twenty-something years of "what have you been up to?"

the people’s palace

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Everyone is counting noses at school and work. I wondered why I heard sirens this morning.

Two or maybe four bombs exploded on the Moscow Metro during the morning commute. Nobody knows how many or by whom, although immediately the Chenchens are blamed, which I deplore.

The Kublianka metro is on the red line right in the very center of town at the Kremlin, a fifteen minute walk from our place. Hearing Park Kultury made my stomach clutch worse though. It's only two stops away, and was Stefan's stop when he was at the other campus. He rides the metro home from school every day on the red line, which stops at both Kublianka and Park Kultury. We'll have him come home by car until our brains wrap around this, the first bombing in Moscow since 2004.

Just knowing my eight-year-old is on the red line every single weekday was enough to make me feel ill. My heart goes out to anyone who had a loved one on the metro this morning and had an hour or a even a minute wondering if they were okay; let alone anyone who had a family member injured or killed, I don't even know what to say or think. Cashmar. Nightmare.

The metro is so efficient, so good, I don't drive here. It's so impressive nearly every time I go, I take a photo. (Can you find the "Park Kultury" on the sign up there?) The metro is one of the best things about Moscow. Not today though.

Comments

8 responses to “the people’s palace”

March 29, 2010

Sheree

My heart goes out to you, and all the families who lost loved ones today due to the bombings. Living in, Manhattan, we too, rely on the subways. Your situation though reminded me of a time when living in PDX and my then 8 yr old took the city bus just a mile or so to PFS. The bus driver was this lovely man named, Dave, who would always make sure my daughter crossed the street safely and got onto school grounds, but one morning, she sat directly behind him and he couldn’t see her. I received a call from him personally telling me how they wound up at the last stop at Wash Square mall. before discovering her still there, and how very sorry he was. Needless to say, she was tardy that day as she had to do the return route, but I’m a firm believer that there are angels amongst the evil, and very grateful that “Dave” our favorite bus driver looked over my precious child that day. I felt so horrible though. And then to move here when she was only 10 and have to decide when she was savvy enough to take the subways herself– was a real struggle for me. We took baby steps, and now she’s a independent 16 yr. old who knows the train system far better than I do. And will soon be going off to study abroad for the summer. As parents, we just have to know our children’s limits and trust our instincts. Not all kids are equipped for such adventure and responsibility. I think your children are so very blessed to have been able to live abroad and experience all they have. Imagine what their childhood memories will be… Thinking of you fondly on the sad day in, Moscow. But I’m w/you–the subways are safe and this is a rare act of evil. Bless up.

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March 29, 2010

mc

Glade you’re all ok. These things happen everywhere including here in the USA, but very rarely. Be safe as possible but don’t give up on the metro.

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March 29, 2010

susan

As a parent who has a family living in Moscow (Kat) it took my breath away.
Prayers for all the people of Moscow.

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March 30, 2010

Tina

I first heard of it when I opened my email this morning and had one from my SIL telling me that they were all OK.
Just horrible what happened and scarey.
So glad to read in your blog that all of you are OK.
Scarey when I found out from my daughter that they often take this line.

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March 30, 2010

A Daring Adventure

Oh, how incredibly frightening.
My heart goes out to you all.
Your post just really brought the bombings in focus to me. I’m so sorry.

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April 2, 2010

A Daring Adventure

It’s Friday, and that means that the Seventh Weekly State Department Blog Roundup is up – and you’re on it!
Here is the link:
http://bit.ly/cMOqdi
(If I quoted your text or used your photo(s) and you would rather I had not, please let me know. Please also be sure to check the link(s) that I put up to you, in order to verify that they work properly. If you would rather that I had not referenced you, and/or do not want me to reference you in the future, please also contact me.)
Thanks!

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April 2, 2010

Connie

So glad your son is ok.. what a scary event, and horrible tragedy to those who were involved.

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April 2, 2010

Tina

When I clicked on the link for your newer post, I had a message that the site wasn’t able to open.

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