Spring in the City

Let me take you to a short walk from inside the Kremlin to the streets and views around it.

The pillars are portraits and stories of prominent artists - painters, musicians, singers, composer, writer, poets, playwright, actors & actresses who served and one of those considered heroes in the WWII. The posts are dedicated to commemorate them in connection with the Victory day celebration.

Outside Kremlin is the statue of Musa Dzalil who was a poet and a resistance fighter against fascists. He was caught and beheaded. 

Musa Dzalil's story of Bravery

Starting spring the carriage that goes around the Kremlin is now out ready for tourists.

The Kremlovskaya street is just across the gate of Kremlin. It goes down to the Kazan Federal University.

Standing on the Kremlin grounds you will see a view of the main roads where all public transports passes by to get to another point. 

Although the day was partly cloudy, the sky was still beautiful especially at the end of the day. A grand flock of birds flew by above me - it was wonderful!

After a bit of showers, I still manage to see the sunset. I was a bit late to catch the huge sun in its way down but I  was still lucky to witness the sky changed from day to evening.

Some of you might be already familiar with this dragon. It is the same dragon I've posted in winter. It is the symbol of the city located just outside and below the Kremlin wall.

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Scenic Weekend

Our World Tuesday

Spring Cleaning

After the last fall of snow, there was finally spring cleaning. SUBOTNIK means Saturday cleaning day in spring. It is one the days I always look forward to in spring. For me, it's a real sign that winter's over.

This is an ad posted at our flat's main entrance. It is made like in Soviet era's style. It's fun though, especially for foreigners like me who finds it interesting to see soviet elements in the new Russia.

The cleaning starts in the residential yards where pensioners are the most active participants.

Tools are provided for the volunteers.

People are seen cleaning the parks, students-the school yard. For students, it is simply a part of thrir students' life. They say that their teacher "volunteered" them :) Some of course were still able to run away but those who join get extra points. Fair enough.

I like that even kids are taking part in this. At young age they learn responsibility, community service and taking care of nature.

Workers worked harder on this day washing up the streets and repainting fences. Some companies brought their employees to join the spring cleaning.

Like I said, I was always looking forward to this but I never had the chance to participate and help. Saturday is an important day at work. I saw many people in tha parks and on the road that day but I wasn't able to make pictures of them. This ones I've posted are from "Moscow Times"

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Our World Tuesday

WATW

Suddenly in Spring

I have just showed you spring last weekend when suddenly at the beginning of this week...it snowed. Seems like winter hasn't  gone far yet.

A Photowalk in early Spring

 Weekend was a nice. It was sunny and dry in the morning. I decided to take a walk around the city center to see how the weather has changed for spring so far.

The roads and pavements were finally free of snow. However it was still cold especially at this area where the ricer is somewhere behind those residential.

It was becoming more and more cloudy and colder too. This is a commercial building. Many spaces are still for rent. I saw it under construction when I first came.

There were some nice elements in this building and on the other building at its back. I wasn't  able to get much closer though. There was a wedding pictorial going on and I didn't  want to disturb.

As I approached the Freedom square, it finally rained. First I had to tske shelter from the city hall (I didn't  make a picture of the building)

And when the rain stopped for awhile, I found a nice cafe just across the ballet theater. The place is not very big but spacious enough. I like the big sofas. It is attached to tge old house (to the left) where Lenin used to go for chess games.

Sun came out agsin after the rain as you can see the sky is clear and blue.

It is a busy season for the theater. People start arriving for the first show. It is Nureyev festival.

You may cluck beliw for his biography.

NUREYEV  

(taken from the internet)

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Back to Earth

We are definitely back on Earth. I can see earth-the ground! Spring is so happening. The sun is out. The sky is blue, airplanes I can see them. I 've seen stars the other night. It was the first after the long winter. I can hear birds chirping, the water, snow dripping from the roof, stream flowing from the melting snow. There is flood in yard and along the sidewalks. The snow is crazily melting like it has never melted before. The wind is different, it's  chilly but not frigid.  It feels like in summer when it is about to rain. It is fresh, it is definitely spring and there is turning back. 

I am so happy that it came early. 2 years ago it was so depressing when in June, I was still wearing my down jacket.

We're finally saying goodbye to the snow covered icy sidewalks sprinkled with sand or maybe even ground, sometimes they look black :)

Time calls for some treasure or scavengers hunt. It is quite dirty at the beginning of spring. The mess of melting snow mixed with sand, some cigarette  butts burried in snow are now slowly appearing. Coins, bracelets or sometimes even watches can be surprisingly found especially in the parks. Some  of which have been lost at night and haven't been found under the snow.

How about in your part of the world? I wish you are having a warmer weather now.

Is it Spring yet?

Is it really? Come with me and let's have a look at the city center.

The dragon of Kazan has been cleared from snow. It melted, yes. But a bit stayed on the dragon's crown.

The view from where the dragon was. Part of the main street and further is the river, still frozen though. The beach is still covered with snow. There are no signs of green yet.

The entrance to Kremlin has much less snow. Asphalt can now be seen. 

Ah asphalt - you have no idea how much I have missed you. :) It is much easier & lighter to walk now. Now I  can walk faster without falling or struggling.

Across Kremlin is the National Museum. No more thick snow on the roof or ice mountain alongsides. Asphalt, it is nice to see you here  too. :)

So what do you think? Has spring really come to us?

I wish you Happy March and warmer days.

Please click the links below yo see what's  going on around the world:

Our World Tuesday

WATW

Watch Out for Anything that is Falling

The city center is the most taken cared of part of every city. If skyscrapers have window cleaners who are hanging in a rope, here we got snow on the roof removers. I don't  really know if there is a title for such a job. The guy below is a watcher. His job is to make sure pedestrians don't walk under where they're  de-snowing.

If you go outskirts or visit some smaller areas in the city, these guys are seldom seen. In general, they remove snow on the roofs of all blocks and buildings before spring. They just do it more often in the downtown.

That is why in those areas, signs like this are found. I saw it yesterday from a building close to the Metro station going to the market.

WARNING!

FALLING  SNOW 

AND FRAZIL 

FROM THE ROOF

Perhaps they forgot about ICICLES!

Or maybe they are too big not to be seen, therefore, a warning sign isn't  necessary.  :)

I honestly didn't  know what a frazil is (obviously, they are never produced in my tropical country) until I've  translated the word.  

See this thick snow just above the mini icicles? It's melted snow forming into ice. A frazil so to call. If cold temperature succeeds, it'll harden. That is why roof de-snowing is necessary. 

I've seen it falling on people's head. I was once hit too. Luckily it wasn't ice but a thick wet snow. It was painful though. Don't  worry, nothing bad happened to my brain, my skull was hard enough :) 

It's the busiest time for such workers. The big work has begun. Ice-cracking on the roads, de-snowing of roofs and mud cleaning. Yes mud, where do they come from? They use ground on icy pavements instead of salt for traction. So in spring when ice melts, it becomes muddy in some areas. That's probably one thing I don't  like about spring 'coz it can get really messy. But there are always puddles where you can wash the sole of your boots if you got muddy :) It's always fun to play.

Linking with: signs, signs