Yes, Winter has arrived in Moscow. A bit early this year, but I am actually grateful. One reason is that I really don’t like this rainy wet weather and I prefer the snow and cold. Another is, that I am still alive and able to see this year’s first snow. Sounds a bit dramatic you say, but I have my reasons to say what I say. No, I didn’t piss off some Mafia Boss or Oligarch (again). And nope, I didn’t almost die on alcohol poisoning or some other effect, after another night of heavy drinking and way too much Vodka at one of my favorite clubs. It was as simple as walking down the street and being hit by some falling wall from a building last night.

Yes right, just like that. Imagine how fast it can go. I have met some friends to discuss our upcoming Halloween party (Oct 27th) and I was supposed to meet another friend Zak right after. Zak has run behind schedule, so I decided to walk a little, just to get a free head, use the extra time for some thinking and feel the cold wind in my face. The wind was promising snow and I just love this kind of wind. After all I am from Bavaria. So I cross Maykovskaya, walk down Sadove. I have to make it to Pokrovka at one point and when its time I will just get a taxi. Not far from Mayakovskaya I cross the street where the famous strip club 911 used to be. I am thinking about the people who died there not so long ago, when the club started to catch fire. What a terrible death.

Its loud in that area. Sadove is loud in general. I remember the last few nights at a temp flat on Prospect Mira, where I stayed in August. It was loud there as well and I wonder how people can live so close to these streets. Its then, when a woman tumbles towards me with a bleeding head. Her son running near her, pulling on her coat, trying to stop her. She seems to want to get moving. Then there is a body guard or some sort of big guy running after her and trying to stop her as well. She seems to need medical attention, but she is in shock and seems to like to just run away from the scene. She is Asian. The blood is running from her head. I am still trying to understand what happened when I pass them and only now I see some large piece of wall laying on the sidewalk and some more pieces on the garden ring street.

The building nearby has a scaffold and it seems its being renovated. This piece of wall is huge. Its after 9 PM on Saturday night. Raining and a little windy. Nobody is working on the building that night. Probably the wind loosened some old structure and it fell. It must have just happened. The woman was lucky. I was lucky. We could have been hit by the wall. I am checking the woman, but the guard is helping her. Probably they are waiting for the ambulance. I am taking a few steps away from the scene. Who know if not more comes down from above. When I look up to check where it came from I am seeing a guy on top, trying to find out what happened and to secure whatever is left. I take a last look and move on. Nobody needs me here and I have my meeting with Zak. I walk a little more, before I take a gipsy taxi. The wind is cold tonight. Raindrops are falling on my head. It smells like snow Bavarian people in the mountains used to say. Yes, its wonderful. I like it. Its fresh. Its like a cleaning of the head. Its good to be alive. Looking forward to the next winter and some more snow.

Moscows first snow in the winter 07/08: