Happy New Year!

When 2007 is almost over, I have nothing else to do but to thank it for bringing me into DP community. We are so different, and some of us are already in 2008, but still we are very much alike. So let the coming year make us closer to each other for it is great to share good things.

Happy New Year to all of you! Love and peace to you and your families!

P.S. Another photo on my extension site.

Helping Santa Claus

Today I spent many hours helping one good man well-known to nearly everyone. Although he's known by different names, you will sure recognize him! He's called Ded Moroz in Russia, and I prepared a variety of boxes and parcels so my loved ones find something for them by New Year tree.

To tell you the truth, giving gifts is my favourite part of the holiday season :)

Winter trail

We had another case of 'Black Saturday' today. Thankfully, it was the last one for this year! Though, I'm sure that noone really worked for it's next to impossible to work on Saturday just before New Year!
By the way, we are going to have 10 days of public holidays starting tomorrow so I'll quite at leisure for a couple of next weeks.

WInter Woods

Shadows

Merry Christmas!

Russian Orthodox Christmas is on January, 7th, so today is an ordinary day over here.
But to all of those who celebrate Christmas today, I wish all the joy and happiness of holiday season!

The photo was taken in the holl of our office building.

Winter games

Not only I used yesterday's nice weather for outdoor pleasures. Many kids took their sledges and went to taboggan to the same park. As you can see, they even involved their parents in this entertainment!

I wish you nice and warm Christmas Eve!

Winter sun

After a long week of grey and nasty days, there was the real Sunday. We used is to go for a little walk to the nearest park and enjoyed clear freazing air and rarely seen blue sky. In fact, this looks more like winter I remember from my childhood.

This gonna be someone's dinner!

I saw this crab in a fish-tank when passing a restaurant in Tverskaya street. No doubts, this was extremely expensive one but it had such an interesting window-shop! And the crab was really huge - claws spread of about 80 cm!

Ded Moroz' Craftshop

As I told you earlier, Ded Moroz mean 'Grandpa the Frost', and this is Russian 'version' of Santa Claus. But, unlike Santa, Ded Moroz comes on New Year night because Christmas is not really popular holiday in Russia. So we celebrate New Year, and that is the night of magic and happy luck.

A couple weeks before the 'D-Day' (or, rather, night) little trade stands appear all over the city. You can buy there decoration for New Year tree (for we don't have Christmas trees) or little souvenirs. One of these shops you can see in this picture.

In Ded Moroz We Trust

I just liked this ads I saw in the center. Ded Moroz (Grandy the Frost) is a 'Russian version' of Santa Clause.

Today the weather was so generous as to gift us with some sunshine. So here is one more sunny photo.

To Abraham: a dog at yesteday's picture is not mine, I believe it's homeless one as I see it near the train station on my way to work almost daily.

Urban fauna

Sadovoe Ring

Sadovoe Ring is one of the busiest streets in Moscow and it frames central blocks of the city.

Black&White

Don't be mistaken: this is not b&w photo, but black&white landscape! A typical wintery scene in railroad surroundings.

Shadows

Sun is a rare guest in Moscow city diring winter-time. It shows up for a few hours and hides away, leaving a memory of orange spots of light and fancy shadows. You may get but a moment to say 'Hello!' to wintery sun before it went away toward more lucky regions.

Mint

A sacred place of Russian financial system - the Moscow Mint. Although it looks like a traditional terem, it's hardly 2 centuries old.

Sushi

I know it's rather an unexpected subject for Moscow DP, but believe me - it was delicious! And it looked good, too.

Do you like Japanese food?

Men at work

A tram

Tram is still a popular kind of public transportation in Moscow, even though some people consider it old-fashioned. Lots of tram lines were sacrificed to the god of modern highways, but not all of them gone yet. And if you're lucky enough, you'd be able to catch a perfect specimen of this romantic transport which would take you where no car may go.

Thank you for good words to my husband! I'm sure he'll be glad to receive your wishes.

With ever-grey weather like Moscovian, there is very few reasons for any joy. Still I have some: today is my husband's birthday. Knowing that he stops by my blog once in a while, I can't help using this opportunity to tell him once more about my love and to wish him all the happiness this world can offer. The spring is on its way, darling, and we'll fight all the troubles away.
Happy Birthday!

Snowy night

The old house

A grey day as it was, today has nothing more to present but this picture of an old appartment building. Created, I believe, in some 1930s, it used to look like a palace to many Soviet families living there. The house still exists though its condition is miserable, its walls are falling apart and most contemporaries were gone long ago. Nevertheless, its design is rather remarkable one as it shows a child of past architects.
I may be quite wrong about its age and story, though.

I can't believe but it's December already! Who could expect this year would come to the end so soon?! A few more weeks to go, a pack of photos to post yet..

Theme Day: Bridges

Today is the 1st, and it means that it should be the thematic post. Today participants are to present a photo of a bridge, and here you go! Well, it's not exactly a bridge but overpass at railway station, though I believe it will do.

Don't forget to check out other bridges of today's Theme Day: Boston (MA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Inverness (IL), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Stockholm, Sweden - Setъbal, Portugal - Brussels, Belgium - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Hyde, UK - Manila, Philippines - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - London, England - Austin (TX), USA - Toulouse, France - Weston (FL), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Selma (AL), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Saarbrьcken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - North Bay (ON), Canada - Arradon, France - Paderborn, Germany - Durban, South Africa - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Portland (OR), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Wichita (Ks), USA - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Grenoble, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Arlington (VA), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Cheltenham, UK - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Saratoga Spgs. (NY), USA - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Nashville (TN), USA - Toruń, Poland - New Orleans (LA), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Melbourne, Australia - Moscow, Russia - Trujillo, Peru - Chвteau-Gontier, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Joplin (MO), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Brookville (OH), USA - Chateaubriant, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Baziиge, France - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Detroit (MI), USA - Riga, Latvia - Nelson, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Cape Town, South Africa - Sydney, Australia - Dunedin (FL), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Radonvilliers, France - Turin, Italy - Montpellier, France - Kansas City (MO), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Wailea (HI), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Terrell (TX), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Budapest, Hungary - Montrйal (QC), Canada - Sharon (CT), USA - Le Guilvinec, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - London, UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Orlando (FL), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Paris, France - Mainz, Germany - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Darmstadt, Germany - Naples (FL), USA - Torino, Italy - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Bogor, Indonesia