Well, I just got back from 17 days in and around the Tver region (Russia) alot heavier due to good family cooking, tired due to the trip home which went as scheduled without hassles on Delta 31, SVO II to JFK and happy to see this board seems to have gotten over the majority of the animosity that had poked its head here prior to my flight. The Mrs. is scheduled to fly back two weeks later. Hopefully the BCINS will let her back into the country.
Some highlights of this trip:
Tver day culminating in five different weight classes of ultimate fighting. Every thug, mafiosa (I presume) and most of the whos who running Tver were at this gore event. Five Russian fighters against five fighters from the caucuses. The Russian fighters won three matches to two. All but two fights went the distance.
Mushroom picking in the village - I actually found some good ones.
Getting to the village - you travel from roads about as we know it (pothole central there) to dirt to no road but you make a path over the grassy terrain with your vehicle for about a mile to see an encampment of about 10 shacks housing about 40 men women and children. There is no running water, electricity exists, you poop in a hole in the ground, you wash dishes in the river and the insects like to bite fresh foreign blood (lucky for me I took a new container of OFF).
Bee stings in the village - Dad has twenty-two hives this year and some of them inflicted some damage on my hide.
Cognac for dads birthday - you suck down a slice of lemon after each shot and that is news to me, but it made things alot easier.
Mothers preparation for me ie. cooking for the son in law - she did a good job with all the soups I like. My wife has to perfect her Kapusta and Borsch.
Wife determined that Tver was more depressed than ever. Friends were envious of her. Getting around by mini-bus and local train (the village) when we were not driven to or from the village was a drag.
Parents apartment was great, especially when I was spending some time in the village. The outside complexes of the Tver housing "projects" really make the "projects" we are used to here in the US look good. However, inside the Russian apartments are excellent, especially in the apartment I stayed in.
The weather was cooler than usual.
It seems like there are alot more men in Tver. I did not visit any dating / marriage agencies but did bring Richard some goodies and met him on the street since I was so short of time. I hope his new undisclosed business venture goes well. Alot more heavier poorly dressed women (no McDonald's in town either). Alot of young girls and guys just hanging out poorly dressed drinking. Alot more graffitti. Still, there are alot of pretty girls / women around.
No hassles getting out of Moscow. I even saw a direct flight from Moscow to Atlanta on Delta now exists - somehow I read about it but forgot. They did not even mess up and lose my luggage now that they have a choice of two places to send it.
