I have been kind of incognito due to my mother’s visit and other travels. Getting back to Moscow…

I don’t know why, but I felt this was the last day of Moscow warmth. I was right! I exited the metro to stroll along a quaint street market finally selling local produce. Watermelons are everywhere! People relaxed in the warmth while I continued to walk maneuvering around the large hot water pipes lining the street until I “hit” yet another Moscow park. Strollers abounded and so did love. A bride and groom angled their bodies this way and that for the “perfect” picture. I just wanted a cool picture of the grottos…with them in it. The exit beckoned but not before I chuckled at the mother/son rollerblading adventure. The boy took my notice with his hard fall. Not hurt with his guards. His mother…not so lucky. She had NO IDEA how to rollerblade on flat ground nonetheless trying on a small decline. What happened? She hugged the curb, popped out a bit, and then hugged the curb again. Not 5 minutes later she gave up placing her shoes on all the while her son was down the hill trying to figure out what to do. The older lady near her throwing bread after bread to the birds seemed much more at peace!

Soon I entered another park. The soldier statues reminded me of the Ukrainian conflict but the bridesmaids’ dresses nearby reminded me that weddings are never ending in Moscow. Wherever there are flowers there are wedding parties! I needed that peppiness when I entered a well-known cemetery nearby. Calmness settled over an otherwise busy Moscow setting. Some of the statues stood out while others liked to blend it. The surrounding trees enveloped all of them…and me. The nearby tram did the same when I had to leave. Soon, I stopped off at the metro station, had my standard crab cake filling over a baked potato, and left then left the area.

Sokolniki had been calling me. I gladly accepted the pull! Whole bunches of us gallivanted from the metro station to the park and its wonderful activities. People danced, walked, rollerbladed, biked…you name it! Me. I walked. I passed a funky exhibit of items blended together to look like bodies. I can only say it was weird…cool weird. A hub cap here and a plastic bowl there to make this skeleton or that body. To say the least, people just enjoyed it. I did. What was next? Well, the sand sculptures. I saw cool sculptures of screen heroes like Batman. I also saw “small” statues with one of the “famous” hockey player Ovechkin. Of course! They almost looked real with some of them spray painted.

That’s not the end. I had to enter the “large” rose garden. Talk about a scented garden! I soaked in the scents…and so did the “love” couple trying to hide from everyone. The three women “flying” around the garden angling for the perfect rose for that perfect pose walking with their perfect high heels or the woman “instructing” the man to move his hands toward his chest in a proud manner or the barely walking babies wanting to meander yet the parents vainly trying to hold them calmly in their laps. I watched this in silence wanting to tell them how entertaining they were.

I moved toward the singing. What…no adults? This was a child’s concert with children performing. This girl singing “entranced” her audience. She was a pro; her movements reached out to the audience. They accepted her invitation. People smiled and kids laughed…when they weren’t distracted by other activities. There was sooo much fun for the kids!

What next? The small English language festival next door. Surprised, I looked at the tents wondering why the Russians haven’t stopped this “display” of westernization! No, really they were having fun sampling English culture. Vendors sold knick knacks like posters and jewelry. Tempted though I was I held myself back. Passing benches lined with photos of Hollywood legends of old, the scent of donut beckoned. I had to answer! I waited in line patiently to then gently hold my warm scrumptious donut. I found a bench where a Hollywood starlet “lorded” over me. Yum Yum Yum. Two older ladies tried to read my starlet’s signage but noticed my donut instead. Their Russian was met with my English. Was the donut good? Yes, it was! So much so I saw them in line later. I had to slip by with my “bon appetite” to them.

I finally went home…gloriously tired…