Last Hurrah – 12/09
For my last essay I feel like a little “how-to” advice is in order. Specifically how-to spend your last traveling weekend in Russia. After a semester living in Russia everyone wants to go out with one last hurrah before returning to the States. Well, this is how to accomplish that ever elusive, successful farewell. On Friday morning I caught the 7:30 express train from Vladimir to Moscow. After checking into Gozilla’s Hostel (which has spoiled me for future hostel travel) I started my excursion to buy tickets to the Dynamo Moscow hockey game. I say excursion, because I could not find the ticket office! In the US it’s usually attached to the stadium, but the old Olympic complex where Dynamo plays has one central office. Now, had I gotten off the metro at the Спортивная station I would have been fine, the central ticket office is just a straight walk up from that station, but I had decided to get off at the Воробьёвы горы station, because it was a shorter walk to the stadium. I had come in the back way to the complex, and so spent the next half hour wandering all over trying to figure out where to buy tickets. This wasn’t all bad though; I got a lot of practice asking strangers for directions! After my little ticket adventure it was time for the game. Now, this isn’t really something you can plan, but it really helps if your Russian hockey experience involves a very close game. Dynamo played ХК МВД, both ranked second in their respective divisions. After the first two goals by ХК МВД we were a little worried that we were about to witness a blowout game, not to mention that the goalie basically gifted those goals. The second period proved to be much better, however, and Dynamo brought the score within one. Then, in the third period Dynamo scored a beautiful powerplay goal to tie the game. After a five minute overtime period the score was still tied. In the shootout, Mattias Weinhandl, a Swedish player who played for awhile in the NHL, scored on an amazing backhand. The Dynamo goalie capped off the overtime win by saving the following three attempts by ХК МВД. After the great game we decided to head to Arbat Street to the “Irish” pub, where we stumbled upon a small concert. (If you want to check out the band, search “Твинки” on Youtube.) A restful night later, complete with the most comfortable mattress I’ve slept on in almost four months, we woke up and headed to the last stop in our adventure – Большой театр. I had wanted to get to at least one performance while I was in Russia. It just happened that our last weekend to travel was the premier of “The Nutcracker” at Большой. The ballet was a little pricey, but well worth the money. As the main hall is undergoing renovation, it was held in the “New” hall. I’ve never seen the main hall, but the “New” one was beautiful – almost worth the money just to see. The ballet itself was magnificent, a great way to end our weekend in Moscow. I hope everyone who decides to do this program can find their own way of ending their time in Russia with a bang. If you need any suggestions though, the hockey game and theater are two great experiences that I would recommend to anyone!
Sean Crocker
University of Wisconsin, Vladimir, 2009
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