назад в СССР!

[peacetraveler22]

I'll never know or experience life during Soviet times, but during some of my visits to Russia I feel like I'm transported back to that era, or even another century. The road trip is coming to an end, with the final stop today in Yaroslavl. Along the way, I explored many small towns and spent an entire day and night in a village, talking to the locals in their homes, eating freshly prepared meals, and sleeping alone in an old house in the forest! But that will be the topic of another post. Yesterday in Soligalich, I entered a small meat shop and discovered this woman. I don't know for certain, but this blue uniform looks very Soviet, especially the hat. However, the most interesting thing in the provincial shops was...can you guess from the photo? :)

The object below! I became so confused when the shop owner started moving the balls, and thought she was offering to play some type of game. Then, my Russian travel companion informed me this is the shop's "calculator" or cash register, to add up the total cost of your purchase. How does it work? I still don't understand, but I was always bad at math. :)



The woman in the cheese shop next store was wearing this same blue outfit, but she is progressive! She had a normal adding machine, and even modern day scales to weigh the cheese.



I think it's always good to preserve your culture, including some old customs. But, yes, I was shocked to enter many small shops in Russian provinces and see no cash register, but this wooden contraption to calculate sales. Not just one or two shops, but a lot. Is it normal for a "modern" country? I think not. But maybe older people are so tied to tradition that they don't even want to purchase a basic calculator, which I assume is inexpensive in Russia. Progress in thought, technology, infrastructure...all signs of a healthy nation and culture in my view.

So many other things to write about, but I have no time on the road. :( On this trip, I've  met a lot of friendly Russians, and experienced no hostility based on the fact that I'm American. I'm very happy about both of these things! More to come soon...

Comments

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Why do I need to watch the movie? I live in America and have traveled all over the country. Most people live well here, yes there are ghettos and poor people. I never denied this, but such people and places are not the norm. What's the point in traveling if you don't want to see something different than your normal surroundings? That's why I like Russia. There is nothing offensive or elitist about this post, it's merely a simple observation I made about shops in small provinces, nothing more. This is a personal blog, so of course I share my personal impressions here.

[ryanka.livejournal.com]

your answer is full of water :)
of course you have a right to share your impressions, as well as I have my right to share mine. and of course when we travel we see many things that are different from our own life, some are cool, some are strange, some are weird and scary. I just noticed that you mostly share your negative impressions.. a bit strange, no?
you go to the poorest and wildest places and then you are trying to judge the whole country. "Is it normal for modern country? I think not" (c) It is your phrase, no?
So you may like to increase your self-esteem feeling so progressive in a poor area? then I wonder why don't you go to the American ghettos? Or people in there are not so kind for you unlike Russians?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

There are plenty office posts I've written about Russia. Maybe you just haven't read them? :) Peter, Vyborg, Sochi Olympics, Novgorod, riding Russian Railways...look at those posts and you will see I'm not only writing bad or negative things.