Russia through the eyes of a Swiss (Part 1)

It is always interesting to look at one's own country, life and way of life from the outside, through the eyes of another, unbiased person. It is this view that is offered to our readers in this three-part post, in which you will find a photo story about the journey through Russia of the young Swiss Simon Joss.

(Total 41 photos)

Source: Journal/haydamak

So, first dossier - Simon Joss. Born in 1982, place of birth and residence - Bern, Switzerland. Occupation: School teacher, primary and secondary classes. Hobbies, hobbies: traveling and metal music. He is one of the most authoritative figures of the metal movement in Switzerland, the organizer of the largest death metal/grindcore festival in the country. Personal characteristics: Nordic character, firm. True Aryan. Speaks German, English and French. Curious, open, sociable, inquisitive and contagiously childishly kind.

1. In 2011, Simon took a year of academic leave and went on a trip to Russia, Mongolia, China, Vietnam and other countries of Southeast Asia.

2. Russia was the first country on this list and the most obscure - there are few hostels, guides are one-sided, a stereotype on a stereotype. Simon turned to me for help and I arranged for him to meet in the socialist camp.

It was an amazing experience, including looking at Russia with different eyes, a person who is used to living differently and seeing it for the first time. Plus, the man is my good friend, and he won’t pour cranberries - what’s on his mind, then on his tongue.

3. Simon (left) and me (right).

Herr Joss - you have the floor:

4. There was a long stop in Brest-Central - the rails in Belarus and Russia are wider.

5. Changed wheels. Anatoly, my fellow traveler, explained that this was because the Russians did not want the Germans to be able to quickly advance into Russia during the war. Women also walked around here and persistently offered a lot of food - Anatoly taught me how to refuse in Russian - net ne nada

6. Alex met me in Moscow with his friend in an old Russian car. The gas gauge in the car didn’t work and the needle jumped from the “tank empty” position to the “tank full” position - but Alex somehow always knew how much gasoline there was, and also said that Russians often drive with a broken speedometer.

7. A strange car, as if you are sitting on a stool with wheels.

8. Alex driving

9. But even the police drive such strange cars.

10. Automobile traffic in Russia is immediately clear that it is different from ours. I wouldn't drive in Russia. They start moving very sharply, they are rebuilt very sharply. Overtaking on the right is common here. Even the Russians do not know that a continuous marking line cannot be crossed and even a double one is crossed.

11. They drive very fast and do not keep their distance. A lot of accidents, I saw two or three a day! A lot of cars dented after the accident and continue to drive. It doesn't seem to bother anyone, not even the police.

12. Alex lives 25 minutes from the train station, at home we were immediately greeted by his cat. Alex said. that she is as crazy as he is.

13. In Russia, I spent the night in 10 places, and went to visit - and cats lived everywhere - it seems to me that there are cats in every Russian house. And everywhere they can not leave the house.

14. 130 thousand people live in the area - the same number as in the entire capital of Switzerland! And this is just a district.

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16. Biker Center.

Alex treated me to bliny with caviar. This is a Russian dish, something like a thin omelette. I didn’t recognize the caviar at first - “that is caviar, hey, you are in Russia, dude!” Alex told me. I couldn’t offer you a drink – in Russia it’s forbidden to drink while driving, in general.

17. Ate national Russian soup, borstch.

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19. If you are in Russia for more than three days, you need to register with the police. I thought it could be done online, but I had to go myself and fill out a lot of paperwork.

20. When I asked where I should put my registration when I leave for Mongolia, they told me that no one needed it and I could throw it away. It is not clear - why do it if no one needs it and no one will check it? Registered. Alex said that now the KGB knows where I am.

21. They showed me a church where Russians buy wine. Alex said that he only buys wine from the church because it is counterfeit in the stores.

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23. We drove the so-called. "street", where there was no asphalt, despite the fact that there were residential buildings.

24. I brought raclette as a gift, for making cheese, but in Russia there is a different plug. While I was thinking where to get the adapter - Alex took it and just broke the third plug - and it all worked!

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27. In Russia, a lot of shops are open around the clock. It is very comfortable! Department where vodka is sold

Russians drink a lot of tea from large mugs. And no one drank vodka with me before I got to Siberia. Before Siberia, I thought that this was a stereotype, and Russians do not drink vodka at all.

28. Alex placed me and his friend in the country house of his parents - such houses are called datcha

29. For some reason, toilets on datcha are made away from the house, separate booths that smell and where there is no seat.

We were driving at 11 pm, but there was a lot of traffic on the country road. I thought it was because of the accident, but it turned out that it is here every day. Almost all this time we drove along the side of the road, overtaking those standing on the road.

30. There are no public toilets in Moscow, only temporary ones.

31. Russian submarine.

32. In Russia, there are a lot of military equipment on the streets, like monuments, and few playgrounds. Everywhere right on the guns and tanks children play.

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34. When I went to beach soccer there was a metal detector at the entrance. My backpack rang, there was a knife in it, I wanted to turn it in, but they told me to go through. I asked again, said that I had a knife, but they still told me to go through. There was another metal detector there, security guards were standing nearby, but for some reason the metal detector was turned off.

35. Russia-Switzerland played, but I had to root silently, except for me, no one supported Switzerland.

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37. There are quite a lot of concerts in Russia, many groups come. Tickets for famous bands are very expensive - more expensive than in Switzerland. At one of the concerts, I met a girl in a T-shirt from the Swiss studio Voodoo rhythm! She turned out to be Russian. Wow!

38. It's time to leave Moscow. There are a lot of police at the station, at the same time in one place.

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