| | Sep 8, 2009 - Russia | (click to enlarge)
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 | | show all 19 | | Catherine the Great's Palace | | Front of the palace | | details on palace facade | | |
| Sitting in my hotel lobby, killing time before my flight to Amsterdam, I have time to reflect on my first visit to Russia. I've enjoyed it, but with mixed feelings. It's very different from other places I have been and it will be interesting to see how much this city changes within the next few years.
Being here has given me a new insight into Russians, and the image we have of them in the U.S. This country has always been a big mystery to me, the "Red Menace" that we all feared during the Cold War. But learning a bit about their history and all they have gone through, it's no wonder Russians can sometimes appear glum and unfriendly. There really is some truth to the stereotype of the unsmiling, scowling Russian, but they can also be a very friendly and welcoming people. With all they have been through, it's understandable why they can be a bit skeptical and unfriendly. With the vast class difference during the time of the Tsar's, when most of the population lived in poverty, it's no wonder the people had a revolution. It had to be something so drastic as to change the very core of their society.
The Soviet era has certainly left it's mark, and the transition to capitalism has not been easy for them. Many older people would prefer the stability of communist times, when there was no unemployment and the state took care of all their needs. People my age seem to have transitioned fairly well, growing up during the Soviet era, then coming of age during the time of change, most seemed eager to welcome a more open society. The younger generation has lived their entire lives in the post-Soviet era, in a world of designer jeans, MTV and cell phones. The not-so-distant past is history to them, something they've heard about from their parents, but haven't experienced themselves. It will be very interesting to see how much St. Petersburg and Russia as whole will change in the next decade.
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