You may have heard of the amazing economic progress of old USSR satellites now that they have thrown off the yoke of communism and put on the yoke of capitalism. You may be assuming that Geeklawyer is lounging by a marble clad pool resting on satin sheets and drinking champagne from gold taps. That was pretty much his expectation too.
Instead he is staying in what can only be described as a holiday centre for the comrades from the potato farm; unchanged from the days when we rather quaintly thought that Stalin’s was the worst tyranny imaginable.
Even Geeklawyer is incapable of describing the atavistic facilities: a communal shower between 45 people, primitive toilets, dirty white cracked tiles, disheveled rusty pipework everywhere, cheap torn 1960’s linoleum on the floor, electrical wiring run visibly along walls, old wonky wooden chairs and dilapidated tables. Cracked concrete pathways, old doors leaning off rusty hinges etc. etc.
Indeed Geeklawyer is tempted to say that this was like his old public school, but even that Dickensian hovel was the Ritz compared to this. Geeklawyer now realises why communism failed, at the gut instinct level that is, rather than dry economic theory.
The upside is that the food is very very bad, in an enjoyable McDonalds fashion; culinary depravity that only one so wicked as Geeklawyer could enjoy it free of conscience: stodgy potato and bacon dishes ladled in sour cream. And, look away now Ruthie, the beer is £1 a pint, so consequently we are all somewhat convivial: to a Charonic level perhaps.
Wish you were all here - and I was there.
It was a depressing Monday morning until I read this - excellent stuff. I shall raise a glass to you tonight. ‘Charonic’ levels’ ?…. yes, liked that!
Have a good time, Comrade Geeklawyer
Well if you will only pay the equivalent of 50p per night for your accommodation what do you expect?
Ruthie spent some time in Moscow in 1998 which was an amazing experience. There are certain iconic times to be in certain places e.g. in Berlin when the wall came down, Hong Kong when it was handed back to the Chinese and Moscow in 1998 with rampant emerging capitalism was one of them.
Ruthie stayed in a communist block flat with no furniture apart from a King Size Bed and a jacuzzi…
And ate at Stanislavsky’s restaurant. I’ve no idea whether it still exists, but the food was very good indeed…
I am re-reading “One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovitch” at present, in my mind’s eye I see you labouring as you struggle to build a wall before the mortar freezes…
Ruthie on the other hand is recently back from a long weekend in a 5 star hotel in London. Ruthie in principle only stays in the kind of hotels that provide complimentary fluffy white bathrobes. She worshipped at that temple of coolness : Ronnie Scotts Jazz club in Frith Street (if you haven’t gone then everyone must go at least one in their lives), went to the Proms and visited the Che Guevara and Islamic Art exhibitions at the V&A.
Geeklawyer is complaining that I haven’t done any posting. Bleedin typical. He deletes my posts, complains that I write tosh and then complains when I don’t post. Men eh?
I think the truth of the matter is that I am lost without him. I moan when he’s here but miss him when he is gone
Ruthie: my only demand is that you write post of impeachable quality: not that much to ask.
Uh but the qualitative analysis is somewhat subjective at times…