A Feast for the Eyes

Perm, December 26-27th 2014

why would we stand by a crossroad
and miss an episode?
come! it's russia!

why would we ignore the time that flies
and not make a feast for our eyes?
come! it's russia!

It's the door to Saint Stefan Velikopermsky Chapel.

Stefan the Great headed the newly created Perm Diocese, although he himself had never been to Perm, says the story. Thus, Stefan is considered to be the baptizer of this land. He created the Zyryan alphabet and translated church books to the language of Komi-Zyryans, which promoted the expansion of Christianity to the lands of Perm Velikaya.

In 1920, Espero Club was opened here. Like few other buildings in Russia which has something to do with either an author, or a novel, so does this one. This club and mysterious events connected to it were used as the basis of the "Cazaroza" novel -- ouch, cannot google it -- written by Leonid Uzefovich, a Russian writer known for the series of crime fiction stories.

Later on, the chapel housed a school and then a kindergarten. Nowadays services are again held here. There is also a center of religious education in one wing.

It wasn't until I returned back to Moscow that I got a blue sky as this. Even this, didn't last very long...

... nor very broad. This was the sky, and the building, on the other side.
Permskaya Street, however, was one of the best places to entertain one's eyes on architecture.

I just love the contrast of white over the dark brown. And you are right, the little window sashes on each window. So Russian.

This kind of gate reminds me so much of my story book when I was a kid, but I don't remember the title. I only know it was a Ladybird Book but when words were only on paper.

Hej! It's written "IKEA" there!! On top of the door it's "antique" something. An antique shop? Relationship with IKEA?? Nobody seemed going in and out, let alone pushing boxes of furniture. Instead, a man holding a glass of hot tea (coffee?) as precious as gold in his hand passed by. Look at the frozen ice drops under the roof. Look at his clothing. I don't need to tell you how I felt. You know how precious a glass of hot tea had been. It's more than IKEA.

In case you cannot afford hot tea, you can make hot gossip. Ooops.

Apartment house of M.E.Maslennikova, a culture heritage protected by the governor. I love the balcony best

Simply thinking red and white. That's all.

Santorini Cafe & Bar = A cup of hot coffee in winter or a glass of cold beer in summer, in Santorini, in Perm = nice. Aye.

Wooden house, wooden house. Little window sash, little window sash. Green, green. That's me.

This building is number 34 on the Green Line. I should have cross the road and take a close up photo of the information board over there -- you see it? -- because the English version would surely be there. Now, checking out on Google Translate, I cannot grasp the whole meaning. The most interesting point I get is that this building was originally a two-story. The third was added later in order to complete the needs as a school. Today it is Perm State Institute of Arts and Culture.

Now, how do you count the stories? Is this three plus one basement, or two and a half plus basement plus attic?

Deserted. Haunted, maybe? Eeewww...

to be exact...

To me, the balconies look like trams stuck into the building. Too much fantasy. Or too much beer from Santorini in Perm. Aha.

Another kind of feast for the eyes.

From my window on a tram back to my hostel, good night to Perm.