McDonald's of Russia celebrated its 25th anniversary in recent days. Oh sure, we remember that red letter day in 1999 when the biggest-ever Mickey D's opened in Moscow. Folks waited in an hours-long queue for a taste of the west. These days, the wait's so much shorter. And since then, even bigger McDonald's restaurants have opened elsewhere. . .
Best of all, McDonald's eventually came to Rostov-on-Don, some 600 miles south of Moscow. That might have been 2003 or so and I stood in line for 15 minutes, all smiles. Rostov now boasts at least four McDonald's and across this vast land, more than 400 sites crank out burgers, fries, the works.
Here's the nearby McDonald's: See you're reading Russian!
Another view, another day: Saturday morning and headed over there for breakfast.
Rostov International Airport welcomed travelers with McDonald's Big Tasty RIO burger, celebrating the 2014 World Cup games.
Back to the anniversary. . .
Even the tray mats announce the anniversary: #25 together: Your History.
Another look, snapped in my photo studio, haha, with translation below. Such clever marketing, using social media.
Here's the translation ~ January 31, 1990, 25 years ago, on Pushkin Square, opened the first McDonald's in Russia. Since then, McDonald's has received more visitors than the entire population of Russia - and each of them left at McDonald's part of his soul. We have grown and changed together. On the eve of our twenty-fifth anniversary, we would like to invite you to remember and revive the brightest moments of our common history. Share your story on our website or on our social networks, celebrate their friends using the hashtag # 25vmeste, and note our page in the living history of McDonald's in Russia.
Sure enough, visit the McDonald's Russia website and check out the Big Mac memories. Visiting McDonald's here in Russia is an event ~ it's a place to see and be seen, worthy of your favorite mink coat.
The taste of the season, the Beef a-la-Rus, pictured top, only. My favorite, on a rye bun, with a country Russian feel.
Alexander Pushkin, the great Russian poet gazes hungrily at the McDonald's adjacent, across Voroshilovski Street. Sir, just tell us what you'd like: We'll handle your order, you can stay your pedestal and wax poetic.
McDonald's: Who needs a drive-through or children's play area when there's free WiFi!
Perhaps you've been to a McDonald's in Russia or another exotic land? Please share ~ we'd love to hear about it!
While it is still February 23rd allow me to say *Congratulations on Men's Day!* Actually, it's Defender's Day, more precisely Defender's of the Fatherland Day, more easily expressed in Russian than in English.
Originally, 23 February was a day to recognize those who have protected the Fatherland by serving in the military. Now it has evolved so that guys of all ages are honored, even those who have protected nothing more than their toy cars and trucks.
Thought you might enjoy a couple of neat cards. First, a retro-style card. On the front you see an aviator, a soldier and a sailor.
It says, *23 of February. . . (Congratulations) with the Holiday!* (The congratulations part is understood from the grammar.) (Click images to enlarge.)
Here's the back, Thought you might like to have a look. I find Soviet-retro art so charming. Oh, and please forgive the marking on the verse. . . my beloved language teacher likes to scribble mark all over my things in ink to help me understand.
Here's the first verse: Line 1) This day is the holiday for men 2) We traditionally consider for 3) our beloved men 4) success and kind wishes. Verse 2: Line 1) May optimism help (you) 2) easily to move toward desired goals 3) And may life not stingily give 4) great success in all your favorite activities. (Russian's such a poetic language, you know, this has lovely cadence in the original language.)
Here's the perfect card for a boy. . .
*23rd of February. . . *
Click image. (*Wishing you. . .* is understood and built into the grammar)... Line 1) Decisiveness and courage in everything. 2) Wide horizons, brilliant goals, 3) good luck unchanging -- day after day, 4) Success without fail in everything you do.
And so dear men, young and old alike, CONGRATULATIONS on your holiday! Myself, I didn't give out cards, but did make up a double batch of chocolate zucchini muffins to share with neighbors and guys who work in nearby shops. Hold on, bet there's a picture here handy. . .
It's a fun way to meet neighbors, make new friends and say thank you.. Neighbors have been a major help to me over the years.
We need to show more appreciation to the men in our lives. Congratulations, dear ones!
In February, 1994, Aldrich Ames was arrested and charged with selling secrets to the USSR. In his 30-year career with the CIA, Ames was promoted to chief of counterintelligence for the Soviet Division. He had easy access to the most delicate information of Soviet-American espionage.
In the early 1980's, Ames and his first wife divorced and as part of the settlement, he agreed to pay $46,000 over three years. But with an annual income of $60,000 and new wife who enjoyed the finer things of life, he was facing bankruptcy. Looking for a second source of income, he realized that the information at his fingertips could bring him a nice sum of cash.
And so it was that Aldrich and Rosario began rather conspicuously to upgrade their standard of living. Stationed in Rome, Ames replaced his thrifty casuals for tailored Italian suits and $600 leather shoes. The new Jaguar in Ames' garage was worth more than his annual income but when zooming north through the Italian Alps and into Switzerland, he imagined himself a James Bond.
Meanwhile, Russian informants were disappearing. The CIA had become alarmed and assigned a small team to investigate. In the video below, meet the pair accredited with catching Ames.
The list of Russian informants that Aldrich Ames sold to the Soviets included a General Deimitry Polykov who had supplied information for 20 years. One CIA source said that when a package of information arrived from Polykov, it was like Christmas. There was something for everyone. Polykov was described as the crown jewel, the perfect spy. And then he simply disappeared.
Aldrich Ames is serving a life sentence without parole. He admits, The reasons that I did what I did in April of 1985 were personal, banal, and amounted really to kind of greed and folly. As simple as that.
The most cold-blooded traitor in US history, Ames was also the world's highest paid spy, having received more than 2 million cash with another 2 million dollars in a Moscow bank awaiting his retirement.
What really amazed me about Rick Ames is that I thought he had a feeling of loyalty to the people whom he dealt with and that is the betrayal that I can't understand, said FBI agent R. Patrick Watson.
As I see it, this drama comes down to money and what a person is willing to do in exchange for cash. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (I Timothy 6:10). Actually, at the root is discontentment, wanting to be more significant, or rather to feel more significant. And believing that significance can be bought. And that it can be purchased with people's lives.
Let us learn to be content. Let us learn that significance is a given, whether or not we feel it.
You're likely aware that this morning at 9:00 local time, a meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk (pronounced Chel-YA-beensk), a city in the southern Ural Mountains of Russia. According to RT news, 300 buildings were damaged and 514 persons need medical care, mostly for injuries from flying glass.
For some geographical perspective, here's a high-tech map for you: Because of course you deserve to know. ;)
So here's Russia: Click photo to enlarge. The red marker is pointing to Moscow. The orange sticky-note is pointing to Chelyabinsk, site of today's drama, some 930 miles east-southeast of Moscow. The green marker points to Rostov-on-Don, 650 miles south of Moscow and my home-sweet-home. That blue sticker points to lots more drama; we'll get to that in a minute.
First, here's a great video of highlights thanks to RT, Russia Today.
Interesting: I'm watching, more or less, РОССИЯ24, Russia's 24-hour news channel. This story is the only thing on the news.
But not everyone is convinced that today's phenomenon was a meteor. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a politician with ideas of his own, claims the explosion was the US testing weapons. Bless his heart. Makes you wonder what he had for breakfast. Here's more on his theory.
Now, a look back to the last exploding meteor to hit the earth which also hit Russia. Thanks to the Smithsonian Institute for twittering today about the Tunguska Event, which hit Siberia in 1908, leveling forests for 800 square miles.
Here's our trusty map (Click to enlarge). The blue sticker points to Tunguska, an area 1,500 miles east of today's drama and 2,400 miles east of Moscow, according to my figuring.
While today's explosion was significant, it pales in comparison with the Tunguska Event. The Smithsonian story quotes NASA's calculations that the Tunguska explosion was equivalent to 185 Hiroshima bombs.
Have to admit, the first I heard of this was after coming to Russia. Actually it was in 2008, with the 100th anniversary of the event, I wrote, I Feel the Earth Move...with a nod to Carol King's song of the 1970's.
How about you, dear blog reading friend. Any experience with meteors? Or. . . UFO's. Or. . . testing weapons, for that matter? Seriously, maybe you've been all too close to a natural disaster such as a tornado or earthquake. Please do share.
Over the weekend, Volgograd observed the 70th anniversary of the bloodiest battle of World War II, the battle in which Nazi forces surrendered, a turning point in the war. The victory of February 2, 1943 was the lead story on the news all day last Saturday, with special programming, interviews with veterans and grainy black-and-white video footage. The battle of Volgograd, that is Stalingrad, waged on for 200 days and has been described as one of the bloodiest in history. As many as two million Soviet citizens were killed.
Just as a rose by any other name is not a rose, veterans have campaigned that Volgograd return to its Soviet-era name, Stalingrad, a rather controversial request. City officials have compromised: Stanlingrad will be the city's official name on six patriotic days scattered throughout the calendar year including February 2nd.
A member of our congregation, Elena Lalaevna, served as a nurse during the war. As a decorated veteran, she receives regular letters of appreciation from Moscow, as she puts it. Elena Lalaevna graciously allowed me to photograph her with the newest card signed from the president, himself.
Elena Lalaevna with her card, *70 years after the Battle of Stalingrad.* (Click photos to enlarge.)
Pictured inside is Mat' Rodina, or The Motherland Calls, the symbol of the Volgograd victory, a monument taller than the Statue of Liberty. The card is beautifully written, expressing gratitude for each veteran's role in the war effort, what a difference his or her bravery made in stopping the Fascist aggression and how their efforts will always be remembered. The card is signed by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, a most interesting signature.
Speaking of The Motherland statue, here are shots from my trip there one fine May.
Massive. See the people at the base of the statue? Mat' Rodina is atop a hill, 200 steps above the entrance to the memorial area. Each step represents one of the 200 days of the battle.
The general public is not permitted inside the statue. In the second video below, The Motherland Calls, meet the team of mountain climbers assigned to maintain the statue
This video captures the reverence with which Russia observes such memorial days and the respect given war heroes.Video is courtesy of RT, Russia Today news service.
In this video, we meet the statue's designer and sculptor, the curator and the mountain climbers who maintain the statue.
So, dear Blog Reader, have you been to Volgograd, per chance? Have any family members who served in Russia? Or are you a World War II history buff? Please do share.
May 9th is a sacred day across Russia. Today is the 66th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi troops to allied forces. Every Soviet family was affected by the war. According to Russia Today, 27 million Soviets died whereas the combined deaths from the United States and United Kingdom were less than 1 million.
This evening I paid a visit to Victoria, my neighbor upstairs (double-click photos to enlarge). We sat at her kitchen table where she spread out photos and medals. Her family's story is typical: Her father Oleg, center, was a pilot before he was shot down and killed on his first flight in September, 1941. Two months later, Victoria was born, named in a spirit of optimism.
Victoria's mother spoke fluent German, which got her a job as translator for the Nazis. Later, she was sent to prison for collaborating with the enemy. Enter our hero, Oleg, far left, a classmate of Mama's who had loved her from afar during their teens. Oleg was an army physician, serving on the front. He managed to get Mama released from prison and sent home to be with little Victoria. They married and after the war, it was Oleg who would be a father to Victoria during her childhood and youth. Her mother died at 55 but Oleg lived considerably longer. Both are buried here in Rostov-on-Don. Victoria plans to visit the cemetery soon to decorate their graves.
With dear sister Nina, left, a friend from church, in front of a neighborhood cultural center. The banner proclaims, *(Congratulations) with the Great Victory!*
Elena Lalaevna, our sister from church is a decorated war hero, having served as a nurse in a army hospital near Volgograd, then Stalingrad. Once again this year, she received personal congratulations from Russian President Dimitry Medvedev.
Area veterans pictured on a billboard, downtown Rostov. As you can imagine, the number of veterans is dwindles daily. For lots more great photos, please check out these photos and videos. Last year, I spent a morning wandering around downtown and shooting everything. Just for you!
Now let's turn our attention 1,000 kilometers north to Moscow. Russian parades are something to behold, particular those held in Moscow. Red Square is the size of 12 football fields, the perfect staging area for displays of troops and military hardware. According to Russia Today, 20 thousand troops participated in today's parade. Magnificent as it was, last year's was even bigger, being the 65th anniversary. Imagine: US troops marched through Red Square.
The Russian flag, center, is flanked by the Rostov city flag, right, and that of the Rostov Region, left. I'm thankful to be living under the Russian flag versus the Communist flag or that of the Fascists. We can be so grateful to Soviet troops who stopped them. Their efforts came with a very high price tag and on May the 9th, Victory Day, the entire country stops to pay them respect.
Back in the days when the Communist Party ran things around here, November 7th was the Day of the Revolution, a major holiday. Today the party faithful still parade through town, their ranks a only remnant of earlier strength. But to the teenagers I ran on a recent afternoon, November 7th was just another day. In fact, they were clueless that it had ever been a holiday. Here's how that went.
Sure, you can take my picture, I said. Just make sure I'm the youngest, thinnest and the most beautiful one in the photo. (Whahah!)
Well, they did try. ;)
I'd been downtown an hour or so already, perusing souvenirs from sidewalk vendors in Gorky Park and hoping to target some Communists. With my camera, of course. November 7th is their big day so they were making their presence known. They were celebrating the October Revolution, when Communist forces lead by Vladimir Lenin took over the Russian government. That was shortly after Czar Nicholas II was booted out of office and summarily executed.
Well, November 7th no longer a public holiday and the Communist Party has faded considerably. But to the die-hard party loyalists, the day remains sacred. Earlier that morning, en route to church, we had spotted a few dozen celebrants gathered near the Stella statue, waving their red flags with gold hammers and sickles. Their usual routine is to march through the city on Pyshkinskaya Boulevard making considerable racket with bullhorns and a brass band and then gather at the statue of Lenin.
Later that afternoon, I managed to catch several stragglers who were lingering after the festivities. I was still watching for Communists and sure enough, there at the Lenin statue was a faithful komrad, pleased to salute for a photo.
The placard says something about 93 years since the revolution. And that is of such significance to the three-plus generations of Russian folk who lived under Communism.
See the teens on the street would have been born after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, after Russia opened up in the early 1990's and after the USSR dissolved soon thereafter. They don't remember life before McDonald's. Their parents and grandparents would remember the fanfare of November 7th, of course, up through the 1980's. Girls would remember getting new dresses for the parade and the masses were released from school and work to celebrate in the city streets.
So then, I wanted to know what these youth were thinking. And they wanted to take my picture so we got to chatting.
Me: Is today an important holiday to you?
Them: Today is a holiday? (giggle, giggle) What holiday is it? Maybe Men's Day?
Noooo, Men's Day is in February.
Is it Russian Independence Day?
Nooo, Independence Day is in June. . .
See the man over there at Lenin's Statue? The guy with the red flag? Today's the day of the October Revolution, when Communism came into power.
Ohhh. . . (giggle, giggle)
So that was the end of that. And then it was on to questions about the America, the usual questions. Another topic entirely. . .
Oh, you need to meet Komrad So-and-so. We met earlier in the park when I was looking for souvenirs. Seems that he's a local officer of The Party.
He was chatting with the coin and pin vendor there at Gorky Park, near the statue of Lenin.
He was kind enough to let me circle around as to get a better shot at him. I didn't mention that I'd been hoping to photograph folks of his ilk. . .
The statue to Lenin. It's amazing how many Lenin statues are still standing throughout Russia and Ukraine. Probably interesting to know how many have been pulled down, too.
Allied soldiers from France, England and the U.S. were invited to Moscow in recent days to participate in last Sunday's May 9th Victory Day Parade through Red Square. This was a first. You may have caught glimpses of the parade and evening fireworks on CNN. The festivities in Red Square were duplicated - on a more modest scale, of course - in probably every city across Russia. The motto here seems to be, If it's worth doing, it's worth doing on a massive, over-the-top scale. Gotta love it!
Below are U.S. Army troops practicing in Moscow in the days before the parade, photo courtesy of the U.S. Army website.
Photo by Bob Close
There's a wonderful human interest story here. First a bit of background. Seventy-five soldiers from the U.S. Army Europe, Company C, 2nd Battalion traveled from their base in Germany to Moscow for the festivities. They were accompanied by a 45-piece band from the U.S. Naval Forces, Europe.
According to the army website, back in 1943, a platoon leader of the Soviet Red Army, a Major Alexander Peteryaev was killed in action. Decades later, in 1996, some of the major's descendants immigrated to the States from Vladivostok, the largest city in Russia's far east. And so it is that Major Peteryavev's grandson, 1st Lt. Ilya Ivanov, Russian-born but now a Texan, serves as executive director of Company C. The lieutenant is understandably excited about being back on Russian soil for the festivities.
The video below shows The Allies coming together for the 65th anniversary celebration of the end of the Great Patriotic War, as it is known here in Russia. Of special interest is the attendance of Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, who attended as a special guest of Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. Unthinkable in 1945. Amazing how time marches on and wounds can heal.
May 9th is Victory Day across Russia, celebrating the surrender of Fascist forces in 1945. This year was extra-special being the 65th anniversary of the end of The Great Patriotic War, as it is known.
Sixty-five years of victory: Russian retro art - it warms the heart.
This year the parade here in Rostov was a little different. For one thing, the veterans didn't march the parade route because it's getting harder for them to do that. So, as I understand it, they sat in the reviewing stands overlooking Theater Square. But along the parade route came the military hardware. The parade started at 10:00 on Sunday morning and I was able to capture some pre-parade shots before heading to our church services which started at 11:00, three blocks north of the parade route.
However, thanks to Artom, a friend from English Discussion Club, who offered to shoot video of the parade and get interviews with veterans after the parade. Thanks to his efforts, we have lots of great video footage. So I'll pick the best of that and get it edited and translated for you. And for now, here's what I saw of the pre-parade plus lots extra of Rostov adorned for the festivities.
(Click photos to enlarge.) Veteran finding his way to the staging area, asking directions. Go east young man, go east three blocks and you'll be there.
Security was a major concern, with recent bombings in Moscow. These officers were polite but quite thorough in checking through bags and backpacks.
Daddy and baby hurrying to catch the parade. Bouquets for veterans nearly requisite.
Sister Mariam is a war hero, as her medals indicate. Here she is serenaded by Anya and Sofia before church service begins. Our Mariam worked as a digger of trenches during the war. Later, she worked for the Moscow circus. Mariam is compassionate and generous in her own sweet, quiet way. I'm convinced that there's a special place in heaven just for this dear soul. As I mentioned, she's a war hero.
Artash, our preacher, with Mariam. Victory Day was quite the day for Mariam. She was simply glowing. This has been a challenging year for Mariam. Last fall as she was exiting a bus, the driver closed the door and started off before she was completely out. The door closed on her arm, dragging her along with the bus. Her arm got pretty well banged up and an arm bone broken length-wise. And she declined to fault the driver because she didn't want him to lose his job. That's just the kind of lady she is. Mariam is a hero, no doubt about it.
The Berlin store: Have to laugh at the irony of this. . . and I just know that you'll want to laugh too. In 1945, To Berlin was the slogan for Soviet troops going west toward Germany to defeat the Fascists. And now in 2010, there's an upscale clothing store named Berlin here in this very city.
Zooming on in to the Berlin store, the white letters. Need to pop in there for a look around. Guessing it's German-made and/or designed apparel.
Along the street after the parade, guys drinking yogurt and more, sitting in front of an athletic supply store. I was interested in the Nike ad behind which says, Believe: You are stronger than you think. The one guy was downplaying the slogan saying, It's just some American propaganda. That's not something we would say.
Yours Truly with a poster, (Congratulations) with the Holiday!
* * * * *
Got to admit that I'm quite pleased with myself for heading to Theater Square early Thursday to get some shots in the morning sunlight.
This ended up being a splendid idea, without the crowds. Plus ended up with the ultimate photo opportunity, more about that later.
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing in a huge way, seems the Russian philosophy. This massive
mural covers an entire side of the Stella Bank building, proclaiming 65 years.
No one is forgotten; Nothing is forgotten, the banner says over the entrance to Regional Railway Administration building, adjacent to Stella. Who is Stella, you might ask? Well, you'll get to meet her shortly.
School children bringing bouquets to Stella. In early May, lilacs and tulips are most popular. Children are so photogenic, you know, that I decided to just follow along with them and capture the moment.
Here is Stella. Overlooks the Don River and the steppe. Stella is taller than Lady Liberty, as I recall. Got the details on that around here somewhere. . .
The children presented their bouquets to a group of war heroes who happened to be there. Once I learned who these veterans were, things got extra interesting. This little story merits a blog post of its very own, one day very soon.
Leaving Stella, I happened upon this school group of hearing-impaired students. I asked the teacher if maybe they could sign a song for me to tape. Well they're so young, she said. They can't really sing yet. Okaaay.
There they are. Everything is dwarfed by Stella.
Leaving the area, here's Stella and a plane headed to Rostov International Airport.
The bench says (Congratulations) on the holiday! (Congratulations) on the 65th-year of the Great Victory! Indeed.
Four flags: From left is the flag of the Rostov Region (comparable to a state), then the tri-color of Russia, then the red flag of the Communist Party but nowadays with a gold star replacing the hammer and sickle and then the Rostov city flag. We seem to be in fine shape flag-wise.
Statue of mother and child, overlooking Theater Square from the northwest.
Mother statue, wide. Taken from Bolshaya Sadovaya (Big Garden) Street.
Welcome home poster of a homecoming, set in Red Square with a Kremlin tower in the background. Got to love this retro style of Russian art. Located at
Theater Prospect and Maxim Gorky Street.
Zooming on in to this joyful reunion: Sixty-five Years of Victory.
