The Good, the bad, the ugly,... Get the truth.

[tfcrew]

   The good, the bad, the ugly..

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddl5f44spwQ&feature=related[/youtube]

[Chicagoguy]

Maybe somebody can explain to me the very high clothing prices. My wife is always commenting on our "bargins". My male friend from Omsk came here in January of 09 and all he did was shop. He couldn't believe how much better the prices were. And Omsk is right on the Trans Siberian R.R. with the Chinese trains going right through town. In other words; they are very close to the source.

[Shadow]

Maybe somebody can explain to me the very high clothing prices. My wife is always commenting on our "bargins". My male friend from Omsk came here in January of 09 and all he did was shop. He couldn't believe how much better the prices were. And Omsk is right on the Trans Siberian R.R. with the Chinese trains going right through town. In other words; they are very close to the source.

First of all there is supply and demand. Second, the license fees for a country like Russia are relatively high, as the brands are aware of the availibility of fake products.

[ECOCKS]

There is also the duty/tariff structure. A buddy of mine was importing T-shirts and showed me where the Customs people claimed that his stated costs were too low and applied tariffs based on average costs for similar items imported which eliminated his profit margins. End result was price increases of roughly 40% on casual shirts.

[Amerkanski]

Maybe somebody can explain to me the very high clothing prices. My wife is always commenting on our "bargins". My male friend from Omsk came here in January of 09 and all he did was shop. He couldn't believe how much better the prices were. And Omsk is right on the Trans Siberian R.R. with the Chinese trains going right through town. In other words; they are very close to the source.

Here's what I've seen. The US is a dumping ground for wholesale products. Meaning, the factories can ramp up production and size if they sell their products here for just above cost. This will eliminate competition or prevent new competition and why the rest of the world almost pays double. We (US) are a true wholesale market compared to the rest of the world because we as people consume much more. Like food portion sizes compared to RU

[tfcrew]

.. End result was price increases of roughly 40% on casual shirts.

Among those many who think they understand the price of everything..but don't understand the value of anything.

[ECOCKS]

Unsure as to the point of the above post, but to clarify something I added a phrase or two.

There is also the duty/tariff structure. A buddy of mine was importing T-shirts and showed me where the Customs people claimed that his stated costs were too low and applied tariffs based on average costs for similar items imported which eliminated his profit margins based on what he had been selling them for. End result was price increases of roughly 40% on casual shirts in his stores.

The surprising part, even to him, was that this change in customs levy determiniation/formula seemed designed to raise prices for consumer goods through application of average costs rather than particularly raising govt. revenues. He was curious if he bought more expensive shirt, whether they would apply the lower averaged price. He frankly doubted the Customs system was really keeping up with average prices but couldn't figure out the angle they were pursuing on this new scheme.

[Amerkanski]

Amazingly, many of what's posted here reminds me of rants I hear from some Russian expats who lived (and some continue to live) in the US or Canada and hated it here. The food is awful, vegies and fruits have no flavor, milk and meat are packed with anibiotics, houses are built from painted cardboard, and everyone has to pay for those all their lives, people are fat, ignorant, stupid and only think about money, they smile, but it's all fake, they don't know what friendship is, horrible monsters, baby eaters blah blah blah, the list goes on. But no, they don't hate the US or Canada irrationally, they in fact have this one American or Canadian friend, a real saint and an intellectual who agrees with them, etc.

No argument of any sort would change their mind. It's a human condition.

odd, not to get too far off subject, but I've had the exact opposite experience. Some of the best vegetables and food I've had in my life came from a dacha in RU. I'll admit the beef can be a bit overcooked for my taste but all has/is damn fine foods and when someone figures out to export the garlic they'll be rich. Some of the food is bit bland but good healthy stuff. To be straight forward, I laugh at the new trend we Americans call organic because Russians have been doing it for centuries.

I cook often and the biggest hit with my RU friends is real handmade Carne asada and tortillas. Matter of fact, the first thing my GF does, besides tare through my luggage when I get there is go trait for the tortillas.

[Amerkanski]

Amerikanski,

Interesting first impression you had!!
In my experience I have found that some people have a certain look, which lends itself to becoming a "target", so to speak. Of course there are things you can do to avoid these situations, as you are probably quite adept at by now.

Anyway good story, thanks for sharing and looking forward to more.

 

Good point because I clued into it too and it reminded me a lot of a NYC subway. I also found it interesting the correlation with RP and their flats. Harsh and brash on outside, but very pleasant, warm, and nice on the inside.   

[Doll]

Amer has  slowed down on being rude- good job, boy! 
Good reaction!

[Amerkanski]

Amer has  slowed down on being rude- good job, boy!  
Good reaction!

No, Doll you're just getting use to me.. 

[Doll]

No, Doll you're just getting use to me.. 

No, Amer, read your first posts and the one with pictures of Volgograd- big difference.
This is you who listens to RW. See? I told you. Also you fear Admin. Ha-ha
Сютка 

[Amerkanski]

No, Amer, read your first posts and the one with pictures of Volgograd- big difference.
This is you who listens to RW. See? I told you. Also you fear Admin. Ha-ha
Сютка  

I am mad at the admin because the "Warned" title only comes in green! This is America and should have more choices.


...and let me start posting about a Russian mother finding out their daughter is dating AM...things a start hoping again.

[Doll]

Dollars are green, that's why 

[Vaughn]

...and let me start posting about a Russian mother finding out their daughter is dating AM...things a start hoping again.

I would bet the majority of men here have experienced that phenomenon...

And I agree with Doll, Amerkanski ~ it seemed like another person at the start of
this thread, like night and day.

[Amerkanski]

I would bet the majority of men here have experienced that phenomenon...

And I agree with Doll, Amerkanski ~ it seemed like another person at the start of
this thread, like night and day.

..oh you just wait until I post about "how to test if a RW is insane in seconds" ...I'm also in a good mood today..

[Vaughn]

..oh you just wait until I post about "how to test if a RW is insane in seconds" ...

Looking forward to that. It reminds me of a lady we know who dragged a suitor
down to a medical clinic and forced him to submit to a complete physical.

He and I wondered together how THAT marriage may have turned out -

[Amerkanski]

Looking forward to that. It reminds me of a lady we know who dragged a suitor
down to a medical clinic and forced him to submit to a complete physical.

He and I wondered together how THAT marriage may have turned out -

Honestly, that does not surprise me. Lead or be led is the motto in RU.

[Doll]

Lead or be led is the motto in RU.

A very good one BTW.

[Seeker]

A very good one BTW.

Unless you suddenly realize you are the one being led.   

[Doll]

Unless you suddenly realize you are the one being led.   

to lead is hard- much responsibility

[Seeker]

to lead is hard- much responsibility

To follow is hard too.  So I choose neither. 

[Gylden]

Good point because I clued into it too and it reminded me a lot of a NYC subway. I also found it interesting the correlation with RP and their flats. Harsh and brash on outside, but very pleasant, warm, and nice on the inside.   

This difference in the standard inside vs outside is common in many places, best example I can think of is in Italy, especially in Sicily, many small towns look like somewhere in South America of Mexico from the outside, but completely modern and fine inside.
I would say that FSU is a place of extremes, we stayed in a small hotel (maybe 10 rooms) in Yalta, we had the best room in the place, but still it was pretty impressive with two bathrooms, bar, huge livingroom, jacuzzi, etc. etc. I have never seen anything like it anywhere for the price and just next door was a total dump.

[Amerkanski]

Part III

So after 3 weeks of enjoying my wonderful neighborhood of Krasnoarmeyskiy I decided to get out of dodge and go to the Black Sea. As a kid I collected maps of the world and always wanted to go there. So I head out to a local ticket office and bought an express ticket to Adler right on the Black Sea. I notice the ticket lady was very thorough with my visa and passport and the ticket had a golden stamp seal that was very official looking and would have made Willy Wonka proud. What would normally take 10 minutes in the States took an 1.5 hours, several phone calls, and after she went over every document 10x.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.52337,44.527931&spn=0.013785,0.038581&t=h&z=15

Anyway, the trip would be 24 hours long and my cabin was 1st class with 2 bunks and when the train leaves the station everyone changes in what would be considered comfortable house clothes. The train was much better then expected and very clean and comfortable. About three hours into the journey I got bunkmates that were two girls in their early 20’s and I read a book and there was not one word shared for 6 hours and then crashed.



The next morning the train pulls into a stop and it looked like a food/flea-market at the station so I got out. I bought some wonderful hot-smoked fish and ball of twine that was a type of smoked string cheese and both were delicious. I was starting to get annoyed with my bunkmates’ non-stop cell phone rings and she asks me a question. I told her I did not speak Russian and they both never said another word for 8 hours and all phone calls stop.



Finally, we get to Adler and the place is buzzing and it was refreshing to see people with smiles on their face. I was laughing to myself because I came halfway around the world to a landscape that looks exactly like the Central California coast. I was mobbed by taxi drivers and one just started to talk in German, and then pegged English. He assured me he knew the best place to get a room etc. After the third $150 a night (or more) I told him I would go it alone and did you know he was able to find a place for $30 within minutes?


(she will never know how happy I was to get off her train)

I meet the owner who was a very nice Armenian older guy and he shows me the place and it was very nice and I settled in. It was early so I got my trunks on and headed towards the beach and noticed this area was nothing like what I’ve seen in Russia so far. Many very wealthy homes/hotels and everything was clean and new buildings going up everywhere like they knew they were going to get the Olympics. --grin—




So I get to the beach throw my gear down and run down the very large beach stones and hop right in. The first thing I notice, besides the cold water was the Black Sea had very little salt content and more like a lake. I enjoyed it and mentally crossed off something I’ve always wanted to do in my life. As I am exiting the water I see jellyfish and avoided them, but then a small girl starts to pick one up and I say Nyet, she grabs it and shows it to me. Guess they don’t sting there.



I also noticed RP like to stand and air-dry instead of laying on their towels and this puzzled me at first because I often wondered what everyone was always looking at. I was having a great day and then I got this wonderful smell of grilling pork and had to investigate. As I was walking on the boardwalk I see a nice buffet style restaurant and go checked it out. The food looked great and I pick up a plate and started to help myself and from what I can understand from the screaming RW it was not a buffet. I quickly put the plate down and got out of there.

I find another outdoor restaurant very close to grilling pork and told the waitress I only speak English and pointed to the pork. Soon another very pretty Armenian women comes up and asks in perfect English’- where you from with a smile. Note: My hometown of LA has the largest population of Armenians in the world outside of Armenia. I tell her LA and she just could not believe I was a tourist in Adler and she cleverly asked in 10 different variations the same question as we made conversation.



I pulled out my passport and showed her the city it was issued in and she got a glow on her face and said she studies English and she has family in a suburb (I know well) in LA. We talked a bit more and then she introduces me to the wonderful joys of shashlik, cold beer, and how well it mixed with a Black Sea sunset.



More later.... and meeting my first RGF

[OmegaSupreme]

I'm really enjoying reading this story so far. Keep them coming!