Back in the U.S.S.R.

I first visited Russia 38 years ago when I was 14 and it was the U.S.S.R and I went to Leningrad (St.Petersburg). Last February (2009) thanks to work I got the chance to go back, not to St. Petersburg, not even to Moscow (except on the way through) but all the way to OMCK (Omsk) in .....Siberia. The temperature never got above minus 27 Celsius, but the snow was fantastic and the people wonderful and so proud of their country.

This blip shows some of the things I brought back to remind me of Russia.

Starting at the back and coming forward left to right:-

4 Bottles of vodka, boy do they like their vodka and boy did we drink a lot. I also learned that to mix anything in vodka is considered bad manners and extreme cowardice!
Breakfast voucher from the hotel...no voucher..no breakfast
A loving spoon. One of our staff convinced the pupils that I had a Russian girlfriend who I only saw once a year either here or in Russia, the spoon proved the rumour totally to the kids!
3 Mamoushka dolls
A certificate from the Gymnasium 140 school
My discharge from hospital and Russian antibiotics (I fell on the ice rink and needed 5 stiches in my head....and I can skate....honest I can!)
Honorary membership of Omsk Martial Arts club
The most important piece of paper ever, issued when you enter Russia, if you lose it you can't get out of Russia!
A homemade Birthday card from the pupils (I was 51 while we were there, we got through some vodka that night, about 3 litres I think)
My name badge
My "guess" card from the hotel, yes it really was spelt like that!
My Aeroflot air ticket

I love my country and I love Kefalonia, but I really, really love Russia and the people and I'd go back like a shot