I just always wonder this about animals in other countries...does a bird in Russia understand Russian and chirp in Russian.  That worm does not care either way.  Saw this guy running early this morning.

I had to take a picture of this billboard to convince myself that this is Bruce Willis schlepping for some Russian bank.  I looked it up and it is him.

Note the cool pink cell phone that Tatian's daughter Anna loaned me to use locally during my visit.  I am taking great care of it I assure you, though I don't really have anyone to call.  Tatiana (Dr. Permyakova) does check in on things once a day and it is great to have.  Thanks Anna.

All about the food.  Went shopping at my local grocery today for some bread salami and veggies and of course radishes.  That sauce is something I was told to try.  Kind of a nice spicy ketchup kind of thing.

Outside my dorm/apartment building.  I have a great little place on the second floor.  Plenty cozy.

Always fun to compare gas prices.  Here is is 30 roubles / litre which is approx. $3 dollars a gallon so fairly similar.  I was told it is very, very expensive to own a car.

Yummm,  herring and beets with a nice Russian beer.  Travel is largely about food.

This is the running path down the street from my dorm.  

This is Dr. Tatiana.  She tells me that this beer is the last product remaining from the Soviet era.

Some kind of kabob, rice, and of course borsh.  Great lunch.  I could not order at all in Russian so I pointed.  I am not sure what the kabobs were but the lady serving them smiled and said something so I smiled back and nodded my head and enjoyed the meal.  And of course I had to eat the borsh becuase of the beets and Jitterbug Perfume.  There was no other option.

My bus stop.  # 30 - 6 stops.  30 cents.  Very cool trip.  I got a few strange looks on the bus but nothing compared to the ride I took from Oakland last Friday to the airport when the drive asked a young lady to turn down her music or use earphones. For the next 45 minutes she lashed at him with gross ugly profanity and rude gestures that made the whole crowded bus cringe.  One person asked her to stop and she blasted him as well.  So, right now based on my two bus rides 10,000 miles apart in the last week I am claiming Perm 1 - Oakland 0.

Part of the young faculty attending the workshop.  Svetlana, Olga, Yulia, Anna, Petr, Agatha, Ekaterina.  Great group of really, really bright young scholars.

There is is, on the shelf in Perm, Russia. Heinz!

24 hour grocery across the street.