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Weather in Europe seems to be warming up a bit.. Can't say the same for Moscow though. Temperatures went down to -20 again today and i canceled my plan to exchange money. I'm not going out there. Na ah. No wonder Russians are so cranky. It's winter half the year through. They're suffering from winter depression longer than most people. I've had my share of that disorder. But nothing like a long hot shower, and of course turning up every light you have in the room helps me get through. Perhaps this are one of the reasons Russians are the way they are.

Just the other day i witnessed a verbal dispute as i was getting onto a bus. A man, placed 22 roubles on the door counter and waited for his ticket. The bus driver seeing this refused to acknowledge the money because the fare had actually increased to 26roubles. The main waited, the driver waited, and i waited, and no one is doing a bladdy thing. Behind me a couple of 'babushkas' (grandmothers) were lining up as well.

All of a sudden, the driver burst out from his seat and shouted at the man, "What the hell do you want?"
"I want my ticket!!" the man shouted back.
"Are you stupid, can't you read?" as the driver pointed to the door where the fares were all listed down.

Me, seeing this slowly inched back in case they decided to brawl. Yet, i was amused by the whole conversation. Their voices were drawing attention from everyone in and out of the bus. Practically screaming their heads off and i had front row seats to the show.

"Well, how bladdy much is the ticket now?!"
Can't the stupid bugger read.. -_-

"26roubles!!" the driver shouted, losing every bit of patience he had.
Behind me the babushka was answering meekly as well.. "26....26..."
"SEE! Even the babushka knows how much it is!" the driver shouted, humiliating the man who then tried to brush it off saying "Of course i knew how much it was, i take the damn bus everyday," which was nothing close to a strong comeback.

He took the ticket and walked to the back of the bus, with everyone shaking their heads in discontentment. My head was filled with giant bouts of laughter which i tried not to express on my face.

But seriously, how smooth everything would have been, if the driver had politely corrected the man. Or if the man had apologized for being so damn dense. It would have saved us alot of time, and he would have saved himself from being humiliated. Russians... sigh. I'd like to go to a place where people apologize even if they aren't at fault, instead of being in a country where they'd do something to you, just so they would have the opportunity to Not apologize. Arrogant bastards.

Thank God their women are beautiful, otherwise we'd have no reason to like them at all.

MMmmm...как вкусно ...Ms. Natalia