Олеся

A baboon dressed in children’s clothes sits on a chair by Moscow’s Red Square. Enterprising Russians use them and various other exotic animals such as eagles to draw a crowd and charge a pretty Ruble for a photo opportunity. 

Russian circus princesses

Clowns in Moscow’s “Bolshoy” Circus

That doesn’t look comfortable.

Elephant at the Big Moscow Circus.

Viktoria Hill and Nikolai Spira perform in the Moscow Nikulin Circus.

Horses in the Moscow Nikulin Circus, trainer Beg-budin. 

Dog trainer Asya Shoenheit and her adorable poodles.

A clown in the Big Moscow Circus.

My cousin Sveta and I in the Nikulin memorial statue in front of the Nikulin Circus (Moscow State Circus) on Tsvetnoy Boulevard in Moscow. This was taken in winter 2005/06. 

St. Basil Cathedral, taken in 2001. They’ve restored it since and the colors are so much brighter. I’ll have to take a pic next time I’m there.

Moscow, oh Moscow. I love you and I hate you so much. Your dirty streets and stressed crowds, your beautiful buildings and open air markets. I never want to go back yet I encourage everyone to go visit and take it all in. Walk down the Arbat, go inside the St. Basil cathedral, take a cruise down the river, go window shopping in some of the most expensive and exquisite shops you’ll ever find yourself in, buy some caramel roosters on a stick from a street vendor in Gorky park. Ride the Metro, the whole Kolzevoy circle. Then leave. Moscow is hell. 

I can’t believe there was another terrorist attack. I’m very sad today and I truly never want to go back but I will go back in a couple of months because I have to.