Um, yes, so Shakhmatovo, the familial estate of my favorite poet (and ...um... dead Russian crush) Aleksandr Blok, is in fact open to the public. For you science geeks out there, Blok married Lyubov Dmitrievna, the daughter of Dmitri Mendeleev, who created the periodic table of the elements. I, however -- as a literature/mysticism geek, wannabe lover of Sophia, and depressive cynic -- feel far more kinship with Mr. Mendeleev's alcoholic son-in-law -- Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Blok. The tormented prophet! The poet who realized the problem of trying to incarnate the Eternal Feminine in the woman he married. The sublime prophet and decadent, depraved sinner! Ah, my love!
By the way, he also had beautifully curly hair. I am a sucker for the curly hair!
(Yes, I know that I am very strange.)
