After a 16 hour travel day, I'm now in a Russian hotel room. It has great wi-fi and is around the corner from the Kremlin, which is outstanding, in case you were like, "I wonder if the Kremlin is mind-blowingly beautiful?" Yup yup, it is. Also a dinner of a glass of wine, grilled vegetables and soup cost $50, and that's with the ruble plummeting against the dollar.
But all of that is just for color, to give a sense of what Moscow is like, as a city.
We met the person who set up the trip, and I feel that in that half-hour conversation I understand so much more about what's going on. It hasn't jelled yet, but it's clear that none of us were wrong to wonder about the idea of a delegation of Americans coming over to engage in citizen diplomacy is a strange idea, particularly when it's in large part funded by business interests in Russia.
And especially when those particular business interests are getting hit by the sanctions.
Curiouser and curiouser, indeed.
I feel if nothing else, part of my job for this trip is to make it clear the very real impact that sanctions are having on U.S. Business interests in Russia.
I will do that, once my head is more clear.
Also, I keep talking about sports towels, because I needed to bring over gifts, and people kindly helped me out and that's what I have. Terrible Towels! Penguins Playoffs Towels! And also some awesome cowboy poetry posters from my Pa. These are some lucky ducky Russians, that's for sure.
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