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My dear readers,<br /><br />Today, I am going to my trip from Tunisia to Russia. These who read my story from previous trip: Silk Road may remember that I was motivated on it by a childhood dream about Takla-Makan Desert. On trip before that to Himalayas I was motivated by my mountaineering youth. This coming trip is also not without motivation. I want to go through the most luxurious places in Europe, such as French and Italian Riviera, the backpacker way (bosiatskim sposobom). Why the backpacker way? Because these places are very expensive and also because I do not like to travel the civilized way. I am motivated to this trip by two great Russian Travelers Romanych http://romanycz.travel.ru/ and Yuri Mossokovsky http://mosspower.w-city.net.ua Last one took a bold task to prove that the ordinary Russian citizen can afford to travel to Western Europe on a bike. He proved it, but lost 20 lb. on the way. I am going to prove that the ordinary American Social Seniority recipient can travel through Rivieras too. And I do not mind to lose weight ever.

From Tunisia to Russia (part II)

Alex Mumzhiu
2006-03-22 13:32:47

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specialty. In the street and other public places you can easily recognize them. They do not hide. They want to be visible, to show others who is the boss. Unfortunately the general public does not hate them as I think they should, but kind of tolerate them. Many words from criminal jargon become part of contemporary Russian language.

3. Equality, proclaimed at least on paper by Communists is gone and now Russians enjoy their new acquired un-equality. Words "prestige" and "elite" are between most commonly used. You can see commercials for elite bed sheets or prestigious toilets. All talk about my life in America, sooner or later ends up with question of, "is it prestigious or not"? (for example, about my car). After 4 months on bike I barely remember the make of my car.

4. Russian's attitude toward Putin's personality cult. I do not think Putin prompts it or supports it. But he cannot stop every suck-up (apple polisher) in the country from doing what they used to do for generations. It doesn't take long to develop a full blown personality cult. An example is in Turkmenistan, which I passed in my trip on my way from Termez to Samarkand, by railroad.

5. Beer commercials on TV. These commercial are so highly pathetic. They present beer drinking as the main purpose of human existence. When I remember brands they advertise, I do not buy them.

6. Most stupid thing: Unlike during the Soviet time, you can buy red caviar in every store now. However it will be already expired or just before its expiration date. Caviar is OK for about a year. Why whey keep it in storage till the expiration date is a puzzle for me. Whenever I buy it, it was always bad. You need to know the sales lady to get good products, not only caviar. Sometimes customers beg iron hearted sales ladies to give them a better piece because they will take it to the hospital, for a sick person. But this trick does not always work.

Alex Mumzhiu
Washington DC USA
July 22 2002