So.... Two weekends ago I decided that I should expand my horizons and visit Russia, leaving the feminist dominated land of Sweden. Saint Pete and Novgorod were on the agenda, as Moscow was too far away for my budget and time.
If any of you haven't been to Russia... GO. It's a different world there in terms of the sexual marketplace. Where you're used to grabbing girls and being really aggressive, the girls take the initiative there. On the street, they smile at you and give you some kind of look which basically says "fuck me, you look like a foreigner".
And once they hear you speaking English, it's pretty much over. I was at McDonalds (fuck a diet, I'm in Russia dammit) where I ordered a pretty standard meal (Big Mac, Fries, water etc.) and there were two cashiers just staring at me and my friend. They could barely understand any English, but got the order down correctly. Then one of the girls scuttled over to the food racks and grabbed two more big macs, and promptly put them on the tray, after we paid, letting loose the biggest smile I've ever seen from a stranger. Needless to say we winked at them on the way out.
In the clubs, it's a different story. You have to go out later, because no one in Russia even thinks of going out before 1am, due to the fact that during the spring and summer the sun goes down at around 9.30 or 10pm (later in summer). In the clubs, you will occasionally be grabbed by girls and spoken Russian to. These girls are sweet also, attempting to understand you no matter what language you speak. It was really refreshing for a girl to actually attempt to listen after being in the U.S. for so long.
Well if you think this sounds nice, it's not all smiles and sunshine in St. Petersburg. Actually quite the opposite. Most people are extremely rude, and Russians seriously do not like when you come to their country and don't speak their language. I really suggest learning the Cyrillic Alphabet before you go to any part in Russia, because if not you really won't be able to read the signs no matter how similar it is to the Latin Alphabet.
Also, it's fucking dirty. After being in Sweden for a long period, the air felt rancid there, and most people were coughing all of the time. You can't even drink the tap water either. Aside from the city center (which is undoubtedly pretty), the city in and of itself is a total shithole, with abandoned warehouses and Soviet housing complexes lining the horizon for miles. Also chimneys. Chimneys everywhere.
I really cannot tell if I was amazed by this place, or reviled. All I know is, it intrigued me, and I didn't get enough of a taste of the real nightlife.
And for that reason, I'll be returning.
If any of you haven't been to Russia... GO. It's a different world there in terms of the sexual marketplace. Where you're used to grabbing girls and being really aggressive, the girls take the initiative there. On the street, they smile at you and give you some kind of look which basically says "fuck me, you look like a foreigner".
And once they hear you speaking English, it's pretty much over. I was at McDonalds (fuck a diet, I'm in Russia dammit) where I ordered a pretty standard meal (Big Mac, Fries, water etc.) and there were two cashiers just staring at me and my friend. They could barely understand any English, but got the order down correctly. Then one of the girls scuttled over to the food racks and grabbed two more big macs, and promptly put them on the tray, after we paid, letting loose the biggest smile I've ever seen from a stranger. Needless to say we winked at them on the way out.
In the clubs, it's a different story. You have to go out later, because no one in Russia even thinks of going out before 1am, due to the fact that during the spring and summer the sun goes down at around 9.30 or 10pm (later in summer). In the clubs, you will occasionally be grabbed by girls and spoken Russian to. These girls are sweet also, attempting to understand you no matter what language you speak. It was really refreshing for a girl to actually attempt to listen after being in the U.S. for so long.
Well if you think this sounds nice, it's not all smiles and sunshine in St. Petersburg. Actually quite the opposite. Most people are extremely rude, and Russians seriously do not like when you come to their country and don't speak their language. I really suggest learning the Cyrillic Alphabet before you go to any part in Russia, because if not you really won't be able to read the signs no matter how similar it is to the Latin Alphabet.
Also, it's fucking dirty. After being in Sweden for a long period, the air felt rancid there, and most people were coughing all of the time. You can't even drink the tap water either. Aside from the city center (which is undoubtedly pretty), the city in and of itself is a total shithole, with abandoned warehouses and Soviet housing complexes lining the horizon for miles. Also chimneys. Chimneys everywhere.
I really cannot tell if I was amazed by this place, or reviled. All I know is, it intrigued me, and I didn't get enough of a taste of the real nightlife.
And for that reason, I'll be returning.