Windows to Russia

Here in Moscow, Russia where we live and even where our village is located 450 km down the South side of Moscow. Winter has enveloped us and will stay present for about 8 months…

Sveta and I just got back from another village trip and less than a month later from the previous trip…

That short month signaled an end to the very short autumn and the start of a harsh Winter…

Moscow has very distinct seasons but Spring, Autumn and Summer are very short. The Winter is king and rules the largest portion of the year. In our trip to the village this time we had freezing ponds and water buckets with a thick layer of ice every morning, sealing the surface of the water in them, unbroken and quarter inch thick…

The seasons are definitely a contrast and that makes the soul happy. Because nothing is better than being able to experience Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  Since Winter is my favorite season that makes Russia a wonderful place for me… 🙂

The picture above is a treat from nature. The day was perfectly still and no breeze cared to flutter the surface of the lake. I saw a perfect opportunity to get a picture of mirrored clarity…

So it may be a while until we get back to the village. Winter makes it hard to get there because the road to the village is treacherous and long at times. I have kicked myself in the butt several times because I did not search for a 4×4 Russian van and opted instead for a Volga. But the comfort of our Volga makes us glad we got her instead. Sveta and I have talked about putting a 4×4 drive train under our Volga wagon. That would be a wonderful perfect Volga… 🙂

I have several articles to do about this trip to the village. We discovered something that is fantastic. So stay tuned…

We had a great weekend hope yours was just as good…

Windows to Russia!

• Our Village in Russia is a Wonderful Dream… (windowstorussia.com)
• Thoughts from Russia with Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• That Morning Cup of Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• Are The Russians Going to Get Fat… (windowstorussia.com)
• Cup of Coffee Today Was Delicious and Other Thoughts… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia is Going to be Cold this Winter… (windowstorussia.com)
• I Think The Snow is Winning: from Windows to Russia! (windowstorussia.com)
• Fires are Dwindling – Our Village Here We Come… (windowstorussia.com)

In this we will talk about Russian Great Lent

2008 date for Easter:
March 23 (Western)
April 27 (Eastern)

Tradition of the Great Lent originates from ancient Christian church and is kept only in Orthodox. Lent is called Great because of its importance and is kept in memory of 40 day lent of Jesus Christ who, after his baptism, retired in a desert.

Great Lent is the longest (49 days) and strictest. It is recommended to manage without food in the first two days and the last one of Lent and be moderate in other days. You can eat fish only on the day of Annunciation and Palm Sunday. Vine and oil is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. Lent is not a diet for physical health, but for moral health. Lent is considered as a deeping into spiritual world where you can appreciate the value of a word, as a word is silver, but silence is gold. Lent is a real heroic exploit and far from everyone can do it.

What did people eat at Lent time?

Let’s imagine Lent fair: dry mushrooms, peas, radish, carrot, onion, beet, sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, bilberries, cranberries, apples, honey, jam. There were special Lent dishes – Turya (salted water with bread pieces and chopped onion), Tolokno (fried oats with salted water), Kulesh (thin gruel made from peas, potatoes and groats). In fact, Lent table could not be so poor, as there are many vegetable dishes. The principal thing was refusal of pleasures and that made believers be thankful for this simple food. Great Lent prepares a believer to the greatest event – resurrection of Jesus, Easter.

Beginning of the Great Lent. Tone eight.(March 10th)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter – Full abstention from food

Clean Monday. (On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the 1st week of Great Lent the Great Vespers the canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read).
St. Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza (420).
New Hieromartyr Peter priest (1930).
New Hieromartyr Sergius priest (1933).
Virgin-martyr Anna (1937).
New Hieromartyrs John bishop of Rylsk and John priest (1938).
St. Sebastian, monk of Poshekhonye (1542).
Martyrs Sebastian and Christodoulos (66).
New Martyr John Calphas (“the Apprentice”) at Constantinople (1575) (Greek).
St. Photina, the Samaritan woman, and her sisters Anatola, Phota, Photis, Parasceva, and Cyriaca; her sons Photinus and Joses; and Sebastian the Duke, Victor, and Christodulus — all martyred under Nero (66) (Greek).
Martyr Theoclitas, martyred with St. Photina (Greek).
New Martyr Elias of Trebizond (1749).
The Mezhetsk Icon of the Mother of God.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 1:1-20 (6th Hour)
Genesis 1:1-13 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 1:1-20 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
First Week of the Great Lent. Tone eight.(17th of March)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyr Eudocia of Heliopolis (152).
New Hieromartyr Olga (1937).
New Hieromartyrs Basil, Peter, John, Benjamin, Michael priests, New Hieromartyr Antony, Virgin-martyrs Anna, Daria, Eudokia, Alexandra, Martyr Basil, Virgin-martyr Nadezhda (1938).
New Hieromartyr Alexander priest (1942).
New Hieromartyrs Abbess Antonina of Kizliar (1924), Methodius (1920) and Anastasia Andreyevna, fool-for-Christ.
St. Martyrius, abbot of Zelenets (Tikhvin) (1603).
Martyrs Nestor, Tribimius, Marcellus, and Anthony of Perge in Pamphylia (3rd c.).
Martyr Antonina of Nicaea in Bithynia (284-305).
Virgin Domnina of Syria (450-460).
St. Agapius of Vatopedi Skete of Kolitsou, Mt. Athos, and his four companions.
St. Swidbert, monastic founder on the Rhine River (713).
St. David of Wales, bishop (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Albinus, bishop of Angers (550).
St. Leo-Luke of Corleone, Sicily (900).
New Martyr Paraskevas of Trebizond (1659).
Martyrs Sophronius and Silvester (Greek).
Martyrs Charisius, Nicephorus, and Agapius (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 3:1-14 (6th Hour)
Genesis 2:20-3:20 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 3:19-34 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Second Week of the Great Lent. Tone one.
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

St. Theophylactus, bishop of Nicomedia (845).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1923).
Martyr Vladimir (1942).
Sts. Lazarus and Athanasius, monks of Murman Island, Onega Lake (1391).
Apostle Hermas of the Seventy (1st c.).
Hieromartyr Theodoretus of Antioch (361).
St. Dometius, monk (363).
Kursk “Sign” Icon (1898) Icon of the Mother of God.
St. Felix of Burgundy, bishop of Dunwich and enlightener of East Anglia (648) (Celtic & British).
St. Paul of Prusias, confessor (840) (Greek).
Martyr Dio (Greek).
Martyrs Quintilian and Capatolinus in Nicomedia.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 7:1-15 (6th Hour)
Genesis 5:32-6:8 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 6:20-7:1 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Third Week of the Great Lent. Tone two.(24 of March)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyrs Agapius, Publius (Pauplios), Timolaus, Romulus, two named Dionysius, and two named Alexander, at Caesarea in Palestine (303).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1938).
New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1940).
Hieromartyr Alexander of Side in Pamphylia (270-275).
Martyr Nicander of Egypt (302).
St. Nicander, monk, of Gorodets (Novgorod) (1603).
New Martyr Manuel of Crete (1792) (Greek).
St. Hebarestes.
St. Zachariah, pope of Rome (752).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 13:2-13 (6th Hour)
Genesis 8:4-21 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 10:31-11:12 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Fourth Week of the Great Lent: Adoration of Cross. Tone three.(31st of march)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Hieromartyr Basil, presbyter of Ancyra (362).
Martyr Drosida (Drosis) of Antioch, and five virgins (104).
St. Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (383).
Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa of Rome (2nd c.).
St. Basil of Mangazea in Siberia (1600).
Venerable Euthymius of Constantinople.
“The Izborsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1657).
St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, Brittany (3rd c.) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Euthymius of Mt. Athos (1814) (Greek).
New Martyr Basil (Zelentsov) bishop of Priluk (1930).
New Martyr Schema-abbess Sophia of Kiev (1941) and her priest Demetrius Ivanov (1934).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 29:13-23 (6th Hour)
Genesis 12:1-7 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 14:15-26 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Fifth Week of the Great Lent. Tone four.(7th of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyr Mark, bishop of Arethusa (364), and with him Hieromartyr Cyril the Deacon of Heliopolis, and others, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (362).
New Martyrs Priest Paul (Voinarsky), and brothers Paul and Alexis Kiryan, of the Crimea (1919).
New Hieromartyr Micael priest(1933).
Venerable John, Anchorite of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Eustathius (Eustace) the Confessor, bishop of Kios in Bithynia(9thc.).
Sts. Jonah (1480) and Mark of the Pskov Caves.
St. Diadochus, bishop of Photike in Epirus (ca. 486).
St. Eustasius, abbot of Luxeuil (7th c.).
Sts. Gwynllw and Gwladys, parents of St. Cadoc.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 45:11-17 (6th Hour)
Genesis 22:1-18 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 17:17-18:5 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Sixth Week of the Great Lent. Tone five.(14th of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Transation of the relics (1652) of St. Job, patriarch of Moscow (1607).
Martyrs Theodulus, reader, and Agathopodes, deacon, and those with them at Thessalonica (303).
New Hieromartyr Alexis priest (1930)..
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1931).
St. Publius of Egypt, monk (4th c.).
Sts. Theonas, Symeon, and Phorbinus of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Mark the Anchorite of Athens (400).
St. Plato, abbot of the Studion (813).
St. Theodora, nun, of Thessalonica (892) (Greek).
New Martyr George of New Ephesus (1801).
Repose of St. Philip the First, metropolitan of Moscow (1473).
Five girls martyred at Neanidor of Lesbos (Greek).
Martyrs Theodora and Didymus of Alexandria (305).
The Martyr Fermus.
New Martyr Argyra at Constantinople (1725).
New Martyr Panaghiotis of Jerusalem (1820).
St. Derfel of Lianderfel.
St. Ethelburga, queen and Abbes of Lyminge, Kent.
Martyrs Claudius, Diodorus, Victor, Victorinus, Pappia, Serapion, and Nicephorus (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

John 10:1-9 Matins Gospel
Isaiah 66:10-24 (6th Hour)
Genesis 49:33-50:26 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 31:8-31 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
Hebrews 7:26-8:2 St. Job
John 10:9-16 St. Job

Passion Week: Great Friday, Passion of Jesus Christ. (21st of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter – Full abstention from food

St. Basil the Confessor, bishop of Parium (760).
New Hieromartyr Sergius (1938).
Hieromartyr Zeno, bishop of Verona (ca. 260).
St. Isaac the Syrian, abbot of Spoleto, Italy (ca. 550).
Martyrs Menas, David, and John of Palestine (630).
Virgin Anthusa of Constantinople (801).
St. Athanasia, abbess of Aegina (860).
“Murom” (12th c.) and “Belynich” (13th c.) Icons of the Mother of God.
St. Acacius of Kapsokalyvia Skete, Mt. Athos (1730).
St. Basil, bishop of Ryazan (1295).
Deposition of the Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God in Constantinople (942).
Martyr Sabbas the Goth, who suffered at Buzau in Wallachia (372) (Romania).
St. Sergius, patriarch of Constantinople (1019).
Martyrs Demas, Protion, and those with them (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

John 13:31-18:1 (Matins, 1st Passion Gospel)
John 18:1-28 (Matins, 2nd Passion Gospel)
Matthew 26:57-75 (Matins, 3rd Passion Gospel)
John 18:28-19:16 (Matins, 4th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:3-32 (Matins, 5th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:16-32 (Matins, 6th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:33-54 (Matins, 7th Passion Gospel)
Luke 23:32-49 (Matins, 8th Passion Gospel)
John 19:25-37 (Matins, 9th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:43-47 (Matins, 10th Passion Gospel)
John 19:38-42 (Matins, 11th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:62-66 (Matins, 12th Passion Gospel)
Galatians 6:14-18 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Matthew 27:1-56 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Romans 5:6-11 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Mark 15:16-41 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Hebrews 2:11-18 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Luke 23:32-49 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Hebrews 10:19-31 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
John 18:28-19:37 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2
Matthew 27:1-38
Luke 23:39-43
Matthew 27:39-54
John 19:31-37
Matthew 27:55-61

Paschalia

Feb 17	– Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Mar 02	– Meatfare Sunday
Mar 09	– Forgiveness Sunday
Apr 20	– Palm Sunday
Apr 27	– Great and Holy Pascha
May 21	– Mid-Pentecost (Prepolovenie)
Jun 05	– Holy Ascension
Jun 15	– Pentecost – Trinity Sunday
Jun 22	– All Saints

It goes on but I think that you see the gist of things. Easter is here and Lent is going on.

So however you deal with Lent. It is a time for recollection and renewal!

Happy Easter!

Kyle & Svet

http://kylekeeton.com/2008/03/russian-easter.html

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Цштвщцы ещ Кгыышф!

• What Is Lent? (brainz.org)
• Russia: Easter – April 27, 2008 (windowstorussia.com)

This picture below is spreading like wildfire over the Live-journal net work of blogs…

I will give you a few things that stand out easily…

Putin has a halo… (Like a Saint does…)

Medvedev is standing on a platform by Apple Computer… (Hmm…)

The hat in Mayor Yuri’s hand… (Classic Russian…)

Just have a long look and you will see many little subtle political jabs and twists…

Such as Medvedev has an empty sword sheaf… (Hmm…)

Oops sorry I said you had too look and so now I will shut up and allow you to take in the picture…

Windows to Russia!

PS: Thanks to my Sweetie (Sveta) for finding this picture for me…

• It is a Heyday in the Russian Press… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russian President Medvedev Cans Moscow Mayor Luzhkov After Fires (time.com)
• Q&A: Sacked Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov (cnn.com)
• Moscow’s Mayor Fired: A Win — and a Risky Move — for Medvedev (time.com)
• You: Russian President Medvedev fires Moscow’s mayor, a longtime Putin supporter (washingtonpost.com)
• Q&A: Why Moscow’s mayor fell foul of Medvedev (cnn.com)
• Dmitry Medvedev sacks Moscow mayor to show he, not Vladimir Putin, is in charge of Russia (telegraph.co.uk)

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & thinking about why oil is dropping.

I have studied what Russia has been doing to get price under control. They have launched investigations into price gouging all over the country.

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin threatened to ouster chiefs of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) if they fail to promptly sort out the problem of monopoly on the jet fuel market. According to Putin, the way out is construction of alternative fuel and filling facilities, while the analysts predict that the cost of fuel in Russia will be growing along with the increase in crude oil prices.

Moscow has been saying all along that oil should be around $130 a barrel. So Moscow is supporting a smaller price per barrel….
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/06/russia-oil-to-stay-at-130-barrel.html

MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) – Oil prices may level out at $120-130 per barrel, a spokesman for Russia’s largest private crude producer LUKoil said on Tuesday.

“I believe the prices will level off at $120-130 per barrel,” Sergei Kukura, LUKoil’s first vice president, said on the sidelines of an investor conference in Moscow.

“We consider $130 per barrel to be a fair price,” the official added

I would say $130 a barrel is a fair price, lets hope it drops a little more and becomes more fair!

The Saudis are upping production so that the price will slip back down to appease the World. Let the price get too high and the World will turn to other energy sources. The Saudis are masters at the oil game. The headlines are …..

Great News: On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil prices fell $3.37 Thursday to $129.92 per barrel, as analysts worried the weak U.S. economy has forced demand to fall.

Now the world rejoices over $130 a barrel oil. Even if oil drops to $100 dollars a barrel the oil companies are happy! Remember only one year ago oil was less than $75 a barrel. 5 years ago oil was around $50 dollars a barrel.

Lets not forget that the USA is not the only player in the game.

Saudi / USA Relations: Surging prices, along with a weak dollar and an oil-thirsty Asia, have blunted America’s leverage with the key oil producer and helped sour the two nations’ relationship. Saudis have other big friends also….

I know that I am not happy about fuel prices: I remember the first time I filled my car up as a teenager. I paid 18 cents a gallon! (Remember: Gas Wars!) Then I remember how terrible it was when gas went to 40 cents a gallon. (I thought my life was ruined.)

We live in a Oil Addicted World!

So oil price will drop but it will never return to allow the price of my first gas tank fill up…..

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia!

• Oil rises above $82 amid weaker US dollar (sfgate.com)
• Drumbeat: October 11, 2010 (theoildrum.com)
• LUKOIL sees output decline in Russia, up abroad-VP (reuters.com)
• Russia may raise oil export duty to $289-$292/ T in Nov (reuters.com)

Hello,

I think that it is interesting that Russia is suppose to be happy about Missiles in their face, but America threatens: “not to cross a, red line” at the words of a leaked press article about the possibility that Russia could be playing the same game.

U.S. General Warns Russia on Nuclear Bombers in Cuba

By Henry Meyer

July 23 (Bloomberg) — A U.S. Air Force general warned Russia not to cross a “red line” by stationing nuclear bombers in Cuba, heightening a dispute over U.S. missile-defense plans.

My country, America has a bad case of: “I want my cake and eat it too.” Syndrome!

So while the USA is walking all over (the red line) Russia about the Missile issue.

Grandma always said: “Do unto others what you want done to you!”

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia!

• Are Russia and USA the same!! (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia’s Medvedev on Missiles Defense Changes by America! (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia You Goofed Up… (windowstorussia.com)
• Thoughts from Russia with Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia: Wrong for the West but Right for the East OR Wrong for the East but Right for the West? (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia: Have You Ever Been Sexually Harassed at Work! (windowstorussia.com)

The most typical of all the Dutch small ships was a tjalk (tjalka). The name of the ship came from the old Dutch language. Tjalk was a flat-bottomed cargo ship with shallow draught and good qualities for use in the rivers and coastal waters of old Frislandia. Because of the flat bottom she was supplied by side sheet anchors. Mostly she was rigged with a removable mast. Only in the 19th century some of tjalks were provided with an additional small mizzenmast. The displacement of a tjalk was from 30 to 80 t. Besides the sprint mainsail the tjalk carried a sprint topsail, a fore staysail and a flying jib. By the beginning of the 19th century the sprint rigging of tjalks was often changed into usual for them gaff rigging, at that the main trysail was comparatively low with a short gaff and a very long boom. (Link)

A interesting find has been discovered.

A sunken ship that dates back three centuries has been discovered during the construction for the Nordstream gas pipeline project. Scientists want the ship raised before any new work is started on the pipeline.

The ship was discovered in the Gulf of Finland near the island of Gogland, along with the remains of five other ships from a fleet of Russia’s ships which sank after a storm in 1713.

“It’s a so-called tjalk, a military transport ship built to Dutch blueprints,” said Andrey Lukoshkov, the consultant for the project. It was also the time when Sweden and Russia fought each other over supremacy in Europe’s North,” this he told a local TV station in St Petersburg.

The ship is small at only 16 meter-long. The ship lies 54 meters deep and is almost unaffected by the passage of time. The captain’s cabin even still has his personal possessions and tableware.

The tjalk is one of the few remaining vessels from the period when Tsar Peter the Great was creating Russia’s navy. Scientists are scambling to find funding to safely raise it to the surface and move it to a naval museum in Kaliningrad. (Link)

It must be done before the construction of the pipeline starts on the site, which would be certain to damage it.

This seems to me to be a very important find and I hope that they can get the funding to raise the ship.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia!

• The Wreck of Hms Ardent Gives Up Her Secrets! (socyberty.com)
• Kruzenstern has won the World Cup of Tall Ships… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russian 18th Century Ship To Be Raised! (windowstorussia.com)
• Ten Years, August 12, 2000 the Russian Nuclear Submarine Kursk Sank in the Barents Sea… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is on its way to the Georgian coastline (windowstorussia.com)
• From Russia: Putin the Artist, Cool! (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia: It Gets Cold In Siberia! (windowstorussia.com)
• How Russia Is About to Dramatically Change the World! (windowstorussia.com)

In Russia, (just like in most of the world) they drink lots of beer. Well for the really thirsty beer drinker they have a super sized beer bottle…..
These are 5 liter beers. Now 5 liters is 1.32 gallons for us Americans. That is a lot of beer to satisfy even the most hardened beer drinker! So you understand the size, the clear bottle next to the two 5 liter bottles is a 2 liter bottle. Just like your Coke and Pepsi come in.

How do you handle a thirsty Man? Super sized beer bottles…..

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

PS: Russian beer comes at 8 – 10 percent alcohol levels. Did you know that Russians do not consider beer alcohol? Beer is considered a soft drink. 🙂

another reason to like Russia…..

Windows to Russia!

• Oktoberfest by the numbers (gadling.com)
• Oktoberfest: Lots of food and more than 8 million gallons of beer (gadling.com)
• Beer From Here (thedenveregotist.com)
• The Antibiotics of Beer (healthmad.com)
• Drugs – A Big Problem in Russia For The Children… (windowstorussia.com)
• For Those That Have Traveled By Russian Train… (windowstorussia.com)
• Thoughts from Russia with Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia: Have You Ever Been Sexually Harassed at Work! (windowstorussia.com)
• Shoe Shopping in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)

Sveta and I have a real issue in Russia finding shoes to fit me. I wear a size 49 Russian style and that equates into a size 14 and a half, American style…

In America sometimes I could find my size in a good work shoe from Dr. Sholl’s and they were made in China. I worked in greasy and slippery areas a lot. I also was on my feet 14 to 16 hours a day. So Dr. Sholl’s was a fantastic cheap shoe that could be bought at K-Mart or Wall-Mart. I have finally wore out  my last good pair of shoes from America…

Sveta has always bought her shoes at the metro markets that are so common in Moscow at the entrances and exits of all the Metro stations all over Moscow. Sveta likes to buy shoes from Belarus and not China. But the Metro shoe kiosks with Belarus shoes do not have anything close that will fit a big footed guy like me. In fact when we would ask everyone about size 48 0r 49 shoes we just got blank stares in return, like we came from another planet, No one had feet that big… 🙂

I knew better than the fact that there would be no shoes to fit me in Russia. Sveta had decided the best bet would be to try to get a friend in America to help buy a pair of shoes for me. (Het – That is not what I wanted to wear on my feet. Chinese made Dr Sholl’s! I live in Russia and wanted Russian shoes…) So Sveta and I went on a shoe hunt…

What we found to satisfy my grouchy bear grumpiness, was a fantastic shoe factory in Ryazan. Ryazan is a large city we travel through to get to our village. We found that a Russian-German footwear factory had been established after WWI and was called the Ryazan Shoe Factory. The factory traces its history back to November of 1922…

http://www.ryazanwest.ru/ This is a link to the website that we found for shoes for me…

It turned out a simple matter to detour just a little bit in our village travels and we discovered a shoe factory that was able to satisfy my needs for a great real leather shoe that is as comfortable as any shoe that I have ever had. They also have a 70 day no questioned ask warranty. Plus the price was spot on…

I was inquisitive about why these shoes were not being marketed in Moscow. We found out that to do business in Moscoe is a whole other world, that involves a complete set of exaggerated rules…

Other words, It just ain’t worth fighting with the Moscow bureaucracy… 🙂

So I am pleased with my shoes and have no reason not to shop at this factory. Besides it is only about 250km from our home…

Windows to Russia!

• Our Village in Russia is a Wonderful Dream… (windowstorussia.com)
• Have You Ever Thought a Country Could Burn Up… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia Has No Grain, Well Maaaaybe… (windowstorussia.com)
• Are The Russians Going to Get Fat… (windowstorussia.com)
• 15 Tons of Aid for Fire Victims is Thrown Away… (windowstorussia.com)
• Cup of Coffee Today Was Delicious and Other Thoughts… (windowstorussia.com)
• Police Instead of Militia in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)
• Internet in our Russian Village… (windowstorussia.com)
• Thoughts from Russia with Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• Let The Sunshine In… (windowstorussia.com)
• Sveta and I are in our Russian Village for Two Weeks… 🙂 (windowstorussia.com)

• Court won’t hear UN sex harassment case (sfgate.com)
• Sexually-Harassing Frat Boys Running Our Nation’s Major Newspapers [Hard For The Money] (jezebel.com)
• Consequences of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (brighthub.com)
• eBossWatch National Sexual Harassment Registry Will Deter Workplace Abuse (prweb.com)
• Different Types of Workplace Harassment (brighthub.com)
• Article On Street Harassment Of Women Prompts Public Hearing (hellobeautiful.com)
• Bollywood takes on sexual harassment in new film (showbizandstyle.inquirer.net)
• Casey Affleck Settles Sexual Harassment Cases (perezhilton.com)

Russia’s government debt will be kept under 20% of GDP in the next few years, Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday…

The debt will only be 11% of the country’s GDP by the end of the year 2010, 13.6% of GDP by the end of 2011, 15.7% by the end of 2012 and 17.4% by the end of 2013, according to the Ministry of Finance of Russia…

In contrast, the leading world economies’ debts will continue to mount, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said, citing figures for the United States, where government debt will rise to 97% of GDP. Other nations’ debt figures include the UK with 84.8%, France with 88.6%, and Germany with 79.6%. By the 2013 time frame…

Windows to Russia!

• The Last Debt of the USSR – Ordered Paid by Putin! (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia and News… (windowstorussia.com)
• Just Some News From Russia… (windowstorussia.com)
• Thoughts from Russia with Coffee… (windowstorussia.com)
• Are Russia and USA the same!! (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia Scaling Down the Government… (windowstorussia.com)
• Russia: Medvedev Deals with Animals from the West / Putin Deals with Animals from the East! (windowstorussia.com)
• From Russia: Putin the Artist, Cool! (windowstorussia.com)
• Looks Like Truth and Tell Time by Putin… (windowstorussia.com)
• Coffee Thoughts in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)