digest

I haven't written much here lately... I can't say that nothing has happened, though. Actually, quite a lot. I'm finally through with the studies and with the thesis and with the exams. It will be completely over next Friday... that's the formal part.

I'm missing you, Grusha! (the thing I've been eager to say) I'm so glad you came here this year and I had a chance to get to know you better) I knew that you are fantastic and I was right))

We have finally applied for the UK visa. Well, I don't know if we have any chances... At least they accepted the applications and all the documents. The only thing we can do now is to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Last Wednesday I went to the dacha and apart from helping my mum with the garden and falling from the bike I had an opportunity to watch one of our cats playing with a rat. We were thinking about letting it go, but decided that rats are rats. They eat the hens' eggs, so why should we meddle with the nature's laws? I managed to take some photos, but I'm feeling kind of guilty now... I definitely wasn't born to be a wildlife photographer.

my trip to Chile

the sky as seen from my balcony

memories from the oceanarium

These are some photos I took in the oceanarium. I especially liked the transparent fish and am very glad that they are not blurry.

Lily, Dear! In Lieu of a Letter

I found the translation of my favourite poem by Mayakovsky. And my favourite poem in general, I guess. I didn't think it was possible to translate it.

Lily, Dear! In Lieu of a Letter

The room's a chapter of Kruchonikh's Inferno.
Air
gnawed out by tobacco smoke.
Remember – 
at the window,
for the first time,
burning,
with tender frenzy your arms I'd stroke?
Now you're sitting there,
heart in armour;
a day,
and perhaps,
I'll be driven out.
To the bleary hall:
let's dress: be calmer,
crazy heart, don't hammer so loud!
I'll rush out, raving,
hurl my body into the street,
slashed by despair from foot to brow.
Don't,
don't do it,
darling,
sweet!
Better say good-bye right now.
Anyway,
my love's a crippling weight
to hang on you
wherever you flee.
Let me sob it out
in a last complaint,
the bitterness of my misery.
A bull tired out by a day of sweat
can plunge into water,
get cooled and rested.
For me
there's no sea but your love,
and yet
from that even tears can't wrest me a respite.
If a weary elephant wants some calm,
lordly, he'll lounge on the sun-baked sand.
I've
only your love
for sun and balm,
yet I can't even guess who'll be fondling your hand.
If a poet were so tormented
he might
batter his love for cash and fame.
For me
the world holds on other delight
than the ring and glitter of your dear name.
No rope will be noosed,
no river leapt in,
nor will bullet or poison take my life.
No power over me,
your glance excepting,
has the blade of any knife.
Tomorrow you'll forget
it was I who crowned you,
I
who seared out a flowering soul.
The pages of my books will be vortexed
around you
by a vain existence's carnival whirl.
Could my words,
dry leaves that they are but,
detain you
with throbbing heart?
Ah,
let the last of my tenderness carpet
your footfall as you depart!

1916
Translated by Dorian Rottenberg

The pause hasn't lasted long. My bla-bla-bla blogue is finally turning into something closer to a traveller's blogue. Fingers crossed.

We have received an informal confirmation from Cathedral Camps and asked them to send a more official one. Going to apply for a visa next week.

Last week I saw the latest Wallace and Gromit cartoon. A short one. As good as usual, but Gromit has become somewhat predictable... Wallace keeps falling in love with sinister and rather ugly women.