You have probably seen it come by already: some really Russian stuff. I think the first thing you will encounter is the Russian way of communicating. I have already said before that if you want to get something done, put on a moody face and mumble what you wish for: success guarenteed. Now I have to add something right away, because I don't want anyone thinking the Russians aren't nice: on the contrary! Once you are able to go by the tight face, Russians are very friendly, open and most of all hospitable people, something I admire very much! For example, I asked a woman in a shop where I could buy CD's with popular music. I think she took about 10 minutes to tell me the road, write it down and tell it to me again, without any hurry, with all the patience of the world. The second thing that drew my attention while walking the streets, is that the Russian girls are all so very slim and they look so good! From the hair, to the make-up, the cloths, jewelery, nails, shoes, they look if they just did a fotoshoot for the cover of a magazine. I respect them for walking those high heels all day long on the distances of the city.
The third thing is, the "militsia" can't go unnoticed. They are everywhere. With the blue suits and the big blue hats. If I had had the nerve, I'd have taken a picture with one of them. But actually, after all the warnings, I have behaved perfectly in their presence, not wanting to insult them for whatever reason.
Maybe even before the omnipresent militsia the "24 hour working" supermarkets drew my attention, What a relieve to do your shopping at 00.15h!!! Or at any time. And at which time you may decide to do your shopping, you will never be alone. Even most of the many flower shops that St. Petersburg is rich, are open for 24 hours a day. Very useful when you may decide you want to buy someone flowers at 3.30h in the morning.
What I am still wondering is where the flowers come from. As a true Dutch tulip girl I'd like to believe that flowers everywhere in the world come from Holland, but the large, strong, beautiful flowers they sold in Russia, I had never seen before!
That eating in a restaurant is an experience in itself, you may believe by now. But so is the payment. Russians will not accept a tip. They will bring you the receipt in a leather envelope, after which we used to put in the money, including the tip. But, after checking, the waiters or waitresses will come right back and give you back the tip. Only when you leave it in the envelop and leave, they will accept it.
Something that cannot go unnoticed is the following. As soon as you leave the metrostation of Nevsky Prospekt you are overwhelmed by the offers of excursions. Lots of women, speaking through a microfone, will make you attentive of the boattrips over the Neva. The only thing they overlook, is that many tourists don't speak Russian. And the only way they are offering it, is in Russian! Comparable to that was my security check at the airport on my way back home. I had seen the people before me take of their belts, shoes etc., so I knew what I was supposed to do. Followed the examples and walked trough the detection portals for search. After the employee had searched me, she made a gesture from which I concluded I could procede. Does this woman get mad at me!!! Shouting something in Russian I didn't understand after which she repeated the words, now accompanied by gestures, because I didn't obey. Only because of the movements of her hand I understood that I had to turn around for more search. To that I only replied in Russian that I didn't speak Russian...
Before I go to my last really Russian experience, I will point out that everything goes really slow. I like the fact that it is not as hurried as in Holland, but really, too slow can get on your nerves! The Tsarskoye Selo could only be visited from 16.00h to 17.00h for single tourists. After a long queue we entered just to find another queue to buy tickets. I think this trip (to the counter) took about half an hour, without exaggerating! The woman behind the desk took the studentcard, studied it, took the money, counted it, took the entree ticket form the garden, read it, took everything with her, arranged some things behind her desk, thought about if she wanted to sell you a ticket and then finally gave you one.
Now I have really come to my last Russian experience, just before leaving the country! I was already in the airplane. All the passengers where aboard..., but, we couldn't leave, because security papers were not there yet, so we had to wait! The waiting for the Russian security papers put us on a delayal of 20 minutes. For me, no problem, but many passengers missed their transitions. Viva the Russian security! ;-)
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