Kharkov

[facetrock]

A Village Girl

So were walking on a trail by a lake.

Me, SOP, Mila and Son in Law

Son in Law spots a foot long green lizard. He chases it around a a tree. SOP jumps to action trying to help capture the terrified miniture Godzilla. It escapes unseen into the thick green grass.

I dont like snakes.
 I dont like lizards.
However, I do like to play with spiders and insects.
 SOP finds this rather odd.

[SANDRO43]

Ironing. I hate it and rarely ever do it.  I've always noticed FSU women iron everything after washing.  But why? What is the reason?

It depends on what the washed material is made of: if it's a natural fabric like cotton or wool, you HAVE to iron it, because...

I've formulated a theory over the years to explain this phenomena. I remember when few had washing machines. Now it seems they all have them. Notice how I didnt mention dryers? Bet you didnt notice.

...it comes out of the dryer all wrinkled up and is therefore unwearable, except by slobs .

AHA!!! I knew it. I goddamn knew it!! My theory is correct.

Nope, it isn't unless you only have synthetic/mixed fibre in your laundry, defined as drip-and-dry IIRC .

[2tallbill]

defined as drip-and-dry IIRC .

I heard it called "wash and wear"

[CanadaMan]

...Nope, it isn't unless you only have synthetic/mixed fibre in your laundry, defined as drip-and-dry IIRC .

I heard it called "wash and wear"

'drip-and-dry', 'wash and wear', 'permanent press'...
It all comes out in the wash.   

[ML]

Kharkov, Ukraine 2013

So I'm going bowling.

I had only bowled 2-3 games in my lifetime, and those back some 30 years ago.

My Gal  had mentioned it a couple  of times, so we went over last Christmas break.

Bowled 3 games. 

Holy crap . . . I could hardly get out of bed and walk the next day.
The bowling moves puts your body in very unusual positions and with a relatively heavy weight hanging at odd angle, etc., just really screws you up.  Particularly hard on hip and butt muscles, as I recall.

[BillyB]

I had only bowled 2-3 games in my lifetime, and those back some 30 years ago.

Holy crap . . . I could hardly get out of bed and walk the next day.

 Particularly hard on hip and butt muscles, as I recall.

When you're working certain butt muscles that haven't been worked for 30 years, you're going to be sore!

[IAmZon]

The bowling moves puts your body in very unusual positions and with a relatively heavy weight hanging at odd angle, etc., just really screws you up.  Particularly hard on hip and butt muscles, as I recall.

Yeah, I hear that bowling is going to be placed on the new list of "extreme sports" ... LOL

[facetrock]

 I think it was Lonedrake who said in his trip report that the alleys were nicer here than in the USA. I agree. Bowling has a following back home but its a dying sport. The bowling alleys I know of have other businesses mixed in. Wedding banquets, restuarants things like that.

I talked to some owners and they said with the expensive upkeep for the lanes and pinsetters they could never make it on bowling alone. I think someday bowling will go the way of the drive-inn theaters. Not completly gone but close. Drive-Inns in the FSU are the coming thing from what I've heard.

  You buy a bowling alley in some of the smaller towns in the USA you might have it for life or till you go broke.

[GoodOlBoy]

I think it was Lonedrake who said in his trip report that the alleys were nicer here than in the USA. I agree.

No doubt.
 
There was a bowling alley in the old hotel "Rossiya" (yes a bowling alley) that was very nice.
Also, one of the bowling alleys in Omsk that I went to with Marina and my BIL was VERY modern.
 
GOB
 
PS.... I almost cried the day they demolished the Hotel Rossiya. I loved that place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossiya_Hotel
 
 

[Shadow]

No doubt.
 
There was a bowling alley in the old hotel "Rossiya" (yes a bowling alley) that was very nice.
Also, one of the bowling alleys in Omsk that I went to with Marina and my BIL was VERY modern.
 
GOB
 
PS.... I almost cried the day they demolished the Hotel Rossiya. I loved that place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossiya_Hotel

Not to mention the friendly hotel staff...

[lonedrake]

However, I do like to play with spiders and insects.
 SOP finds this rather odd.

 That's because it is.  She sounds normal(as far as bugs go)

 Yes...the bowling I really enjoyed watching the Ukranians bowl. The men were throwing as hard as they could and would often fall. Some of the women could barely get the ball all the way to the pins.

You sound like you are a pretty good bowler. Did you see anyone else that was good enough to average 140?

[facetrock]

I saw a few guys get about a 110.  The only one I saw that could average a 140 is Mila. If she had someone work on her appeoach I think she could average about 150

[lonedrake]

Well....I think some pictures of Mila in her bowling form are needed. How else are we to give any pointers?

[SANDRO43]

I used to bowl as a teenager, and remember that most girls seemed to have a difficulty in coordinating their (short) swing with their steps so that they would drop the ball with a bang just a few feet down the lane, where it would wobble on slowly and oftentimes end up in the gutter .

[jone]

Bowling is a sport that requires coordination and practice, like many other sports.  Those of us who grew up in the upper midwest, with no other indoor activities to do in the middle of winter, learned how to bowl at a young age.

In order to have both speed and control upon delivery it is necessary to coordinate the back swing of the ball and forward momentum of the bowler.  This is done with either a five or a three step approach.  The three step approach is for bowlers who do not have much arm strength and the five step approach is for bowlers who can control their arm muscles for longer periods of time.  These steps must be taken in a straight line approaching the lane.

Persons who do not use a step approach to bowling will never exceed a 150 average as there is no consistency of throwing the ball from the front of the lane and expecting it to strike in the same place every time.

Also key to good bowling is a follow-through once the ball is delivered to the lane.  Good bowlers will wind up with their hands higher than eye level after the completion of their delivery.

These relatively simple rules, practiced over and over, will eventually yield a score that will make you the envy of the non-bowling set.

[Wayne]

To be a good bowler, you must have your own ball, the correct weight, and drilled to fit properly. It is almost impossible to find a lane owned ball to work; plus you would not be able to find the same ball the next time you bowl.
Some really good bowlers use two balls. One for the first ball; and the second if you need to make a spare. The first ball is designed to curve well; the second ball will little or no curve to make it easier to pick up a spare.
 
To get a good score, you need to not have any open frames. If you have a difficult split, you can either try to make it, or play it safe and try to get at least one or two pins.
 
To be a good bowler, you need to be on two or more leagues.

[Shadow]

Also key to good bowling is a follow-through once the ball is delivered to the lane.  Good bowlers will wind up with their hands higher than eye level after the completion of their delivery.

Will remember that one next time I land with my nose on the ground and arm in the air...

like anything else, it takes practice and knowing what you do. As I have neither the 120-130 I manage is ok with me.

[SANDRO43]

Good bowlers will wind up with their hands higher than eye level after the completion of their delivery.

...and a flowery curtsey, as any well-bred gentleman should :

[facetrock]

  Food.

Is it better in Ukraine than in the USA?

I honestly dont think so.

So why do so many guys say it is? I have formulated  a theory to explain this phenomena.

The starry eyed American dude is sitting in a cafe next to the best looking women he has been out with for the last ten years, or maybe his life. They give him a plate of pork and veggies and he is asked out of courtesy how it is. " The best I've ever had!" " Fantastic" " Nothing like it in America"" Blah blah blah.

 My theory is this. He's not slobbering over the taste of the food. His mind is playing tricks on him. He's really slobbering over the hot babe next to him. Yes. Its that simple. Thinking with your penis not only affects the judgement part of your brain but also you taste buds.

To hear some of these guys yak about the food in Ukraine facinates me. I think if you threw a plate of horse shit in front of them with the hot babe next to him he would say. " Best I've ever had!" " Fantastic!"  "Our horse hit in America is not nearly as good as this!" " Plus this is all natural!" "No chemicals!" Blah blah blah

[GoodOlBoy]

Tried the herring under fur?
It's a pretty tasty dish guy.
 
GOB
 
PS.... and still is after 8 years. 

[Belvis]

Tried the herring under fur?
It's a pretty tasty dish guy.

And don't forget about kholodets. For him it will taste better than horse shit anyway.

[Muzh]

  Food.

Is it better in Ukraine than in the USA?

I honestly dont think so.

So why do so many guys say it is? I have formulated  a theory to explain this phenomena.

The starry eyed American dude is sitting in a cafe next to the best looking women he has been out with for the last ten years, or maybe his life. They give him a plate of pork and veggies and he is asked out of courtesy how it is. " The best I've ever had!" " Fantastic" " Nothing like it in America"" Blah blah blah.

 My theory is this. He's not slobbering over the taste of the food. His mind is playing tricks on him. He's really slobbering over the hot babe next to him. Yes. Its that simple. Thinking with your penis not only affects the judgement part of your brain but also you taste buds.

To hear some of these guys yak about the food in Ukraine facinates me. I think if you threw a plate of horse shit in front of them with the hot babe next to him he would say. " Best I've ever had!" " Fantastic!"  "Our horse hit in America is not nearly as good as this!" " Plus this is all natural!" "No chemicals!" Blah blah blah

That may be the case.

However, have you considered that most of the food in Ukraine would be considered 'organic' in the US?

Grab a bell pepper there and have a bite, raw. Then compare it to the one manufactured in the US and tell me if you cannot find any difference.

If that's the case, then your taste buds are shut and there is no hope for you. 

[facetrock]

Are you sure they would be organic? Does anyone ever see how there grown? Are we sure they dont use fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides?

 Granted during the harvest season at the markets they are fresh. We have markets here in the summer too and get the same thing.

They use indoor greenhouses year round here just like we do and I'm sure there is nothing magical about their water. They have to use some kind of fertilizer. I doubt if its all natural horse shit.

Their big farms where they grow the row crops or wheat I would be positive they use the above chemicals. Their land has been farmed for centuries and there is no way it could keep producing consistently without some chemical help.

Its May here. No one has fresh outdoor veggies, just the indoor grown ones. I've eaten lots of veggies on this trip. No difference in my opinion in taste from back home.

[Boethius]

They don't use fertilizers because it is unnecessary.  The soil is black, more than 4 meters down into the ground  Ukraine is known for having the world's best soil.  In areas where the soil is not as good, or where non food products are grown (tobacco, linen), fertilizers are used.


Greenhouse produce is more expensive.  Many people can food they grow themselves for winter consumption.

[Larry1]

Its May here. No one has fresh outdoor veggies, just the indoor grown ones. I've eaten lots of veggies on this trip. No difference in my opinion in taste from back home.

I think the fruits and vegetables in season there are excellent.  I like the pork too.  I think that's because in the US hog breeders have for decades been breeding leaner hogs. The higher fat gives the pork more flavor and keeps it more moist during cooking.  But the honey is just spectacular in FSU.