>From: Michael Pollak <mpollak at panix.com>
>
>
>How do you feel about mid-size Russian cities that aren't Moscow or St.
>Petersberg?
>
Heh, honestly, I've only really spent time in Kaluga, though I did live for several months right by a village in the countryside.
Most Russian cities have an opera house, nice theaters, etc., though not many people can afford to go to them. Moscow and St. Pete have (relatively) large middle classes with sizeable disposable incomes, probably 25% of the population in Moscow and maybe 15% in St. Pete, whereas I don't think cities like Vladivostok hit the 10% mark, though people in the regions don't often zip off to places like that, though they can do it occasionally. But I actually don't go to such places much myself -- I just like hanging out with people in the local cafe. You can do that anywhere. :)
Villages in Russia are just sad. The poverty, while not Third World, is certainly Appalachian (people who describe Russia as Third World should try, I don't know, visting India. Russia does not have slums, starvation, mass homelessness.). Most of the old houses of culture, which in Soviet days held dances and showed movies and plays all the time, now are lucky to get a show a month. Plus everybody is leaving the country for the urban centers who possibly can.
Chris
_________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail