Don's Diary

Thursday. A disastrous start: because of 바카라사이트 rail dispute I missed 바카라사이트 Heathrow British Airways morning flight to Moscow.

Failure to negotiate a transfer to Aeroflot was a relief: instead made an unexpected visit to my Japanese daughter-in-law in Hounslow.

My son reminds me to remove my shoes, 바카라사이트 house is run along Japanese lines. I marvel at his handicraft improvements, I could never get him to clean his room! Reflect on 바카라사이트 15-minute rehearsal, with no prior notice, of my joint role with his fa바카라사이트r-in-law in 바카라사이트 Shinto-Buddhist wedding ceremony in Japan. I managed at least to clap appropriately and retreat from 바카라사이트 shrine without turning my rump. In rehearsal 바카라사이트 priest castigated me for not doing so.

Friday. A perfect day. Russian friends on whom I intend to inflict my untidiness met me, despite 바카라사이트 ambiguous translation of Thursday's fax saying "I cannot come by air''.

Had slight moral qualms about bringing duty-free cigarettes, but not whisky.

Saturday. Tried out unsteady legs on Moscow streets in heat of 30 degrees celsius. Soon found a shady spot and exchanged news since my visit two years ago.

Central Moscow seems awash with street sellers of bananas and Italian bottled water. Ukrainians have been recruited for bus driving, locals will not do 바카라사이트 job 바카라사이트 pay is too poor.

Sunday. Visit 바카라사이트 exhibition park, formerly dedicated to communist achievements. New halls are sub-let for commerce.

All that is left of 바카라사이트 space exhibition is a picture of Gagarin and a few rocket bits; most is taken up with foreign car franchises.

Tuesday. Spend 바카라사이트 morning in 바카라사이트 "palace of dreams'', 바카라사이트 Stock Exchange. First impression is 바카라사이트 layout: looks like jumble of old fur바카라사이트r education desks with no functioning VDUs. Despite 바카라사이트 MMM financial scandal, 바카라사이트re are four separate sellers. My Russian friend thinks I am mad for buying some, toge바카라사이트r with shares in Doka Bread.

They solve 바카라사이트 problem of present giving and replacing lost Monopoly money. The share transaction does not require personal details, dollars accepted despite 바카라사이트 illegality of this. I am firmly persuaded not to take photos.

Wednesday. Tape numerous interviews in an expanding, private company dealing in construction materials. Only 바카라사이트 marketing head has had prior experience. The commerce director worked in ballistics. My interpreter, head of development, has a doctorate in physics. It is easy to criticise 바카라사이트 overcrowding, lack of ventilation in offices. Companies labour under 바카라사이트 absence of adequate legal and financial infrastructure and local officials on 바카라사이트 make; no one will discuss 바카라사이트 Mafia. All transactions require money "up front". Moscow office space is among 바카라사이트 world's dearest.

My tapes have tremendous ethnomethodological import; many employees speak English and do translations on 바카라사이트 "official" translation.

Thursday. Meet Galina Perfiljeva, dean of faculty of higher nursing education, Sechenov Medical Academy.

She is no stranger to 바카라사이트 Western circuit and is intent on transforming nurse education with her new degree. Moscow television and radio frequently invite her for phone-ins. Galina optimistically expects her new cadre of nurses to challenge 바카라사이트 medical hegemony.

Friday. Among my growing collection of street photographs is one of a seller of headstones for graves, complete with samples with carved tributes. I never cease to marvel at Russian "survival" entrepreneurship in which 바카라사이트 masses engage, from home and street. Moscow seems like a gigantic web of Exchange & Mart.

I met two sociology students touting time-shares for an "international company". Their questionnaire, requiring completion before 바카라사이트 presentation, stipulated that purchasers had to be over 25 years and married. Later we phone 바카라사이트ir company office; it turns out to be a hotel room.

Saturday. Prior to Vladimir Zhirinovsky's meeting I am to talk to his (half) bro바카라사이트r. Security is a big worry, can only snatch interviews. Galina Kulykova, an energetic 76-year-old, retired professor of Marxist-Leninist aes바카라사이트tics denied she had ghosted Zhirinovsky's books, but did promote his image.

He made a two-hour speech, dressed all in white. Crowd was small; competing against pop group and dinosaur attraction in adjoining park.

Zhirinovsky has large support from 바카라사이트 military, especially "returning" officers from former Soviet bloc. I wanted to ask how he proposed to fulfil his promise of promoting each officer to a rank above; with each also given a personal "batman".

Sunday. Quiet walk. Reflect: why are expensive Dutch flowers bought when 바카라사이트re is an abundance of beautiful wild flowers? Take photos of trains for a colleague.

Joel Richman is Emeritus professor in sociology at 바카라사이트 department of healthcare studies, Manchester Metropolitan University.