Ballet and beautiful weather

Thursday evening started with a surprise. Tanya, the mother to the boy I tutored before Christmas, phoned to say she had tickets for the ballet on Friday and was I free? Of course I was free.

Leaving school promptly, a quick plate of mince and bread, decided smart casual due to the footwear I headed for the metro and met her outside her flat. The journey into the city was easier than we expected so there was time for a hot drink and snack in Chocolade before setting off to the theatre. The main Bolshoi theatre has been closed for renovation for several years so we went to the Small or New Theatre to see three one act ballets.

The first was called 'The Lesson' and was very strange. It was about a deranged ballet teacher who works his students to death. Beautifully danced but odd. The next was a classical ballet to Tchaikovski's serenade. A think story line, but beautiful corps de ballet with soloists. Lovely patterns and motifs. The final ballet was called Russian Seasons. This was several short pieces set to songs and turnes performed by a group of 6 couples. Very beautiful to look at, but my favourite was the middle one.

During the interval I was perusaded to enjoy a glass of chamagne and a chocolate. It was all her treat and was wonderful. She then drove me to Volkovskaya so I could get a tram home. What a wonderful way to start the weekend.

These are photos I took today of both theatres.

Saturday dawned bright and cold so I didn't rush out. General duties in the morning, but I couldn't stay in so headed off to 'The Forest'. I have not been in since the end of November when it was hideously muddy. No longer. It was crisp and white and the lake frozen. So along with everyone else I headed onto the water. It felt very strange. I was more than a little disconcerted to see a hole in the ice and a person carefully undressing. Yes, in bikini bottoms a mature lady slid into the hole, lay down front and back and came out again. Today I found a swimming pool cut in the ice.

Here are some photos I took. The wide open sky with no trees is when I was on the middle of the water. As you can see everyone was enjoying the sun and space. Lots of people have skis and do cross country skiing.

Saturday finished with Cat, a young person from church,  coming for supper. She is missing custard so I offered her supper with custard as part of the desert. A lovley end to the day, especially when we found we both knew the talented violinists from Hampden. What a small world.

This time next week Peter will be here again. What a treat. Company in the evenings and someone to explore with. I hope it stays sunny. Though it is really cold again (and yes it is official, this winter has been the coldest in Moscow for several years) the sun is getting some power and it feels like spring is in the air. I heard sparrows singing in a bush yesterday. Lovely.

As we have not had any significant snow for sometime, the snow clearers are getting to grips with clearing the pavements and lorry loads of compacted snow are being taken out of Moscow. Where they go I have no idea, but it is making some places easier to walk. Around Volkovskaya has been awful, but recently it has been a bit easier.

Must sign off for another week.