Look what I saw on the metro

Well, you dont expect to see a dog on the metro.In Soviet times, dogs were barred from Moscow's metro. Today, however, they are so common there - curling up on empty seats, nuzzling their neighbors, lounging in stations

As the number of cars in Moscow has exploded, and their speed increased from the days of Soviet clunkers, strays have learned to cross the street with pedestrians. They can also be seen occasionally waiting for a green light. (Dogs are colorblind, so researchers theorize they recognize the shape or position of the walking-man signal.)

A total of about 500 strays on average live in its stations, especially during colder months. Of these dogs, about 20 are believed to have learned how to use the system as a means of commuting. Theories to explain how they are able to correctly determine their routes include:

• an ability to judge the length of time spent on the train in between stations/time intervals
• recognition of the place names announced over their train's loudspeaker
• the scents of particular stations
• a combination of such factors.

Homeless Dogs

Among  Moscow's large population of homeless canine, a small minority who frequent or inhabit its metro have attracted international attention due to their having learned how to use the trains to commute to and from various locations.

There was an estimated 35,000 homeless dogs living within Moscow's or approximately one stray dog for every 300 people.

Below are the cute stray dogs that I saw on the day to work.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

A couple of snow and Christmas decoration photographs.

A scary Christmas display at Europe Mall

Christmas Tree at Sokolniki Park

Christmas Tree at Metropolis (Метрополис)

A couple of Metro station photographs

Just a couple of photographs from some of the beautiful Metro Stations on the Brown Line

Sokolniki Ice Sculpture Museum

I thought it would be fun to visit Sokolniki Park. At the park we saw rides for children, skating and an ice museum. Before going into the ice museum, they had us put on these blue coats...to keep us warm? We were already were dressed for the freezing outside temperature!

Inside the Sokolniki Ice Museum

Igloo

Suzanne the Eskimo

Elephant made out of ice.

Museum sculpture.

Carrie at the monkey sculpture.

The castle

Dinosaur made of ice.

Rocket

A lovely castle.

A strange ice sculpture - not really sure what it is!

A bed made of ice.

Ice table and chairs.

Fireplace - the only one I have seen in Russia and it isn't warm!

Mermaid

Fish at the Sokolniki Ice Museum

The Ice Sculpture Museum is kept at -10c all year round. and is definitely worth seeing.

Vodka Museum

Vodka Shots

Out the Vodka Museum

Entrance to the Vodka Museum

Russian doll vodka bottle

The Vodka Museum is located inside the Izmailovo Kremlin. The museum only has one floor, and it’s not very big. But you should still expect to spend about an hour and a half looking around. The exhibits give you the detailed and fun history of vodka in Russia and tell you about the role it plays in Russian society. You will learn that it has changed the course of history in Russia on more than one occasion. The museum boasts 700 different small exhibits, and the collection of different Vodka brands is quite impressive. 

The best part of the tour is a complimentary shot of Vodka!!