cheesy celebrations time

Left everyone at work watching the Royal Wedding and have come home to pack, as I am going to the US tomorrow. Which means I will miss both May Day and Victory Day. I really enjoyed the latter last year - endless novelty - but now realise that all the posters and street decorations are basically wheeled out the same each year (something that may be obvious to everyone else since it is what we all do at Christmas, Easter etc.)

Anyway, if you want to know more about Victory Day before 9th May, you can see all 1 hour and 30 minutes of lat year's parade, filmed by Russia Today. And check out Little Bone's post about getting caught up in the rehearsals for this year's extravaganza.

easter coming

I keep forgetting about easter. My london friends are already plotting their easter breaks, whilst here we wait until the May holidays (from May 1st = Labour Day to May 9th =Victory Day) for time off.

Of course, this is not because people are not religious; to the extent that many restaurants and cafes provide lenten (orthodox fasting) alternatives at this time of year. It is just that easter sunday will come and go without much impact on the working week. Meanwhile,  the same kind of stuff you get everywhere- eggs, chocolate, bunnies - are in the shops.

say it with flowers?

International Women's Day. A bit weird to witness it here, considering Russian history. After all, demonstrations marking International Women's Day were one of the key moments which led to the 1917 Russian Revolution. Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to continue it, and in the Soviet period the day used to honour women mainly as workers, joining together people across the Eastern and socialist bloc.

These days, though, March 8th is, to quote Irina Lovanova "associated with men's adoration of women's magnetic charm, tenderness, caring loyalty and blooming beauty. In Russia all living men (including foreigners) are duty bound to express their warm feelings to all living women, with no exceptions. Failure could result in a sudden reduction of life expectancy." Which means it is a day for giving flowers. The streets are full of men buying flowers and women receiving them; I saw mainly tulips, but also mimosa. And yes, it makes me a bit depressed.

round to pancakes again

Pancake week (Maslenitska) has come around again, and yet again I have not joined in any celebrations (see this YouTube video for a quick tour of typical activities). But I have been eating pancakes with everything, in solidarity.

feeding the defenders

It is a public holiday tomorrow - Defenders of the Fatherland Day - and today the women at work made lunch for the men in celebration.

In the Soviet period this was first called Red Army Day and then Soviet Army and Navy Day. Now the connection has been shifted from military valour to men in general, so it has become known generally as Men's Day. In some weird version of equality this is offered as a counterpoint to International Women's Day coming up on 8th March. Whilst women elsewhere in the world will campaign for equal rights on this day, in Russia the men give women flowers.  

Unity Day

5th November, National Unity Day. Missed it.