One of the weirdest places in central Moscow: the backyard of a music school on Prechistenka. There must've been stables there before, but now people live in these buildings - and there are probably a couple of artists' studios there as well.

Reminds me of Odessa a lot.

And of the spooky place where I lived in Iowa City during my first year there - Black's Gaslight Village on Brown St.

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I almost posted this, but then wandered off to find some photo of Gaslight Village or a story about it. Very few mentions, unfortunately, and no photos.

Found the Black Angel, however - here. I'm probably one of those few people who've never seen it up close.

Here's what the woman who took the picture wrote:

I too had many nocturnal visits to the Black Angel. It was just one of those things you had to experience, like Black's Gas Light Village, or Gabe's oasis. Those kind of memories are part of what made my Iowa City adventure so wonderful.

The Oakland Cemetery, where the Black Angel stands, is located at the end of Brown St.: I got lost on my way home one night in February 1997 and realized in the morning that I'd been walking in circles a block or so away from the cemetery, blissfully unaware of it. Another time, also late at night, my Gaslight Village neighbor was giving me driving lessons at some cemetery, and it could've been the Oakland Cemetery, but honestly, I've no idea.

Anyway, here's another photo that I've taken today at that weird place on Prechistenka - I wasn't planning to post it because it's out of focus, but after running into the Black Angel of Iowa City, I have to post what looks like the Yellow Angel of Moscow:



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Here's a cute link: Haunted Iowa City. Both the Gaslight Village and the Black Angel are on the map used by The Third Eye Over Iowa Ghost Hunters Club.

:)