Snovom Godom (Happy New Year!)   (12/30/03)

Last updated 02/08/04                                                                                                                               

A new year spent at a Russian dacha (summer house) can provide plenty of anecdotes for a cocktail party --- you'll get to hear most of them when we get time for this blog.

Pictures

A nice shot of the dacha                Daria and Natalia in front of the Xmas tree                The guest house -- certainly more inviting during the summer


Natalia and I pose in front of the bath house -- where you can take a steam bath to forget the Russian cold                The River near the dacha                

Some views of Sasha's dacha (Daria's brother's summer house) and surrounding areas. During the Soviet era, it was quite common for people to get a plot of land outside the city for building a summer residence and vegetable garden. The summer residence provided a place to vacation, and Russians were encouraged to farm the plot to obtain additional fruits and vegetables (which were not always available in enough quantity).

Daria feels cold                Puneet was born in a much warmer climate                

While the dacha may provide a wonderful ambiance during the summer, it isn't immune to the harsh realities of Russian winter. Be grateful if your dacha has some sort of heating apparatus, or you're in for a very rough time.

 

They're stuffed pastries                It looks sooo cute!                Queen for the day

Sasha, Yoolia and Puneet posing

From meat-stuffed pies which look like pigs, to shaggy dogs which easily outweigh you, the New Year celebration in Russia offered many eye-opening experiences. One thing is certain -- the care and lavish treatment that Daria and I received, left us feeling like royalty for a day or two.