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Update from RUSSIA!

It’s been a while since I have wrote anything, actually for that matter this whole trip I have been pretty silent. I guess I’m not sure if that’s because I’m finally just enjoy the moment, and can’t seem to find time to write down all the things that are going on, or maybe because I sometimes I feel no one actually reads this crap!

Ok well I will do my best to catch you up on what’s been going on.

After spending my birthday in Riga Latvia I went north to Tallinn Estonia for a few days. Estonia was my 3^rd and final Baltic country to visit. Tallinn is a lovely little city, although the weather seemed to have turned for the worse. It was still august but yet it felt like the dead of winter on my thin Californian skin. I ended up meeting up with my friend Paul that I met 2 years ago in Japan. Unfortunately for me the cold weather proved to be too much for me, so found myself sick with a cold (one that I’m still trying to kick).

I didn’t really do much other then go out at night and stay in during the day when it was cold and pissing down outside. My plan was to go to Finland but I didn’t have enough time due to my Russian visa dates, so I will leave Finland for another trip.

I took the 6 hour night bus from Tallinn to St. Petersburg RUSSIA! The bus trip was pretty easy other then it was filled with drunk Russians! The only major highlight was that I got yelled at by the Russian military guys for trying to go pee during the boarded crossing.

Before I came to Russia I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it. I grew up during the cold war, it always seemed to be Russia vs USA. To me Russia was this big country that was very mysterious, filled with tall women. I’m not sure my opinion has changed that much, other then there are very cute short girls here too. It’s been said Russians are cold people, hard to get to know and hard to read. That is a little bit true but if you take the time to break away some of the ice they are very warm and friendly people. The 2 things they seem to love the most are Cigarettes and Vodka. I feel like I have been smoking 5 packs a day. When walking in the streets its hard to find fresh air. I tend to hold my breath and wait for the clear patch of air. The clubs and bars here are so full of smoke its hard to see. When I went into my first bar I said to my Russian friend “Do they have a smoke machine on?”… nope that’s just good old cigarette smoke. Despite the smoke and the vodka that can power the fiat, this place is awesome! I am now kicking myself for not giving myself more time.

I leave for Moscow on Saturday for only 1 night, then its back to Latvia to pick up the Fiat and my Irish Leprechaun, after that it’s the open road… who knows where, but for sure a stop back in Poland!

Here are some pictures from Estonia.

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And here are the ones from St. Petersburg, Russia!

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Posted by Jimmy under Europe, Photos, Russia, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Updates |