On Skype and in e-mails I get recurring questions “aren’t you freezing there? How cold is it?” Well, it is 36 degrees Fahrenheit today… The lowest temperature during the last three weeks was 24 degrees… That - and a couple of inches of snow on the ground never prevented old people and mothers with little kids from enjoying daily walk in the park and even sitting on park benches after brushing off snow. The streets are bustling with people till late evening. Public transport, buses, trolleybuses and minibuses (large vans) cover the city with dense network operating around the clock. Ride costs $0.05 on trolley and $0.03 on a bus. Some of the minibuses operate on natural gas, with a battery of condensed gas stored on their roofs. Taxi ride costs $3.00 anywhere around the town. Most of the shops are open till at least 8:00 pm and some till 10:00 pm; grocery shops operate around the clock.
I moved out of the University guest-hotel and found a small apartment only 5-minutes leisurely walk to my office in the Building #20 of the University where Hydrogeology occupies whole fifth floor. About the campus, next time.