Moscow
I visited Moscow in the winter of 1975 when I was in high school and it was still the Soviet Union. All these pictures have been digitally scanned from film. I visited the Tomb of Lenin, the Kremlin where we saw the cracked revolution bell, and went to the ballet. We visited red square and saw Basil cathedral and GUM the state department store. We drove around Moscow and visited the Soviet aerospace museum and the tomb of Unknown Soldier. It was cold, very cold and I recall hall monitors in the hotels with small rooms and bathrooms with floor drains for the shower.
I have an interesting story from that trip; remember I was a high school student. I wanted to buy a souvenir for my sister, so I went into GUM (state department store) to the watch counter. The store clerk could not speak English and I could not speak Russian except to say “thanks”, “yes” and “no”. I pointed out a watch I wanted and the clerk kept shaking his head saying something in Russian. I understood what he meant and why; he was trying to tell me that it was a woman watch. I tried to tell him that it was for my sister, but could not make myself understood since it was beyond my Russian vocabulary. I had a small crowd around me (probably enjoying the show) when a man in a brown trench coat and hat stepped through the crowd and explained in perfect English that the clerk was trying to tell me it was a woman’s watch. I explained I understood, but wanted the watch for my sister. He nodded and said something in Russian to the clerk. I thanked him as he disappeared into the crowd and noticed the crowd was suddenly silent. I turned back to the clerk who had gone chalk white. I successfully bought the watch and thanked the clerk. Later I realized that it was probably my first (and only) face to face meeting with the Soviet Secret Police.
Years later when the watch broke and my sister took it in for repair; she was told that the “Soviet” watch had Swiss works.
Read MoreI have an interesting story from that trip; remember I was a high school student. I wanted to buy a souvenir for my sister, so I went into GUM (state department store) to the watch counter. The store clerk could not speak English and I could not speak Russian except to say “thanks”, “yes” and “no”. I pointed out a watch I wanted and the clerk kept shaking his head saying something in Russian. I understood what he meant and why; he was trying to tell me that it was a woman watch. I tried to tell him that it was for my sister, but could not make myself understood since it was beyond my Russian vocabulary. I had a small crowd around me (probably enjoying the show) when a man in a brown trench coat and hat stepped through the crowd and explained in perfect English that the clerk was trying to tell me it was a woman’s watch. I explained I understood, but wanted the watch for my sister. He nodded and said something in Russian to the clerk. I thanked him as he disappeared into the crowd and noticed the crowd was suddenly silent. I turned back to the clerk who had gone chalk white. I successfully bought the watch and thanked the clerk. Later I realized that it was probably my first (and only) face to face meeting with the Soviet Secret Police.
Years later when the watch broke and my sister took it in for repair; she was told that the “Soviet” watch had Swiss works.
