Russia Meets Vancouver

We went to Vancouver last Fri. to get some Olympics spirit(!) and realized that Russians have a open house in Science World. As I hate waiting in a line, I didn't want to go but eventually agreed and waited for 15 min. to get in. The main reason for such a show is that the Russians will be the host for the next Winter Olympics in a city called Sochi! I don't think that was a wise choice by IOC because the first thing comes to mind is not snow, skating or skiing, it's tiny pieces of rice, raw fish and vegetable!

Anyhow we went in there and that was not bad. Some Russian folk dance and music, posters, a shop to sell gym attire with a big Russia in the back, an electronic puck shooting practice which was excellent by the way, 2014 Winter Olympic site model, lots of Russians(!) and so on. The site was being managed by Putin like Russian men. The Russians all looked proud and unified, even the ones who lived here and in the US as refugees! I talked to a young guy who said that he had been living in Washington since he was 5 (he looked around 20) and told him that I liked Russia when it was part of the Soviet Union. He gave an answer which sounded that was the answer had given by their new government to indicate how bad the socialism system was! Obviously he was a kid and I shouldn't have asked the question in the first place but it's good to know how today's Russians are brainwashed!

In the end if you have time to have a look, it's worth it.

(Photo: A big overhead projection will help you with a hockey stick to shot against a Russian goaltender. You don't have to speak Russian necessarily but that might help to know what's happening in detail)