The people that got us through

Today I am tired of writing about sleeping and eating issues. I am very aware that you all love a good Pickle story, but hey... this is still my blog dammit and I will write about what I want to.

One thing I love about traveling are the souvenirs. I love to buy little things that remind me of where I have been. I also love to collect simple little things like coins (of which I collect foreign money) and ticket stubs. My favorite thing in Pickle's room is a gigantic O that is decopaged with a map of Khabarovsk and other little bits of paper that I collected on our last trip.

My friends Darrel and Pat have this little tradition that after they go on a trip Pat will make a shadow box of their trip. It is his way of scrapbooking. Since I really suck at scrapbooking I now do the same thing. I have one from NY, Khabarovsk (from our 1st trip) and Korea. I plan on doing one from this last trip to Russia too.

Their are other things that I love to buy too. On this particular trip I didn't come back with much for myself. I did that the previous 2 trips. I have black lacquer ware, blue porcelain, matroyskas (intricate, huge and expensive ones) and other little doo-dads. This trip I bought Pickle a pair of hand knit mittens and matching socks from a little old woman in the Central Market, a cross at the big gold church (which I also collect), CS got a beautiful icon of Jesus, and a jar of nasty Amur River water. I also bought the obligatory vodka and chocolate, but only 1 bottle for us and 4 little bars of chocolate.

Of course in Moscow I had to buy a few things too. The most coveted is a CCCP hockey jersey with Kharlamov's name and number. Don't know who he is? Look it up. I also talked CS into buying me a piece of artwork. Their was a man selling water colors and pen and ink art on Old Arbat. I have a blank spot on my office wall that has been aching for a nice bit of art. This happens to fit the bill! I just need a frame now.

Now one can't go to Switzerland and not buy something their either. Even though we were just in the airport. Got me a new Swiss watch!! Yep... it is a Swatch, but they are cheaper there than here. It is just too darn cute. Very kitchy with a frog and fish on it. Kathou and I were looking for one with a drunken monkey, but couldn't find one. Of course you also can't leave Switzerland without chocolate. Now I know I said that Russian chocolate was the best ever... well... I kinda was wrong about that. But there is a caveat here. Russia has the best dark chocolate ever. Switzerland... Truffles. Oh. My. God.

There happens to be this soul of chocolate exhibit at the Zurich airport right now. There are these 2 big booths where there are chefs hand crafting chocolates right in the airport. We happened to walk by when one was doing truffles. Of course they are giving free samples. Yeah, we bought 1/2 a dozen. We should have bought more. We ate 4 of them last night. They put mine to shame.

Anyway... that was my shopping adventure abroad. Loved it.