even the prices were much better.  We took notice – maybe only I did! - of very thin model sitting at the bar.  She had the shortest skirt imaginable.  We could guess what stir she’d cause back in Headland.  Another loan approved at HNB! 

We took the B trolley back to our area, hopped off and walked back to the hostel.  We then moved into a larger bunk room.  For the next few nights we are to share a room with strangers – real hostel style.   

After settling down, we went to have dinner at an Uzbek restaurant.  It was right around the corner of Tsvetnoy Bulvar, just out fifty yards down on the left of the Garden Ring.  The décor was magnificent.  We were definitely in for a treat.  One waitress tried helping us, but language issues forced to get a waiter who could speak better English.  He recommended a salad, some soup and some chicken shashlik.  The shashlik turned out to be the best the best chicken we had ever had – anywhere, any place, anytime.  It was very, very tender and was seasoned perfectly.   

When we got back to the hostel, I chatted with a guy from Britain.  I also met and talked with two brothers from Australia.  They were on a backpacking trip together.  Later that evening, I met a gay couple from San Francisco, a lady from Germany, her supermodel daughter and a Russian investor.  These are the joys of traveling and staying in a hostel. 

Right before bedtime, Dilya called and we talked about meeting someday.