Kazan — summer 2012

I'm in my apartment in Kazan. My landlady brought the cable modem for the internet and I set it up, but it didn't work because there was no money on the account. Makes perfect sense. These things are all pre-paid in Russia. So I wandered to the nearby convenience store where there is a Qiwi bill paying machine. Popped 500 rubles in ($15), went home, and voilà internet access!

Of course, the Qiwi machine takes a percentage of your money. I'd better track down the provider's store if I want to do it cheaper next time.

These machines are pretty neat. You can pay for your phone, your internet... heck I could even pay for my World of Warcraft account... um... that is, if I had one. The machines are not quite as ubiquitous as ATMs, but they are pretty close. You can find them at most subway stations and many underground pedestrian passageways.

My first full day in Kazan. In some ways it didn't feel very productive. Slept till a bit after eleven... still doing the jet lag adjustment, but not too bad. Had lunch with Aygul and Ildar at a restaurant I had not been to before. It offers halal meat, which Aygul prefers. The women serving there were wearing head scarves, so they are among the more pious local Muslims. Food was quite nice. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

They brought their 4-month old son Nurbulat with them. What a great kid! Seems amazingly sweet-tempered, eyes curious about everything, strong grip. Aygul and Ildar seem incredibly relaxed for new parents; it helps that Nurbulat already sleeps through the night. But seriously, they seem happy and peaceful with him, not at all frazzled, unlike many new parents I've seen. It suggests to me that they have both seen good parenting modelled in their families and among their acquaintances.

In the evening I caught up on e-mail, and now it's back to bed. More tomorrow.

Just did my first real grocery shopping. First for breakfast I picked up

a package of katyk, which is a fermented milk product made from condensed milk. It's a Tatar drink. Fell in love with it last year.

Then I bought

your basic salami style sausage, although this is a bit moister and less dense.

Then I added

Adygeizskiy cheese, which is a lot like fresh mozzarella except lighter.

Then for dinner I picked up

frozen pelmeni, which are a like a thick ravioli, only much better, which must be served with

sour cream. That's right, you buy the sour cream in flexible plastic packets.

Only later did I discover the gas isn't working on my stove. Maybe the pelmeni won't work after all. You have to boil them to eat them.

Because I need a place to dry my laundry, which ends up being on the shower curtain rod, which is higher than I can comfortable reach. If I'm putting something on a hanger, the reach is fine. Things like underwear and socks I can slingshot up there, but big things like my sheets have to be hung from above.

Well, if one has to have graffiti, this is hardly the worst.