Soviet-Style Holidays

Den Pobedy ("Victory Day") is the day of the year where the official flag of the country is the Red Banner. Dina invited me to join the festivities in her village, Shkotova, which is a bus ride away from Vladivostok. The ceremony unfolds exactly as it would have in Soviet times. Everyone comes with flowers and the babushkas take their seat in the very front row. A couple older women make soldier's gruel in an old-fashioned oven and serve it with sweet tea. 

 In this city of a few thousand, everyone is participating in the celebrations. This student MC takes her turn singing the traditional Victory Day songs.

A little boy is moved by his father and grandfather's solemn attitude. He bows down in front of the marble monument on which is carved all the names of villagers who died in the war.

White doves are released and silence fills the central square of the town. I too am moved by both these peoples' adherence to this memory and for the deep respect they hold for the dead.

Inside the artist's studio: I am invited into an artist's home in the village and get a privileged view of artwork that he has not yet displayed in a gallery. We have coffee together and dark chocolate. The conversation is minimal since he only speaks Russian but I am rather impressed by the art and ooh and aah. 

I am invited over for dinner by two married teachers who teach Physics and Computers at the local high school. Spring is almost here so we sit in the sunny garden and enjoy some blini (crepes). Dina runs out with Alexei to buy the missing and essential cream. The salad is made of dandelion leaves, stinging nettle, and egg--and it's delicious!

I bring my violin and am made to play for my dinner. Violins are not very common in the Far East and in the end I am asked to entertain for the entire afternoon. My pleasure! They teach me a few Russian songs on the guitar and then insist I sing "Si tu n'existes pas" by Joe Dassin, who is a Russian favourite.

Back at the sea: the warm weather hasn't really caught up with Spring yet but Julia and her gang invite me for a seafood delight barbecue on the ocean.

 Is the shrimp big enough?

Nope. There's bigger: let me introduce "Little Bear."

Taking a meditative walk along the beach. 

To finish this post that began with a soviet holiday, I just want to demonstrate Russian's ironic sense of humour. Below you can see that someone, probably the city, has installed a potted plant under the image of the crown prince Nicholas II. All is history here.