Weather

The temperatures in Ufa have remained considerably warm since arriving.  Most days have been around 70 degrees F and nights closer to 55-60 F.  Today we made a point to spend as much time outside as possible.  First off, we made a trip up the street to find a laundry.  We were told of a dry cleaning business several blocks away that might do laundry.  We first walked up the street, found it and attempted to ask if they did laundry, including the charge. No luck.  We then walked back to the apartment and took the clothes to the dry cleaners to discuss the proposition. After a great deal of writing and motioning, we determined that it would be almost $50.00 for the bag of laundry so we decided against it. We walked the clothes back to the apartment.
Russian women and men look stylish as they walk.  Many, many people are out walking at all hours of the day and night.  Families with babies in strollers, couples, groups of university students, etc. Blue jeans are common for all ages although many women dress up wearing skirts or dresses and men can be seen dressed smartly in black pants and shirts. The sloppy look is not "in" here in Ufa. The young women often wear stiletto heels and short skirts or tight jeans.  "Muffin top" would not be found in the vocabulary here.  You see very few fat people.
I, on the other hand, am feeling pretty frumpy.  Misjudging the warm weather, I brought along only long sleeved shirts and wool sweaters.  When walking the city, it gets very hot so I decided to "improvise" today.  I wore the only tee shirt I brought, which says "Happy Halloween" on the front and and turned it inside out.  I cut off the tags in the back, it is black and the remaining white tag didn't look that bad...right?  I mean, as one often says while traveling..."I don't know anyone", and it can't be that obvious.
As we are out in the beautiful weather,  we catch a trolly to another part of the city to see the vegetable markets, etc. Riding along in the sunshine, I feel a tap on my back and a woman points to my shirt and starts speaking to me.  She is motioning that my shirt is inside out.  Embarrassed, I thank her in Russian. As the trolly moves through the city, we stay on while several people get on and off.  Shortly, I feel someone nudging me from behind.  I turn to see an elderly woman saying something to me.  She is pointing to my shirt and pulling on my tag.  I thank the woman in Russian for her observation, as she tells the man next to her "vodka, vodka, vodka" laughing and shaking her head.  The next stop was ours and where I purchased two new tee shirts, one white, one black.  I'm feeling more stylish already.