Aeroflot, 5 a.m., Dec.14, Sheremetyevo, -22C, taxi, sleep, (press)conference, Memorial, Facebook chat, Orlov interview, cold, sleep, leave. That would have been my Twitter message, summarising the 30 hour Moscow experience. There never was one – yes, I know, sometimes you are too busy with real life or not enough Web 2.0 for those 140 symbols…
Ok, now let’s twitt a bit more about going in the footsteps of Sakharov Prize winners of 2009, couple of days before the award.
Kremlin
Last-minute surprise visa on Friday, call to one of Moscow’s hotels, desperate efforts trying to find warmer coat and boots in Brussels right before leaving… No chance of sleeping during the night flight to Moscow.
In focus: Oleg Orlov
Young, strict, but in the end helpful immigration officer filling in a form for me. Critically thinking bright taxi driver and nice hotel staff not charging me for an extra (previous) night.
Some sleep, a hasty steps past the Kremlin crossing the Moscow river to the press conference during the Conference ‘Sakharov’s Ideas Today’.
St. Basil's Cathedral
Catching the legendary Lyudmila Alexeyeva and Sergei Kovalev for couple of quotes. Chatting with journalists from grani.ru and Interfax while finally getting something to eat.
Sergei Kovalev
Passing Lubyanka (ex-KGB building); hearing a familiar French accent when asking the way while searching for the Human Rights Centre Memorial.
Seeing the courageous people risking their lives when doing their everyday work. Intensive Facebook chat (huge thank you to Maria for help!) with Oleg Orlov, leaving you extremely exhausted, but happy.
Oleg Orlov and Lyudmila Alexeyeva
A sip of an excellent Caucasian cognac while hearing an account of Memorial staff on being questioned by authorities the same day. Conversation with Katia who’s going to study in (…surprise) – Brussels.
A very rewarding interview with Oleg Orlov and its hasty translation into English before everyone leaves the office. Dead-cold walk through the streets of Moscow, with hot bath at the hotel saving me from „permafrosting“.
Sorry for 11 twitts packed in one text. Warning: twitting and writing synopses can make your language terribly telegraphic :)
Special thanks to Oleg, Maria, Tatiana, Aleksandr, Jan, and everyone in Memorial for the friendly atmosphere and sharing their office with me for half a day. Big TNX to Anete, Christian, Rafa, Evita, Tibo, Steve and the whole Webteam for making it happen ;)
Golden quotes:
Taxi driver no 1: “Until this country starts producing something, it will go nowhere”
Lyudmila Alexeyeva: “It is not awarded to me, but rather to all of us, especially those, who have lost their lives for the cause. If they were alive, they would be happy”
Sergei Kovalev: Russia is currently a stumbling block in the way of international progress. It’s not alone; some other countries are also “splendid” enough.
Oleg Orlov: “Sometimes you feel that you are scooping the sea with a spoon”
Taxi driver no 2: “Airports, hotels, nightclubs, you wouldn’t service them without payoffs to gangs”
@ the Airport café: “Man, move to another café. They sell the same stuff there, I’m busy”
Re: Hotels Moscow – Now ofense to the expensive city of contrasts, just wanted to quote something coming from real people ;)
I really enjoyed the article, though the quotes are a little bit offending Moscow. Still this city has a lot of things to show and share.
RT @Tayebot: Mindaugas was sent to Moscow for our live chat with M. Orlov (#Sakharov Prize). "From Russia with cold" http://bit.ly/a1j61Z
Mindaugas was sent to Moscow for our live chat with M. Orlov (#Sakharov Prize). Read it all: "From Russia with cold" http://bit.ly/a1j61Z