Replies

My screen name "mikhailovich" is my son's middle name. Both of our kids are from Russia. I've been there 3 times and spent weeks with different families, learning the culture, touring little-known historic towns, eating their home cooking. What a fascinating place, is Russia. Their people are basically identical to us in physical appearance and values. The only major difference is they were held captive by a brutal government and yes some of them grew to rely on it. Mostly the older folks still around.

One of the best memories I have of Russia was touring this amazing little town 100 miles north of Moscow where the grounds were covered in snow and the ravens were perched in evergreens. We approached a historic chapel with amazing architecture. The large wooden doors came open and we were allowed inside. A choir of beautiful voices rang out inside, singing Christian songs. And this was only about 3 years after the fall of the Soviet empire when churches and religion were banned. The choir was real, and up close. It was breathtaking.

Outside was a picture of Stalin's troops destroying this church. There was a brand new church bell in a wooden crate about to be resurrected.

Phenominal!!