Weekend in Suzdal: Hello Fellow Russians!

When The Spouse wants to get out of something potentially unpleasant involving a stranger, he speaks German. This way the pan-handler or whomever blames "those cheap Austrians" instead of thinking poorly about Americans.

So, we're sitting in a little tea shop in Suzdal. In walks a young, gregarious Russian man.

"HELLO FELLOW RUSSIANS!" he says to the room in Russian.

He locks eyes with us.

" . . . and fellow . . . non-Russians!"

"Haben Zie vielen dank!" says The Spouse. Thank you very much.

Now, unbeknownst to The Spouse, Russia was playing German in football (soccer) last night. It was a Very Big Deal.

Young Russian Guy buys us a bottle of a local honey-based brew. "It is my policy to make friends with The Opposition," he explains. "I wish you all the best."

"Do you think he's drunk?" I ask The Spouse. "He's not drunk. I mean, he seems cheerful, but he's not drunk, right? Ya think?"

Young Russian Guy and his friends arrange themselves at the table next to us. "It's just a bit crowded," he announces. "Can everyone [meaning us] move to the left. Just a little. A LITTLE!"

We all scoot left.

"STOP! That's enough," he says. He and his friends order vodka shots.

"It's 4:00 in the afternoon," The Spouse says to me. "This is not his first shot of the day."

P.S. Germany won 2-1.

Suzdal was like a Russian fairy tale. I can't say enough good things about the inn and the town. It was all adorable little cottages and cats and cats in windows of adorable cottages. See below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos on the blog's Facebook page.