Russian guards in the Moscow metro

Ok, I confess. I am a russophile. Became one in 2002 after my first there with a medical/social team assisting the community of Dmitrov with their hospice development. I returned in 2005 and it's now been 6 years since my last visit and taste of authentic Russian borscht. My family thought I went off the deep end after the first visit - with the toasts with meals, excited about any movie with any connection to Russia, and the tall wool boots (given as a gift) that I proudly wear shoveling snow. I don't know if it was the site of Red Square, the cyrillic alphabet and the mystery of not knowing what was behind the shop window, the cold and snow.....but I do know I fell hard for Russia and mainly because of the people I met. Be careful for what you wish for when you fling that ruble into the bay of Finland and promise to return one day with your wife. Will she have a similar experience? Will it still amaze and excite me? The answer is yes! yes!

So as we planned our trip, a return to Russia was definitely on the radar, but in reality only made possible by the reconnection and welcoming by some wonderful Russian friends, especially Alexander Matveev, aka Sasha, who was my interpreter on the first visit to Russia. Sasha is now an MBA working on an United Nations development project in Moscow and helped us immensely with planning, reservations, mastering the Moscow metro, and tour guide. He is another example of those next generation people who continue to impress us with their values, hopes and dreams, work ethics, and genuine hospitality for these 2 wandering travelers.

We spent a few days each in Moscow, Dmitrov ( 60 miles north of Moscow), and St. Petersburg. My impression this time was that the old Russia is becoming the new Russia, thanks to some very nice revenues from oil and gas. There is a higher standard of living as seen by : many new autos replacing the old standard, no frills Russian Lada;
the high fashion of the Russian women ( many look like models walking down the street); the many new cafes and restaurants; and the exponentially number of new choices for merchandise, electronics, etc in the stores. The government still has tight control,, but the majority of Russians still give favorable marks to the president and prime minister.

After a two days in Moscow we took a train to Dmitrov and spent a great day with the folks I had worked with before. Alla Pospelova is the head of social services for the region and she has to oversee all the expenditures for health and human services in the district. I call her the "Mother of the Russian children" because of her caring and commitment. It is clear that the Russian society places high value on its children and elderly. We visited orphanages for both disabled children as well as kids from difficult family situations ( alcohol continues to be a major problem in Russia), toured the refinished hospice wing where patients are getting care for their pain and terminal illness ( what a difference from my first visit when patients were rarely told of their prognosis even if they had a terminal condition), and a retirement center run by Dr. Irina Vydrich and staffed by Dr. Irina Kosilova ( cardiology and geriatric medicine). Both of these women are energetic, fun, and committed to the best for the people they work with. They reminded me again of the value of the social and psychological aspect to keeping one engaged, happy, and healthy in this life. The people at this home were doing music performances, poetry reading, art projects, and physical competition to keep them going.

From Dmitrov we took the overnight train to St.Petersburg. Another good friend, Valery, told us that the track is completely straight without any curves. This was done under the order of the Tsar who drew a straight line between Moscow and St.Petersburg and told the engineers to get it done. We enjoyed amazing museums, beautiful architecture and churches, brisk walks, a favorite restaurant ( Teplo - you have to go if you are ever there), and a very nice, small hotel(Northern Lights)within walking distance of all the things we wanted to do. To top it off, we were able to get same day tickets to see the ballet at the Mariinsky theater. The beauty, artistic performance, and athleticism were incredible. Seeing Swan Lake, Tchiakovsky, and St. Petersburg.... we are now a family of 2 russophiles!