
This one was taken from the roof of the Foreign Languages Library, one of my favourite places in Moscow. I like it not because of the the Foreign Languages Library, which is old-fashioned and hard to use, but because of, first, the
English Language Law Library on the top floor, which is run by Olga
Sukhova, a lady who deserves a medal for being one of the most helpful state employees in Russia (or anywhere). Secondly, I like i
t because of the American Centre on the
second floor, run by another very helpful person who deserves credit, Marissa
Fushille, from El
Paso, Texas. She runs the best English-language lending library in Moscow (with a lot of interesting material on the American legal system), making the
British Council (downstairs) look hick and provincial--it is also
embarrassingly unfriendly in a wannabe-snooty, "red brick" ex-pat
English sort of way. You get the impression that the "Anglo" staff there would be happier in
Torremolinos drinking
bleedin'
Watney's Red Barrel, and moaning about greasy, emaciated dagos with 9" hips...