New Ice Breaker from Saint Petersburg

[msmob]

...and there is a category that thinks that no matter what you do, no matter whom you support or don't support - it will make no difference to the final result of an election process. It may seem like we make decisions when in fact everything may have  already been decided.

ML will not believe you - he believes you are 'brain-washed' !

Sadly, any Russian that turns up and asks how you are perceived are 'guilty' ...

[Nightwish]

Anyway, I am thinking of coming to St. Petersburg in a few months Elena. Are you currently single and looking for a WM?

  you do realize she can read up on you on this forum? Do you think you come across as a real catch here? This is a serious question, do you think you have made a good impression here?

and, she has a child, you dont want that. She is 26, so to young. She wears a long dress in the picture, you only want ladies wearing short skirts. 
and that was just skimming the surface on all your quirks... you are a moron and comes across as a misogynist sex tourist in most of your post - I hope she don't want that.

oh.. and Welcome here Elena 

[ML]

Sadly, any Russian that turns up and asks how you are perceived are 'guilty' ...

But she did not show up and merely ask how are you.

In her first post she said:  "What is your attitude to/opinion of the life and people over here?"

And now in her latest post she said: ". . . I would really prefer to omit those words such as "seized" and "invaded", use other verbs instead . . . saving people from being destroyed has nothing to do with invasion. . . ."

This gives clear indication that she supports the terrorist Russian invasion of Ukraine that has lead to the loss of over 10,000 lives.

Some of the lost lives were of Russian soldiers who are now buried in Russia without having had any sort of honorable burial rites.  She even accepts this sort of behavior by Russians against Russians.

[msmob]

Ah now we see the true Elena.  And we can observe how well the brainwashing has occurred.

No - you'll see just how 'foxy' VVP and those controlling the big four networks have been ...  Russians think WE deposed a saintly President

There were no persons there who were in any danger of being destroyed by Ukraine or Ukrainians.
Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers were always in the majority and were absolutely in no danger from anything.

ML... people have been bumping ff each other for political and 'biziness ' reasons in UA before and after Yanu' had to escape justice for his family raiding the coffers of the state.

When Yanu' ran and Poroshenko and co took over it WAS represented by a high percentage of rather extreme nationalists and some of them proposed banning Russian... 

They played RIGHT into Moscow's hands and Crimea was whipped away from under their noses - a long planned stunt - that has diverted attention away from the economic woes.

I have been several times to Crimea and Donbas before the invasion and seizure by Russian terrorists.

So have I and probably more recently than you and I CAN understand Russian considerably better than you.

We - the west - played right into the hands of the Kremlin - who had long suggested 'we' sought to 'control Kyiv' and even had desires on turning Crimea into a NATO base ))

How Yanu' was removed - even though his own Party of Regions disowned him was played on - heavily - by Moscow- as 'illegal' .... speaking of 'Nazis' and 'Juntas' ...

IF you'd been to Crimea with your eyes and eyes open you'd have seen that most folks spoke Russian - in the Russian way and still felt Russian .....   There was - of course - no way - with 30K service personnel on the peninsula that folks there were under 'threat' and the take over WAS military - followed by a 'referendum' that was NO WAY 97 percent - but was always going to be a majority - based on ethnicity

Donbas is indeed another story ... without doubt the GRU helped to break open UA police armouries and troops from  Piter were speaking in to locals using a term for pavement used in Leningradsky Oblast ...NOT Donbas.... Families have been split and ended up fighting on different sides...   

Now with control by Russian terrorists there already has been Ukrainian and Tatar people destroyed and will continue to be destroyed.
Now Ukrainian schools are not allowed in Crimea; even as Russian schools were previously allowed.
Very good job of brainwashing . . . we will all admit.

What is sad is the polarisation between folks who were waving Ukrainian flags in Donbas in 2012 - Euro Footie finals - and watching the destruction of the new airport and other infrastructure Ukraine has invested . The old folks caught in the cross-fire - too infirm to move

Does/ did  Russia cover the true situation - with Party of Regions politicians removing 'DNR' flags and the disappearance of those objecting to their bully-boy tactics ( Councillor Vlodomir Rybak ) ... ? ..No ...

Ukrainians and Russians see what their respective govts want them to see  - never both sides...

Should we be blaming Elena - in Piter - for all of this on her intro thread ? ..

[Trenchcoat]

Oh yeah, passed over that Nightwish I just went straight to the photo's of the aforementioned hottie

Anyway, what has happened to Boethius's last post on here she was taking a swipe at Moby's expert cap quite nicely

Seriously though this is why I don't engage in talk about the conflict when communicating with a woman unless she raises it herself in which case I leave her to do the talking as its not something I am close to or have any understanding of beyond the broad outline. It can quickly get heavy and all of a sudden like here have gone from discussing dating to the less than leisurely talk of politics & warfare. That stuff can all be left till later in the relationship I think. For me I'm not going to cut down the field further by bringing politics of any sort into it.

I very much subscribe to the old Victorian notion of not discussing politics with ladies

[BillyB]

I very much subscribe to the old Victorian notion of not discussing politics with ladies

First few dates, refrain from talking politics but you better get a good understanding of a woman before you marry her. People who have differing views of how the world should work will be hating each other.

[Elena020118]

Do you believe it's a good idea that a man spends time building a solid friendship online,  Skype, phone calls etc.... before he decides to meet a woman he's interested in?
Obviously every situation is different, but  how long would it take you to feel he's a genuine man and agree to meet him?

How do you view a man who writes to several women and visits them all on the same trip?
Would it be important to you that he is honest and lets you know you're not the only woman he is interested in?

Would you feel uncomfortable meeting a man for the first time in your city, when there's potential that you may run into friends and family during a date?

Would you marry a man you have strong feelings for, but have only met several times? or do you believe it's important to take things slow with such an important decision?

Lastly, what challenges do you face when
dating in Russia as a single mother?
Is it difficult to find genuine family orientated men in your city?

Thank you )

If you aren't comfortable answering any of my  questions it's OK, I wont be offended

Well. In my opinion in case you are interested in someone who you plan on spending quite a long period of time and maybe money, you should definitely get in touch via various means of communication. Would you hire someone without a couple of interviews? Nowadays not only is it hard to find people you can trust and rely on, but people and their interests change with time. It is necessary to find out mutual interests, real appearance and voice, learn about the person you are interested in. Otherwise surprises may arise.

As for me meeting people in person is not a problem. I don't consider each and everyone as a potential husband or a father of my future children. Of course I need at least a couple of days of chatting in order to find out if the person is adequate and there are topics for us to discuss. I also like to see his appearance as it can also tell me a lot.

A man who writes to several women and wants to see them on the same trip should better keep it secret from each of those women. It is completely normal that we aim to choose the best of the best for ourselves, but in case of looking for a job it can be a good thing to tell an interviewer that you've got some other options, in case of choosing a woman for a serious relationship we deal with personal feelings and if I were to get that kind of information I would prefer somebody who values me and only me. If you ever speak of other women you show your interest in them and why would I need that if I consider myself unique? Better not to let them know that you see someone else on the same trip.

I am absolutely fine meeting people in my city even if I can run into somebody I know, it is not forbidden or illegal, if we are not doing anything inappropriate then why would I bother?

Now as I went through a marriage and a divorce in Russia I would prefer taking it slow, because in my experience I just had lots of paperwork. I must be sure the man is going to take responsibility over me and our child. Most men over here can hardly be responsible for themselves. That is why so many women raise children on their own.

Challenges? Well... men don't like to take responsibility. Russian women are those who raised children without men after the World War II and even now there is a majority of those who are basically "married" to their moms. Or they keep it slow having women do a lot for them until we get tired of it and give up. Lots of those who smoke and drink and have fun with many women at the same time, cheat on women. Some have psychological issues or are just rude. Really hard to choose. My friends from foreign countries who married foreign men say there is much more respect for women out there. I hope they know better. I am pretty sure the lack of the Sunshine and the way men are raised make it the way it is over here. Geniune men are rather shy to do serious steps. I would say most would like to get instead of giving.

Ah now we see the true Elena.  And we can observe how well the brainwashing has occurred.

I have been several times to Crimea and Donbas before the invasion and seizure by Russian terrorists.
There were no persons there who were in any danger of being destroyed by Ukraine or Ukrainians.
Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers were always in the majority and were absolutely in no danger from anything.
Ukraine fully allowed Russian schools and never discriminated against anything Russian; and Ukraine couldn't even if it wanted to because of the Russian majority.
Now with control by Russian terrorists there already has been Ukrainian and Tatar people destroyed and will continue to be destroyed.
Now Ukrainian schools are not allowed in Crimea; even as Russian schools were previously allowed.
Very good job of brainwashing . . . we will all admit.

No danger was it before the whole thing started. I am not going to get into further discussions, there are lots of people who were killed for nothing who lost everything and under no circumstances is it okay in the modern world.

The first Ukrainian girl from Mariupol I met did not wish to associate with the conflict. She just wanted to find the right guy to live her life with. According to her it was more of a conflict between rival oligarchs fighting for power. She had no time for it.
The second and last girl I met from Nikolaev & Kherson respectively said little of the conflict. I tend not to raise it or discuss it much going with the old adage of be best to avoid discussing potentially sensitive political matters and the like.

Anyway, I am thinking of coming to St. Petersburg in a few months Elena. Are you currently single and looking for a WM?

I absolutely agree. Those who rule the world can play any games and of course that can influence the whole world and people's relationships and general attitude to each other. We will never know the real truth, we can have our judgement from where we are located. As for me it is important to not get into those tricky discussions. Life is too short to waste it on negative stuff.

Well, Welcome to our city, my friend

you do realize she can read up on you on this forum? Do you think you come across as a real catch here? This is a serious question, do you think you have made a good impression here?

and, she has a child, you dont want that. She is 26, so to young. She wears a long dress in the picture, you only want ladies wearing short skirts. 
and that was just skimming the surface on all your quirks... you are a moron and comes across as a misogynist sex tourist in most of your post - I hope she don't want that.

oh.. and Welcome here Elena 

  thank you for making me laugh. )))) Guys, you really cheer me up!!! Lol

No - you'll see just how 'foxy' VVP and those controlling the big four networks have been ...  Russians think WE deposed a saintly President


ML... people have been bumping ff each other for political and 'biziness ' reasons in UA before and after Yanu' had to escape justice for his family raiding the coffers of the state.

When Yanu' ran and Poroshenko and co took over it WAS represented by a high percentage of rather extreme nationalists and some of them proposed banning Russian... 

They played RIGHT into Moscow's hands and Crimea was whipped away from under their noses - a long planned stunt - that has diverted attention away from the economic woes.

So have I and probably more recently than you and I CAN understand Russian considerably better than you.

We - the west - played right into the hands of the Kremlin - who had long suggested 'we' sought to 'control Kyiv' and even had desires on turning Crimea into a NATO base ))

How Yanu' was removed - even though his own Party of Regions disowned him was played on - heavily - by Moscow- as 'illegal' .... speaking of 'Nazis' and 'Juntas' ...

IF you'd been to Crimea with your eyes and eyes open you'd have seen that most folks spoke Russian - in the Russian way and still felt Russian .....   There was - of course - no way - with 30K service personnel on the peninsula that folks there were under 'threat' and the take over WAS military - followed by a 'referendum' that was NO WAY 97 percent - but was always going to be a majority - based on ethnicity

Donbas is indeed another story ... without doubt the GRU helped to break open UA police armouries and troops from  Piter were speaking in to locals using a term for pavement used in Leningradsky Oblast ...NOT Donbas.... Families have been split and ended up fighting on different sides...   


What is sad is the polarisation between folks who were waving Ukrainian flags in Donbas in 2012 - Euro Footie finals - and watching the destruction of the new airport and other infrastructure Ukraine has invested . The old folks caught in the cross-fire - too infirm to move

Does/ did  Russia cover the true situation - with Party of Regions politicians removing 'DNR' flags and the disappearance of those objecting to their bully-boy tactics ( Councillor Vlodomir Rybak ) ... ? ..No ...

Ukrainians and Russians see what their respective govts want them to see  - never both sides...

Should we be blaming Elena - in Piter - for all of this on her intro thread ? ..

Perfect. I have nothing to add.

Oh yeah, passed over that Nightwish I just went straight to the photo's of the aforementioned hottie

Anyway, what has happened to Boethius's last post on here she was taking a swipe at Moby's expert cap quite nicely

Seriously though this is why I don't engage in talk about the conflict when communicating with a woman unless she raises it herself in which case I leave her to do the talking as its not something I am close to or have any understanding of beyond the broad outline. It can quickly get heavy and all of a sudden like here have gone from discussing dating to the less than leisurely talk of politics & warfare. That stuff can all be left till later in the relationship I think. For me I'm not going to cut down the field further by bringing politics of any sort into it.

I very much subscribe to the old Victorian notion of not discussing politics with ladies

Let's turn to other discussions. Propose topics, ask questions. And again, thank all of you for being here with me.

[Trenchcoat]

I also like to see his appearance as it can also tell me a lot.

Why what does his appearance tell you?

[BillyB]

Challenges? Well... men don't like to take responsibility. Russian women are those who raised children without men after the World War II and even now there is a majority of those who are basically "married" to their moms. Or they keep it slow having women do a lot for them until we get tired of it and give up. Lots of those who smoke and drink and have fun with many women at the same time, cheat on women. Some have psychological issues or are just rude. Really hard to choose.

I'm sure there are many good men in Russia but they're probably in high demand and quickly married. In your opinion, what percent of Russian men do you consider being REAL MEN?

My friends from foreign countries who married foreign men say there is much more respect for women out there.

That may be true but you still have to choose the man that is a good match for you. As you've probably read, men here think differently and have different attitudes.

[jone]

I am not one for the grammar police, but I do recognize good English writing skills when I see them (comparatively better than many native English speaking posters on this forum).  Please share with us where you learned your English skills ....

[Anotherkiwi]

I am not one for the grammar police, but I do recognize good English writing skills when I see them (comparatively better than many native English speaking posters on this forum).  Please share with us where you learned your English skills ....

As a paid-up member of the grammar police, I too noticed this right from the start!

[JayH]

, I too noticed this right from the start!

So did I -- anyone arriving from that location has my attention ! But-- I wanted to wait to see what unfolds .

[Trenchcoat]

Me too I noticed the English was well composed but am interested in response to said question.

[BillyB]

It's possible some RW know English and proper grammar well. Lily is one. If you're worried about being fooled, have management check out the OP's IP address.

[Anotherkiwi]

What about New Zealand? It is a very beautiful country with marvellous landscapes judging from pictures in the Internet. How is life over there? What are places of attraction and sights that you could recommend visiting?

Life is wonderful, apart from the horrendous sub-tropical storm which has just devastated much of the country.  While the USA has had Grayson, and the UK and Ireland have had Eleanor, we have had one that didn't rate a name but still killed a woman by dropping a tree on her car as she drove along a suburban street.    Many places have had floods that are the worst seen in 30 or 50 years.

However... as you say, New Zealand is a very beautiful country.  Many years ago, what was then our Tourist and Publicity Department (now the Ministry of Tourism) ran an advertising campaign called "Don't leave town 'til you've seen the country."  It was aimed at New Zealanders who wanted to see tourist attractions overseas, but who didn't realise just how much there is to see in their own country.  There are simply so many things to see that I could spend all night writing a list!  Cutting it down, though, and travelling from north to south, I would highlight:

1. Cape Reinga - the northernmost point of New Zealand which has public access (North Cape is further north, but is on private land).  This is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea, and is the mythological jumping-off point for the spirits of dead Maori to leave the land for the underworld.

2. Bay of Islands - considered by world-famous author Zane Grey, who had a fishing lodge there, to have the finest views in the world.  The Treaty of Waitangi (New Zealand's founding document, although not a Constitution as such) was first signed in the grounds of what is now called the Treaty House.

3. Auckland - built on over 50 (extinct  ) volcanoes, New Zealand's largest city has dozens of attractions which too many visitors bypass on their way to other parts of the country.  The Skytower, the War Memorial Museum, Museum of Transport and Technology, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World, Bastion Point, Mt Eden, Rangitoto and Waiheke Islands are probably top of the list - we also have a great zoo, but so do many other places.  There is a hop-on, hop-off Explorer bus which does a circuit of all these sites.

4. Waitomo Caves - amazing rock formations, topped off by a boat trip along an underground river through the world's greatest collection of glow-worms.

5. Hobbiton - if you're a fan of the "Lord of the Rings" films, this purpose-built village near Matamata is a must-see.

6. Rotorua - number one tourist destination in the North Island, and the home of Maori culture and displays for tourists (and I mean that in a good way).

7. Taupo - New Zealand's largest lake has its namesake town at the north end and the three Central Plateau volcanoes (one extinct, two occasionally active) at the south end.  Mt Ruapehu is home to the North Island's skifields.

8. Napier - Art Deco capital of the world, whatever other cities might claim.  A devastating earthquake in 1931 killed hundreds of people in Napier and Hastings, and much of Napier was rebuilt in the Art Deco style which was so popular at the time.

9. Wellington - capital city, with lots of hills and MUCH windier than Chicago!  Home to the unique Beehive (Government office building next to the Houses of Parliament) and Te Papa Tongarewa (the National Museum of New Zealand) amongst many other attractions.  Absolutely compulsory to visit this if you're in the city.

10. Marlborough Sounds - possibly the best example of a drowned coastline in the world, at the top of the South Island.  A 3-4 hour ferry trip across Cook Strait from Wellington.  You probably need to use a boat for two or three days to get the full effect.  If you're an experienced diver, the wreck of the Russian cruise liner "Mikhail Lermontov" is in reasonably shallow water and is a very popular destination.

11. Kaikoura - home to some of the world's best whale- and dolphin-watching tours.  Devastated by an earthquake in November 2016, the main highways north and south have only recently been reopened.

12. Christchurch - biggest city in the South Island.  Huge earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 killed many people, flattened much of the central business district, and destroyed or damaged thousands of homes.  The city is gradually rebuilding but, even after all this time, there is a lot still to be done.  Christchurch Cathedral was probably the most-visited attraction - it now lies in ruins, although there are still plans to rebuild it (in the face of Government opposition, which would prefer it to be completely demolished and replaced).

13. Queenstown - tourist capital of the South Island.  Many attractions in and around the city, including Coronet Peak skifield, the Earnslaw paddle steamer on Lake Wakatipu and the Shotover Jet speedboat rides.

14. Milford Sound - spectacular views in the most-visited part of Fiordland.  You can drive, fly or walk there (the Milford Track is a four-day trek).  A word of warning, though - the sandflies are more than a nuisance!  Take your insect repellent. 

Speaking of all those political stuff… I would really prefer to omit those words such as "seized" and "invaded", use other verbs instead.

Why?  It's what happened.  Russia agreed to the sovereignty of Ukraine's borders in the Budapest Memorandum, and then cynically ignored its own undertakings.  That is not...

...just one point of view which was generated by mass media on one side of the globe wanting people to think exactly this way

...We used to be the same goverment not so long ago, people in Crimea are and have always been more like russians as those in the Donbass I guess maybe because they are close to us by territory at least.

There are many other countries in the world which have people of the same ethnicity but which do NOT invade each other to "protect" that group.

So saving people from being destroyed has nothing to do with invasion. That is just a different point of view to consider which is never going to be broadcasted on TV anywhere abroad. Mass Media has large influence on whole nations. It is always best to keep your head out of this mess.

I have been several times to Crimea and Donbas before the invasion and seizure by Russian terrorists.

There were no persons there who were in any danger of being destroyed by Ukraine or Ukrainians.
Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers were always in the majority and were absolutely in no danger from anything.
Ukraine fully allowed Russian schools and never discriminated against anything Russian; and Ukraine couldn't even if it wanted to because of the Russian majority.
Now with control by Russian terrorists there already has been Ukrainian and Tatar people destroyed and will continue to be destroyed.
Now Ukrainian schools are not allowed in Crimea; even as Russian schools were previously allowed.

As ML wrote in reply to you earlier.  I would love to keep my head out of this mess, but it's one which your government created by its illegal actions and will therefore influence my decision on whether or not I visit Russia again.  However, it's not just Russia - there are other countries which, for various reasons, I won't visit either.

[whynotme]

It's possible some RW know English and proper grammar well. Lily is one. If you're worried about being fooled, have management check out the OP's IP address.

Paranoia rules No doubt, Elena, you are a paid Kremlin troll.

[jone]

Paranoia rules No doubt, Elena, you are a paid Kremlin troll.

No one here is accusing Lena of being a troll.  I was impressed with her English skills and asked where she received her training.  It is a a fair question and certainly was not asked in anything other than passing interest.

[Elena020118]

Why what does his appearance tell you?

The appearance tells a lot about its owner. It is mostly about the face: eyes, the way one smiles, teeth.. it's difficult enough to explain, but I suppose it is obvious, that when you look at someone you can tell if a person is kind or rude and strict, if he or she is happy or not, if he or she is able of being agressive or even cruel, it is possible to predict some traits of character. A lot can be predicted through photos. A lot, but not everything of course.
Later, when you get to know each other in person, you may see, hear and feel a lot more: gestures, voice, smell, but it all starts with the first impression. So many times I met loving couples who looked alike. They were truly in love and their faces would copy each other's facial expressions and become similar even if they looked completely different at first. This only means that our psyche likes to copy what is pleasant for us.

I'm sure there are many good men in Russia but they're probably in high demand and quickly married. In your opinion, what percent of Russian men do you consider being REAL MEN?

That may be true but you still have to choose the man that is a good match for you. As you've probably read, men here think differently and have different attitudes.

Real men... there are many criteria when it comes to consideration. But the majority of my friends in Saint Petersburg who are mothers now have to cope on their own most of the time. That fact alone speaks for itself. It turns out that women take responsibility and find ways to survive with their child. Usually women cannot get back to work until their child goes to a kindergarten which is not until the age of three (provided that your child gets a place by that time). The first year at kindergarten is also a hard time. So if you have no family who can help you with the child, you are screwed.

What are your criteria of a REAL MAN? Can you describe?

I am not one for the grammar police, but I do recognize good English writing skills when I see them (comparatively better than many native English speaking posters on this forum).  Please share with us where you learned your English skills ....

I studied at two schools: with advanced studies in arts and advanced studies in English, I chose it as one of my Unified State Exams when I graduated. I have practiced it since then and that's it. I wanted to become an interpreter or a tour guide, because l felt like I am gifted in understanding foreign languages. But I managed to graduate as an engineer and fell in love. But well, thank you who noticed that, I will take it as a compliment.

It's possible some RW know English and proper grammar well. Lily is one. If you're worried about being fooled, have management check out the OP's IP address.

If you are worried about anything, it is no problem for me to start replying in russian. However, I doubt we will be ready for constructive conversation
I hope I satisfied everyone's interest in my English language skills. Though I think there is always much to learn and it is never enough when it comes to foreign languages.

P.S Anotherkiwi, if you are reading me, I will reply to you later, your post is a huge one. I have to sleep now.

[Anotherkiwi]

P.S Anotherkiwi, if you are reading me, I will reply to you later, your post is a huge one. I have to sleep now.

Considering it's now 2.53 am in Saint Petersburg, I should hope so!

I'll look forward to your response.

[Elena020118]

Life is wonderful, apart from the horrendous sub-tropical storm which has just devastated much of the country.  While the USA has had Grayson, and the UK and Ireland have had Eleanor, we have had one that didn't rate a name but still killed a woman by dropping a tree on her car as she drove along a suburban street.    Many places have had floods that are the worst seen in 30 or 50 years.

However... as you say, New Zealand is a very beautiful country.  Many years ago, what was then our Tourist and Publicity Department (now the Ministry of Tourism) ran an advertising campaign called "Don't leave town 'til you've seen the country."  It was aimed at New Zealanders who wanted to see tourist attractions overseas, but who didn't realise just how much there is to see in their own country.  There are simply so many things to see that I could spend all night writing a list!  Cutting it down, though, and travelling from north to south, I would highlight:

1. Cape Reinga - the northernmost point of New Zealand which has public access (North Cape is further north, but is on private land).  This is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea, and is the mythological jumping-off point for the spirits of dead Maori to leave the land for the underworld.

2. Bay of Islands - considered by world-famous author Zane Grey, who had a fishing lodge there, to have the finest views in the world.  The Treaty of Waitangi (New Zealand's founding document, although not a Constitution as such) was first signed in the grounds of what is now called the Treaty House.

3. Auckland - built on over 50 (extinct  ) volcanoes, New Zealand's largest city has dozens of attractions which too many visitors bypass on their way to other parts of the country.  The Skytower, the War Memorial Museum, Museum of Transport and Technology, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World, Bastion Point, Mt Eden, Rangitoto and Waiheke Islands are probably top of the list - we also have a great zoo, but so do many other places.  There is a hop-on, hop-off Explorer bus which does a circuit of all these sites.

4. Waitomo Caves - amazing rock formations, topped off by a boat trip along an underground river through the world's greatest collection of glow-worms.

5. Hobbiton - if you're a fan of the "Lord of the Rings" films, this purpose-built village near Matamata is a must-see.

6. Rotorua - number one tourist destination in the North Island, and the home of Maori culture and displays for tourists (and I mean that in a good way).

7. Taupo - New Zealand's largest lake has its namesake town at the north end and the three Central Plateau volcanoes (one extinct, two occasionally active) at the south end.  Mt Ruapehu is home to the North Island's skifields.

8. Napier - Art Deco capital of the world, whatever other cities might claim.  A devastating earthquake in 1931 killed hundreds of people in Napier and Hastings, and much of Napier was rebuilt in the Art Deco style which was so popular at the time.

9. Wellington - capital city, with lots of hills and MUCH windier than Chicago!  Home to the unique Beehive (Government office building next to the Houses of Parliament) and Te Papa Tongarewa (the National Museum of New Zealand) amongst many other attractions.  Absolutely compulsory to visit this if you're in the city.

10. Marlborough Sounds - possibly the best example of a drowned coastline in the world, at the top of the South Island.  A 3-4 hour ferry trip across Cook Strait from Wellington.  You probably need to use a boat for two or three days to get the full effect.  If you're an experienced diver, the wreck of the Russian cruise liner "Mikhail Lermontov" is in reasonably shallow water and is a very popular destination.

11. Kaikoura - home to some of the world's best whale- and dolphin-watching tours.  Devastated by an earthquake in November 2016, the main highways north and south have only recently been reopened.

12. Christchurch - biggest city in the South Island.  Huge earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 killed many people, flattened much of the central business district, and destroyed or damaged thousands of homes.  The city is gradually rebuilding but, even after all this time, there is a lot still to be done.  Christchurch Cathedral was probably the most-visited attraction - it now lies in ruins, although there are still plans to rebuild it (in the face of Government opposition, which would prefer it to be completely demolished and replaced).

13. Queenstown - tourist capital of the South Island.  Many attractions in and around the city, including Coronet Peak skifield, the Earnslaw paddle steamer on Lake Wakatipu and the Shotover Jet speedboat rides.

14. Milford Sound - spectacular views in the most-visited part of Fiordland.  You can drive, fly or walk there (the Milford Track is a four-day trek).  A word of warning, though - the sandflies are more than a nuisance!  Take your insect repellent. 

Why?  It's what happened.  Russia agreed to the sovereignty of Ukraine's borders in the Budapest Memorandum, and then cynically ignored its own undertakings.  That is not...

There are many other countries in the world which have people of the same ethnicity but which do NOT invade each other to "protect" that group.

As ML wrote in reply to you earlier.  I would love to keep my head out of this mess, but it's one which your government created by its illegal actions and will therefore influence my decision on whether or not I visit Russia again.  However, it's not just Russia - there are other countries which, for various reasons, I won't visit either.

Sorry to hear about the storm. I wonder where the safest place in the world could be. How do they give those names to storms, according to what?

1.Is it where the Tasmanian devil comes from? I remember a cartoon with him.
Who are the Maori?

2.I am looking through the Bay of Islands pictures - amazing! You must be really happy to be able to see such beauty and live so close to that.

3. WOW!!! I now definitely wish to travel there and see for myself.

4. Glow-worms? Are they real worms? I googled for them http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glowworm#/media/
File:Arachnocampa_luminosa_larvae.jpg must be really beautiful  I hope they are not edible

5.Oh, really??? Is it located also there? OMG. What is it like? are there hobbits who entertain tourists?

6.I still wonder who Maori are.

Having read all about the places of attraction you mentioned above, I noticed this impressive language that you use in your descriptions, which cannot leave one indifferent. Are you not a paid-up tour guide who encourages people from all over the world to travel and spend their money on tourism in New Zealand??  I would gladly travel there to see all these places but I wouldn't like to live there as you say there are frequent earthquakes and storms. This is not typical for Russia, but we've got our own issues. You never know )

As for the rest questions, back to the discussion of what I don't really want to discuss. As we all know in all kinds of conflicts there are two sides and the truth is somewhere in the middle. So according to information we get through our mass media we build our judgement (that. It is a good way of controlling one's opinion, attitude, mind in general.
I am not sure if you are able to read the following article in russian language (it is essential) the background to conflict
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D1%80%D0
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D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%
BD%D1%84%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%82%
D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1
%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%B5_%D0%A3
%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%
8B#%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%8B%
D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%
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D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B0

Наиболее масштабные общественно-политические изменения в феврале — марте 2014 года произошли в Крыму. 23-27 февраля здесь была осуществлена смена исполнительных органов власти Севастополя и Автономной Республики Крым, а те, в свою очередь, отказались признать легитимность нового украинского правительства и обратились за содействием и помощью (в том числе военной) к руководству России. 1 марта президент Российской Федерации Владимир Путин внёс в Совет Федерации РФ обращение «Об использовании войск Российской Федерации на территории Украины»[22][23]. В тот же день Совет Федерации принял соответствующее постановление[24]. 2 марта в телефонном разговоре с президентом США Владимир Путин отметил, что в случае дальнейшего распространения насилия на восточные регионы Украины и Крым Россия оставляет за собой право защитить свои интересы и проживающее там русскоязычное население[25].

Новые местные органы власти в АРК и Севастополе, благодаря поддержке России и несмотря на попытки противодействия со стороны властей Украины и давление стран Запада, в сжатые сроки организовали и провели 16 марта референдум о статусе Крыма, предложив населению Крыма ответить на вопрос о возможности его выхода из состава Украины и вхождения в состав России[26]. 17 марта на основании результатов референдума и принятой 11 марта Декларации о независимости была в одностороннем порядке провозглашена суверенная Республика Крым, в состав которой вошёл Севастополь в качестве города с особым статусом. 18 марта был подписан договор между Российской Федерацией и Республикой Крым о принятии Республики Крым в состав России[27][28].

Безусловно, эти события повлияли на ситуацию на Юго-Востоке Украины. По мере радикализации выступлений и появления новых пророссийских лидеров мирные протесты на территории Донецкой и Луганской областей постепенно переросли в вооружённое противостояние, а лозунги федерализации Украины сменились здесь требованиями самостоятельности регионов и привели к провозглашению Донецкой и Луганской народных республик. Для подавления сепаратистских выступлений украинское руководство объявило о начале антитеррористической операции. В остальных регионах в результате жёсткой позиции властей открытые массовые протесты постепенно сошли на нет.

The executive authorities of Sevastopol and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea didn't agree to consider the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian government and appealed for help and assistance to Russia.
After the referendum by the new authorities of the above mentioned territories, the population over there were asked to consider the possibility of Crimea to become a part of Russia. As the result they joined us.

Has anyone seen what a nightmare there was? Civilians, innocent people killed by the army of their own government. Everything was being destroyed. No way can anything have more value than human life. We live in modern society, 21 century.
I am not following the news ever since then. Sorry, I am out of discussion on that topic.

[jone]

Having read all about the places of attraction you mentioned above, I noticed this impressive language that you use in your descriptions, which cannot leave one indifferent. Are you not a paid-up tour guide who encourages people from all over the world to travel and spend their money on tourism in New Zealand??  I would gladly travel there to see all these places but I wouldn't like to live there as you say there are frequent earthquakes and storms. This is not typical for Russia, but we've got our own issues. You never know )

As for the rest questions, back to the discussion of what I don't really want to discuss. As we all know in all kinds of conflicts there are two sides and the truth is somewhere in the middle. So according to information we get through our mass media we build our judgement (that. It is a good way of controlling one's opinion, attitude, mind in general.
I am not sure if you are able to read the following article in russian language (it is essential) the background to conflict

Наиболее масштабные общественно-политические изменения в феврале — марте 2014 года произошли в Крыму. 23-27 февраля здесь была осуществлена смена исполнительных органов власти Севастополя и Автономной Республики Крым, а те, в свою очередь, отказались признать легитимность нового украинского правительства и обратились за содействием и помощью (в том числе военной) к руководству России. 1 марта президент Российской Федерации Владимир Путин внёс в Совет Федерации РФ обращение «Об использовании войск Российской Федерации на территории Украины»[22][23]. В тот же день Совет Федерации принял соответствующее постановление[24]. 2 марта в телефонном разговоре с президентом США Владимир Путин отметил, что в случае дальнейшего распространения насилия на восточные регионы Украины и Крым Россия оставляет за собой право защитить свои интересы и проживающее там русскоязычное население[25].

Новые местные органы власти в АРК и Севастополе, благодаря поддержке России и несмотря на попытки противодействия со стороны властей Украины и давление стран Запада, в сжатые сроки организовали и провели 16 марта референдум о статусе Крыма, предложив населению Крыма ответить на вопрос о возможности его выхода из состава Украины и вхождения в состав России[26]. 17 марта на основании результатов референдума и принятой 11 марта Декларации о независимости была в одностороннем порядке провозглашена суверенная Республика Крым, в состав которой вошёл Севастополь в качестве города с особым статусом. 18 марта был подписан договор между Российской Федерацией и Республикой Крым о принятии Республики Крым в состав России[27][28].

Безусловно, эти события повлияли на ситуацию на Юго-Востоке Украины. По мере радикализации выступлений и появления новых пророссийских лидеров мирные протесты на территории Донецкой и Луганской областей постепенно переросли в вооружённое противостояние, а лозунги федерализации Украины сменились здесь требованиями самостоятельности регионов и привели к провозглашению Донецкой и Луганской народных республик. Для подавления сепаратистских выступлений украинское руководство объявило о начале антитеррористической операции. В остальных регионах в результате жёсткой позиции властей открытые массовые протесты постепенно сошли на нет.

The executive authorities of Sevastopol and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea didn't agree to consider the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian government and appealed for help and assistance to Russia.
After the referendum by the new authorities of the above mentioned territories, the population over there were asked to consider the possibility of Crimea to become a part of Russia. As the result they joined us.

Has anyone seen what a nightmare there was? Civilians, innocent people killed by the army of their own government. Everything was being destroyed. No way can anything have more value than human life. We live in modern society, 21 century.
I am not following the news ever since then. Sorry, I am out of discussion on that topic.

Good Morning, Lena,

I know that you don't want to read about these things, but there are some little tidbits you should know:

1.  The change of government and ouster of Yanukovych was supported by both the Western Ukrainians and by the Party of Regions.  It was not just Western Ukrainian influences.

2.  The impetus for rebellion in Eastern Ukraine was influenced by Russian sponsored activists (mostly GRU). 
A small story that illustrates this point is that when the "Separatists" sought to take over the Admin Building / Seat of Government in Kharkov, they accidentally got the building wrong and attacked the Opera House!  LOL!
Not exactly an uprising by the local population.  Even I know the difference between the Admin Building and the Opera House in Kharkiv.

3.  While the Crimean legislative body did vote to associate itself with Russia, it was done in an early morning session and with the presence of guns that were brought in by Russian GRU members.

The simple fact is that Russia could not accept a pro-Western Ukraine at its doorstep.  Just as the United States would probably never accept an anti-US government in Mexico.  So Russia acted in its own interest. 
V.V. Putin later admitted that the 'Green Men' that appeared in Crimea were Russian soldiers.  And most of the military that fought in the Donbas and Lugansk were, indeed, Russian soldiers as well.

I noticed these elements missing from the Wikipedia article you referenced.

[AnonMod]

Posts have been edited to break up links, so as not to disturb the reading pane.

[Jumper]

The appearance tells a lot about its owner. It is mostly about the face: eyes, the way one smiles, teeth.. it's difficult enough to explain, but I suppose it is obvious, that when you look at someone you can tell if a person is kind or rude and strict, if he or she is happy or not, if he or she is able of being agressive or even cruel, it is possible to predict some traits of character. A lot can be predicted through photos. A lot, but not everything of course.
Later, when you get to know each other in person, you may see, hear and feel a lot more: gestures, voice, smell, but it all starts with the first impression. So many times I met loving couples who looked alike. They were truly in love and their faces would copy each other's facial expressions and become similar even if they looked completely different at first. This only means that our psyche likes to copy what is pleasant for us.

Real men... there are many criteria when it comes to consideration. But the majority of my friends in Saint Petersburg who are mothers now have to cope on their own most of the time. That fact alone speaks for itself. It turns out that women take responsibility and find ways to survive with their child. Usually women cannot get back to work until their child goes to a kindergarten which is not until the age of three (provided that your child gets a place by that time). The first year at kindergarten is also a hard time. So if you have no family who can help you with the child, you are screwed.

What are your criteria of a REAL MAN? Can you describe?

I studied at two schools: with advanced studies in arts and advanced studies in English, I chose it as one of my Unified State Exams when I graduated. I have practiced it since then and that's it. I wanted to become an interpreter or a tour guide, because l felt like I am gifted in understanding foreign languages. But I managed to graduate as an engineer and fell in love. But well, thank you who noticed that, I will take it as a compliment.

If you are worried about anything, it is no problem for me to start replying in russian. However, I doubt we will be ready for constructive conversation
I hope I satisfied everyone's interest in my English language skills. Though I think there is always much to learn and it is never enough when it comes to foreign languages.

P.S Anotherkiwi, if you are reading me, I will reply to you later, your post is a huge one. I have to sleep now.

Welcome!

Never mind the political discussion in your introduction.
People would not do so in person, but thats part of internet forums.

You do seemingly  have a talent for languages  and a better command of English than most posters, myself included


An educated, young RW with great English offering a friendly contact , and possible guide service , to one of the world's most beautiful cities is the dream of most forums of this type. When single and traveling I certainly would have appreciated  such a good contact .

So , Elena, my advice is just ignore the random noise here, you've already done well at it,and hopefully make some good contacts!


By the way, my wife has been in the West some years now,  and says that while humans are humans everywhere, with much the same traits, family oriented men without issues seem more abundant here(she notices my married friends and their active role in their child's lives,as well as my divorced friends and their active life in their children's lives as well)
Just her observation of course(and I'm the world's best father and husband, so she has a strong bias)
 but many of her FSU friends share this view, regardless if they are here in the West single,  married to same culture, or married to a western man.


 

[jone]

Nice post, AJ.

And very well supported by your own experiences.  I, too, hope Lena can get past the noise.  St. Petersburg is my favorite city in Russia and I encourage people to link up with her if possible.  The trip to Peter, alone, is worth the price of admission (American slang).

[BillyB]

What are your criteria of a REAL MAN? Can you describe?

Based off what I read from women's profiles, a real man may be one or more for the following: Caring, responsible, honest, hard working, taking care of family financially and taking care of any other needs of the family, a gentleman, strong physically and emotionally, and dependable. There's a few more but you get the idea. Are those traits you would hope to find in a future husband?