Day: July 5, 2010

Russian dachas, Arkhangelsk, Russia

When I first came to Russia I was confused because of the term village house and dacha. I used them interchangeably and realized later that they are not the same…

Svetochka and I have a village house we go to and I prefer the village over what Russian’s refer to as a dacha. Some people have very fancy dachas and others just have a little shed to keep tools in, that they work on their gardens with.

What is a dacha?

The best I understand is that dachas are get away places for people who live in the big cites. It allows them to get recharged by spending time in the countryside. Dacha is Russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the suburbs of big Soviet and big post-Soviet cities. A village is where people live year around and is self sustaining…

I do know, that people in Russia have changed how they look at dachas and many now like to live year around in what use to be considered just a summertime thing…

I talk considerably about our village that we go to and it is not a dacha because it is located hundreds of kilometers away from large cites. A dacha is usually located around 25 to 50 km away from the city.

Either way you go, a village or a dacha, to have a place to get away from a city of 15,000,000+ people is a good idea. 🙂

WtR

Originally posted 2008-05-06 07:52:00.
Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & realized that we are at 500 posts for Windows To Russia!

I asked myself was it worth it?

My wife and I have put a lot of time into this blog & all blogs attached to it. Windows To Russia’s was born on 05/25/2007. Before that was several posts from a blog that had a lack of direction……

List of Blogs & Websites:
Main Blog: http://kylekeeton.com/
Video Blog: http://video.kylekeeton.com/
News Blob:
Photo Blog: http://photo.kylekeeton.com/
Sport Blog: (new)
? Blog: http://didyouknow.kylekeeton.com/
USSR Blog: http://cccp.kylekeeton.com/
Amazon.Com:
Forum Website: http://junglebook2007.narod.ru/FORUM.html
Guestbook: http://junglebook2007.narod.ru/GUEST.html
Dictionary Website: http://junglebook2007.narod.ru/DICT.html

So Windows To Russia is about a year old. During that year we have upset a few people & a few people have upset us. We have had well thought out comments & comments that we could not print. In that year we have made some fantastic friends…..

List of Friends Blogs:

http://russiapastandpresent.blogspot.com/
http://rotus.wordpress.com/
http://diaryfromengland.blogspot.com/
http://tsl8.blogspot.com/
http://www.humabpost.com/
http://thesilverpeoplechronicle.blogspot.com/
http://minaev.blogspot.com/
http://lj.rossia.org/users/ppkk/

These are blogs and blog owners that we communicate with on a regular bases. These are blogs that we have watched grow and helped to grow just like they have helped us. These are people that we are going to try our best to travel & see someday!

As far as content for Windows To Russia it has stayed centered on Russia, we refuse to wander too far from the Russian theme. Even if America seems to be the bad guy!

I myself have been accused many times of being against America. That is the furthest from the truth.

You see I came to Russia with preconceived notions, ideas that Russia is something that is evil. I was convinced by American media that Russians live in a totally depressed society.

I found a World that is equal if not superior to the one in the USA that I left. In my life I have stepped foot in Canada, Mexico, America, Germany, Ukraine, Vietnam, Moldova, Georgia & Russia. I have always been surprised at how wonderful the world really is, at how alike people are all over the world & how governments seem to be the root of the problems not the people. People all over the world will take the shirt off their back & give it to you if you need it. People all over the world will give you their last slice of bread if you need it. People in other parts of the world seem to have stronger moral convictions than what I saw in America.

So what you sense from me is an American that has realized that much of what he was taught & thought, was incorrect about the world.

Was it worth it? Yes!

Thank You for reading “Windows To Russia” & all her satellite blogs.

Kyle & Svetlana

comments always welcome.

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It seems that Russia will buy a Mistral class amphibious assault ship from France with the complete set of navigational equipment and technical documentation. Then Russia will equip the ship with its own weaponry and helicopters a Moscow news source stated today.

This is a subject that Windows to Russia has been following from the beginning and it looks as though by the end of this year is when the deal will be finalized. It seems from what is being said on the Russian news sources that Russia will purchase one ship then build two more Mistral class amphibious assault ships with the help of the French naval shipbuilder DCNS within shipyards of Russia. France has confirmed the desire to sell said ship and Russia has said today that the details are almost worked out.

Now that balance of technology seems to make sense and should not upset the Western worlds sense of balance. The only issue that I see going on in Russia as of today with this purchase is about the helicopters. It seems that there is talks of Russia also wanting to purchasing 100 Ka-class helicopters, including some 70 Ka-27Ms, to equip the Mistral ships. They say that they have to raise the decks of the ship to use Russian helicopters…

Russia has also said that since they will be using this ship in the North area that they will have to reinforce the hull to with stand ice as it makes its way through the Northern Latitudes. Russia also said that the Mistral Class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel.

Hummm using it up North! Do you think they will go after Santa Claus? 🙂

So we will keep you updated as we discover more information about this interesting transaction…

Windows to Russia!

I remember clearly Russia talking and explaining about no sanctions that affect the Iranian people and make life terrible for them. In fact I remember Russia being explicit about those stipulations. I remember Russian news saying that the people of Iran do not deserve to have sanctions that impose upon their rights as humans.

My understanding is that Iranians have it bad enough in the human rights department. So why do we as human right supporters make their life even more miserable?

Now remember this is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak and only one issue. As the sanctions become more pronounced. Then expanded further against what Russia voted for at the UN meeting, then the people of Iran will suffer more and more…

“Since last week, after the passing of the unilateral law by America and the sanctions against Iran, airports in England, Germany, the UAE have refused to give fuel to Iranian passenger planes.” Iranian Airlines, said. This was according to Russian TV…

Well Russia, this does not equate into sanctions that leave the Iranian people alone. Sanctions that only target the nuclear program. Sanctions that make it hard for the nuclear program to continue to develop. This for your information is targeting the people of Iran and curtailing the freedom of movement of said people…

Passenger jets are not full of nuclear product but they carry passengers as the name implies. What they do carry as excess cargo can be regulated and should be regulated. But to deny an Iranian passenger jet fuel because of a set of sanctions that were suppose to not target the Iranian people is asinine…

Then to top it all off, the world economy is in such bad shape that no one especially Europe and America can not afford to deny sales of any type. This seems like the West shoots their own foot in the process by these sanctions. Now Russia has stuck their foot in mouth, so to say…

Is this what you voted for Russia? Is this what you thought you were getting in the deal Medvedev? Did you mess up on this one Russia?

Iran is another Gaza and West Bank in the making…

Windows to Russia!