In a Russian Village

I've just spent several days enjoying traipsing around the Russian countryside via Marshrutka (mini buses used for short distances). There's enough room onboard for about 20 people to sit and a lot standing! So things are fairly cramped. Outside the window desolate looking flat fields extend for miles beneath an early summer blue sky and the occasional dilapidated house is passed along the way.

On one such trip not one but two locals began conversations with me. In english! It was rather amazing as I hadnt met an english speaker for days.
A young girl introduced herself as Sophie in perfect english and went on to say she was travelling with her grandmother. She professed to be two months off 8 years old! A middle aged lady sitting beside me, overheard and introduced herslef as 'Olga', an agricultural journalist. She told me that the quaint town of Suzdal where I was staying was famous for it's cucumbers and geese besides the ancient churches the trickling flow of tourists sought out.
She then spent the next thirty minutes asking me slow, considered questions
'Was I a student?' What was I doing there?' 'Do we have cucumbers in New Zealand?'
She even helped me practise my russian before we arrived in nearby Vladimir.

I enquired as to the economic situation
'Are there jobs for young people here'?
She said there was enough work for those that wanted it beofre going on about the USSR and the was things used to be. She said in the old days it was much easier to see her Russian friends in the other republics (Ukraine, Kazakstan etc) Now these countries are split it's difficult to entre without a visa fo visit those ethnic Russians still there.
I then blurted out a rather simple ' Are you sad that things have changed?'
'No, it is as it is' she replied pragmatically which was I thought a marvelously Russian thing to say.

Suzdal and Vladimir are two ancient centres within a five hour train ride from Moscow. With the rise of Moscow their status diminished and they are little more than villages now with wonderful peasant charm and reminders of their former glories. It's said in Suzdal that there are more spires than people. Not quite but if you modify this slightly it may be true there are more spires than cars. The town has a wonderfully slow pace of life and often the only street noise is the roosters crowing in the early morning. There are scores of orthodox style domed churches, some in use and others completely derelict. The town itself centres around the Kamenka river. There's a lot of run down wooden houses with small dirt plots and chickens roaming around.

It's a taste of how Russia used to be and perhaps an accurate reflection of how the majority of Russians still live away from the big centres. On the face of it this seems a bit sad as the wealth of the main cities has clearly not got to these people. But I get the feeling these people with their traditional way of life are not too fussed and prefer living simply and close to the land.

I've been staying right next to the river. I'll remember evenings sitting out on the porch as the sun started to make it's descent. The smell of smoke on the air as the locals burn their garden cuttings in the long afternoons. Drinking a glass of Medovukha (traditionally brewed mead) and feeling slightly sozzled in early evening rays. The only noise the birds in the trees surrounding and the slow current of the river. It's hard not to agree that this is the way to live.