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Unknown Soldier
A lot of activity today at the Unknown Soldier Memorial for Victory Day celebration. Since I had some time, I thought I would add a few tid bits I have picked up along the way, but first, today is a the Holiday "Victory Day" - the day the Russians defeated Germany. It would sort of be like our Independence Day with a lot of parades and fireworks. I watched part of the one in Moscow and from what I saw on TV, it was only military in the parade. They had talked about tanks being in the parade, but they cancelled that but the end was going to be several fighter jets, which I am sure was impressive. I decided to stay in Obninsk and experience the home town feel and attached are a few pictures I took of people around the town.
Other tid bits from Aeroflot May 2007 Inflight page 245. "...Carnations and especially red carnations are widely regarded as a kind of 'military' or even 'revolutionary' flowers. This is the kind of flower presented to men on Feb. 23, the Army Day (or Day of Defender of the Homeland as it called now) and to war veterans on anniversary days. Carnations also are sometimes regarded as cemetery or funeral flowers.
Unknown Soldier
A lot of activity today at the Unknown Soldier Memorial for Victory Day celebration. In Russia you might see a street littered with carnations after a funeral procession passes. And the most important consideation of all is the actual number of flowers. Most Russians view an even number of flowers as signifying sorrow and grief. When a person dies they bring an even number of flowers to the graveyard.
Aeroflot May 2007 Inflight pages 240-241. I will not quote the whole article, but cut bits and pieces from it just so you get a little cultural/history lesson about Russia. "As soon as spring settles in, they are heading out in their cars. And they are loaded - baskets, bags, appliances, piece of furniture....the dacha season has started in Russia. The term dacha is hardly tranlatable, closest equivalent being a summer house or a country home. They can range from three story mansions to rundown shacks. According to statistics, one third of Russians own some kind of dacha. The trend actually began centuries ago with nobles spending their summers at immense country estates.
Over the years, laws were adopted providing citizens with garden plots and millions of Soviets received tiny pieces of land. Initially, land plots were only allowed to be used
Unknown Soldier
A lot of activity today at the Unknown Soldier Memorial for Victory Day celebration. for growing fruit and begetables and any construction was limited to shets, but later the restrictions were lifted." When I go to Moscow on Fridays, you can tell it is Dacha Season as the roads heading out of the city are backed up for miles. Of course I am going against it when I go to the Moscow and it is usually died down by the time I go home. Alan says it is the same way on Monday morning when he comes to the office from his flat in Moscow as they are all headed back to their jobs in the city.
Also, I forgot to add, it was so funny. For lunch, I met up with Michael and Dasha. Here I was in my light winter coat with hat on and Michael in his shorts and sweatshirt and Dasha in a high skirt and lightweight jacket. You would think we were in two different parts of the country with the difference in dress. I personally think they were a little under dressed for the weather of about 50oF and I was slightly over dressed, but I am fighting another cold and did not want to get
Unknown Soldier
A lot of activity today at the Unknown Soldier Memorial for Victory Day celebration. cold and contribute to it. We also met two 11 year girls that overheard our English and had to say hello. We invited them to join us for lunch and that just made their day. Dasha had to translate most of the conversation, but they still could not believe they were talking to two actual/live Americans. The one had to call her mother to tell her and the other one took a 10 second video clip of each of us so she could show her English classmates that we were real...lol
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