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

[sasadad.livejournal.com]

Wow!
It's marvelous! They use electronic device and old "Scheti" together.

This is not the soviet artefact - It is old Russia indeed

[mjol1nir.livejournal.com]

This is our nano technologies! The last issue of Skolkovo innovation center.

[perycalypsis.livejournal.com]

What you call a normal adding machine is actually a full-featured cash register machine with encrypted data storage unit, cooler than in USA

[aslapintheeye.livejournal.com]

Oh, some of us, stilll remember, how to calculate manipulate Big Data on that stuff ))

[asharky.livejournal.com]

«Wooden contraption»™ can operate without electricity and without batteries or rechargeable batteries. Even if a power failure in the village shop will continue to work.

[andruhon.livejournal.com]

Wow. I haven't seen these abacus things for ages.

[natasmirnoff.livejournal.com]

I lived in the Soviet time, all my childhood and youth in the Soviet 70-80e. Uniforms Soviet sellers was white)) was a special standard and sanitary standards for uniforms sales staff .. The sample photos for perestroika era
strange to see the abacus .. very few people can use them))
I knew a woman, she could multiply and divide, and calculate the square root by abacus

[naysayer15.livejournal.com]

Then, my Russian travel companion...

belenki is Jewish. Stop calling him "Russian". He has nothing to do.

[homo-creativus.livejournal.com]

Well, even for me as a native it's very hard (next to impossible :)) to explain why they keep using "shoty" instead of a calculator. One of the darkest corners of mysterious russian soul ;)

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Меня счеты смущают меньше, чем отсутствие шапочки у продавца сыра.

[asharky.livejournal.com]

You're right.

"...I knew a woman, she could multiply and divide, and calculate the square root by abacus..."

As a child, I could count on them. My grandmother was the chief economist of the military factory and taught me this. But I no longer liked to ride them with other children. If they flip down swivel casters, and put them on top of a piece of plywood, then they turn into a great machine, where you can sit and ride.

However, it quickly breaks down such use :)

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Что загадочного в том, что в глубинках прогресс отстает? Разве это особенность России?

[homo-creativus.livejournal.com]

Маша, Вы на самом деле думаете, что эта продавщица не знает о существовании калькулятора?

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Знает, но от знания до выгоды в приобретении продвинутых гаджетов пропасть. Да и купить его это полдела, надо еще обслуживать, поверять, а значит куда то везти. Удаленность от центра - это неудобство, которое влияет на не слишком рьяное принятие прогресса.

[asharky.livejournal.com]

And why should she use the calculator if she knows how to use an abacus?

[homo-creativus.livejournal.com]

Калькулятор - продвинутый гаджет, который нужно обслуживать и поверять? :)) Ну-ну.

[homo-creativus.livejournal.com]

'Cause it's more useful, don't you think?

[addiska.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen abacus since my childhood. I really feel nostalgic remembering the old times. I visited Russian province lask week and expected to see the abacus in the small shops, but I didn't see any. And here they are. You've made my day :) Thanks for the photos!!

[asharky.livejournal.com]

Calculator needs batteries. Electronic scales for electricity. And in the countryside it all may at any time become a problem.

And that can happen to an abacus? :)

[anishenko-v-v.livejournal.com]

Один мудрец сказал своему ученику:
- Оглядись и постарайся запомнить три вещи коричневого цвета и закрой глаза.
Ученик сделал как было велено. Но мудрец ему задал следующий вопрос:
- Теперь назови вещи... синего цвета!
Ученик растерялся и возмутился: «Я ничего синего не заметил, ведь я запоминал по твоей указке только вещи коричневого цвета!»
На что мудрый человек ответил ему: «Открой глаза, осмотрись ведь в комнате очень много вещей синего цвета.» И это было чистой правдой. Тогда мудрец продолжил: "Этим примером, я хотел тебе показать, что ты должен видеть всё, а не только то, что желаешь."

Избирательность признак дурного воспитания.

[asharky.livejournal.com]

I do not think that in the village shop for replacement of the abacus calculator as a positive impact on profits. But problems can appear when the electricity is turned off or suddenly sit down batteries.

[vitsky.livejournal.com]

Calculators are for dweebs! Only счёты, only hardcore! :)

By the way, wikipedia say, that in English it is called "russian abacus":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus#Russian

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Я про весы которые с калькулятором.
А калькулятор, ну может очередной сломался, залили чем нить или заляпали или батарейки сели. Вариантов мильен.

[me-frai.livejournal.com]

in some aspects wooden calculator is more useful than a "modern" digital one. especially under conditions of russian provincial town.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Abacus#Russian

Ancient mechanical calculator, basically.