Favorite Pictures in Russia

[slim 1,523]

A lot of guys were carrying purses so I thought "when in Rome...."

Actually, I was "momentarily" holding Elena's purse for her (why do women find the need to lug around 12 pounds of unnecessary ####### and then complain about it being too heavy?) and my buddy just happened to "accidentally" snap several photos of me with this fabulous bag.

In all actuality, if I were going to lug 12 pounds of ####### around all day, there would be some pretty cool $#!T in that bag. Can you imagine if we, as guys, had the freedom to carry a big bag around all day long and get away with it? Women have some make-up a few tampons, maybe some wet-naps and then a few IDs and credit cards. Guys' bags would be like MacGuyver! "Yeah, I've got some cheese poofs, a Leatherman tool, a pocket PC, a flask, a couple of cigars, a Rambo knife, some toilet paper, a bottle of water, some band-aids and some aspirin, sunscreen, chapstick, a sewing kit, and about 38 ft. of rope. Who gives a f--k if my bag's pink?"

[mox 298]

In all actuality, if I were going to lug 12 pounds of ####### around all day, there would be some pretty cool $#!T in that bag. Can you imagine if we, as guys, had the freedom to carry a big bag around all day long and get away with it? Women have some make-up a few tampons, maybe some wet-naps and then a few IDs and credit cards. Guys' bags would be like MacGuyver! "Yeah, I've got some cheese poofs, a Leatherman tool, a pocket PC, a flask, a couple of cigars, a Rambo knife, some toilet paper, a bottle of water, some band-aids and some aspirin, sunscreen, chapstick, a sewing kit, and about 38 ft. of rope. Who gives a f--k if my bag's pink?"

Duct tape, pie, swiss army knife, electric screwdriver, GPS, propelyne torch, bailing wire, some blank CD's, wooden stakes (for vampires), shoe laces, more duct tape, more pie, and a can of primer.

Actually I think man purses could be a reality. They just need to make them look like tool belts you sling over your shoulder. And then it's payback time. "Hey honey, can you hold my purse? It's getting a little heavy. Hold on, lemme get my pie out first..."

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

You two are making me laugh!

My year in Kazan', I went out and bought a black leather "purse". It really was useful. Kept my passport, knife, flashlight, pocket Russian/English book, our three huge house keys that weighted as much as 15 of ours here, some extra bags for groceries, and few other interesting items.

In all actuality, if I were going to lug 12 pounds of ####### around all day, there would be some pretty cool $#!T in that bag. Can you imagine if we, as guys, had the freedom to carry a big bag around all day long and get away with it? Women have some make-up a few tampons, maybe some wet-naps and then a few IDs and credit cards. Guys' bags would be like MacGuyver! "Yeah, I've got some cheese poofs, a Leatherman tool, a pocket PC, a flask, a couple of cigars, a Rambo knife, some toilet paper, a bottle of water, some band-aids and some aspirin, sunscreen, chapstick, a sewing kit, and about 38 ft. of rope. Who gives a f--k if my bag's pink?"

Duct tape, pie, swiss army knife, electric screwdriver, GPS, propelyne torch, bailing wire, some blank CD's, wooden stakes (for vampires), shoe laces, more duct tape, more pie, and a can of primer.

Actually I think man purses could be a reality. They just need to make them look like tool belts you sling over your shoulder. And then it's payback time. "Hey honey, can you hold my purse? It's getting a little heavy. Hold on, lemme get my pie out first..."

[russ 1]

In all actuality, if I were going to lug 12 pounds of ####### around all day, there would be some pretty cool $#!T in that bag. Can you imagine if we, as guys, had the freedom to carry a big bag around all day long and get away with it?

We do. They are called briefcases. I carry one.

The main reason I don't mind wearing a suit to work is that I have so many more pockets to stuff things into.

The laptop bag/backpack combo is useful as well.

[slim 1,523]

Briefcases go with suits. A guy wearing some jogging pants can't really pull off the briefcase unless he's "making a drop." And you also don't see too many guys going out to dinner with their briefcases on Saturday night.

My point is women (can) carry a purse with them whethere they're wearing their business suit or pajamas. Overseas guys do work the "murse" a.k.a. the man purse, and as Jeffery illustrated above, it's really a necessity. We don't do that here.

Russ pointed out the use of all the suit's extra pockets and how a laptop bag/backpack combo is useful but once again, unless you're more dolled-up, it's just not going to work.

So, the only compromise I see is to get our ladies to pack all that extra ####### in their bags. After all, we're going to be holding it or carrying it for them anyway, right?

[Danno 1,228]

I think the main reason guys don't carry anything here is the fact we all use cars.

When I am "over there" I do have a small canvas back-pack type thing I use to put ####### in.

Not to be confused with the semi-gay, one shoulder strap version

In USA I am never all that far from my van or car so I can get what I need from it.

I do notice a lot of collage age guys that carry a small backpack as well with anything from skate boards to laptops inside, as well as crack-pipe and other needed items.

Just think how much cool ####### you could haul on your back!

[eekee 182]

I think the main reason guys don't carry anything here is the fact we all use cars.

When I am "over there" I do have a small canvas back-pack type thing I use to put ####### in.

Not to be confused with the semi-gay, one shoulder strap version

In USA I am never all that far from my van or car so I can get what I need from it.

I do notice a lot of collage age guys that carry a small backpack as well with anything from skate boards to laptops inside, as well as crack-pipe and other needed items.

Just think how much cool ####### you could haul on your back!

Also Americans don't have dokumenty when they're in America, which i think is the main reason russian guys carry "murses."

Edited January 23, 2008 by eekee

[slim 1,523]

I think the main reason guys don't carry anything here is the fact we all use cars.

When I am "over there" I do have a small canvas back-pack type thing I use to put ####### in.

Not to be confused with the semi-gay, one shoulder strap version

In USA I am never all that far from my van or car so I can get what I need from it.

I do notice a lot of collage age guys that carry a small backpack as well with anything from skate boards to laptops inside, as well as crack-pipe and other needed items.

Just think how much cool ####### you could haul on your back!

Also Americans don't have dokumenty when they're in America, which i think is the main reason russian guys carry "murses."

Good points!

I guess my Jeep is kind of like a big purse..... I hope it didn't hear me type that. It is always within a mad dash and could be chock-full of the good stuff I need.

And also true that our IDs are a little smaller so they fit in a front pocket or wallet nicely. When I was overseas and had to carry my passport, etc., I did usually have to change pants to accomodate it (cargo pants are awesome!) or carry a bag for it and all my #######. I was going to go with the passport wallet, but it seemed a little too much like the man purse and if you're going to carry a bag at all, as Danno said, it might as well be big enough for your passport and your crack pipe.

[slim 1,523]

Oh, and I almost forgot how much cool stuff you can carry on your back.

While I was in the Air Force, just about every day I went to work I carried: Flak vest, helmet, gas mask, cold weather gear - hat, gloves, scarf, polypropelene shirt/pants, Goretex parka w/hood, Goretex pants; foul weather gear - poncho w/liner, rain jacket, pants, overboots, scarf (yes, two scarves in there) goggles; radio, flashlight (with extra batteries), canteen (with water), camo-netting, camo-paint, duct tape, 550 cord, big rubber bands, zip ties, an intrusion detection alarm, a small FM radio, cigarettes/lighter, a small first aid kit - that included band aids, aspirin, sunscreen, chapstick, bug spray/cream; a wrist-rocket slingshot, shooting/searching gloves, C-wire gloves, wet naps/chewing gum/Tobasco sauce (MRE accesory pack), extra paperwork (range cards, notebooks, statements/forms, weapons manuals, maps, my little Russian slovar!) extra socks, a deck of playing cards, a set of dominoes and depending on where I was working and what I was doing I could usually find room for a few Maxim magazines or even my Gameboy. I know I'm forgetting some stuff as this is just a short list.

Plus, there was still room on my back for a spare barrel to my machine gun and a cleaning kit. Also several hundred rounds of linked 7.62mm ball and tracer. If I was lucky I'd have a few smoke grenades and trip flares as well, those are always fun to carry around.

I'm sure glad I wasn't on the mortar team, now those guys had a lot to carry!

[peejay 327]

My mom's parents immigrated from Czarist Byelorussia in (grandfather 1910 & grandmother 1913). I have relatives in Belarus (Byelorussia) and in Russia. I took my first trip to Belarus in 1993 to meet my relatives there and since then have been able to travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg to meet my relatives there as well. I met my wife in Belarus on one of my trips there. Here are a few of my many photos taken on my trips.

Peejay's wife at the Palace of the Republic - Minsk, Belarus 2003

Peejay at his cousin's house - Nesvizh, Belarus 2003

Peejay - Minsk, Belarus 2002

Sviato-Mihailovski Russian Orthodox Cathedral - Slutsk, Belarus 2002

The Kremlin - Moscow, Russia 2002

Peterhof - St. Petersburg, Russia 1995

St. Petersburg, Russia 1995

Fortress of Peter & Paul on Neva River - St. Petersburg, Russia 1995

This is the house Peejay's grandmother was born in Nezvizh, Byelorussia (Belarus) in 1894. Photo taken in 1993.

Edited January 25, 2008 by peejay

[eekee 182]

My mom's parents immigrated from Czarist Byelorussia in (grandfather 1910 & grandmother 1913). I have relatives in Belarus (Byelorussia) and in Russia. I took my first trip to Belarus in 1993 to meet my relatives there and since then have been able to travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg to meet my relatives there as well. I met my wife in Belarus on one of my trips there. Here are a few of my many photos taken on my trips.

i'm belarusian too, although my family came to the us much later (1950). i want to visit my relatives as well, although i hear getting a belarusian visa in russia is much easier than in the us...

[slim 1,523]

Awesome pics, Peejay, thanks for sharing!

[Igor&Elina 0]

Great photos Peejay! Love 'em!

[mox 298]

Loved the pics Peejay! Keep 'em coming if you have more!

[peejay 327]

My mom's parents immigrated from Czarist Byelorussia in (grandfather 1910 & grandmother 1913). I have relatives in Belarus (Byelorussia) and in Russia. I took my first trip to Belarus in 1993 to meet my relatives there and since then have been able to travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg to meet my relatives there as well. I met my wife in Belarus on one of my trips there. Here are a few of my many photos taken on my trips.

i'm belarusian too, although my family came to the us much later (1950). i want to visit my relatives as well, although i hear getting a belarusian visa in russia is much easier than in the us...

Visas to visit Belarus are always a pain in the a$$ due to the registration requirements. My cousin Igor always got me business visas to go to Belarus. He would then get me registration documents at a hostel, but I never stayed there. I would just stay at my relative's homes.

Travel between Russia and Belarus can be tricky for US citizens. Russians and Belarusians do not need visas to travel between their countries. For an American to get all the proper visas, registrations, and insurance to travel back and forth between Belarus and Russia and to stay with relatives in their homes in both countries is impossibly complex. I did it in 1995 and 2002, but cut enough corners to have been in deep sh*t if anyone would have scrutinized me. Travel by train is a lot more lax than going through the international POE terminals in Minsk or Moscow. They didn't even charge me the higher "foreigner" fare because my Belarusian relatives bought the train tickets.

The funny thing is that I always jump through hoops to make sure I have all the proper required documentation (visa stamps, registrations, insurance, customs forms, etc.) when I depart through the Minsk airport, but none of the Belarusian militia ever want to see it. I seem to get more sh*t entering Belarus than leaving to go home to the USA at their airport.

The fact is that Russia and Belarus have a lot of restrictions on foreign travelers. Complex travel itineraries should probably be done by a local Russian or Belarusian travel agency. It would save you a lot of grief and give you peace of mind.