Poland-bound US tanks roll east in military signal to Russia

[pangaia]

60. Oh the Neva in winter... !!!!

I was first there in Jan, 1985, still the USSR.. -25 F .. snow everywhere... Russian Christmas....--it was just stunningly gorgeous.. One night I shared 7 bottles of vodka in the then Europskaya Hotel with 5 Russian musicians and another American. We FINISHED all of it!!

Random thoughts-----

Strange, the last 2 times I was there were also in winter. Dec 2015 and Dec 21016.. went to the Mariisnky Concert Hall, and opera house, and other places.


" I just find it hard to figure out why they end up buying the same crap from the same liars over and over. "

Well, many for the same reasons so many Americans do.

My contacts, friends, acquaintances, are mostly classical musicians, a few dancers, etc...so that is perhaps a 'poor sampling.' They are, of course, highly educated, world traveled, etc. For example, the issue of Valery Gergiev is.,.. heh heh, always interesting if he comes up in discussion.

But, my experience has also been very positive with just the 'people on the street."

The politics of it all really are not so simple, as I am sure you can imagine.
Some of them ask why WE take the same crap over and over. :&gt )

I also have Russian friends in Finland and The Netherlands, and the UK.

Perhaps the hardship the Russians have suffered for so long is part of the reason for the exceptionally high quality of their art...


Last August I went sailing (first time for me) in the Lofoten Islands for 8 days on a 12m boat with 5 Russians, (4 ex-pats, and one from St Pete), and the Japanese wife of the captain. I always am able to learn more, get a little deeper inside the "Russian experience," if you will when with Russians I know.it was a wonderful week.....I will tell you, I generally love them dearly. even we agree/disagree on some things... or rather.. should I say we perceive things the same of differently depending which part of the elephant we are touching .

Oh, I barely said all I could say....

Cheers,