California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his host Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday went to a gym where the ex-actor and bodybuilder pumped iron with the Kremlin chief.
Schwarzenegger was in Russia with a delegation of high-tech executives after he promised Medvedev to help him with his plan to wean Russia off its dependence on oil and gas.
The two men’s gym visit took place after they talked business and addressed Russian and foreign executives at what Russia hopes would soon become a high-tech hub and its own equivalent of Silicon Valley just outside Moscow.
“With @Schwarzenegger we spoke not only about investments but also sport,” Medvedev wrote on his official Twitter page. “My every morning begins in a gym,” he added.
Medvedev was inspired to start his Twitter microblog when he visited California for talks with Schwarzenegger in June.
The blog also featured a picture of a smiling Schwarzenegger sitting on a weight machine with a beaming Medvedev standing by his side. The two wore their shirts and ties.
“Thx 4 good time training,” Schwarzenegger said on his blog.
Throughout the day the two men made much of their camaraderie complete with broad smiles, back-slapping and jokes, with Medvedev taking Schwarzenegger on a ride in a vintage GAZ Chaika Soviet luxury car.
Earlier in the day Medvedev jokingly offered the mayoral seat of Moscow to Schwarzenegger, repeating his joke twice, first at his Gorky residence and then at the Skolkovo business forum.
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