4-2-10 (Although, 4:44 AM)
This was probably THE best day I've had in Moscow so far!!!!
Although, I woke up with a sore throat/no voice, and was dog tired… ( I woke up at 7:30 after getting into bed around 2, Truthfully. I was so mad!)
I ate breakfast, and then went back to bed, because I was so tired and sore/sick ish.
On top of that, I got out late to excursion -- oh no!!! -- I would have been right on time, but then the train was leaving the Metro right as I walked in, and the next train that came was a "dead" train (going back to another line) -- so I was ALL out of luck!!! I have never run through Metro stops like I did today, trying to not be so late! I was praying the whole time, "PLEASE don't let the Militsia stop me for running flat out through the Metro!!!" Ha ha ha!
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Following all of that drama, I was then rewarded with THREE HOURS in a chocolate factory! The factory is actually the joint home of the Babayevskaya + Red October factories!!!! (Two of the most famous chocolate companies in Russia.) We were ALL, seriously,"Kids in a candy store!!!"
The first part of the tour took us through the little "museum" (about both chocolate, and the company history itself), and then we had….
…. THE TASTING!!! Is there anything better than candy/chocolate fresh off the conveyors!?!?!
Here is what we got to try:
* 1 - "Babaevskie" (Both just the body of the candy, and the finished product! -- It's got a chocolate/praline cream center, with some nuts. My favorite thing we tried!)
* 1 - Some candy I don't know the name of, that tasted like its filling had a touch of liquor...
* 1 - "Alenka" I believe -- a chocolate with a condensed milk filling -- very good!
* 1 with a Fruit Filling
* 1 named, "Flirt" !!! (But it's pronounced "Fleert" -- still, I thought it was funny...)
* Dark Chocolate
(75 % cocoa, I think… That or it was 85 %… Either way, it was so smooth!!! (There's a word for it, sounded something like, "tai-you-shii" -- but I couldn't find it in my dictionary...) And it had a beautiful crack! It also didn't leave any kind of a bad after taste! I was happy about that, as normally I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan -- but this was really good!
Our tour guide was talking about something to do with a certain component, on a very tiny level, that controls how good of a taste/mouth feel chocolate will have. -- Essentially, they've done it all right, in this company. *laughs*)
*****
It was a *very* thorough tasting, needless to say!!!! =^_______^=
On our way out, the door to exit was locked, and Vika teased us that our adventure, "[A] Night in the Chocolate Factory" was beginning!!!!!!!!
Suffice it to say, we *did* get out in the end -- and at the end of the tour, they actually gave each of us a box of truffles and two chocolate bars!!! What a tour!!!!!
(I also popped into the store, and bought my VERY favorite Red October candies, "Mishka Kosolapy" (Clumsy Bear) (the circular form) -- which is basically a chocolate/nut cream filling, a wafer layer, and then cover it all in chocolate! The rectangular form is *also* delicious!))
Then, I ran like Hell -- because I was LATE FOR MY DANCE LESSON!!!!!!!! = O_O =
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I had only expected to be on the excursion for maybe an hour or two at most -- not for three!!!!
So, I ran like crazy through all the Metros on the way back home, ran home, and half ran/half walked back to the Metro AGAIN! I had sent Vitaly a text -- but he replied that he didn't understand what I'd told him, so I called -- and explained how late I was going to be (30 min), and why, and would understand if we had to cancel my lesson. Luckily, Vitaly was amazing (and apparently running late himself, unbeknownst to me), and told me to come in. (He had a lesson that he moved up, too, I think; as he was teaching when I walked in.)
I felt SO awful about being late though -- and it was apparently written all over my face when we went to start our lesson, because Vitaly started when he looked at me, and said, "Be happy!!!" That's also when he told me he'd been late too, so not to apologize, etc.
*****
It was a pretty good lesson, all things considered. There were some funny, "Let's try this in Russian/English" moments. =^__^=''
Among the more interesting points:
** I started getting choreography for Rumba!
** I learned that, apparently, when you're a crazy-awesome, Russian, ballroom dancer, you DON'T CONTROL spins! That's the secret! *laughs* Get your energy, just go for it, and then magically stop!
(Which is to say, if you try to control every moment of every spin, you mess yourself up royally, and steal your own energy, slow yourself down, etc.)
Interesting. The look of shock on my face when Vitaly told me *not* to control my spins was probably pretty priceless.
I tried it -- it was incredible. Just spun like mad, and came out almost perfectly, feeling stable and solid. Weird!
*****
It's not really part of practice, but because I knew I was going to be late, I brought Vitaly some of my Mishki that I'd just bought, and gave them to him after the lesson. Where his reaction of, "What's this??" into "Mishiki!!!!" left me in stitches. I love how Chocolate just makes everyone so happy!!!!
*****
I practiced for another hour ish or so, and then left for the John Donne, parched!!!!
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Pete did his thing of introducing me to lots of people again; and before I'd even been there for a half an hour, he'd had me between two different tables!!!! That wasn't the end of it, either!!!
Pete walked up to me and said, "I've got two US Marines, from the Embassy, here for you -- c'mere!" (Because he knows how, "Hooray, our Soldiers!" I am -- and especially for the US Marine Corps and Navy!) So, I went with him, and he shoved me at the two guys saying, "Entertain them!!!"
Along with a few of the other Americans that were there that evening (whom I'd met briefly before), we had a pretty fun night!
The Marines invited me to a function they'd be having at the Embassy the next evening -- I can't wait to go!! I'll be heading over as soon as I finish watching the Chelsea-Manchester United football match!!!
*****
In the interest of being safe at night, I *totally* got a personal escort home by a US Marine. Can't beat that! XD
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I got inside, got upstairs, had my dinner, and did my dance notes -- which reminds me, I was thinking of my amazing friend Cory on my way home from dance!! -- I would have called to sing some Maroon 5 to you, but I have no voice. Love you anyway!
Need bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Room is a mess, I need to clean tomorrow. = o///o = / =>///<=
Love,
Moscow Kitty; 4:57 AM
= ^_____^= / = X_X=
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