#1 I rock this look too so there’s no judgement whatsoever – the socks and sandal look is quite popular here! As is men in camouflage.
#2 I’ve always been a big fan of borscht. It varies in quality but I’ve yet to have one that isn’t tasty.
#3 Sour cream is a popular accompaniment to most dishes.
#4 Filling with petrol is quite different than in England. You have to first put the chosen petrol nozzle in the tank. There are then two different methods of payment dependent on the petrol station. If the petrol station is new it will have the usual shop filled with the usual fare – food, icecreams, car oils etc. The shops are run exclusively by women and there is always a security guard who sits in the shop too. The difference with England is that you have to hand over the money first before any petrol comes out of the nozzle. If the petrol station is older and smaller there’ll only be a kiosk protected by iron bars and with a small opening where a drawer can be pulled in and out for the money and change. Again money first and then petrol.
#5 Crepes dipped in condense milk is a popular pudding.
#6 I’ve mention the Russian stare in a previous post – it bares mentioning again as it is so blatant and rather unnerving. As my father would say: “Stop gawping.”
#7 The countryside is really stunning. As Russia is so immense it changes dramatically as we have moved from East to West. We have driven through dense mountainous forests; Mongolian-style steppes; flat grasslands and farmed land. Though it’s surprising how much of the land is not farmed – by far the vast majority of it is wild and untamed.
#8 There are lots of delicious looking salami in the shops. Unfortunately we have yet to try one that actually tastes of anything.
#9 The same can be said for cheese – lots of it…..but utterly tasteless.
#10 The teas are served extremely milky. I always gesture for only a tiny bit of milk but have yet to get the ratio down further than 7:3 tea to milk.