Keeping time

In an effort not to go home without souvenirs (as I did when I left Russia after 5 years), I have made some purchases already. First, not one to hang out in kitchen gadgets departments, I had never seen an individual-sized "zitronenpresse" before -- we ordered Russian soup (seljanka) at a pub and were each given our own lemon wedges in their special presses. I found some later at the Kaubamaja (department store). Souvenir number one.


Next, I went snooping around the Russian market near the Baltijaam (the train station) to find some kitchen supplies, and spotted a groovy clock in one of the kiosks in the old wires/batteries/light switches/machine parts/tools section of the market. The kiosk was unfortunately closed, and it wasn't even clear whether the clock was for sale. I eavesdropped in on some Russian men peering alongside me into the goods on display -- it seemed the person running the kiosk had "taken off". Prospects were dim.

In the meantime, J's wrestling with our suitcases during the move popped his fairly-recently-purchased-from-eBay watch off his wrist -- it smashed face-down, cracking the crystal and dislodging the hands. We headed back to the market on the weekend to find him a replacement watch and the clock kiosk was manned! We could hardly make it to the kiosk window -- whenever we approached the window, someone would sneak in ahead of us with some time-consuming transaction, someone getting his watch battery replaced, someone purchasing a home Alkometer, the usual stuff.

I finally made it to the window -- and expressed my interest in the clock. He wound it up for me, explaining that it was his parents' clock. (It was unclear whether it currently belonged to them or not.) He named his price, and I took it.

-Да, да, возьмите это, возьмите это! Через 5 лет, это будет стоить 20 евро!

The thing is an mechanical wonder -- no cords, no batteries -- you wind it once a week, is all. Souvenir number two.


J's since snapped off the replacement watch's strap-buckle by putting on his knapsack. He might opt for a pocket-watch on the next outing.