Red Square...or not

Yesterday at dinner we were told that today was supposed to be a lot colder than it has been. All of us were just thinking "okay...awesome" and that was all. But when they say it's going to be colder, they mean its GOING TO BE COLDER. I mean seriously, it was so freaking cold today! The second you walk out of any building anything that isn't completely covered in multiple layers, freezes instantly. It was interesting. This morning we had to walk to our bus stop (about ten minutes from our house) and then it was about a half an hour ride to the Metro where we were meeting Gulya and the other Moscow groups. When we got on the bus we could tell it was a lot warmer because our breath only lingered for about two seconds instead of ten or twenty (I'm really not exaggerating about this).
Then we spent the day figuring out the Moscow Metro system! It really is quite simply. I mean, I can't read any of the signs, or any of the instructions, but luckily every line has a color and a number, and THOSE I can totally read. Another strange thing about the Metro is that every station is totally decked out, and kinda classy looking. One had chandeliers all over the ceiling, and ionic benches next to the pillars. Another had cool wrought iron benches and decorations that looked like plants. I wish I had taken pictures of these, but really...my hands were way to cold to take out of the gloves and use a camera.
We finally got to Red square, only to find out that we weren't going to be let in because there was some governmental ceremony going on and it was closed off. But I guess seeing the back of the Kremlin is almost as cool :) haha so we took pictures of that, and after taking a few I literally could not feel any of my fingers anymore. I really hope all of the pictures convey how truely freezing it was there.

This is us waiting at the bus station. It was SO COLD.

Russian McDonalds :)

Russian guard outside the Kremlin. This is how most of the guards and policemen dress. The hat is very Russian All the men seem to wearing them...although civilians don't have a badge on theirs. Of course. That is the Kremlin in the background, and that is as close as we got.

This is me outside some building in the courtyard outside of back of the Kremlin. Don't really know what is is...but it looks cool.

Freezing anyone? Yes, it was that cold.

Me OUTSIDE the Kremlin, not being able to feel my fingers.

This is the one of the cool stations! Isn't it fancy looking? Not what you would expect from the entrance...pigeons and skeezy looking stalls everywhere. One little booth had on wall full of condoms, and the same booth had a wall of cigarettes, and another of alcohol. Awesome.

The guards not letting us pass...and some sort of ceremony of flags and vodka going on in the background. Too bad really...I was really looking forward to Red Square. It was a still good though, albeit a little freezing.

On our way home from Moscow, we were sitting on the bus and this old man in front of me and Mollie kept turning around and looking at us. He seemed nice enough, and his whole row of top teeth was gold (I have already seen three or four people with gold teeth...weird). Anyway, eventually he started to talk to us in Russian, and kept gesturing, and he just kept on going, like eventually we would catch on or something. Haha we felt so stupid. Turns out some random guy on the bus could speak english, but he only stayed on the bus long enough for us to figure out that he was telling us that he spent a year in Cuba as a guard to Fidel Castro. What? I don't know. Haha my vote is that he was just a crazy Russian man. I tried to get a picture of him, but he got off the bus too fast.
And that was our exciting day. Red Square...almost. Grocery shopping. And then a fun ride home with a crazy Russian guy. Lovely!