moscow stations

in the years since i last lived here, they have somehow managed to get the homeless people off the metro. i am not sure how it was done, but i cant say i am sorry. they used to sleep on the seats, especially on the circle line. the smell was absolutely horrendous, and it would stay with you for what seemed like ages even after you got off. sometimes the militsia or the metro babas would come and hit the bomzh on the head with their red paddles, but normally they just slept. often they were children, but sometimes they were adults or even old people.
but they are gone, for the most part.
the beggers who come and give pitiful speaches from one end of the train and then walk to the other end begging along the way are still very much in force. i even recognise some of them from three years ago, so i can only assume it must be a somewhat profitable occupation. the accordian players are still around as well, as are the gypsys at ohotni riad. and the first metro of the day is still filled with the most horrendously drunk people imaginable. one puked dangerously close to my feet just the other day. i, and every other sober person on the train, quickly bolted to the other end of the wagon. that was when one man somehow bumped into another and this started a major skandal. the two guys started fighting. first with words, then pushes, then finnally fists. one fell to the ground and rolled near the puke, while the other did the punching.
so i suppose some things have changed on the metro and some havent....