Miscelleaneous Russia

Hello Everyone,

I hope you`re all having a good weekend. We`ve had BBQ`s both today and yesterday as the weather has been much better and Jim wants to give our new BBQ a trial run before Roman`s birthday party in two weeks. I have to report that it is working perfectly and we`ve eaten really well the last couple of days. I`ve been experimenting with some recipes that Nadia gave me for salad and rice dishes and I`m really pleased with the results. So, I might add were Jim and Danny which is good enough for me. I have loads left and Dan says he`ll be taking some to work for his lunch the next couple of days so nothing will be wasted. Kerry and Slava took Roman to some friends daughter`s 5th birthday party. The children there weren`t bothered with Roman but he played happily with the toys there and ate lots of food, as you do at parties...lol!  Later they popped in for a cuppa despite Kerry being under the weather with a cold that she picked up in Russia. Roman has come home with a "proper boys" haircut and unlike all the other times he didn`t make a fuss. This time they used clippers instead of scissors which somehow made a difference.

The photos I`ve posted are random though I`m hoping you haven`t already seen them, if you have I apologise in advance. On our last day we went for a leisurely (at least that was the intention) trip down the sea canal. It was lovely and sunny and perfect for relaxing in the open backed boat. It all went well for a while and we had a laugh, took photos and enjoyed the sights...THEN the engine cut out and the driver couldn`t start it again. Now for those of you who don`t know, the bridges of the canal are very low, so low that you can reach up and touch them as you pass underneath. Guess where we were when the boat broke down?  That`s right, just about to pass under a bridge but instead of going straight under we started to drift towards the lowest part.....!  Of course, we did hit the bridge with a crunch and the light at the top of the boat was smashed on impact. The driver or captain managed to push the boat through the bridge to a mooring on the other side. A river police boat came alongside but just laughed and drove away again, some help they were. Slava said they said to the captain, " I see you broke down then mate" and that was that. The captain called up for another boat so we could continue our trip. It soon arrived leaving the poor man to try to fix the ailing vessel.

In the trip we came close to the river fountain,  something I`ve never seen anywhere before and I think would look out of place anywhere else. Apparently the canal and bridges were meant to mirror Amsterdam and I must admit they did a great job. The canal looks really clean even though I know it isn`t...there are almost no water birds to be found there or the river. The locals who catch fish from the river take them home and eat then but after reading what goes into the river I for one certainly wouldn`t even entertain the idea!

I think visiting Russia has given me a different view of the country than the one the press and media would have us believe. We didn`t stay in a tourist hotel but with ordinary people who live just as ordinary lives. They are not obsessed with politics and communism but they just go about their daily lives the way you and I do. There is a slight sadness about them but things are changing...the black market is losing it`s power and the police are doing a good job at tackling crime. It was an extraordinary holiday to a crazy city and would we go back?   Absolutely!

Bye for now. :o)