Just got back - The report part 2

[AKguy 1]

So I left off with the 2 hour plane repair in Moscow.

Plane is fixed and we're underway to Ekaterinburg, Me and my new Russian gal pal companion. And since I've received so many requests for more information on her, I'll spill a little more. She was 24 (seems to be the common age for females that I've come across in my journeys, 23-24, both coming to Russia and on my way back, more information on the trip back later) Her name is Natalya and she worked for a German high end furniture company and was just coming back from a 2 month stint in Germany, which I suppose explained the German accent. She spoke both English and German fluently. She was not bad company to have and that's all I'll say.

We arrive in E-burg without issue and passport control was a snap, nothing like the Moscow experience at all. The airport had gone through a renovation since my last trip there and I didn't recognize anything after passport control. After following the crowd to the baggage claim, I waited for my luggage to arrive. You can see the people waiting for the new arrivals about 30 feet away behind some glass and it took me all of a second to spot Anna jumping up and down and waving to get my attention. Sight for sore eyes I tell you what. Now I had Natalya trying to get my email address and asking if I'd like to hang out in Eburg and Anna bird dogging me through the glass... be a good boy, be a good boy, be a good boy, I don't want to have to explain myself right from the get go to Anna, which I ended up having to do later. "You should have asked her for her email address!"... yeah right.

So now I'm all luggaged up and I greet my one and only, and I have to explain who the girl was I was talking to and how thankful I was to have met her. I ended up using Natalya's phone to text Anna so she'd know I was going to be late. She was a life saver damnit!

3 hour car ride with pops back to Chel went as smooth as a 6am car ride can go in blowing snow and subzero temps. He dropped us off at the flat they'd bought last year with the money Anna and her sister made while working in Alaska over the summer. The flat was under construction when I was there last time and we weren't able to stay there then. The flat was nice with her dad had just completed installation of the plumbing essentials, some cabinets and a fridge. And he was such a good sport that he even built a bed frame with mattress for us. Love that family.

I really lucked out with my timing here. The day after I got there the Moscow airport closed down due to snow.

My time in Chel was awesome. Granted it was butt cold, and this is coming from someone whose lived in Alaska his whole life... IT WAS COLD. Anna had bought me a new coat before I got there, some giant fluffed up winter coat that I was happy to wear. On one of the first days there they all celebrated my birthday with a cake with... 35 fn candles on it. Talk about feeling old in front of your 24 year old girls parents, try having a cake come rolling out that actually heated the damn living room up. Age has never been an issue with her parents and the birthday gesture was very very cool. We all ate and had a good time and I was preparing myself for the upcoming New Years celebration the following day.

New Years in Russia... It's like Christmas and out New Years combined. Everyone in Russia gets into it. The TV shows are ALL centered around New Years programing with live music and New Years themed shows. 24/7. When the fireworks pop off they freaking pop off. None of those sissy firecrackers you buy in town here, these suckers got some oomph to em and everyone is firing off. And supposedly Chel put a ban on fireworks this year due to some bad stuff that happened the previous year... I don't think that stopped many people. So we've got booms, booze, food and more food. And around 12am the president made his speech on TV (they had me pose next to the TV so they could take a picture with him on the screen and me smiling like a fool next to it). Speech is over and now it's time to go visit some family friends... what? Yup, no time to adjust my internal clock, we're celebrating! We ended up visiting 2 other families that evening. One family in particular was VERY well off. Their house had just been finished and was a monster by anyone's definition. I got the low down on this family while on the way to see them. The mom was the money maker with her fur import business from China, she's now under investigation for not claiming taxes on the furs. Their son had gone through school with Anna since school first started for them and he'd had a lifelong crush on her. The dad was an alcoholic and they all were staunch haters of America... sweet. Well they were very polite when we arrived. Drinks were passed around, toasts commenced and then we all bundled up to go let off some fireworks. They'd spent about the equivalent of 500 US dollars on the fireworks and let them off all at once. It was 15 minutes of some of the loudest and brightest fireworks I'd ever seen. And then we all went back in to eat... The lady of the house was also a chef at some time in her life and she'd prepared sooo much food and I was expected to eat and eat and eat. Well I was already stuffed and damn near begged not to have to eat much. I had to make a deal, eat the jelly covered meat and I would be excused. So with all eyes on me I took the one and only bite I could stand to take and forced it down. It was pretty and it took all I could muster not to vomit. At least they all laughed, well everyone but Anna who was really thinking I was going to lose it at any time. The rest of the evening was spent being sideways stared at by the young guy, sternly stared at by the old guy and sweetly stared at by the other mother. I guess I made a good impression on her when by the end of the evening there she was going on and on to Anna's mom about how perfect I am and how Anna should definitely go to America to marry me. I guess not throwing up the jellied meat went over very well. We left that house at around 4am with the other family giving overly tight intoxicated hugs to us all and walking us out to the car.

That's the end of part 2 and I will do my best to be quicker with the next part.

[Martyshk 137]

New Years in Russia... It's like Christmas and out New Years combined. Everyone in Russia gets into it.

I'm glad you experienced the way we do New Years

Good times!

Chop chop on part 3!

[Nasturtium 500]

So I left off with the 2 hour plane repair in Moscow.

Plane is fixed and we're underway to Ekaterinburg, Me and my new Russian gal pal companion. And since I've received so many requests for more information on her, I'll spill a little more. She was 24 (seems to be the common age for females that I've come across in my journeys, 23-24, both coming to Russia and on my way back, more information on the trip back later) Her name is Natalya and she worked for a German high end furniture company and was just coming back from a 2 month stint in Germany, which I suppose explained the German accent. She spoke both English and German fluently. She was not bad company to have and that's all I'll say.

We arrive in E-burg without issue and passport control was a snap, nothing like the Moscow experience at all. The airport had gone through a renovation since my last trip there and I didn't recognize anything after passport control. After following the crowd to the baggage claim, I waited for my luggage to arrive. You can see the people waiting for the new arrivals about 30 feet away behind some glass and it took me all of a second to spot Anna jumping up and down and waving to get my attention. Sight for sore eyes I tell you what. Now I had Natalya trying to get my email address and asking if I'd like to hang out in Eburg and Anna bird dogging me through the glass... be a good boy, be a good boy, be a good boy, I don't want to have to explain myself right from the get go to Anna, which I ended up having to do later. "You should have asked her for her email address!"... yeah right.

So now I'm all luggaged up and I greet my one and only, and I have to explain who the girl was I was talking to and how thankful I was to have met her. I ended up using Natalya's phone to text Anna so she'd know I was going to be late. She was a life saver damnit!

3 hour car ride with pops back to Chel went as smooth as a 6am car ride can go in blowing snow and subzero temps. He dropped us off at the flat they'd bought last year with the money Anna and her sister made while working in Alaska over the summer. The flat was under construction when I was there last time and we weren't able to stay there then. The flat was nice with her dad had just completed installation of the plumbing essentials, some cabinets and a fridge. And he was such a good sport that he even built a bed frame with mattress for us. Love that family.

I really lucked out with my timing here. The day after I got there the Moscow airport closed down due to snow.

My time in Chel was awesome. Granted it was butt cold, and this is coming from someone whose lived in Alaska his whole life... IT WAS COLD. Anna had bought me a new coat before I got there, some giant fluffed up winter coat that I was happy to wear. On one of the first days there they all celebrated my birthday with a cake with... 35 fn candles on it. Talk about feeling old in front of your 24 year old girls parents, try having a cake come rolling out that actually heated the damn living room up. Age has never been an issue with her parents and the birthday gesture was very very cool. We all ate and had a good time and I was preparing myself for the upcoming New Years celebration the following day.

New Years in Russia... It's like Christmas and out New Years combined. Everyone in Russia gets into it. The TV shows are ALL centered around New Years programing with live music and New Years themed shows. 24/7. When the fireworks pop off they freaking pop off. None of those sissy firecrackers you buy in town here, these suckers got some oomph to em and everyone is firing off. And supposedly Chel put a ban on fireworks this year due to some bad stuff that happened the previous year... I don't think that stopped many people. So we've got booms, booze, food and more food. And around 12am the president made his speech on TV (they had me pose next to the TV so they could take a picture with him on the screen and me smiling like a fool next to it). Speech is over and now it's time to go visit some family friends... what? Yup, no time to adjust my internal clock, we're celebrating! We ended up visiting 2 other families that evening. One family in particular was VERY well off. Their house had just been finished and was a monster by anyone's definition. I got the low down on this family while on the way to see them. The mom was the money maker with her fur import business from China, she's now under investigation for not claiming taxes on the furs. Their son had gone through school with Anna since school first started for them and he'd had a lifelong crush on her. The dad was an alcoholic and they all were staunch haters of America... sweet. Well they were very polite when we arrived. Drinks were passed around, toasts commenced and then we all bundled up to go let off some fireworks. They'd spent about the equivalent of 500 US dollars on the fireworks and let them off all at once. It was 15 minutes of some of the loudest and brightest fireworks I'd ever seen. And then we all went back in to eat... The lady of the house was also a chef at some time in her life and she'd prepared sooo much food and I was expected to eat and eat and eat. Well I was already stuffed and damn near begged not to have to eat much. I had to make a deal, eat the jelly covered meat and I would be excused. So with all eyes on me I took the one and only bite I could stand to take and forced it down. It was pretty and it took all I could muster not to vomit. At least they all laughed, well everyone but Anna who was really thinking I was going to lose it at any time. The rest of the evening was spent being sideways stared at by the young guy, sternly stared at by the old guy and sweetly stared at by the other mother. I guess I made a good impression on her when by the end of the evening there she was going on and on to Anna's mom about how perfect I am and how Anna should definitely go to America to marry me. I guess not throwing up the jellied meat went over very well. We left that house at around 4am with the other family giving overly tight intoxicated hugs to us all and walking us out to the car.

That's the end of part 2 and I will do my best to be quicker with the next part.

Sounds like you had quite the adventure! And to the bolded-- good boy! Do NOT fall for that trap : P It could have been a reverse-psychological loyalty trap. We girls are sneaky. The best response is something to the effect of, "No way-- I couldn't even think about anything except you and I barely heard a word she said to me because I was imagining what our time together would be," or something more manly than that, but you get the idea.

-no charge (in lieu of Dr. Dean who has been absent).

[1HappyGuy 45]

Sounds a lot like some experiences I had in Ukraine. When you go to family or friend gatherings, make sure to loosen your belt.

Great story. I look forward to the rest.

[slim 1,514]

Isn't getting drunk with people you just met the best? And nothing goes with drinking and jellied meat better than fireworks. Salute!

The best response is something to the effect of,

"Since I sent you a text on her phone, I already have her number.... and so do you! She seemed really cool. Maybe the three of us should hang out, get drunk, and see what happens?"

[AKguy 1]

Isn't getting drunk with people you just met the best? And nothing goes with drinking and jellied meat better than fireworks. Salute!

"Since I sent you a text on her phone, I already have her number.... and so do you! She seemed really cool. Maybe the three of us should hang out, get drunk, and see what happens?"

It was 35 below outside, I didn't want to push it.

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

very interesting trip!!! better than tv

waiting on part 3

and i will keep all updated on my trip in 7 days!!!

and did i say GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!!!!! i will be watching on computer at someting like 2 am!!!

[nyhazmat 0]

Part 3 of this gripping story?? I can hardly wait, good side step by the way on the travel companion. My wife read the story with me and proceeded to explain which part of my facial anatomy would be missing, as in ripped off, if I were caught in the same predicament and offered the same reasoning.....

[Martyshk 137]

Part 3 of this gripping story?? I can hardly wait, good side step by the way on the travel companion. My wife read the story with me and proceeded to explain which part of my facial anatomy would be missing, as in ripped off, if I were caught in the same predicament and offered the same reasoning.....

LOL, those descriptive conversations are always fun. My fiancee has described it to me once, since then she just remind me about that conversation and goes "I KEEEEL YOUUUU"

[Brad and Vika 129]

I had the same jellied meat experience at my birthday party in Kherson 15 months ago. MIL plopped a huge pile of that stuff on my plate and the whole family watched smiling while I choked down a bite. The wife eats a big portion, and MIL askes innocently "doesn't Bradik like it"? I responded that honestly, it wasn't my favorite thing - and they roared like it was the funniest joke ever.

Bring on part three!

Edited January 26, 2010 by Brad and Vika

[SMR 368]

I had the same jellied meat experience at my birthday party in Kherson 15 months ago. MIL plopped a huge pile of that stuff on my plate and the whole family watched smiling while I choked down a bite. The wife eats a big portion, and MIL askes innocently "doesn't Bradik like it"? I responded that honestly, it wasn't my favorite thing - and they roared like it was the funniest joke ever.

Bring on part three!

What's with all the Kholodets hate? Eating it in large quantities without anything else is probably a bad idea. But if you mix it in with mashed potatoes or put it on bread, it's actually really tasty.

[mox 298]

What's with all the Kholodets hate? Eating it in large quantities without anything else is probably a bad idea. But if you mix it in with mashed potatoes or put it on bread, it's actually really tasty.

That's what I did, put it on bread. Was the only way I could get it down.

[Martyshk 137]

What's with all the Kholodets hate? Eating it in large quantities without anything else is probably a bad idea. But if you mix it in with mashed potatoes or put it on bread, it's actually really tasty.

Yeah, see, you are just not used to it Plus, it can be prepared differently.

Dammit, I want some now...

[LvivLovers 39]

My wife already knows I'm picky about food. So thankfully she has not foisted the jellied meat on me...I'm not even sure what that is to be honest, but I think it's probably best that it stays that way. =)

Thanks for posting your trip...makes for some great reading and brings back the memories.

[Dave-n-Oksana 49]

LOL, those descriptive conversations are always fun. My fiancee has described it to me once, since then she just remind me about that conversation and goes "I KEEEEL YOUUUU"

Tell me about it. I have learned about complete transparency with Oksana. I made the mistake of deleting some emails while she was looking over my shoulder, where the sender's names was obviously female and the subject was "Thanks for last night". Oksana made the comment about me writing other women, so I decided to open one of those emails and go to the website. Needless to say she has no problems anymore with me deleting these emails now