SOVIET HOSPITALITY Part14

Our hosts tonight are Rabfail’s elder brother and his wife. He was wounded in the war and retired. She is beautiful even in old age with steel caps on her teeth. Breakfast included ponchiki (a sort of hot fresh bun) – delicious with butter and honey. The others all went off to fetch water or feed animals but I was […]

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SOVIET HOSPITALITY Part 13

This is the beginning of a section that is too long for one part as it covers several days in the Tatar republic with Rabfail’s family, starting with the journey there. FRIDAY Today we took it easy.. While I slept and breakfasted peacefully Rabfail went to return our tickets, send telegrams and buy tickets to go to his brother’s place. […]

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SOVIET HOSPITALITY Part 11

part 11 TUESDAY For once we ‘отдыхали спокойно а не активно’ (rested peacefully and not actively). I partly packed another suitcase with carefully stowed ill-gotten gains. I shall have to go through the red zone at Harwich and declare my vodka but I’ve managed so far to restrain Rabfail from giving me too many things the export of which is […]

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SOVIET HOSPITALITY Part 10

A bit more and  will try not to let any mistaked ellude me. MONDAY A word about buses. Bus and trolley fares are either 5 or 6 kopeks however far you travel. Trolleybus tickets are bought from kiosks and general shops and also from the drivers. One boards the trolleybus and slides th ticket into a punch attached to the […]

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