This weekend, my landlady drove my friend and I to her cottage house, her дача. She really wanted me to see the 'real Russia'. We stopped on the way to see a provincial church and got to talk with the lady in charge of the church, who was more than happy to explain to foreigners what the orthodox faith was about. My landlady insisted on us videotaping the baptism which was then taking place in the temple. She even bought us candles to light. Everyone in the church was very friendly. We then stopped a number of times because Valida wanted to greet some friends. It was interesting to see how different the houses where in the village, some very big and new with a very simple and common architecture, others tiny, colourful and very old. They all had a lot of character. Brandnew Land Rovers and old Ladas went and came on the same country lane. We arrived at the village at around noon. The datcha was lovely. Three rooms and the kitchen on the first floor, an empty room on the second with a superb view on the Volga river. Valiya showed us around her garden, rightly-so proud of all the vegetables and flowers she was growing. We had half a watermelon (I know: it's a LOT) and went for a walk on the embankment. On our way back, Valida decided to adventure on an unknown road back to the village. The result? Us walking through a swamp with city shoes and miserably dragging our cold and tired selves back to the house. After eating more watermelon we read a bit and had a nap, while our 70-year-old host was energetically working in the garden. (I pray to be just as active at her age!). She said she wanted to sort everything out in her Dacha before winter. In fact, between the month of March and November, she visits the village every weekend, but past November, что ей делать в деревне? Well, I'll link Pushkin's answer for you to enjoy. Then followed a visit of the village, of a small farm, and some words shared with the neighbours.
We drove back to the city with the feeling of having shared for a day the camaraderie, warmness and support nurtured among the inhabitants of that tiny village! To learn more about the reason Russians are obsessed with Dachas, click on the link below. HTTPS://UNDERSTANDRUSSIA.COM/DACHA/
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AuthorThird year student at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Studies Russian, German and International Relations. Loves traveling. Loves languages. Loves to share. Hence, this BLOG! Archives
January 2018
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