The grass is actually greener...

My first impressions (fourth impressions?) of this city yesterday were taken by the obvious amount of development work that has been going on in my absence. The area I'm based at the school has definitely enjoyed a little TLC in recent months. Its noticeable, perhaps because of how rough and ready some of the surrounding area is, but its clear there's some money coming into the place and some of its old Soviet debris is being cleared away.

Obviously it helps being here while the grass is still green and the leaves remain on the trees, but beyond that you notice the freshly dug flower begs around apartment entrances. A few more are scattered in pots and planters around the roads with their freshly painted white lines and newly laid paving. Two new children's areas have sprung up where before it was the sorry, rusted skeleton of Soviet era apparatus. Even car parking, with perimeter fencing, marked out spaces and an organised line of autos has found its place among the plethora of machines still swamping every available kerb and corner.

I don't know what I'll find when I make it into the centre but its just nice to see such a marked change. The buildings are still their tired old selves for the most part and I don't want to give the impression its a paradise on earth, but at least its moving in the right direction. Hell, there even seems to be a greater proportion of pretty girls walking around...