posted 10-07-2008 11:10 PM               

We joined a lot of people from NASA and a number of Europeans and Russians on Saturday evening at Shep’s Bar. This bar is in the cellar of one of the American cottages here at Star City. The astronaut Bill Shepherd, who was the first commander of the International Space Station, set up the bar when he was training here. There are benches, a margarita mixer, a jukebox and a piano; the walls are covered with photographs and astronauts’ signatures cover the bar. You can play table tennis or billiards, and if you crawl through a hole in the wall you find yourself in the gym!

Of course, there are no bar staff; if you want anything, you just take it from the fridge. Otherwise, it is quite like a friendly pub. I go there now and again, if there is a good film on, for example, or if there are special celebrations on one of the public holidays.