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Author Topic: Rostov on-Don  (Read 25560 times)

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Offline msmob

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #75 on: September 20, 2018, 01:04:16 AM »
'Some' people try to drive off decent mods - so perhaps you should be careful what you wish for ... ?

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #76 on: September 20, 2018, 11:41:31 AM »
The following morning I got a call and it was the reception that wanted me to know that my friends had arrived. They were early as I figured they would have to spend several hours at the border, especially considering what just happened a couple of days earlier. My first time meeting the couple are covered in the beginning here, so this time they came back after first returning to Donetsk for the night. And they brought with them a very special person. Their beautiful, almost 5 year old daughter. I came down to the lobby and greeted them and said hello to the little girl. She was a little shy at first, but that lasted only about 30 seconds and then she was like all children are supposed to be like; happy and full of energy and life.

I was happy to see them again and the feeling was mutual, indeed. I asked them to stay with me at the hotel for as long as possible. They could stay here for two nights, then they had to go back to tend to their work. I happily arranged for them to get a room, just across from my room and then we went out and had a walk by the river Don.

It was so quiet and safe. There were people along the riverbank, but not crowded. I could see that my new friends enjoyed the scene and the tranquility, a short break from the harsh realities of war in Donbass.

We went to a restaurant by the river and had foods and drinks. The small girl had really taken a like to me and could not get enough of silly playing with me at the table. For her, me not knowing Russian was no problem. She came to me, hugged and kissed me many times, it was very hearthwarming.

The following day we also went there. We took a ride with a boat and it was wonderful. Slowly sailing along the river looking at the sights. It was 25-28 degrees celcius and a warm breeze, like all the days in Rostov. We had some snacks and drinks on the boat and a guy took a photo of the little girl. That was to be as a magnet photo and gift for me.

We went back to the same restaurant and had a great meal. The husband teased her wife for always eating so much, much more than he could muster. I paid attention and found it so, haha. It is amazing because she is not at all with extra padding, but a beautiful, feminine figure that complements her pretty face and that at 45. This family are not as poor as many are in the Donbass area. They have jobs, even though the pay isn’t great, the extended family have a farm so they have meat and vegetables and fruit to sustain them. Not everybody is as fortunate as that, unfortunately.

Later on we all got into a taxi and drove off to a shopping centre. I could not believe the price of that drive and it was a pretty long drive, at least half an hour and it cost only somewhere over 200 rubles. Wonderwoman was also surprised and said it cost more in Donetsk. I got the feeling many things are a bit more expensive in Donbass than in Russia, maybe because of a mix of transportation costs and the effects of war. Gasoline cost 10% more, so they were careful to tank up before entering the border when they went into Russia. I paid attention to the gas prices in Russia and they were in the 45-47 ruble range for 1 litre of 95 octane.

So we went into the shopping mall. Yet again me and her husband, as we sat down at a bench while she and her daughter went into a shop, found common male ground in our feeling of boredom spending a long time in shops. It is really fantastic to see how much one can communicate by just a few common words and a lot of body language 

We had a wonderful two whole days together and it will stay as a fond memory for me as long as I live. They are a great family and are now like part of my own family. The feeling is mutual, I could sense it as well as they told me. Wonderwoman thanked me for helping them have such a great little holiday, away from all the stress at home. At one time when we were in the restaurant I asked her what their family thought about them spending time in Rostov-on-Don and she replied, “They think we are lucky”.

The next morning it was off to Platov airport to drop me there and for them to drive back to Donbass before dark….

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #77 on: September 20, 2018, 11:59:18 AM »

So I stood there and thought to myself, "OK, I remember the time when I asked my then prior Slovak ex what the equivalent of saying 'Mr & Mrs' in Slovak language for a card I wanted to send ther parents. She said to use 'Pan a Pani'. I looked at the doors and one door had 'Pani' and the other said "Dami'. Process of elimination right? I walked in the 'Dami' door. Walked right at the time Martina was just pulling her blue laced panties up in front of the mirror. Nice legs, too.!"

Haha, if in a situation like that, I think I would have chosen more wisely as "Dami" sonds pretty Close to the Norwegian Word for a lady, "Dame". So I would have chosen the other option, especially nowadays With the MeeToo thing so popular, haha.

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #78 on: September 20, 2018, 12:27:44 PM »
A few photos of Rostov-on-Don. The first photo is of the border crossing, back to Russia:

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #79 on: September 20, 2018, 12:31:36 PM »
....

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #80 on: September 20, 2018, 12:36:18 PM »
....

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #81 on: September 20, 2018, 12:39:39 PM »
Sorry about all the posts, but it's not easy to reduce the size of these photos, especially when it needs to be even smaller than explained here as max. size...

anyway...here's the shopping mall in Rostov-on-Don

Offline GQBlues

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #82 on: September 20, 2018, 12:58:07 PM »
...We had a wonderful two whole days together and it will stay as a fond memory for me as long as I live. They are a great family and are now like part of my own family. The feeling is mutual, I could sense it as well as they told me. Wonderwoman thanked me for helping them have such a great little holiday, away from all the stress at home. At one time when we were in the restaurant I asked her what their family thought about them spending time in Rostov-on-Don and she replied, “They think we are lucky”.

The next morning it was off to Platov airport to drop me there and for them to drive back to Donbass before dark….


That jumped right out for me. Indeed, not only because of the respite, but more in getting to know, and spending time with, someone like you!
Quote from: msmob
1. Because of 'man', global warming is causing desert and arid areas to suffer long, dry spell.
2. The 2018 Camp Fire and Woolsey California wildfires are forests burning because of global warming.
3. N95 mask will choke you dead after 30 min. of use.

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #83 on: September 20, 2018, 02:15:47 PM »

That jumped right out for me. Indeed, not only because of the respite, but more in getting to know, and spending time with, someone like you!

Thank you man, that warms my heart to hear. You get me and my story and we might have more in common as both my sisters-in-Law speaks Tagalog :-)

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #84 on: September 20, 2018, 03:04:51 PM »
There were a discussion earlier on in this thread about Language and about what the Level is in Russia right now.
I'm no expert and I'd say an expat living for years in Russia is a valuable asset to listen to.

But speaking for myself and my brief ins and outs of Russia; the Level of English proficiency is overall pretty low. As a pro-Russian, I'd like it to be better, but it is what it is. Ocassionally I came across someone With a very good knowledge of English and I was always thrilled, because it's so rare and it was also an opportunity to really understand Russia and Russians. At least somewhat and according to the individual I was talking With.

But I also got the feeling that the Russians I talked With really WANT to talk English, be be understood and carry on a conversation. That they had learned English at School to some extent, but that it fell away as time went by and of lack of practise.

I think that a lot more effort should be made to teach Russian children English and in one way or another, to have a way that they can maintain and practise what they have learned. I think that the saying applies here; use it or lose it.

Wonderwoman said she'd like to learn Norwegian. I was Charmed, but told her it would be a better use of her time to learn English as it is spoken by hundreds of millions of People, whereas Norwegian is spoken by just 5.3 million and most Swedes and Danes don't understand us even though we understand them, haha. . After Our time together, she said she had decided to enroll her little girl into preliminary English classes and sent me a video of the princess saying a greeting to me in English :-)

My own 5-year old boy who is still in Kindergarten and very much into LEGO, watching LEGO programmes on Youtube, often American, out of the blue talks to us in English. A very charming accent, but it is indeed English :-)

I have no doubt my boy will learn English very well, at School and from me, but I'd wish his mother would be more interested in him Learning Russian. Everybody here knows English, but Russian...now, that's rare.
And Russian is also spoken by hundreds of millions.


Offline GQBlues

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #85 on: September 20, 2018, 03:57:30 PM »
Thank you man, that warms my heart to hear. You get me and my story and we might have more in common as both my sisters-in-Law speaks Tagalog :-)


You're welcome. Tell your SILs Mahal Kita, they'll love you forever. Then ask for chicken adobo..;-P
Quote from: msmob
1. Because of 'man', global warming is causing desert and arid areas to suffer long, dry spell.
2. The 2018 Camp Fire and Woolsey California wildfires are forests burning because of global warming.
3. N95 mask will choke you dead after 30 min. of use.

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #86 on: September 20, 2018, 05:32:27 PM »

You're welcome. Tell your SILs Mahal Kita, they'll love you forever. Then ask for chicken adobo..;-P

Will try that one online, haha. These two women, just about the most caring and wonderful person anyone can know. Great Cooks too. One of them had her father come up here in the North. His first flight ever. He had a great time and she showed him around everywhere on Our island, he was smiling, happy and a great man of well over 70. I'm happy for him, her and us. Family is everything, right?

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #87 on: September 27, 2018, 04:23:21 AM »
As we were in the lobby and checked out of the hotel, I noticed two guys in uniforms and guns. They were filling up the ATM. No big deal for many nationals, but for me it is different. Even the people who do that work are not armed in Norway.

It took about 50 minutes to drive to the airport. We said our goodbyes, or rather Au Revoir, and I went into the terminal building. The Platov airport is new, it opened in December 2017 and have a capacity of 5 million per year. It is not big, but new, nice and modern.

They have security checks at the entrance. As I emptied my pockets, the security man wondered what that black box are. I made a movement towards my mouth saying nicotine. It’s snuff, if that’s the correct translation in English. He was okay with that info and let me go on.

Had to stand in line at the Aeroflot office as I had to pay extra for changing the date on my ticket to Moscow. Was a little over 5000 rubles extra. Then went down and checked in electronically and got the boarding pass. But there were no baggage drop, so I did that manually. Walked around a little there on the ground floor. But eventually decided to go through the security check-point. Good idea, more to see there. I had several hours to kill, so sat down, watched the ground crew work on the tarmac. They had these bean bags lying around by the windows and I jumped in one of these. Very comfortable and a great idea for an airport.

But I couldn’t just sit all the time so I went for a walkabout. Had a 5-minute massage in a massage chair. Very good. Cost 50 rubles. Then I went to a bar/restaurant and ordered some vodka and Coke. One of the two young girls working there, knew some English. Pretty, petite girls and I couldn’t resist, as I were leaving, telling one of the as I pointed to her and her collegue, “Krasiva”. She smiled and said Spasiba 

The flight was fine and we landed in Sheremetyevo at around 2100 local time.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2018, 06:28:59 AM by The Natural »

Offline BC

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #88 on: September 27, 2018, 04:40:26 AM »
WOW... ROV has changed a lot..  thanks for the pics!!

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #89 on: September 27, 2018, 05:19:21 AM »
WOW... ROV has changed a lot..  thanks for the pics!!

I'm glad you liked it, but you might want to take another look at the photos, as they were mirrored and I have now corrected them.

Offline BC

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #90 on: September 27, 2018, 05:27:31 AM »
yes, even nicer! LOL

the first still seems reversed... I was thinking UK the way the cars and vans were wrongly pointing :)

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #91 on: September 27, 2018, 06:26:27 AM »
yes, even nicer! LOL

the first still seems reversed... I was thinking UK the way the cars and vans were wrongly pointing :)

You are observant and...correct. Didn't bother to correct the first photo as it wasn't sooo different, like the others, haha. Might do it anyway.
Done. Now they should all reflect the reality, haha.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2018, 06:30:22 AM by The Natural »

Offline GQBlues

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #92 on: October 01, 2018, 11:39:39 AM »
...
As we were in the lobby and checked out of the hotel, I noticed two guys in uniforms and guns. They were filling up the ATM. No big deal for many nationals, but for me it is different. Even the people who do that work are not armed in Norway....


I never laid witness to re-filling 'isolated' ATMs in the US (as most are located within a bank structure), but methinks it'll be no different than the protocol involving armored trucks and armed security personnel making receipt retrievals.


There's something wrong with you Norwegians  :P
Quote from: msmob
1. Because of 'man', global warming is causing desert and arid areas to suffer long, dry spell.
2. The 2018 Camp Fire and Woolsey California wildfires are forests burning because of global warming.
3. N95 mask will choke you dead after 30 min. of use.

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #93 on: October 01, 2018, 12:32:42 PM »

I never laid witness to re-filling 'isolated' ATMs in the US (as most are located within a bank structure), but methinks it'll be no different than the protocol involving armored trucks and armed security personnel making receipt retrievals.


There's something wrong with you Norwegians  :P

Yeah, we're well know for being too trusting and naive, haha

Offline Nightwish

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #94 on: October 01, 2018, 01:00:57 PM »
Yeah, we're well know for being too trusting and naive, haha
don't worry, we are the same here.. :p
Multitasking means screwing up several things at once.

Offline msmob

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #95 on: October 01, 2018, 01:20:06 PM »

I never laid witness to re-filling 'isolated' ATMs in the US (as most are located within a bank structure), but methinks it'll be no different than the protocol involving armored trucks and armed security personnel making receipt retrievals.


There's something wrong with you Norwegians  :P

.. and Brits..    Security guards carrying firearms ...? Gawd help us ...


Offline GQBlues

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #96 on: October 01, 2018, 03:06:28 PM »
« Last Edit: October 01, 2018, 08:57:38 PM by GQBlues »
Quote from: msmob
1. Because of 'man', global warming is causing desert and arid areas to suffer long, dry spell.
2. The 2018 Camp Fire and Woolsey California wildfires are forests burning because of global warming.
3. N95 mask will choke you dead after 30 min. of use.

Offline The Natural

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Re: Rostov on-Don
« Reply #97 on: October 02, 2018, 12:09:06 AM »
Robberies of those filling the ATM's have happened several times over the years. It is a continious public debate wether to permanently arm the police and other staff, or not. Our societies aren't as safe as they used to be, with mafia-like groups coming in from certain areas and countries.
Here in the countryside we are aware of vans driving around with plates from the Baltics or Poland. They drive around and look for houses to break into and steal.

 

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