A piece of culture

Yesterday I was in Kiev (Ukraine) and I've seen a VERY weird thing. I knew before that us - Eastern Europeans are famous for our envy and vengeance :) (There is nothing to hide), but what I saw something, that really shocked me. A man with a knife (not even a penknife, but quite a big one) was pricking a tyre of a car, which was parked near the metro station. He was doing this just in front of me! It was midday! He pricked it and left...I couldn't even think or say something that moment. Probably the owner of the car has really annoyed him...or...was it an envy? Someone HAS but, he DOESN'T.

In the post-Soviet countries we have a huge gap between people. And it's not like in Latin-America where you have really poor people, that don't have a place to live and people that live a good wealthy life and have everything. Here is different. You can see really poor people - tramps, then just poor people that have a place to live, but not enough money to survive. The lower middle class shows that you have a bit of money, apartment, food, clothes, but you've never been abroad, you don't have enough money to go out; middle class - you have a good normal life, sometimes you travel, go out and can afford good trendy clothes, you have a car, apartment and probably "datcha" (a country side house), upper middle class - you travel a lot, you have apartment for you and one for your son/daughter, "datcha", two cars, trendy expensive clothes, finally you have money to bribe the police, the doctors and the university teachers of your children. I don't want to finish the list with the rich, because we still have our dear oligarchs, how can we forget them?

All this creates the huge misunderstanding and hatred and envy and revenge. You can evidence so many unfair things that are happening and people, that just accept them, because to battle them you need to have...guess what? Someone CAN bribe, but you CANNOT. If you have money you have everything in here. Everything can be sold and bought. And I mean it.

It is normal if someone cuts your new shiny leather bag in pieces when you are in the metro or pricks your car's tyres or puts a black magic ("sglaz", "porcha") on you (this is something that everyone believes in and does). If you want to get a guy, who doesn't care about you - again you have this bloody magic "privorot". If you don't like your neighbours or work mates you can put a spell on them and they will be suffering from the diseases. Gosh, it's TOO MUCH! I don't exaggerate, I just grew up in this "magical" atmosphere and I can tell you that our people are really crazy about this kind of stuff.

I'm writing this not as an awareness of people or of the countries itself...I just want to show you a piece of very strange, but at the same time very interesting culture. I just wanna share with you, how the real world can be so unreal at the same time. And that's my story for today.

The last poems of the famous Russian poets

The last poem of Marina Tsvetaeva written as a response to a poem of A. Tarkovskiy "I set the table for six people..." (Я стол накрыл на шестерых) Unfortunately, I couldn't find an English version...

  

               
 ***
Все повторяю первый стих
И все переправляю слово:
— «Я стол накрыл на шестерых...»
Ты одного забыл — седьмого.

Невесело вам вшестером.
На лицах — дождевые струи...
Как мог ты за таким столом
Седьмого позабыть — седьмую...

Невесело твоим гостям
Бездействует графин хрустальный.
Печально им, печален — сам,
Непозванная — всех печальней.

Невесело и несветло.
Ах! не едите и не пьете.
— Как мог ты позабыть число?
— Как мог ты ошибиться в счете?

Как мог, как смел ты не понять,
Что шестеро (два брата, третий —
Ты сам — с женой, отец и мать)
Есть семеро — раз я на свете!

Ты стол накрыл на шестерых,
Но шестерыми мир не вымер.
Чем пугалом среди живых —
Быть призраком хочу — с твоими,

(Своими)... Робкая как вор,
О — ни души не задевая! —
За непоставленный прибор
Сажусь незванная, седьмая.

Раз! — опрокинула стакан!
И все, что жаждало пролиться, —
Вся соль из глаз, вся кровь из ран —
Со скатерти — на половицы.

И — гроба нет! Разлуки — нет!
Стол расколдован, дом разбужен.
Как смерть — на свадебный обед,
Я — жизнь, пришедшая на ужин.

...Никто: не брат, не сын, не муж,
Не друг — и всё же укоряю:
— Ты, стол накрывший на шесть — душ,
Меня не посадивший — с краю.

6 Марта 1941

Sergei Yesenin and his last poem, which was found on his side when he hanged himself in the hotel "Angleter", Russia, St.Petersburg. The poem was written with his own blood. The day before the staff of the hotel received various complaints from Sergei, that how come there is no ink in a such place?!

* * *
До свиданья, друг мой, до свиданья.
Милый мой, ты у меня в груди.
Предназначенное расставанье
Обещает встречу впереди.

До свиданья, друг мой, без руки, без слова,
Не грусти и не печаль бровей,-
В этой жизни умирать не ново,
Но и жить, конечно, не новей.

1925

English version

Good-bye, my dear, good-bye.
Friend, you are sticking in my breast.
The promised destinies are weaving
the thread from parting to a meeting.

Good-bye, my dear, no hand or word,
Do not be sad, don't cloud your brow,
To die - in life is nothing new,
But nor is new, of course - to live.

and another version, translated by Peter Tempest:

***
Aurevoir, my friend, aurevoir.
Dear fellow, you're here in my breast.
we have to part now, but this hour
To a forthcoming meeting attests.

Aurevoir, friend, no comment is due.
Your gaze let no sorrow obscure -
In this life of ours dying's not new,
Nor is living, of course, any newer

To whom wanted to say good-bye a great Russian poet, leaving his note written with blood...? 

Moscow Metro

Moscow can be proud of the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theater, with its classical ballet and the METRO (of course!)

Comparing the Moscow METRO to the oldest underground railways in the world, we see that it is an entirely unique phenomenon that has no analogues. Its appearance was one of the most significant stages in the development of global underground urban planning. By all means, METRO is one of the most visited tourist attractions of the city.

Moscow METRO has the most extensive underground interior system in the world, in addition, it's decorated with the most unique pieces of art. METRO is really considered by architects as the underground palaces for the people, which also has a function of the most democratic form of transport. And although the "language" of the architecture has changed, many METRO stations from 70-90-ies continue the traditions established in the 30-ies. This applies to sensations of space and light and lots of air in the dungeon with the use of expensive materials. Until now you will not find anywhere in the world subways, where the marble, sculpture, paintings and mosaics are used in this quantity.

Mayakovskaya station is one of my favorite ones it's almost like a business card of the Moscow metro. Lots of mosaics and poetry of Vladimir Mayakovskiy are on the walls and the ceiling. I also liked a lot Kievskaya, it has the elements of the Ukrainian culture, showing the traditional clothes and dances of the Ukrainians.

There is also a very beautiful "painted" train "Aquarel" (watercolor) in the Moscow METRO. It has only 5 carriages, each decorated in its own color spectrum. There are 35 paintings of Sergey Andriaka (Russian artist, owner of the watercolor art school) and his students inside the train.

It has been distinguished from the casual trains not only by its interior design: from the outside it is decorated with images of peonies, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers - each section of carriages has its own bright and  unique image.

I didn't have a chance to have a ride, what a pity! Next time I'm in Moscow, I'm on it! Definitely!
But you guys who are planning to visit or already visiting this fantastic city - DON'T HESITATE! ;)

Sergei Yesenin in English

***
Sing, old man, on the bloody guitar, and
Let your fingers show natural bent.
I would choke in this drunken enchantment
You're my last and my only friend

Don't you look at her wrist and the blooming
Silky shawl hanging down her head.
I was looking for joy in this woman
But I found perdition instead.

I didn't know love was infection,
I didn't know love was a plague.
She just came and feigning affection
Drove the rowdy mad, no mistake.

Sing, and let me remember, brother
Our fidgety youthful whirl.
Let her kiss, pet and fondle another,
Ah, this beautiful wicked girl!

No, no, wait. I don't blame her or bully.
No, no, wait. I don't damn or disgrace.
Let me sing now about yours truly
To the sound of this string of base.

Rosy vault of my days is streaming.
I've got plenty of golden dreams.
I have petted so many young women,
Touched and squeezed them, governed by whims.

Yes! There is bitter truth of the world
When a child I caught sight of that truth:
Troops of hounds, excited and wild,
Taking turns lick a bitch all in juice.

Why be jealous of her? I don"t get.
Being sick would be mere pretext.
Our life is just bed-sheet and bed.
Our life is a kiss and a vortex.

Sing, old man! In the fateful sphere
Of these hands is a fated end.
Tell them all to f... out of here.
I will never be dead, my friend.

1922

One more from Aleksey Balabanov

WAR (Voyna) (2002)

 About the realities of the Second Chechen War.

I liked it a lot! For me it highlighted the war reality. People are suffering and dying, people are being tortured and beheaded. I always thought that Media is exaggerating the whole situation between Russia and Chechnya, but the movie in a way opened my eyes on what really happens there. The "dirty secrets" of Chechen corruption of the Russian police and complete mess of the Russian army are revealed too. Basically, watching this film you realize that the war is political and no one cares about people that are dying every day in the collisions or in a captivity or simply from a lost bullet.

Aslan Gugayev a Chechen warlord in the movie says: "You Russians will lose this war, because you are fighting not for the patriotic reasons, but because you were sent here, like animals. We, Chechens, we will win, because it's our country and our people, we know all the history of our families to the first generation we are prepared to kill every single Russian that will appear on our way."

Later on in the movie, the main character Ivan Yermakov feeling confused, because in English shooting has two meanings "recording" and "killing". He says to his American mate, explaining that "War is war, you don't kill - will be killed!" "Jonh! The war is not SHOOTING (meaning film), but it's SHOOTING (meaning killing)" He also adds, that all Chechens are bandits.

 Generally, a good movie to watch. Very dynamic, very realistic, very Russian. 

P.S. Aleksei Сhadov is a great actor. His character Ivan in the movie is smoking, cursing, killing, beating people up all the time. On the other hand he is very noble and honest and ready to help those, who are in need. He has the image of a perfect hero, a real Russian man.

"It doesn't hurt me" (Mne ne bol'no)

I was watching the movie with my favorite actors Renata Litvinova and Dmitriy Dyuzhev. They are amazing, as usual. The film is from 2006, but I haven't watched it before. Yesterday, clicking the channels, looking for something interesting I stopped on the movie where read-headed Renata, with a haycock on her head was seducing this young boy. I decided to watch. I can't miss any movies with her. Then, I saw Dima Dyuzhev and realized that this movie is just perfect for the Sunday afternoon. In the Sochi Open Russian Film Festival this movie got two awards: best actress - Renata Litvinova and best actor (unfortunately not Dyuzhev), but that young seduced boy Aleksandr Yatsenko. The director of the movie Aleksey Balabanov was nominated with a Grand Prize of the festival.

I advise you to watch this deep romantic drama. It touches you all the way through your heart.
Events are unfolding in St.Petersburg and you feel how the atmosphere of the city intertwines with the characters of the movie. The city and the actors have this dash of mystery, depression, disappointment and it attracts so much.

Personally, I loved it a lot! It's a good movie to watch, to analyze the details of a tough Russian fate.

Gosh, reading and watching all those news about Moscow...

MAKES me feel: "Thanks God I'm not there anymore!" But on the other side, looking at all those beautiful and unique pictures, that you can take ONLY during this period, I feel sad, that I'm far from the centre of the events.

Reading the latest news from: http://censor.net.ua

The smog has totally covered the Russian capital. The concentration of carbon monoxide in the air has increased dramatically.

In some areas, visibility on the roads does not exceed 50 meters. Airports of the capital are canceling their flights. Moscow River stopped its river traffic. The correspondent of Interfax (Russian news agency) almost lost the White House in a thick fog.

No matter what, people are trying to carry on with their normal lives.

The highest hotel prices in the world

In Moscow are the world's highest hotel prices. The Russian capital for the sixth time takes the first place among the other cities.

The established tourism experts from the "Hogg Robinson Group" claim that the average price for a room in the Russian capital is 407 dollars. The second place for high price took Geneva, where the average price of rooms is $ 316. Third place goes to Hong Kong with the figure of 313 dollars.

Note this:The hotels in Abu Dhabi have fallen in price by 25%. In addition, lower prices for hotel rooms are on hold in Rome (7%), Copenhagen (10%) and Dubai (12%) according to ITAR-TASS (official news agency of Russia).

Source: http://www.vesti.ru

Russians in the heat are poisoned by watermelons and perishable products

The August in Russia started with the great number of food poisoning. It has doubled compared to the previous year, because of the anomalous heat wave that doesn't contribute to the storage of the food.

Watermelons are hazardous because they absorb the smog and emissions from the cars. During the strong heat wave they also tend to get rotten easily, which may cause the poisoning.

Doctors recommend waiting the traditional watermelon season, which is late August-early September.

Source: http://kp.ru

I have just come back from Moscow. My dear Moscow. Yes, I have loved this city already for many years. I know for sure, if you fall in love once with its strange beauty, it's forever...you can't escape.

This time she was nice to me, she seemed clean and organized. I was surprised, I haven't been there for a while and it has changed already. Well, there are still many people rushing, never smiling, never speak the language you need. The scorching wind brought from the forests dangerous for the health smog and filled the city with it, giving hard times to those who have asthma and other respiratory diseases, but the greatest disaster of the summer 2010 was obviously the heat, preventing you from walking, sleeping, working and thinking. I wanted to return the winter, where I could cover myself with a bit of snow. When I was a child, a normal hot summer was around +30 and people were already complaining:"Too hot!" Nowadays, +30 is cool, nice weather and people are praying for it.

My journey was 25 hours long on the train Odessa-Moscow. No air conditioner, all the windows locked, but hot tea and coffee for the best summer prices are always available. It wasn't a joke, it was "going to Russia mission". The female staff of the train shocked me with their "almost panties" shorts, male part, was simply without shirts.

Taking shower in my own sweat. (It was just like this), reading biography of Kate Moss to distract my mind a bit...I was on my way to the city I have loved for so long, my Moscow! I was ready to suffer as long as I get there!

I took some cash with me, but I didn't know I would spend it all, I completely forgot - Moscow loves ripping off! I haven't bought anything special for myself, but Matryoshkas, Faberge eggs pendants and those old-style posters of "Motherland is calling!" for friends and family. Other money went on a huge amount of water that I was pouring inside me and outside me too.

Smoking is another issue over there. People are puffing everywhere, including trains, restaurants, and streets. I quit smoking, but every time I go to Moscow I smoke. It's like something that goes along with the city and its stress. I can compare Moscow to a long thin cigarette that is poisoning you slowly with its charm and wealth. Eventually it will kill you, so it's better to stop again, before you get back to your normal life.

I was walking on the streets, taking pictures of the old buildings, where Lenin was reading his famous speeches and thinking:"My god! How much history is behind these walls!" I was summer-prepared: sunscreen 30, thermal water, cotton clothes, havaianas and a hay hat. Surely, it seemed that I would probably be passing my time near the river or something, but the long streets of traffic and a cool wind of metro were my top ten that time.

I realized: Moscow is beautiful. Every time I see her, she looks like a pretty girl, who is becoming a mature, magnificent woman. Her streets have this spirit of history mixed with freedom. When I was on the bridge that is linked to the church of Christ the Savior I felt amazingly happy and truly free of any kind of responsibilities. It was a feeling that it's hard to describe. It was a inner voice of my soul. It was something that I miss in the other cities. When people used to ask me what I want to have back from Russia I didn't have the answer. But at least now I know. I want to have back that feeling of freedom on a bridge, looking away to the Kremlin.

You survived the summer of 2010 in Moscow, if...

You survived the summer of 2010 in Moscow, if...

...When choosing a restaurant you look not at the menu, but at the presence of air conditioning

... You don't give a damn, bacause the government turned off the hot water
... You are not surprised by office staff dressed in shorts, the employees in bikinis do not excite you either
... You think that a shower twice a day - it's NOT ENOUGH!
... You suddenly fell in love with "going for a walk" after midnight
... You think that the thirty-plus - is a good cool weather
... You know all the surrounding shops which sell bags of ice
... You think that the best food - is gazpacho with ice cubes, and thoughts of a barbecue make you feel sick
... You have already tried to buy a fan at 10 nearby shops and you gave up eventually
... For the first time in you life you have thought of buying an air conditioner
... You are sleeping under the wet sheets on the floor and you feel like doing it forever
... The first question that you ask friends when they offer you a visit for a wine - do you have ice cubes?
... Your windows tightly plastered with foil, and you do not care if the house is dark
... You almost forgot how to make soups, roast meat and potatoes
... You feel sick when you see a man wearing a shirt with long sleeves
... You know exactly how much it would cost you to buy and install the air conditioner and how much time it would take too
... You know how much the cheapest Chinese fan is
... You forgot how it is to irone, and generally, how the iron looks like
... Three of the most popular websites in your browser are: IT gismeteo, Yandex weather and Intellikast (all websites about the weather) and you reading the logs there at least three times a day.
... Eagerly and enviously looking through the guidebooks to Norway and Finland ...
...The words "Come here, I will hug you" a significant cause for a scandal ...
... If you hear that tomorrow will be +30 you think: "Oh, finally colder!"
... Your microwave is covered with a thick layer of dust inside
... You think that ice cream "Fruitice" - is perfect for dinner
... Your cat got used to regular water procedures
... You're jumping out of bed with joy in the morning, screaming: "Work!" Going to work! ", because the office has air conditioning
... You fly to Egypt, because it is cooler there
... Your dog throws itself into the bath, as soon as you try to take a shower.

Source: http://www.snob.ru/fp/entry/21595