cultural tourism?

OH my what an evening.

Walking down the street, my roommate saw a young woman struggling with a large Persian carpet. Offering to help, she was told that it was for an art gallary opening tonight, so we went. The art gallary was a small loft, with a bar selling hot sangrias (or mulled wine with fruit), a little bit of art, and surprising numbers of people wandering both through the art, and what I think was the artist's outdoor living/ dining room.

At about 10:30 at night, and band came on, so we went outside, where there was a band set up in the middle of the street, as well as two samovars, a giant tray of bread, a bowl of mustard, a huge cooler of pickles, which included, I think, both pickled cucumbers and, I think, pickled watermelon, a tray of sausages, and some cool drinks. The band came on... 100% Russian. YES.

The bald lead singer was wearing black leather pants with two zips down the front of each leg, a leather vest and a leather knee length jacked, with handcuffs hanging from his belt. The guitarist was wearing army patns and boots and a white dress shirt and white bomber jacket. The base player and drummer were wearing sort of average looking clothes, and the keyboardist was a woman, who, in fact, I had met in her professional life, and was possibly embarrassed to see us there. The music; sort of Russian metal, and then they announced they were switching to reggae, but the music did not really change. The audience: almost all Russia, half hipsters, half parental, professorial types. After a few minutes, someone poured several bottles of vodka into the samovar which didn't have tea in it. The parental types were more into the music, and the dancing, and yelling out things in Russian which I couldn't understand.

Overall: a total win.

What a movie..

Why had I never seen this before? So many things I love... the USSR, dancing, more dancing... White Nights. Helen Mirren, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Isabella Rosellini, ballet, tap dancing, Russian accents. If this sounds good, watch it.

More Variations on a Theme

Great plans for this summer! Nastrovya!

This is one hundred percent a good idea. I wonder if Lithuania counts as sufficiently Soviet? I heartily encourage all my Russian friends to apply.

Utter-brilliantistan

Absolutely best article ever. I need to go to Russia (and Turkmenistan). I don't have anything to say that will add to the greatness of this article so I wont even try.

Happy Birthday Stalin.

I may have an esoteric obsession with Turkmenistan, but Turkmenistan, I feel, is the bastard love child of the Soviet Union and the Middle East. Just as I would want to meet the bastard love-parents of someone I loved, I must then reasonably be at least somewhat interested in Russia and the Middle East.

Luckily, Russia is so interesting it needs no excuses. Stalin's 130th birthday was last week. Happy Birthday Stalin! In his call-in show, Putin defended Stalin as helping Russia in it's (inevitable?) march towards industrialization. Russians, apparently, are fond of Stalin for his great leadership and management abilities. I don't have any super insightful comments on why Russia seems fond of strong, forceful men. Nastrovya! Having read this post over I realize it may not be clear that I find this love, or at least respect for Stalin bizarre, not commendable - you wont find me popping out of that "Happy Birthday Joseph" birthday cake.