| Glimpses: A Russian - Ukrainian Picture Gallery Pt. 2 Someone told me they believed the men who come to Russia and Ukraine are not like typical tourists, or typical Americans, rather, they have a deep personal NEED for Mother Russia and it's similar cultures. I couldn't agree more! For those of us in the foreign bride search, there's something inherently romantic about visiting a culture we respect but know little about. Let's continue to build our impressions of these mysterious but impressive places! |
| Vodka, anyone? This is a typical supermarket section where entire walls are dedicated to various kinds of vodka! Russian/Ukrainian vodka is the best in the world - and believe me - it's nothing like the stuff we drink here in the states! Just looking at this picture makes me thirsty! I love the brand in the front called "Double Blow." Have to try that on my next trip! Viktoria and I laugh sometimes that there is a supermarket chain in Russia called "Patterson" and their moto is "Patterson - The Feeling Is Mutual!" |
| So let's see... tell me again why we go to Russia? Oh yea!! For the architecture... yea, yea... that's it!! The architecture... |
| The Motherland Statue. Volgograd, Russia. Volgograd, the former Stalingrad, is the site of one of WWII's biggest and bloodiest battles. Here, Russia defeated the advancing German army - but at an amazing cost of nearly 2 million lives. |
| Flowers at the feet of Peter The Great in Central Square, Voronezh, Russia. Monuments, memorials and statues like this one are in every city in Russia and Ukraine. It's interesting how we really don't see many statues in America, other than a few in colonial cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and of course, New York. Russian people regard Peter as one of their most significant founders. He is responsible for Russia's 18th century Renaissance of culture and architecture. |
| Russia is a land of contrasts, as seen in the above pictures of wooden churches in the small town of Kizhi (left) and the Moscow State University main building (right.) Below, you see a picture of a small Cathedral against a back-drop of apartment buildings. These look like a combination of Communist Block style buildings plus a few post-Soviet designs. |
| My wife's friend, Viktoria, (above front) and her coworkers out for lunch somewhere in St. Petersburg. Notice the several glasses of something - presumably wine or cognac - in front of each girl! Looks like a good time to me! An interesting story... When I first met Viktoria (above) it was at a dinner at (my) Viktoria's flat. When we were introduced, Viktoria (above) said something to (my) Viktoria in Russian - and when I asked for an interpretation, (my) Viktoria said "I said this is Bud, whom I've already told you about and she asked me 'So... What kind of lover is he?'" Russian women... They know what they want. Hmmm... Come to think of it, I never did find out what (my) Viktoria answered... |
| When a Russian/Ukrainian girl tells you "It's just around the corner," that means it could be a quarter of a mile away! Foreign women walk everywhere and thus stay thin and shapely! How many times have you seen a car stalk someone in a Walmart parking lot trying to get as close to the entrance as possible because we Americans hate to exercise! Bring comfortable walking shoes when you come to visit your girl! And remember... It's the architecture... Yea... |
| The Vydubychi Monastery in Kiev - with the city panorama in the background. Cities in Ukraine and Russia do not really resemble cities in America. Our buildings are much taller, in general. Yet, as you can see, there are hundreds of uniform soviet-style apartment buildings blended with more modern high-rises and office buildings. Here's what the outskirts of Kiev look like at night: (see below.) |
| Panoramic view of the Russian port city, Novorossisk, on the Tsemis Bay, Black Sea. Doesn't this look like an awesome place to visit? |
| Old Railway Station, Yekaterinburg, Russia. This one must not be functional as there are no people around. Traveling by rail is still very popular in the FSU. |
| There's something romantic and nostalgic about these traditional Ukrainian costumes. And such beauties... The kind of beauty that inspires one to write volumes... Which brings me to my: |
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