Brian Blattler:
CLASS OF 1983
Three Lakes High SchoolClass of 1983
Three lakes, WI
Rhinelander Junior High SchoolClass of 1979
Rhinelander, WI
West Elementary SchoolClass of 1977
Rhinelander, WI
Brian's Story
My 2nd Russian Trip
This little adventure in Mother Russia started back in 97, a few years after the fall of Communism, when things were just starting to open up. This is my 2 trip there - and to get there, I have to go through to Chicago, Shannon Ireland , Helsinki Finland , Moscow. Once there, my new bride-to-be, Larissa, meets and escorts me for the three day train ride to Ulyonofsky, and finally the bus ride to Novgorod, her city.
Ulyonofsky is a unique city in Russia. It is the birthplace of Lennon, and only a few Americans have ever been there. This is because it is surrounded by Military bases; as well as the fact that once you get outside of Moscow (where all the money is), the country is still running on the old laws. Itÿs like you basicly went back in time 50 years or better.
Also keep in mind I speak no Russian - and she speaks almost no English. And to go through customs at Sarcomata International Airport is about the scariest thing you will ever go through. Once you get off the plane, they funnel you down in the basement with 300 hundred or so people. It is quiet as a church, and you know things are serious.
I fortunately made it through without incident, and now Larissa and I are just flying down this eight lane road, in some old Moscavick taxi (thatÿs about the size of a fiat), towards downtown Moscow on the way to the largest train station in the world.
But for some unknown reason, the taxi stops nowhere near the train station. We get out and he just unloads all my bags??? Now I brought a lot of stuff for this trip ÿ like an old style VCR (complete with 25 or so tapes), presents for everyone in her family, and her actual wedding dress.
And now what it looks like is we are going to have to drag all this crap the rest of the way to the train station ourselves. So, after only about 6 blocks of lugging all of this stuff, I am seriously, seriously tired! I want another taxi!
We are beginning to argue ÿ as I am thinking she is worried about spending the extra money. I am getting so upset, that I am literally ready to throw everything in the garbage.
We quickly get another taxi, get our stuff loaded in, and are ready to.
I am happy again.
We take off for what I am expecting to be somewhat a trip the train station - but taxi driver simply does a u-turn to the other side of the street (it is 8 lanes), and immediately Larissa points at the sign, and says Da (yes in Russian) ÿ because we are there.
Well, first lesson - When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Now this train station is huge. There must be twenty complete trains - all indoors and under a glass roof. There are thousands of people getting on and off of all of these trains, merchants selling all types of things, all the women in fur coats - unbelievable.
It is November 3rd, and it is already one and a half months into winter here. Some of the trains had two inches of ice on the windows ÿ one of those must be ours, as we are going to a city that borders Siberia!
The train we took looked vary 1940ÿs - all oak paneling and chrome railings. I think it looked German more than Russian.
There where 6 people in our cabin, and you could really sense their excitement at having an American in their car. They were sharing their vodka, sausage & cheese, and dried fish with me.
During this trip, every...Expand for more
3 or 4 hours the train would stop in some remote village. At each top there were old women selling fish and all types of various souvenirs ÿ everything from crystal glass where when you run your finger around the rim it sings, to light fixtures.
Well, when we finally arrived in Ulyonosky, I was questioned by a Russian soldier who was going over my paper work. You see, you must have specific permission from the Russian Government just to be there ÿ and he was probably looking for a bribe. But to be honest, there just wasnÿt a lot of communication.
The city of Ulyonosky is about 300 years old and is split by the Volga River. The Volga River is so big that it makes the Mississippi look silly. On one side sits many of the cities original buildings ÿ and on the other side is the more modern area (called Novgorod (which means ÿnew cityÿ).
They donÿt plow or shovel vary often like they do in the US, and the sidewalks are just covered in snow. What is a strange sight is watching the selling ice cream cones outside in the cold - and it is cold! I donÿt know if itÿs just a Russian thing or what.
I donÿt know quite how to explain the grocery shopping there. Itÿs like a big fair ÿ and again itÿs outside. All of the women are in big fur coats. The meat section is kind of like a Pick & Save - except that instead of the meat being behind a counter, they just have entire cows hanging from beams. The butcher takes the order, cuts the desired order, and folds the meat up in wax paper. You put in your pocket and on to the next item.
Now that we have got our shopping done, it is time to go to my new home for the next 65 days.
We are staying in Novgorod, which was one of Stalin's cities. What that means is that all the apartment building are nearly identical - the same 10 stories high, and the same outside façade. And not being able to read signs or communicate, you easily lose your point of reference.
We first come up on the main door ÿ and itÿs covered with plywood on hinges (this cannot be good sign). The building is cold, dark, and all concrete. I knew Larissa lived on the first floor, but over there, it turns out the first floor is the top floor, not the bottom floor.
We do take the lift to the ÿ1st floorÿ, and the door to the apartment has a steal plate door with one big lock. Now I do work in some pretty bad neighborhoods, and as a general rule, the bigger the lock, the rougher the neighborhood (. I later learn that the big metal doors are to keep the police out).
Once inside though, there is very beautiful three bedroom apartment with fancy wallpaper decorating the walls.
During my stay, Larissa had a friend that was a English teacher come over to translate and better help us communicate. For this, I had to go and get more dollars changed to rubles (we spent all of the original rubles shopping).
So we went to the bank, and we go inside to exchange, and we are told ÿthey donÿt have any money today - comeback next weekÿ. Now I do have to just double-check to the English teacher friend what I think I was just told - that even though you have American tourist whoÿs willing to spend, the bank actually cannot exchange some of my dollars - at any rate - because they donÿt have any money until maybe next week.
Get used to Russia.
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