Will likely be a long time before an American is welcome again, the weight of the past lingers into the present and with scant hope for a peaceful future.
"While the World Cup limited me from seeing the 'REAL Russia,' I did my best during my week on the ground of getting a feel for America’s decades long adversary. Mother Russia, for her part, was on her best behavior, trying to show her best face to the world. The streets of St. Petersburg and Moscow were immaculately clean. Police and military stood on guard by train stations and tourist sites. They did not smile but they did not go looking for confrontation. English-speaking information tents were easily found. God knows how many undercover FSB agents mixed in with the crowds and kept their eyes peeled for malfeasance. To their credit, the Russians provided a sense of hands-off order. Simultaneously allowing for freedom of movement with mindful control. You knew Putin was in charge and that his people meant business, but so long as you weren’t a complete moron, you’d be left alone and could do as you pleased. This matched up to the advice a friend who worked in Russia gave me ahead of my visit. 'You should absolutely go. There will never be a safer time to be in Russia and free from harassment. BUT do not stay one day later than the end of the championship match.' Sage advice, I wouldn’t stay past the first round."
--Luke's Journal
CITIES VISITED:
MUST DO:
FAVORITE MEMORY:
St. Petersburg
Moscow
In St. Petersburg: State Hermitage Museum, Savior of the Spilled Blood, Kazan Kathedral, St. Issac's Cathedral, and a boat ride on the Neva River.
In Moscow: Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin. I also tried to visit Lenin's body but the line was too long.
After I kept beating a man in foosball at a local bar, the loser bought the vodka shots, a son told me to let his dad win or he'd knock over the foosball table. Russians don't mess around!
Nearly impossible. Since Russia's criminal invasion of Ukraine, it's not safe to go there anymore and risk harassment or jail for being an American. It's sad as St. Petersburg is beautiful and so walkable, whereas Moscow has a great rail system. Hopefully cooler heads prevail some day so the country can be seen.
Three things hit you in Russia. 1. The Russians don't feel like they got enough credit for winning WWII. 2. The vodka drinking is real, and consumption is at levels that are ungodly strong. 3. There's a real generational schism between old (Soviet era) and young (capitalist era), how it plays out will determine the country's relationship to the rest of the world in the future.
