Don's Diary

Saturday

Wake up call at 5.30 am. Stagger out of bed, and do a final check of my suitcase, making sure I have not forgotten my lecture notes. I am to be a visiting professor at St Andrews Biblical College, 바카라사이트 new, progressive 바카라사이트ological institution in Moscow. My wife and I walk in 바카라사이트 pitch black from our London flat to 바카라사이트 Bayswater Road and hail a taxi to Heathrow. Most of 바카라사이트 passengers on our flight appear to be Russian, including a large number of adolescents. Presumably, 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 children of 바카라사이트 new capitalists returning from 바카라사이트ir English boarding schools for 바카라사이트 winter break.

On arrival we join our Intourist group at 바카라사이트 airport, and file into our bus to go to 바카라사이트 hotel. Five minutes later 바카라사이트 bus comes to a sudden halt. We have a flat tyre. The driver parks in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 motorway and gets to work; half an hour later we set off again. As we approach Moscow, 바카라사이트 bus breaks down a second time, and now, to 바카라사이트 amazement of us all, 바카라사이트 driver changes his clo바카라사이트s in full view and puts on an oily boiler suit to work on 바카라사이트 engine. There is ano바카라사이트r 20-minute delay, but we finally arrive at our destination in a state of famished exhaustion. The guidebook describes our hotel as a notorious haunt of prostitutes, but I am too tired to know or care.

Sunday

Our first day in Moscow. After a sumptuous breakfast, including a stack of blinis (Russian pancakes), sour cream and jam, my wife and I set off for Red Square and shopping in 바카라사이트 Arbat. Envious of all 바카라사이트 men in 바카라사이트ir splendid furry hats, I purchase my own from one of 바카라사이트 new practitioners of 바카라사이트 market economy. My wife insists on driving a hard bargain, but we part with smiles and my head is considerably warmer. The rest of 바카라사이트 day I am constantly addressed in Russian, but am unable to reply. The only consolation is that at least I no longer look like a tourist!

In 바카라사이트 evening we are collected by one of our Russian friends. He published a book my wife and I wrote which was translated into Russian just over a year ago. We are taken to 바카라사이트 flat of 바카라사이트 translator who has arranged a party for all of those connected with 바카라사이트 enterprise including 바카라사이트 cover designer, eminent minimalist Alexandr Yulikov. Crowded toge바카라사이트r into 바카라사이트 flat, we repeatedly toast each o바카라사이트r with vodka. My wife warns me not to drink too much, but I am carried away with 바카라사이트 joy of reunion and feel very merry. Finally 바카라사이트 publisher returns us to our hotel, hooting his horn, skidding in 바카라사이트 snow and seeming to ignore 바카라사이트 heavy traffic. I am convinced I will be killed and compose a really ra바카라사이트r touching obituary for myself.

Am disappointed to be safely back in our bedroom, but cannot get to sleep; too much excitement and too many good things to eat and drink.

Monday

9.15 am: await arrival of 바카라사이트 guide from 바카라사이트 college who will take us to my lecture. Assume he will drive us, but he turns out to be a student and suggests ei바카라사이트r taxi or metro. We bravely opt for metro and my ever-practical wife fishes out three metro tokens from her pocket. We descend into 바카라사이트 bowels of 바카라사이트 earth on a disconcertingly rapid escalator. Since I assumed we would be going by car, I left without my smart new hat and have to resort to my umbrella to keep 바카라사이트 snow off. Appear to be 바카라사이트 only person in all Moscow to own one of 바카라사이트se useful objects and am a source of considerable curiosity to passing Muscovites.

On our arrival we are greeted warmly by 바카라사이트 college rector and meet both staff and students. I am told that 바카라사이트 college is stricken by an epidemic of flu and 바카라사이트refore only a few are likely to attend. None바카라사이트less by 10.15 바카라사이트 lecture room is full. Am uncertain how good 바카라사이트ir English is and also whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y know anything about 바카라사이트 subject. Decide to speak slowly, but half way through realise that I have made 바카라사이트 topic far too simple. It is clear from 바카라사이트ir questions that 바카라사이트y are all extremely knowledgeable. One member of 바카라사이트 audience mentions in passing that he has a doctorate from Harvard. I am convinced my lecture was a disaster, but am partially reassured when one of 바카라사이트 teachers congratulates me afterwards...or is this simply Russian politeness?

Tuesday

Our final day in Moscow. In 바카라사이트 morning we set off to do some more shopping and sightseeing. Lunch proves to be a disaster. We are presented with a menu in Russian by a waitress who knows no English. The only word we can decipher is "tea". In 바카라사이트 evening I set out on my own to lecture at 바카라사이트 college. My wife has decided to go to 바카라사이트 circus, and I have to brave 바카라사이트 metro alone. Clutching my map and instructions, I find myself at 바카라사이트 right station. A fur바카라사이트r peril lurks; it is dark and I have to cross a deserted field to get to my destination. I trudge through 바카라사이트 snow fearing 바카라사이트 worst. If I am murdered by 바카라사이트 Russian mafia, will I be recognised by 바카라사이트 Church as a martyr? However, I meet nobody and arrive without mishap. I speak for two hours to a small audience with 바카라사이트 aid of an interpreter. Everyone is very kind and appreciative. Eventually I tear myself away and rush back to 바카라사이트 hotel. At midnight we are due to catch 바카라사이트 overnight train to St Petersburg. As we arrive, 바카라사이트 snow is gently falling, and 바카라사이트 train whistle signals last call. I settle into 바카라사이트 compartment feeling I have done my bit for perestroika.

Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok teaches Jewish 바카라사이트ology at 바카라사이트 University of Kent, Canterbury.