Perhaps nothing can be more refreshing than to experience a true summer after a true winter. I will admit that the wimpy Californian in me used to take summer for granted, as that time when it was "hot" versus "chilly." But here in Moscow, it's a completely different transformation. The bleak city turns into a lively place, and the color green just explodes from every direction, as the trees shoot out leaves in what seems like a matter of days.
The explosion of flowers and colors does wonder for not only the aesthetics of Moscow as a city, but also for the people who live here. Everyone throws off their black and brown fur coats and transforms their wardrobe into a wild and colorful array of clothing with different colored prints and patterns. People smile more, and seem to have awoken from some sort of hibernation. But above all is the combination of happy Moscovites and their love for the outdoors in the various parks around the city.
I was invited for my first "shashlik" (from the georgian word for shish kebab) in the park, and was shocked to see how apt my Russian friends were at setting up a picnic. They immediately went into picnic mode, throwing down blankets, setting up a barbecue, passing around beer. We sat around for hours, just talking and enjoying the sun, like everyone else around us. There was no running around, no checking of watches, as we laughed around the delicious food we ate as we listened to Russian pop music, as always. As we walked home, I admired all of the other families and friends who were doing exactly the same thing, and I felt rather glad for that moment, that I lived in Moscow.
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