Hello from Moscow - FINALLY!

Hello all! Finally! I have the oppurtinity to write some more on my blog! It's been difficult to find the time for internet since I got here but I think I'm OK with that considering where I am in the world.It's been about 2 months since I've gotten here and so far I am absolutely loving it! Every day since the beginning I have seen so many amazing things around the country! Suprisingly I am getting so much free time outside of classes which is terrific because there is an unlimited amount of things to do and see around Moscow! Every Saturday and on occasional week dayswe meet with our tour guideto visit a new site somewhere around or outside the city.Aside from that I've been using m guide book (Thanks Gary!) to find and learn about other places. A few things that I've seen so far include the Red Square, Kremlin, Moscow History Museum, "The Golden Ring" which is some of the oldest Russian cities and the former capital and a lot of really interesting churches along the way. Also a few a weeks ago as well as this past weekend I went to St. Petersburg for a few days. This is an AMAZING city! So Beautiful in every way! there is so much to see and do there, it is almost like a smaller, more compact but just as interesting and fun version of Moscow. There are some of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen there including St. Isaac's cathedral as well as the Church of the Spilled Blood Also we took excursions outside the city to Catherine the Great's Palace and Peterhoff (Peter's palace) which easily proved to be the richest and most beautiful palaces I've heard of and seen (not that theres that many). And of course I went to the Hermitage, where I walked around for about 2 hours one day and 7 hours on my next visit. This place is unbelievable, there is so much to see, exhibits from all over the world and some of the greatest art that exists today.

Also in St. Pete I was also fortunate enough to be able to catch the Chemical Brothers live which proved to be one of the coolest concerts I've seen! Their light show is just incredible and the music itself is just as good! upon returning to Moscow a friend and I immediatly caught a cab to the B1 Club to catch the Twisted Party that I have been awaiting for so long! This was possibly the greatest and most fun I've had at a concert ever! Being able to see my favorite DJ, Simon Posford (Shpongle) here in Moscow was such an awesome experience!Other than that we got to catch a soccer game a while ago where both Moscow teams played eachother which was , Spartak vs. Locomotive. This was an awesome game! European soccer fans never cease to amaze me! but they had every reason to because the game was back and forth the entire time, until finally Locomotive came out on top after a goal in the last 30 seconds off of a corner kick to make it 4-3.

I can go on for pages but I'm running out of time here at the internet cafe. I'll be back in a day or so to update again and write some stuff about the nightlife and what not. Hope all is well back in the states!