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October 5th 2017
Published: October 5th 2017
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Today was mingle with the Russian's as they go about their daily modern lives day. I took the subway to a modern shopping district. The shops in the malls were a little smaller than the ones back home but very clean and nicely done. Staff offered to help immediately as I entered each store. Found myself in a mall with a movie theater. At 10 AM the movies were showing; could be the same back home, since I don't go to movies I don't know.

Instead of taking the subway, I walked back to the hotel through the 'new' parts of St. Petersburg and into the 'historic' part where I lived this week. There are several photos of both old and new.

I've mentioned before that I am charmed by the residents of this City. They are wholesome, thoroughly decent and respectful of social rules. They all cross at crosswalks (mindful of the lights) and keep off the grass. It seems that crime is minimal here, perhaps due to the regulatory and sociological 'guidelines'. All the attractions, most of the shopping centers, all the subway and rail stations have metal detectors at the entrance as well as security guards to direct random persons to a more detailed screening area at their discretion. Before entering the bodegas and liquor stores bags must be stored in provided free lockers. Coats are required to be checked at the museums. At the liquor stores, every bottle has an anti-theft device attached that must be removed at checkout. In restaurants your credit card never leaves the table; the wait staff or a restaurant official brings a WiFi enabled device (similar to the ones on the airplanes) to you, completes the charge and hands you a receipt. These conscientious procedures are routinely accepted as a way of life; there seems to be little thought to any inconvenience or intrusion on individual freedoms. Yet as stated earlier, crime is minimal, so, it works. Perhaps there is a lesson here.

I am told the congeniality of the people in St. Petersburg does not necessarily extend to other parts of Russia; it is said that Muscovites are particularly repugnant... Hmm, I suppose the same could be said for the dwellers of our Capital city (if you live in Washington D.C., please pardon the stereotype).

In the late afternoon I visited the aquarium. It was discovered that amazingly, Russian fish swim the same way fish do in North America. And Russian seals are just as smelly as their American cousins. In the same building with the aquarium was a shopping center where I made my first visit to a modern Russian supermarket. Shop Rite could learn a lesson on cleanliness.

This may be the last post. Calling it an early night tonight. I have a 3AM taxi scheduled for transport to the airport (who made these travel plans...what were they thinking!) Thanks for travelling with me.


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the vodka wallthe vodka wall
the vodka wall

reminds me of buying bourbon in Kentucky, a whole wall of vodka
No Dixie ChicksNo Dixie Chicks
No Dixie Chicks

Hahaha, the Dixie Chicks are banned in Russia. I knew I liked this place!


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