Going to St. Petersburg and.. ladies who will visit me this summer...

[Sculpto]

lol one green cookie will do the trick but I haven't done it for some reason.

made some awesome hybrid blini this morning though.. cant even really call them blini.. or pancakes.. I invented something.  So.. thats what happens when I dont sleep when I should.

BTW.. Art store girl just sent me an SMS.. she says she cant even see out her window on the 9th floor on the northern outskirts of StP.. literally no visibility.  Frickin scary.

[Sculpto]

The internet cafe girl contacted me today.  I am not that surprised.. I thought she liked me.  She was always bringing me a soda or a little snack every time I was in the cafe.. she doesn't speak a word of English though..

[Olga_Mouse]

I was probably walking close to fifteen miles each day... maybe more.  I hadn't even intended to bring the sneakers but when I still had it in my head I would be going to Pogost someone mentioned I might need some sport shoes.  As it turned out I was really glad I had them.  Even with the lightweight sneakers with heavy duty workmans gels I developed the worst walking blisters of my life.  First the right foot. then the left foot and then the right foot again.  Cooling my feet off became part of the daily ritual and after the first few days I had to actively consider how long my feet would last each day.

Just wondering what's wrong with murricans & walking? First I've read Eric on another forum complaining about getting blisters while in Vitebsk. Now Sculpto can't move mere 15 miles a day in St-Pete... How come I'm never developing blisters while walking across different European towns & cities - even though female shoes are more about design than about comfort?

Either you guys do not know the first rule of a tourist - "don't put the brand new shoes on while traveling", or you just can't choose the shoes properly, or you have completely forgotten that we human beings have been originally created to move from point A to point B by walking - not by driving around or clicking Google ads on your PC screen!

[kievstar]

blisters are from poorly fitting shoes.  However I know several women who will take the blisters to be stylish at a cheaper price.  There is a reason some of those Italian shoes are more than $3,000 per pair. 

[Sculpto]

Just wondering what's wrong with murricans & walking? First I've read Eric on another forum complaining about getting blisters while in Vitebsk. Now Sculpto can't move mere 15 miles a day in St-Pete... How come I'm never developing blisters while walking across different European towns & cities - even though female shoes are more about design than about comfort?

Either you guys do not know the first rule of a tourist - "don't put the brand new shoes on while traveling", or you just can't choose the shoes properly, or you have completely forgotten that we human beings have been originally created to move from point A to point B by walking - not by driving around or clicking Google ads on your PC screen!

In my case Olga.. I think I chose the wrong socks and that was the cause.  I ordinarily walk a lot at home.. don't have a car.. and I work on my feet.  But I brought the sneakers as an afterthought.. my hiking boots are looking really ragged and old and so I didn't bring them.

[Gator]

How come I'm never developing blisters while walking across different European towns & cities - even though female shoes are more about design than about comfort?.....you have completely forgotten that we human beings have been originally created to move from point A to point B by walking - not by driving around or clicking Google ads on your PC screen!

This is one of many qualities about RW that I adore.  I really do.

I have always been in excellent shape and enjoyed trekking.  During my first trip in 2002 I was impressed how RW could almost walk you into the ground.  They stopped only to ask directions.  AW can't do that.

A couple of fitness conscious RW commented that unlike younger American men they met, I stayed with them and did not have to rest.    

The reasons are apparent.  Yet, even when moving to America with everyone having a car, many RW still consider long walks as a way to enjoy life.

By the way, Olga Mouse, 15 mouse-miles is not very far.  And 15 km is 10 miles in America.

[Gator]

But I brought the sneakers as an afterthought...

Rule for life:  Buy the best shoes and mattresses.

[Olga_Mouse]

By the way, Olga Mouse, 15 mouse-miles is not very far.

Gator, you made me curious Is a mouse-mile closer to standard mile than to nautical mile?

Or it is the distance equal to 1609 mousy tails length - thus a dependent variable?

And 15 km is 10 miles in America.

I'd rather say 9,322 km... or are you counting in mouse-miles again? 

[wicheese]

Just wondering what's wrong with murricans & walking? First I've read Eric on another forum complaining about getting blisters while in Vitebsk. Now Sculpto can't move mere 15 miles a day in St-Pete... How come I'm never developing blisters while walking across different European towns & cities - even though female shoes are more about design than about comfort?

Either you guys do not know the first rule of a tourist - "don't put the brand new shoes on while traveling", or you just can't choose the shoes properly, or you have completely forgotten that we human beings have been originally created to move from point A to point B by walking - not by driving around or clicking Google ads on your PC screen!

Olga,

I'll be running the Moscow Marathon on August 12th {Edit: It's really Sept. 12th}and I challenge you to stay with me for only half of it (13.1 miles which is much less than the 15 miles you complained about Sculpto having trouble with) as I must be really slow and fat since I'm an American who is eight years older than you.  Also, most of the worlds best marathoners are typically mouse sized so you have no excuse for having tiny legs.

BTW, what Sculpto said is true as a lot depends on your socks since the saying "cotton is rotten" rings true.  

[Sculpto]

Rule for life:  Buy the best shoes and mattresses.

the leather shoes I brought were excellent but i didnt think they had the proper soles for that much walking in the heat.  A significant portion of the problem I experienced was due to the heat.. wrong socks in the wrong shoes.  

[Sculpto]

"cotton is rotten"  

thats for sure!  round about the 11th or 12th day I decided to try my half n half dress socks in the sneakers and that fixed the problem.. they wicked the moisture a lot faster and had a smoother finish.. I didn't have any problems after that.

[SANDRO43]

MILES

Roman mile
In Roman times, the unit of long distance mille passuum (literally "a thousand paces" in Latin, with one pace being equal to two steps) was first used by the Romans and denoted a distance of 1,000 paces or 5,000 Roman feet, and is estimated to correspond to about 1,479 meters (1,617 yards). This unit is now known as the Roman mile. This unit spread throughout the Roman empire, often with modifications to fit local systems of measurements.

All distances in the Roman Empire were measured relative to the Milliarium Aureum (Latin for "golden milestone"), a monument (probably a gilded bronze monument) erected by the Emperor Caesar Augustus near the temple of Saturn in the central Forum of Ancient Rome. All roads were considered to begin from this monument.

Mile
A mile is a unit of length in a number of different systems. In contemporary English, a mile most commonly refers to the statute mile of 5,280 feet (1,760 yards, or 1,609.344 metres), the survey mile of 5,280 survey feet (1,609.3472 metres (5,280.01 ft)) or the nautical mile of 1,852 metres (6,076.12 ft).

Statute mile
The statute mile was defined by an English Act of Parliament (hence the name) in 1592, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as being 1,760 yards (5,280 feet).

For surveying, the statute mile is divided into eight furlongs; each furlong is ten chains; each chain is four rods (also known as poles or perches); and each rod is 25 links. This makes the rod equal to 5½ yards or 16½ feet in both Imperial and U.S. usage.

Nautical mile
The nautical mile was originally defined as one minute of arc along a meridian of the Earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile#cite_note-37

On the other hand, Mouse Miles

is the distance your mouse pointer or cursor travels when you move the mouse on the computer screen. Mouse Clocker can help you easily measure this value and also compares your travel miles to some of the worlds landmarks. For example, you can discover how long it takes for your mouse to scale the Eiffel Tower or Empire State Building. [Direct Download: http://software-files.download.com/sd/fGkVrSZFcFXMMA-HgDW_navqM7qnGeBhWCUhYqN6aUZQpUICAzxAymLE7dj0vb5Vf2h2nzsV5SdYHlbqeETOK3KUcpUCCK_f/software/6985411/10063267/3/mouseclocker.zip?ptype=3001&ontid=2056&siteId=4&edId=3&pid=6985411&psid=10063267]

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/10/draw-heatmap-of-mouse-movements-also.html
 

[Olga_Mouse]

I'll be running the Moscow Marathon on August 12th and I challenge you to stay with me for only half of it (13.1 miles which is much less than the 15 miles you complained about Sculpto having trouble with) as I must be really slow and fat since I'm an American who is eight years older than you.  

Running a marathon on August 12? In such a heat? I might seem strange on funny at times, but I'm not mad, thank you very much!

Who'd want to run a marathon in such a weather, with low oxygene and so much smoke? I'm even skipping the fitness-club for about 3 weeks - not eating anything but salads, ice-cream and cheese being my only excuse.

P.S. are you S&R on another side of the moon?

[Sculpto]

ice-cream

See I knew it.. come on Olga.. tell us the truth.. you are ONLY eating ice cream!   

[Olga_Mouse]

the leather shoes I brought were excellent but i didnt think they had the proper soles for that much walking in the heat.  
A significant portion of the problem I experienced was due to the heat... wrong socks in the wrong shoes.  

Who in his right mind woud put on the shoes that demand socks at +38C? Sandals, good old ECCO sandals

Spending an hour for a pedicure is a better option than curing your blisters and scheduling "feet cooling" breaks during the day, IMO

[Sculpto]

Who in his right mind woud put on the shoes that demand socks at +38C? Sandals, good old ECCO sandals

Spending an hour for a pedicure is a better option than curing your blisters and scheduling "feet cooling" breaks during the day, IMO

So getting all that disgusting street and subway dirt all over your feet is a good idea?   hmmm...

[Olga_Mouse]

So getting all that disgusting street and subway dirt all over your feet is a good idea?   hmmm...

Is there some DIRT on the streets and especially in SUBWAY now?  I thought only the dust is currently available... and it's exactly the same dust that you inhale - so from my point of view it does less harm to your feet than to your lungs 

Anyway, there's a secrect word I can whisper to your ear: WASHING If that's not possible, buy a pack of wet anti-bacterial serviettes (unless you're a good clean boy who already has them - to wipe his hands before eating...)

[Sculpto]

I saw a variety of interesting kinds of dirt on the street in St Petersburg.  The most interesting was the half dried pool of blood where apparently someone had been stabbed or shot the night before.. but there were others far more disgusting.

Nevertheless.. if I happen to be in St Petersburg in the middle of summer again I will be sure to bring my mexican peasant sandles with old car tires for soles.. I am sure they will bea big style hit and everyone will want a pair. 

[Ranetka]

I saw a variety of interesting kinds of dirt on the street in St Petersburg.  The most interesting was the half dried pool of blood where apparently someone had been stabbed or shot the night before.. but there were others far more disgusting.

1. How on earth do you manage to find places like that? Never in my 14 years in SPb I saw a pool of blood.
2. What's wrong with walking around it?
3. flip-flops! FLIP-FLOPS! thats what locals do. During day time at least.

[Sculpto]

1. How on earth do you manage to find places like that? Never in my 14 years in SPb I saw a pool of blood.
2. What's wrong with walking around it?
3. flip-flops! FLIP-FLOPS! thats what locals do. During day time at least.

It was easy.. on Cadova in front of the thieves market..   And along some of the canals away from the center.. well all I can say is it would be nice if people cleaned up after their dogs..

[Turboguy]

I saw a variety of interesting kinds of dirt on the street in St Petersburg.  The most interesting was the half dried pool of blood where apparently someone had been stabbed or shot the night before.. but there were others far more disgusting.

Gosh Sculpto, they really need to work on the cities infrostructer.  Even here in tiny Beaver Falls the street department goes out each morning first thing and cleans up the pools of blood.  Heck, when the lady was killed with a rock about 150 feet from where I am sitting they even cleaned up the brain matter. 

[Sculpto]

lol Turbo.. the interesting thing about the pool of blood was after I found it I was contemplating how I might take a photo of it.. but the store keeper came to the front of the store and was giving me dirty looks..

the dog poop along the grassy areas near the canals was a much more serious situation though.. or the puke in the park next to some of the benches.. sunday morning puke obstacle course was challenging..

lol

so you know.. I really love St Petersburg.. and SF is full of the same kind of messes.. please refer back to my post about bottom of the barrel people.. I love the downtrodden beaten down ugly people.. they are quite beautiful to me.  

photo 1 "Squatters in sandles"
photo 2 "Art Car"

[RussianWind]

Is there some DIRT on the streets and especially in SUBWAY now?   I thought only the dust is currently available... and it's exactly the same dust that you inhale - so from my point of view it does less harm to your feet than to your lungs  

So far the city's name is St. Petersburg and not Singapore (where you can sit on the metro floor in your white pants), I am afraid the proper word would be still dirt.

Anyway, there's a secrect word I can whisper to your ear: WASHING If that's not possible, buy a pack of wet anti-bacterial serviettes (unless you're a good clean boy who already has them - to wipe his hands before eating...)

Good that it's only the forum, not the real life. I suddenly imagined a big pool of blood on a street.

Yes, the rest comments by Americans about the city are hilarious, especially the gay-lesbo part. 

[Sculpto]

So far the city's name is St. Petersburg and not Singapore (where you can sit on the metro floor in your white pants), I am afraid the proper word would be still dirt.

Good that it's only the forum, not the real life. I suddenly imagined a big pool of blood on a street.

Yes, the rest comments by Americans about the city are hilarious, especially gay-lesbo part.

RussianWind I love St Petersburg.  Its really my kind of city.. I could definitely live there though everyone I met said I need to experience the winter before committing to that.  I liked the dirt.. and I loved Sennaya Ploshad and all the area around it.  I walked literally every street from the Fontanka to the Neva at least one time and many several times..

[RussianWind]

20 years ago I loved it too. Now I understand that it's too dirty to live in on a permanent basis. You are a suicide to wish this