Harasho Moscow

St. Basil's Cathedral

“Harasho” – meaning good, is the most commonly heard expression in Russia. After just 10 days in Moscow, I managed to pick up simple words that have gotten me far alongside passionate and dramatic body language (I was predicted an A* for GCSE Drama, you know.)

Russian is said to be one of the top three hardest languages to learn in the world. It is no surprise that it is a challenge for those who speak and read English as many letters from the English alphabet are included in the Russian language but read and pronounced completely differently. For example, the letter P is pronounced as R in Russian. The letter H is pronounced as M, C shares the same sound as S, and X is read as H. And then there are incorporations of the Greek alphabet…

Koskovo Estate

Just a couple of weeks after the bombing at Domodovo International Airport, I arrived in Moscow. -18 degrees Celcius, snow sweeping across my face, hands stuck in my pockets, I waited for our driver in the airport car park. Russia is unfortunately not an English-friendly country, so driving is nearly impossible for those who cannot read the Russian signs or drive like a Russian. Drivers in this constantly traffic jammed city share a great sense of nerve-wrecking intimacy on the roads, oblivious to all concepts of space and speed limits. I’m sure you will be able to imagine the driving conditions when I say that it is very rare to see clear lines drawn on the roads.

Despite it’s unpredictable traffic, Moscow boasts an inspiring display of Russia’s history and culture. Even in the town centre, the majority of the buildings have maintained it’s original structure and

appearance from the 19^th century (although there are the occasional high-rise buildings jutting above the city), and developments have occurred naturally around historical architecture such as the Kremlin, Red Square, and the Bolshoy Theatre – famous for it’s exquisite ballet company. It is not the most beautiful or advanced city but it is a city worth getting to know.

Tsum Shopping Mall

Moscow is a living, breathing example of why you should not judge a book by its cover. The first thoughts that many may have of Russia are: communist (even though it’s not anymore); vodka (yes, I did notice that Russians drink an excess of spirits in a very casual manner); snow (although Russia suffered from a terrible heat wave last summer); ginormously tall women (their legs don’t stop), and fur (oh, how Russians adore their wild animals). However, despite initial feelings of intimidation and fear, I came to learn that Russians are a lot friendlier and willing to help than they may seem, even despite language barriers. Their sharp features and stern facial expressions seem to be a result of their hard drinks and harsh weather rather than a reflection of their personalities. Russia is an emotionally distant country to most, evoking a sense of intimidation of the unknown as many people have not visited the country due to its strict visa requirements or perhaps due to their prejudice of Russia’s history and politics.

Kremlin

GUM Shopping Mall in the Red Square

After visiting the country of Kafka and Pushkin, I can say that Russia is a country that deserves a chance to be explored and experienced as it is not as different, weird, or scary as it is portrayed to be in the media and through our education. Moscow is a developing city that embodies majestic architecture, beautiful scenery, and a strange yet intriguing language and culture. 


Photos & Editing by Jenny Moon

Happy Valentine's Day

 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. 

This year, I'm spending the day with the people I love the most - my family. 

xox

One Night in Bangkok and The World's Your Oyster

In the summer of 2009, after a seemingly infinite wait, I graduated from high school. Within a week of graduation, despite the swine flu epidemic, despite my mother's not-quite-yes, not-quite-no hesitations of letting me go, and despite the fact that I hadn't even bought my ticket until a mere 12 hours before our flight, my P.I.C (Partner In Crime) - Charlie Pringle - and I set off on our "soul search". 

Thailand: The Land of Smiles (although our smiles were covered by H1N1 busting face masks). Two best friends, two backpacks, two pairs of trainers, eight bikinis, two pairs of sunnies, two packs of Marlboro Lights, and a bottle of hand sanitizer - we were ready. We let time guide us through our days as we arrived in Bangkok with only a roughly jotted down plan. Without anyone's help - except for our Lonely Planet Travel Guide - we faced the world hand-in-hand, completely free and independent from mummy and daddy (although their money did come along with us). With excitement, fear, and hope rushing through our veins, Charlie and I set off as free as we had ever been before. We hadn't booked any form of transportation or accommodation in Thailand nor had we even booked a returning flight back home. To be honest, at the time I was terrified. I felt helpless and out of control against the complete lack of structure or regularity that tried to break off the shackles of my own dispositions. Losing all conceptions of planning, timing, and rules left me feeling like a small child overshadowed by the unknown towering before us; but when I look back on our time "soul searching" in Thailand, it is that feeling of total liberation that I continuously long for. I am forever appreciative of those two weeks in Thailand where I existed without a plan, simply content to be alongside my best friend, where I learnt to let myself be and face the unknown as an enticing jewel of countless dimensions rather than a dark room of intimidations. Trying to figure out how to read a map, taking endless walks around the outskirts of Bangkok, linking arms and feeling comforted in moments of fear, and learning to just lay still, listen to the waves, and feel the sun sensually envelope my skin... Today, overwhelmed by nostalgia, I look back at the memories from those two weeks that went by almost two years ago.  

Late Night Tuk Tuk Rides in Bangkok

The Grand Palace
This is probably my favourite photo of us

The Grand Palace

On the Sleeper Train from Bangkok to Surat Thani
Me with that book I couldn't stop reading:
'The 5 People You Meet In Heaven'

The Sleeper Train
Everyone else had gone to bed

An Out of Service Sleeper Train
Opposite where we sat writing in our journals

Ferry rides where Charlie spent most of her time
devising a survival plan in case of an emergency

Our Boozy Little Friend in Railay

Tonsai at Night
We lay under the night sky,
looking up at this majestic sight as we
listened to the waves crash in the darkness

A Local Fisherman on a Rock

The World Through Sweet Eyes

Photos by Charlie Pringle & Jenny Moon

Editing by Jenny Moon

Bienvenue à Paris

“Every city has a sex and an age which have nothing to do with demography. Rome is feminine. So is Odessa. London is a teenager, an urchin, and, in this, hasn't changed since the time of Dickens. Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman.” 
- John Berger

In July 2010, my mum and I went on our first holiday together to the City of Lights, the City of Love... The City of hot summer days and cool breezed nights. Paris. 


Linking arms, we strolled down the Avenue de Champs Elysees, feeling the light pinches of the white, blazing sun on our shoulders. We spent most of our days on an open top bus as the weather granted us the luxury of watching Paris float past us from behind our sunnies. The open top bus took us past the main landmarks and streets of central Paris and we were able to hop on and off as we pleased to get more intimate with the attractions of the city.

The Eiffel Tower by day. 

I didn't even notice until I had come back to England and was uploading my photos that someone must have been taking a photo of me! (Or I would like to think). They must've not realised that the Eiffel Tower was behind them... Behind the mystery hands is a glimpse of the open top bus. 

A couple of days later, we returned to the landmark of love to climb upon it's metal skeleton to the very top. I bravely dangled my camera through the metal bars to get this photo. This is the side of the Eiffel Tower from bird's eye view - look how small the cars are!

Paris, you now know why they call it the City of Lights. This is a photo taken from the top of the Eiffel Tower at night. It was a bit windy up there but the view was absolutely breath-taking. Standing 1,063ft (thank you Google) up in the air on top of the ironically monstrous looking metal tower, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing to be up there looking down on the City of Love with a hunky man of my own... although I do love my mum very very much. 

A gorgeous treasure of brightly coloured Laduree macaroons greeted our tongues after a long day of playing Parisienne. It was only after I'd taken a bite out of the majority of my divine sugar-gems that I realised I should have taken a photo! (Oops!)

Les Jardins Musicaux (Musical Gardens) at the Palace of Versailles. This is what drove me to blog about Paris despite having been there more than half a year ago. Les Jardins Musicaux is a summer event at the Palace of Versailles, which takes place every Tuesday from June to September. If you get the chance to go to Paris in the summer, do not miss out on this. It is the single most beautiful night show I have ever seen in my almost-twenty years of life. The garden of the Palace of Versailles is an enchanting world of mazes, hidden fountains, and mesmerising lights. The use of high-tech laser beams, beautifully coloured lights, timed fire shows, and an array of the most spectacular fireworks, Les Jardins Musicaux is an orgasm for the senses. Unfortunately, I was too busy squealing and jumping up and down to take photos during the show. 

This is a walk way to another fountain, which you can see at the end. Everything about the garden of the Palace of Versaille at night is mesmerising and fantasy-like. The high bushes, blocking out all outside noises, and the gently dimmed lights seeping through the plants made me feel like I would end up in a magical world where fairies would be bathing in fountains - if you've been, you wouldn't think I'm weird. 

These were tentacle-like decorations that were assembled in one section of the garden. Brightly lit with air running through the silky material, you can see why this place transports you into a magical frame of mind. 

Paris. Shopping. Two words that just naturally go hand-in-hand. 

On our last day in Paris, we visited Musee d'Orsay where I literally drooled and cried over Monet's paintings. We got on the wrong open top bus so we didn't have much time in the museum but rushing around in the Musee d'Orsay, taking short-lived moments in front of framed fields of flowers that seemed to move and sway before my eyes, was an experience that I will never forget.

Photos by Jenny Moon

Photos of me by my lovely mother

Hi, I'm New

This is your first Hello from Jeno! I'm not entirely new to the blogging scene as I've been using Wordpress for the past few months. My old blog started off as a uni assignment which stank of "please give me an A" so I packed up the boxes and I've made my move. I'll have to move a few of my old posts over to really get things started so this is just a quick hello and a commemorative post to celebrate the move of Hello Jeno!