P.S. to le vendredi 15 juin

Day 3 on the ground saw the sun rise before 3:30 AM and morning run at 6.  Still no takers from among the student charges, but Steve and I did a reverse loop around the Moscow River, about five miles.  Joe Guerrera and Alex Weir presented on "Effects of the World Cup on Sport," including the impact of the U.S men's national team not qualifying on development of football in the United States.  Today's agenda included a tour of the Kremlin grounds, including the Armoury Museum and the cathedrals celebrating the baptisms, coronations/installations of princes, tsars, emperors, general secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and presidents; Alexandrovsky Garden;  watching a changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and taking a lazy stroll through Gorky Park.  Meanwhile, other students attempted to take in the Uruguay vs. Egypt match the FIFA Fan Zone, but the site was overcrowded and so they caught the match elsewhere.  This evening, the group attended a nice WNE Alumni reception and dinner with Moscow resident and alumna Susanna Esina '15, before finishing out the evening watching Portugal and Spain play to a draw, 3-3, in extra time.  Bonne nuit tout le monde!