We just returned from a great night out with our new friends from the Rostov office! Julia and Tonia took us out to eat down by the waterfront, we had a real Russian feast on a docked boat. We had been craving some Russian cuisine as most of the dinners and lunches we’ve had here in Russia have been of other nationalities, so we requested food of the mother land. We had a nice green salad with iceburg lettuce, tomatoes, red pepper, cucumbers, and a dolop of sour cream. The appetizers were these wonderful dumplings filled with cabbage and potatoes and a plate of pickled eggplant, apples, green and red tomatoes, cabbage, and pickles (of course!). For our main course the girls and I had bar-b-qued shish kabobs with lavash (pita bread) and sides of cole slaw and tomatoes with radish. And of course, beer! It was delicious and thanks to the awesome vocals of our favorite new lounge singers, the feast was a true Russian experience! And we even had a great and attentive hostess!

After dinner we decided to walk along the promenade and to really be crazy Americans, we decided to buy some beer and drink it out in the open- open containers in a public area- how scandalous! It’s funny, we’ve been orienting these students on things they can’t do in the States like drinking in public and here we are appreciating the Russian custom we are not afforded at home! I would have loved living here when I was 18! I have to admit, I’ve yet to see anyone drunk…does Melvin count?

Tomorrow we leave bright and early in the morning (5am) to catch a plane to Moscow then we’re off to our last Siberian stop, Vorenezh!… the saga continues.