A Trip to Russia with Love

Few people from the United States have had the opportunity to visit the country of Russia. I am one of those lucky few. For a country that for many years was our "mortal" enemy and constantly suffers from political woes, I found it to be full of gracious people and historic relics that are evidence of great wealth and sophistication. After my visit, it changed my view of the country, its' people, and gave me an appreciation for what we have in the United States. If you ever get a chance to visit Russia, don't hesitate. Go!

Our trip had a number of highlights that I won't soon forget. We landed in Vladivostok, a city near the most southeastern tip of the country. As the plane landed, the runway lights shut down behind us one by one and before we were allowed to exit the plane, guards armed with AK47's and police dogs boarded. This was bizarre by American standards, yet most of the Russians on board stated this was quite normal. It was at this point that I really wasn't sure what this trip was going to be like.

After a day of rest, we boarded the Trans Siberian Railroad bound for Irkutsk in the heart of Siberia. Located in south central Russia, Irkutsk boasts Russia's largest lake, Lake Baikal. But to arrive we had to traverse nearly 4100km or 2600 miles. The rail trip is not for the faint of heart.

Four days of travel in shared space, two to a cabin. We were fortunate enough that we had a group of 20 that filled up one and a half rail cars. With a shared but un-kept bathroom per rail car, no shower, and no air conditioning, it was little wonder by the second day that we had to hold our breath for four cars to make it to the dining car without becoming nauseated by the smell of sour human sweat. For four days, we saw the Siberian countryside all in its glory. It's raw and naked Earth. No phone poles or wires for hundreds of miles. And aside from the birch and larch trees, very rarely did we see homes. When we did, they were wood cabins often set alone, with a large pile of cut timber for fire wood. These people lived off the land with little, if any help. At the small train stations we stopped at, in front of the statues of Lenin, old women sat selling steamed potatoes wrapped in a cone of newspaper for what amounted to ten cents. Not rich, these people were nevertheless lively, sharp, and friendly.

We reached Irkutsk, where we spent a day walking around the lake and then taking a desperately needed shower. Then we were off to St. Petersburg. Near the northern latitudes in mid-summer, St. Petersburg is subject to "white nights." It's a strange phenomenon, where it never gets dark (more dusk like) for three months of the year. At 1:00 a.m. you feel like you are out for your late afternoon walk.

With a visit to the Summer Palace, the splendor of the history of Russia began to unfold. Built as the summer house for Peter the Great, with only 14 rooms, it appears simple on the outside. But on the inside, each room is a testament to what was a truly imperial era for Russia. With a visit to the adjacent gardens, and I could have stayed for days. It was beautiful and serene.

But, onward we pressed to Moscow. The heart of Russia, Moscow struck me as a somewhat ugly and dated "brand X" city. Here it was apparent that there were those who were the "haves" and the "have nots". The generosity and graciousness of the people we had met and seen so far, faded quickly into the past as we were met with the usual city folk. Busy and rushed, the tenor of the personalities had changed.

We did, like many visitors, have the opportunity to visit Lenin's Tomb, The Kremlin Armory and the state Hermitage. It is here that many of the great relics of Russia are kept under lock and key. They are truly breathtaking. Solid gold full size twin panthers with emerald eyes, crown jewels, and Faberge eggs were just some of the items on display. With so much of the wealth of the country concentrated in one location, it is not difficult to see how the rest of the country was managed by those in Moscow. It made sense that the ones with the means and resources manage those without.

Our last tour was through St. Basil's Cathedral. With its gilded gold towers and red brick cathedral in the middle of Red Square, built for Ivan the Terrible, this is one of the most iconic symbols of Russia. As we sat and waited for the rest of our group, I couldn't help but realize that my perspective of Russia had changed. The media driven image of our "post cold war" enemy was hardly that at all. This was a country as diversified and unique as our own. Spread over such a large portion of the continent with extreme weather, Russia struggles out of shear necessity. Their perspective of wealth differs so significantly from our own, we barely recognize it. We see it as poverty and socialistic monotony. But to truly understand the Russian plight, you need to see and feel the country.

I did. It was by this travel experience that my beliefs and perspectives of Russia changed.