Patriarshie Prudy

When I met Turkish for the first time last year, he had only been working in Moscow for 6 months. Yet, he knew more about the city than I did for 6 years. Conversation was very easy and comfortable with him and he had quite a sticky German accent LOL

"Vahn I came hier in Ohgus..", he really meant "When I came here in August". We exchange stories about our experiences in Moscow, he was delighted that I've been to here and there but shocked that I haven't to certain places.

This was one conversation that I'd never forget ;)

Turkish : Have you been to Patriarshie Prudy?

Me : Ohhh yeah, I have been to Chistye Prudy.

Turkish : No, no. Not Chistye Prudy, Patriarshie Prudy in Mayakovskaya.

Me : Uhhhh.. I guess not then.

Turkish : Vat! You have not been to the prudy?

Me : No, I don't think so.

Turkish : Van day we should go and I'll show you the prudy.

Me : Hahahaha okay, I can't wait for you to show me the prudy.

This happened a year later, today ;)

We are standing of a 200-year-old frozen pond!

Obviously I ain't a skater :P

Turkish and I *giggles*

Patriarshie Prudy means Patriarch's Ponds in Russian, though there's only 1 pond which exists. The area is surrounded by luxurious apartments and popular with business expats. There are a couple of Soviet-era buildings that one can easily point out. The hammer/sickle symbols carved on the facade are big giveaways ;)

Turkish brought me here because it is a famous district downtown of Moscow.

And secondly, Mikhail Bulgakov (a Russian novelist) wrote about this pond in his famous piece, The Master and Margarita. Two men, Berlioz and Ivan were seated on the bench when the Devil himself, paid them a visit in the guise of a "mysterious" gentleman. We didn't find Bulgakov's monument but we did see Ivan Krylov's high and mighty :)

Ivan Krylov wrote fables, Russian-style!

Yes, yes.. it's the Devil's bench
Hahahahaa I nearly broke my boyfriend's legs

So fast a year flew by.

Tomorrow is a meaningful day for us! ;)