I know I've been a bit lax on the blogging, but I have a good reason: I've been too busy eating all the pancakes I possibly can, because this past week was Maslenitsa, also known as Pancke Week or Butter Week. Okay, so that's maybe not the best reason, but this week has been pretty fantastic. Here's a quick recap:
Last Sunday, we went on a bus tour around Moscow. We visited the cemetery where Chekhov, Stanislavsky, and Bulgakov are buried, along with many other famous Russians. We visited the WWII (or as they call it here, the Great Patriotic War) memorial. We also stopped along the Moscow River to see the Peter the Great statue, and we spent some time walking around Red Square.
On Tuesday, I treated myself to my first blintz of Pancake Week. I went for the traditional Russian topping of sour cream, and while I was sitting at one of the little outdoor tables enjoying it, a photographer from the Moscow Times came over and asked to take my picture. The next day, I was on the front page of the website! (Though they bumped me to page 3 in the printed edition.) Here's the link to the story.
Throughout the rest of the week, I treated myself to a variety of pancakes and crepes filled with everything from pineapple to tvarog (similar to cottage cheese). A week of treats culminated in Butter Sunday today. Some of our Russian professors and staff coordinated a brunch to celebrate the end of Maslenitsa; this involved them coming over and cooking crepes for us. All the students brought toppings - everything from fruit to Nutella to peanut butter to cheese to meat to caviar! Russian Orthodox Lent begins tomorrow, so today is a last indulgence. Of course, everyone was extra celebratory because of St. Patrick's Day, too!
Last Sunday, we went on a bus tour around Moscow. We visited the cemetery where Chekhov, Stanislavsky, and Bulgakov are buried, along with many other famous Russians. We visited the WWII (or as they call it here, the Great Patriotic War) memorial. We also stopped along the Moscow River to see the Peter the Great statue, and we spent some time walking around Red Square.
Overlooking the city of Moscow |
On Tuesday, I treated myself to my first blintz of Pancake Week. I went for the traditional Russian topping of sour cream, and while I was sitting at one of the little outdoor tables enjoying it, a photographer from the Moscow Times came over and asked to take my picture. The next day, I was on the front page of the website! (Though they bumped me to page 3 in the printed edition.) Here's the link to the story.
Throughout the rest of the week, I treated myself to a variety of pancakes and crepes filled with everything from pineapple to tvarog (similar to cottage cheese). A week of treats culminated in Butter Sunday today. Some of our Russian professors and staff coordinated a brunch to celebrate the end of Maslenitsa; this involved them coming over and cooking crepes for us. All the students brought toppings - everything from fruit to Nutella to peanut butter to cheese to meat to caviar! Russian Orthodox Lent begins tomorrow, so today is a last indulgence. Of course, everyone was extra celebratory because of St. Patrick's Day, too!
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