LenaC's trip to Tver

[I/O]

In Russia we say;" Look at your mother in law to know how your wife will look in the future." There is some truth to it

Lena: Firstly welcome back to the forum as a more regular poster.  I have resisted the temptation to invade your thread, however your words above struck me too much to remain silent longer. No doubt you have other matters to attend in a busy life, however I appreciate your input here.  It paints another perspective from someone WITH experience.

To your words quoted above.  Never truer words spoken.  I have argued this for years. "Take a good look at the mother" and you will see your future.  Sometimes it is even useful to go back another generation. I am not necessarily talking about "The physical", but rather the attitudes, morals and for that matter nuances which will form part of a person because of the way they were "Brought Up". Any man or woman considering marriage, whether international or otherwise should read your words above and pay heed to them.

I relate to the extent I can at this time, to your words regarding the distance between you and your parents. I have thought a lot about this of recent weeks as the arrival of my fiance' and our wedding draws closer. I've made whatever effort I can to include both my MIL2B and FIL2B as much as is possible.  I imagine the most difficult time for any real parent is when their children "Leave the nest", but to see your child and a daughter at that leave for another country AND be able to support them, speaks testimony to the strength and courage of parents.

The resident Babushkas: I admit to laughing out loud at your comments there.  Indulge me to put another spin on it.  When I first visited mine in her home, I was a source of curiosity to the Local Babushki', treated with great suspicion and avoided like the plague. It was amusing for all of us to watch from the balcony after I would go upstairs, at them gathering, chatting and tossing the odd glance in the direction of my IL's apartment.

It has now turned full circle.  It is downright embarrassing to visit now. The "Word" seems to be leaked out prior to my arrival and it borders on a "Presidential Welcome". I am now EXPECTED to visit each and every one of them, eat the mountains of food they prepare for me, accept their gifts, and generally provide the "Royal Handshake".  I try, if possible now, to arrive at night so I can slide through under the radar, however the Babushka Radar has sensitivity like no military radar anywhere in the world.  By morning, "They know".

Thanks again for your report, I look forward to further chapters.

I/O

[USCFAN]

In that one picture ... the guy with the red mohawk hair is RELLY checking you out 

[ScottinCrimea]

Ste, You've been listening to the wrong propaganda.  The originally stated percentage of the population that was considered homosexual was 10%, and that number was accepted and quoted.  Then someone checked it out and learned that it came from a study of men in prison and the question was whether they had every had homosexual thoughts or engaged in homosexual activity of any kind.  I'm surprised the number wasn't a lot higher, but given that this study was done in the fifties, I'm sure many wouldn't admit to it.  More recent studies have shown that the actual percentage is somewhere around 1-2%.  Of course the gay community wants everyone to believe that the number is a lot higher to promote the idea that it is more common and "normal" (whatever that means) so that opinion can be swayed and so they can get legistaton passed favorable to their lifestyle.

[KenC]

In that one picture ... the guy with the red mohawk hair is RELLY checking you out 

You mean that "dog" holding the puppy? (I saw that)
KenC

[LenaC]

Thanks to all of your responses.
Here is some more of my observations...
 
More then 70 years of Soviet atheist propaganda put Russians in a deep starvation for their religious faith. That is why as soon as Soviet Union dissoluted and Russia began rapidly to come back to its religious roots. People felt a need for GOD, as their old "communist" god disappeared. In the last 15 years Russia experienced a boom of rebuilding churches, that were nearly destroyed during Soviet times. (Sadly many of those churches have disappeared forever.)
During my visit to Moscow I was fascinated to see how many Russian churches were blending with a modern cosmopolitan architecture of the city. Hidden in-between some traditional buildings, those churches were standing as a reminder of "Russian spiritual rebirth"
Here are some of them that caught my eye. Just beautiful!!
(For those who do not know; the top is covered with a very thin layer of real gold. Costly, but it is the way it was done for centuries.)

[Wayne B]

Lena C, I would not want the job of having to polish the gold domes....some of them are really high up   They are very beautiful churches...and each one that I have been to is quite beautiful and unique on the inside...

[SANDRO43]

(For those who do not know; the top is covered with a very thin layer of real gold. Costly, but it is the way it was done for centuries.)

Lena C, that "thin layer" is called gold leaf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_leaf),  i.e. thin gold sheets that are commonly used for gilding, particularly large objects that would be too costly/complicated to gold-plate or have in solid gold (which would also make them too heavy for certain uses, see the "Madonnina" statue on top of our Duomo cathedral, 110 metres above ground level).

[LenaC]

Sandro43!

Thank you so much for the link.
WOW! It is amazing to see the process.

[LenaC]

Here is a future generation of a beautiful Russian women:)))
She is 8 years old and she is already want to come to America, after all my stories about it.
(Anya is a daughter of my cousin Slava, who is 28)
Russians are so fast when it comes to getting children. That could be my 8 years old daughter, but at 20 I was way too young for having a child.

[Wayne]

A few years ago, I was in Western Ukraine and traveled 14 hours, one way, by car with two drivers and a lady.  I noticed many new churches being built, even in small villiages.  And they always had the gold top.  The other new buildings were mostly being made from large size bricks.  I noticed many buildings that were put up--but not completed.  One very large church was left uncompleted.  They told me that it would never be completed, because one worker fell to his death while working on the building. 

It was in June, and I noticed the cemetry was completely covered with flowers.  I never saw so many flowers at one time! 

Lena, I am enjoying your trip report very much.  Please keep it up.

Wayne

[Jet]

I have no earthly idea how I managed to bypass this thread for 8 weeks and 11 pages  :selfharm:
But, after making sure the house was clean, laundry done, her car was washed, the flowers and groceries were bought, and the fresh towels and linens were set out, I've taken the time to sit down and read this thread from end to end 

Liliya and Kolya will be stepping on the plane in about an hour in Moscow and are Due back in Miami early tomorrow afternoon. Both are anxious to get back. FWIW Liliya's impressions are almost identical to Lena's. Prices in N. Novgorod have tripled, nearly up to US prices, and yet salaries don't seem to have budged. Babushkas are babushkas everywhere in Russia it seems. Serious reconstruction has commenced on "The Church of Holy Nikolai" originally built in 1050 and used as a storage facility during Soviet times. It is the oldest structure still standing in her town and can be seen from her apartment. The issue of family is very close to our hearts and I can completely understand Lena's feelings regarding this dynamic. As the old-timers know, Liliya lost her mother very unexpectedly 3 summers ago. She was 58 and died of liver failure in the middle of the night. The third anniversary of her death was easier, but by no means easy, and as Liliya sees her grandmother's health and mobility decline, it weighs heavy on her heart. Babus will turn 81 in a few weeks. This year was the first that Lil has taken serious notice of how aggresive people are (or have become) in Russia. I'm sure there will be more to come, once she's home and we've had some time to chat more...

Thanks for sharing Lena!

[Jazzyclassy]

This year was the first that Lil has taken serious notice of how aggresive people are (or have become) in Russia. I'm sure there will be more to come, once she's home and we've had some time to chat more..

It is not  about the people , it is about  times, people were always like that , they can not change in just some years . It is the times were more limiting them, time was making them to be polite , kind and friendly, now times are not limiting people and they can show their true nature,  it will take decades for the mentality and for people to change

[BradSTL]

FWIW Liliya's impressions are almost identical to Lena's. Prices in N. Novgorod have tripled, nearly up to US prices, and yet salaries don't seem to have budged.

Man!     I don't doubt a word that Jet and Lena are saying, but I have heard differently out of Tver, and in Southern Russia around Rostov-on-Don and Novorossiyisk.

I agree that consumer inflation is still running pretty strongly (around 10% - 15% per year), but I have been hearing that Russia's oil money is trickling down and out--- meaning pay is higher and Russians have more purchasing power than for a number of years.

I stand by what Jet and Lena are saying--- its just difficult to determine what the "middle class" (albeit, a small middle class) is achieving in all of this.

Again--- Jet and Lena I do not doubt a word of it--- I'm just startled by the contrasts in information one can get from Russia these days.

[Son of Clyde]

LenaC, welcome to RWD.
I was going to stay out of this thread because Ken and I do not see eye to eye on many things.
I have no animosity toward anyone on the board I am now just trying to keep a low profile.
I was very impressed with your trip report and excellent command of the English language.
I hope once my wife has been here 6 or 7 years her English skills will be like yours.
She is trying to immerse herself in English classes now and is doing very well.

[Ste]

Nadia has just returned from Chelyabinsk, and I finally got to see some pics, one of them knocked me sideways. As you might remember she's in Berlin for 12 mnths until sept, so we are apart a lot although trips in Europe nowadays are no issue at all and we travel fro and to frequently , still miss her, and pics like these remind me what I'm missing...

[ScottinCrimea]

A pretty complete picture of everything you are missing I think.  Sitting in a bar, reading a menu with a box of condoms on the table next to her.   

[Ste]

A pretty complete picture of everything you are missing I think.  Sitting in a bar, reading a menu with a box of condoms on the table next to her.   

Arghh!!

And they're not my brand, I use Trojan 50ltr binliners...

Actually it;s a Brit Pub in Chel, can you believe it, or can you 'Adam and Eve' it? She says it's got Man U scarves and Argentinian flags on the walls, two of the things I hate the most, Manchester United and the fukin Argies.

Hand of God my arse...

[ScottinCrimea]

I just hope it was you taking the picture. 

[Ste]

I just hope it was you taking the picture. 

It was some bloke called 'Hugh Hefner' - should I be worried?

[Blues Fairy]

In Russia we say;" Look at your mother in law to know how your wife will look in the future."

The rule doesn't work for those women who make a conscious choice NOT to look/sound/act like their mother.

[ScottinCrimea]

Nice to see that Hugh's taste in women has improved.

[Gator]

Blues Fairy,

The rule doesn't work for those women who make a conscious choice NOT to look/sound/act like their mother.

This little sentence speaks volumes.  Blues Fairy, I have a feeling that you did not conform to your mother's expectations.    

Regarding physical looks, each child springs from a huge gene pool.  Who knows? 

In Russia everywhere I see so many short legged babushkas and so many long legged dyevushkas.  Do RW shrink as they turn 50-55? 

Many RW as they age have a large equator (otherwise known as the pear shape) with a fairly normal arse.  Perhaps this masks the long legs. 

Men seem to prefer these young, bird-legged dyevs (who seem anorexic to me).   Boys with the same shape would be called gangly.  Yes, I did date an ex-model for a long time, but she had breasts, and her thighs were larger than her knees (at age 40). 

[Serebro]

Blues Fairy,


In Russia everywhere I see so many short legged babushkas and so many long legged dyevushkas.  Do RW shrink as they turn 50-55? 

Many RW as they age have a large equator (otherwise known as the pear shape) with a fairly normal arse.  Perhaps this masks the long legs. 

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
yes, they shrink as in their young years they had to carry heavy bags!
Seriously, believe it or not but my mother is slimmer than I am.She is in her mid-50-ies.

[Jazzyclassy]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
yes, they shrink as in their young years they had to carry heavy bags!
Seriously, believe it or not but my mother is slimmer than I am.She is in her mid-50-ies.

Some grow slimmer , some grow fatter when they are close to 55 or something

Our Russian  babushkas would be not worse then yours at 60-70 if they had decent pension and support from the government and in good treatment in general

on Saturday I saw such a situation when babushka was rushing for bouncy bouncy bus(my babe calls mini marshrutkas like that ahahhaha) and the driver saw that she was almost running and she was like 65 and as soon as she crossed the road and was just about to open the door of bouncy bouncy bus , the driver started the engine and moved on  ??? crazy disrespectful society that is what I can think of sometimes .....

and of course why he never waited for her cos she is allowed not to pay for her sit there as a pensioner, so that is not so profitable for him, oi  crazy driver

babushka got upset and sit on the bench and started eating, that is how many of them grow fatter, cos when they are upset or nervious they start eating

[Lily]

The rule doesn't work for those women who make a conscious choice NOT to look/sound/act like their mother.

Generally agree, but not everything can be corrected by willful efforts. Some basic genetic features probably cannot be altered.