Memories of Ishevsk
By Popular Demand = Ha - I will post odd memories about past adventures on this site from time to time, as I am a bit slow in getting many of my trips into my past adventures.
Yesterday Toronto had its first major snow fall, somewhat early for us. It reminded me of being in Ishevk, Russa. My hotel was typical Russian style with an old rumbling fridge and very little closet or drawer space. I chose to stack my sweaters and undies on the very wide window cill inside the room of course. When I woke the next morning everything was frozen stiff, even the red suade jacket to my suit. As I was guest lecturer at the university and was "on stage" at ten a.m. I was in a panic. In the end I got back into bed clutching a sweater and a blouse and cuddled them until they were unfrozen and the bedding was all wet.
The hotel was also the winter home to the Moscow circus. I discovered this when I walked down a back hallway and became overcome with a terrible stench. Yes the animals lived in the hotel rooms with the staff of the circus. One time I was invited into the elevator with a bunch of poole dogs and they did tricks all the way down to the ground floor! Life was always an adventure in this rather remote part of Russia.
Actually it was a numbered city for many years and no-one was allowed in or out. Even when I was there a blonde Canadian stood out like a sore thumb and it was not unusal for teenages to approach and ask if they could practice their English with me.
Tomorrow I will tell you about eating snake!
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