Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Miami · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 332

I went to Russia twice in 2003, Moscow and Yaroslavl. Saw lots of people drinking in public, especially in the summer. One day we were hanging around in downtown Moscow near Red Square drinking pivo and eating kookarooza. They had port-o-potties set up, presumably for people who had to pee from the drinking. Then one night in Yaroslavl we hung out drinking in this big outdoor tent, I think it was Baltika or Yarpivo. I was also amazed to see people in cars openly drinking beer while driving. It seemed refreshingly free and informal, but I'm sure there were social consequences that I didn't notice in that short period of time.

Ender · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 4:10 am Post subject:

Drinking on public is banned. However nobody care about this law. At least in my city (1m of citizens) those who want to drink in public drink when they want.

darthvader · WayToRussified Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 367

Apartment block stairwells seemed a popular place for many happy drinkers to congregate in the icy winter months....... Smile

Noticed a fair number of young people drinking in the busy St Petersburg roadside and riverside grassy areas, during the bright, warm summer nights last year too......

Went to a genuine "English Pub" in provincial Russia last winter. Way to posh compared to your typical English drinking den. More like a flashy restaurant. Too upmarket for the average locals too. However, loved the place. Ironically, the staff couldn't speak much English at the "English" pub (the menu was also, i think, only in Russian!), but the rare presence of myself, a foreign Angliski-speaker in the establishment seemed a real thrill for the staff. Or, maybe they were laughing at my eccentricities. Smile

My Russian (fluent-in-English) girlfriend made everything run smoothly for us though. Yet, somehow I ended up drinking more vodka than English beer by the end of that night. However, was well in control of my mental capacities. Even so, everytime I encountered some Russian guys (like at the English Pub), when they realised I was foreign, it was always time for generous offerings of vodka, and the making of new best friends!