Day 3 in Siberia

MO:
Weird, but not necessarily bad facts about Russia:

1. About half of the cars here have the steering wheel to the right.
But you also drive on the right.
Why? It is cheaper to import cars from Japan than from Europe.

Anton explained the Russian mentality like this: "After Russia made the change from being a communist country to a capitalist one in almost no time at all, there was a vacuum in this country´s laws to what was legal or not... For Russians it works like this: as long as something is not prohibited - you can keep on doing it until it´s forbidden."
Hence the import on foreign cars going a bit haywire...

2. They have tight security everywhere (parking lots, buildings, airports, hotels). Not always very time efficient - like when you want to go for lunch on the 3rd floor and need to pick up a special pass at the security center to be able to enter and leave the elevator.
Oh, did I mention that the security center is placed 8 meters away from and overlooking the elevators?

It does make you wonder if it´s just for show, or if it really is needed.

3. Russian TV sports its very own Dance channel!
I´ve watched it for 40minutes now, and it´s like having your very own fitness dance-DVD constantly rolling in the background.
First there was hip hop for children for about half an hour and right now they´re doing belly dancing.
(Let me just point out that the instructor changed in between...).

4. My hotel must sport a kick ass pastry cook. It´s true!
This must be the only business hotel in the world to sell top notch cakes?
Wait until you see the photograph further down on this page if you don´t believe me.

5. Russian women wear more fur and higher high heels than all Italian women added together.

I know, I can´t help it. I love pictures of food, since I think it says a lot about a country... Breakfast.

...and lunch. Better than yesterday I thought at first.
Until I found out that the coleslaw had SUGAR in it.

Thank you Grand Arena for these 2 days! I can really recommend this fitness club if you´re about to visit Novosibirsk. Open 24/7!

The Russians REALLY love dance. If you can read what this photograph is saying, you can tell exactly HOW many different styles only Grand Arena offers.

Group work...

Working hard...

...and they did soooo well!

...having some fun with it too..

This is a skill that I will demand from all my future instructors come 2011...
Magnus G, I hope you take notice... :)

Saying bye bye to some of my lovely students!

The view outside the very protected building that contained the fitness club,
offices and rooms for different functions, such as weddings, conferences etc.

Here they are: The Cakes. Now, what do you say?

The view from my hotel room.