Symbols of America

[peacetraveler22]

For the past few weeks, Ilya Varlamov has published posts incorporating photos from Moscow in the late 1980's - early 90's. I love these! Amazing to see how the country looked right before the collapse of the USSR. In today's post, I saw this photo from 1990. A massive queue to enter the first McDonald's in Moscow! I can't imagine such a scene, or how this fast food chain symbolized so much to people at that time. In 1990, I was 17. A senior in high school, getting ready to graduate and enter university, and closely following events overseas.

What other places, items and things did Soviet citizens associate with America before the collapse? My aunt visited Russia in the early 1980's, and she told me stories about locals asking her for bubble gum and wanting to buy her Levi's, straight off her body. This is no joke.

This is what makes Russia so fascinating to me - very rich and diverse history, constantly shifting and changing. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Not sure how most Russians feel about the current direction in which Russia is moving...I hope you feel for the better, because it's depressing and sad to live in a place where you feel absolutely no hope or prospect for the future. I have never once felt this way about my life in America...

Comments

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

What about now? All of these iconic Western things are easily available all over Russia? Not just in big cities? For example, Levi's jeans? Because every time I visit St. Petersburg, my Russian friend wants me to bring him Levi's.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

I don't know about Russia, I live in Moscow and it's a different state :))

Yes, Levi's are available but the price is much higher than in the US.
Levi's jeans here cost about 5000 roubles.
This price is stable for last several years.
In Europe even in outlets it is not much less.

In USA 10 years ago regular Levis (not 501) were $29 and 501 were 33 if my memory is correct.
Don't know about now :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Now they are more expensive, but cheaper than Russia. Around 50 - 60 USD. :)

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

We visited a large outlet in Holland last summer when we were in Germany so now I have a stock of Levi's jeans and Lacoste T-shirts for the next several years.
But I wouldn't mind to visit one of American outlets.
Casual clothes are really cheap there :)

Now Russia is like Greece:

[xpo-xpo-xpo.livejournal.com]

in Greece there is everything, if you remember Chekhov :) Price is the only matter :)