russian style

[jj]

Thanks for all the great input!  I also LMAO with your description of Russian Apartment and plumbing TurboGuy.      I have decided to go Western style with 3 days in Vozhsky where she lives ,and 5 days in  Volgograd.   That will allow me to have good apartment and see both places.  A local agency will help with transportation and airport pickup, as well as apartments.  My lady of interest knows the couple that runs agency so it worked out well. (Alloc-net).  Anastaysia would have worked out just as well jinx13 but already had this working on things.   We talk almost everyday on phone, do some photos and e-mails.  Age difference her early 40 , me late 50's. She is not looking for long term chit - chat and neither am I.  She asks for nothing, and very polite.  We feel good about each other but no "love" words.  I just want to meet her and see some of Russia without spending all my time traveling.  If it doesn't work out, then will have fun anyway!  Then later go back for longer trip after more confident and learning the language better.  She speaks enough english, and has been to the states before on a fiance visa for a couple of months.  So you see folks, I am following at least some of your advice. (except those that want me visit 8 women in 8 days 

My main concern is making it thru customs within the lay over time to have the driver get me from SVO 2 to SVO 1 and board aeroflot to Volvograd. I have  2 hours and 15 minutes after arriving.  And when I depart at the end of week I have 3 hours to change flights.  Any prior experience?  (I have hired driver to pick me up from Gotorussia.com)  in Moscow.  It was cheaper than stress of bus or taxi rip off, but next visit I will know the ropes a little better. 

But , I will still pack a roll of toilet paper, Immodium AD, and hydrocortisone cream for any anal itching if I run out of soft paper-   And by going western style I will avoid the indoor outhouses you  so illustratively described.  Thank goodness I learned how to dig my own hole in the military in case of emergency.  But all joking aside I think I could have made either one work out just fine. (besides my tool box would cost extra to take with me). -jj

[happiness]

A few tips from my past couple of visits to Volgograd/Volzhsky:

1) I hope you know your Russian numbers!  The Volograd airport does not announce the flights in English and none of the signs are in English.  They will get on the intercom and call for your flight to begin boarding.  In my experience, no one at the airport ticket/baggage counters speaks English, but the flight crew on Aeroflot flights always does.  Just make sure you are on the right plane before you land in Siberia!

2) Always choose water without gas, which is also called "still".  "BonAqua bez gas".  Trust me on this one.

3) Good gifts to take with you for your lady - Bath and Body Works or Victoria's Secret gift sets (cheaper on Ebay than in the stores), peanut butter, marshmallows, maple syrup

4) Use Google Earth http://earth.google.com/ to map out the city before you go.  I wish I had this software before I made my first trip.  They have high resolution images of Volgograd so you can get oriented to the basic landmarks of the city (Mamaev Kurgan, Avenue of Fallen Heroes, the embankment, etc). Unfortunately the images of Volzhsky are very low resolution.

Shasliva puti!

[PeeWee]

A few tips from my past couple of visits to Volgograd/Volzhsky:

1) In my experience, no one at the airport ticket/baggage counters speaks English, but the flight crew on Aeroflot flights always does. 

2) Always choose water without gas, which is also called "still".  "BonAqua bez gas". 

3) Good gifts to take with you for your lady... peanut butter, marshmallows, maple syrup


Shasliva puti!

1. I don't know about that. I have dated two Aeroflot flight attendants, make that three, anyway...two spoke English and one did not. Generally, most of those flying on Boeing and Airbus equipment do and those who fly domestic and on Russian aircraft many do not.

2. Does the water have gasoline in it? What is that?

3. Is he traveling to meet a woman or a chipmunk?

Peevee

[Albert]

"BonAqua bez gas".

2. Does the water have gasoline in it? What is that?
Peevee

PeeWee, since you have so much experience with RW . . . . are you joking with your question?

The gas, as they call it, is the same as what we call carbonation.  Biz means without.

But rather than saying "BonAqua bez gas,"  I would suggest "Vooda biz gauzza" as something close to the pronunciation and use a short 'i' in biz as in 'it.'

[happiness]

3. Is he traveling to meet a woman or a chipmunk?

First of all, don't make the mistake of showing up empty-handed.  Some small gift is a show of respect, whether it is flowers or candy or whatever.  All ladies like perfume, lotion, shower gel, etc. and a gift set from Bath and Body Works or Victoria Secret will go a long way to scoring "gentleman" points.  Your lady will also remember you when she is using these products long after you have left.  Secondly, if you can take your lady something unique from America I think she will like that.  In Russia, (Volgograd at least) they don't have peanut butter, marshmallows or maple syrup.  These things are uniquely American.  Chocolates are also a universal winner with ladies.  Take some Hershey's Pot of Gold or whatever fits conveniently in your luggage.

[viking]

On my last trip, because the ladies knew I lived by the beach, I bought several small ceramic jewelry boxes adorned with small sea shells. I think they were about $10  each. Very big hit.

[chivo]

Things are way better than that now, LOL. At least in the bigger cities, can't speak about the regions as I havn't been out & about as of late.
Here in Tver we have several modern supermarkets that even accept credit cards & cash cards. A couple of fairly new shopping centers & even Chevrolet has a showroom here, Democracy is working, slowly but it is working.
For the past two weeks they have been clamping down on the Mafia, big busts everywhere. They shut down all the big Casino's in Moscow & SPB & are making them Casino free zones. They busted several factories that are bottling illegal Vodka, apperantly there are about 30 of those that they are going to elminate.
Things are happening here, big time. Putin has had enough lip outa these guys & decided its time to show them who is really running the country & he is hittin' them hard & it don't look like he is gonna stop until its done.
They are going to build a Las Vegas style city for the idiots who think they can make money gambling & keep the Casinos out of the urban areas. In the interm, they're outa buisness.
So never fear things are changing here quickly & it won't be long before the people here will be as well off or as bad off as the west.

Actually, what they closed were all the the little places like the "супер
слотс" you see around town. The mafia is still very much alive, but yes, strides are being made. They were a couple of big casinos that felt the heat, but all the casinos on Novy Arbat are alive and well. This is good because it still gives me a chance to see all the major sporting events from America like the current baseball playoffs, basketball, and American football games.

The legislation that is still being bantered around in the Duma is to force out most of the little guys, for instance, any place that is under 800 sq ft. and the riff raft casinos that are run by Georgians, Armenians, etc. again, in Russia, its remains more about who you know, and how much money do you have, even in this business. Remember when they said they were going to stop selling and the possession of alcohol in public places .

As far as the Vodka warehouses, well, you know its more about control and increasing prices, than actually trying to stop the bad guys from making vodka. Yes, democracy is here , but if you think it will be anything similar to America or England, I suggest you go ask the Russian journalist who was recently assassinated her thoughts on the subject. Good luck.

chivo

[chivo]

just an update on the casinos they were suppose to shut down . again, please don't think that Russia is anything like where you come from. the casinos they closed are now reopened and all it took was 1 week as a show to "whoever" that they were serious about putting them out of business. I'm sure the casino owners are still laughing about it. 

just a reminder to you folks of the mentality that exist here. this is just a different place than what you're used to, and the people are a reflection of that mentality. think about that as you try to marry one and make her your little American wife . good luck

chivo