A great souvenier from RUSSIA - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

Texashorselady · 01-16-2006, 01:38 PM

For those of you going to Russia anytime soon (TerilynnS!) I just thought I'd share this photo I scanned of one of my favorite souveniers.

I would have happily paid a few dollars each for some of these pins...some of them are really special. But the entire hat loaded with pins was only ten dollars. What a bargain! We bought a few of the hats and gave them away as gifts when we got home and people just loved them. I take a pin off the hat now and then and wear it as a brooch, and they always get lots of attention. I even wore the big dangling medal (the one that's on the back) on formal night one time on a cruise...on a black velvet jacket. It looked great and people were asking me where I got it!!

I'd just be careful where you wear some of them...especially if you visit a former Soviet country...

Here's the front of the hat ...

Texashorselady · 01-16-2006, 01:39 PM

...and here's the back

PagodaSwan · 01-16-2006, 01:44 PM

I spent 3 months in the old USSR back when I was in my early teens. One month in Moscow, one month in Leningrad (now St Petersburg) and one month in Kiev (now in the Ukraine)

Loved every minute of the visit, the people were wonderful. I do have a funny story from Leningrad but I'm not sure how well it would go down as its pre perestroika and thus could be touchy, its about Richard Burton and Liz Taylor who were staying at the same hotel I was in. (Shows how long ago, eh?)

JodiBB · 01-16-2006, 01:44 PM

THL!!!! That's one heck of a collection!!!

and you're right as to being cautious as to where you wear them...many of the older citizens still live by the Communist mindset and are having difficulty recognizing that Communism is over...

FlRic · 01-16-2006, 01:55 PM

When travelling I wear a fleece travel vest and I just counted 42 pins from around the world on it! I knew it was a lot-I'd just forgotten how many!!!

localady · 01-29-2006, 04:44 PM

That is a great idea for sourvenirs from St. Pete's and a whole lot easier to bring home than the deHavilland China I bought!!!

Happy to report it all made it home just fine!!

EJ · 01-29-2006, 06:26 PM

Just be careful you don't play with your I-pod near a rock on the streets. You could be classified as a spy

Texashorselady · 01-29-2006, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonty09

Just be careful you don't play with your I-pod near a rock on the streets. You could be classified as a spy

Jonty, it's so funny you said that...one of our visits was to the KGB Museum. The different ways they spied was fascinating! There were lots of fake rocks and tree branches. And in one instance there actually was a live pet cat with a microphone implanted into its body...unfortunately, the cat ran away and never made a good spy!

EJ · 01-30-2006, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texashorselady

Jonty, it's so funny you said that...one of our visits was to the KGB Museum. The different ways they spied was fascinating! There were lots of fake rocks and tree branches. And in one instance there actually was a live pet cat with a microphone implanted into its body...unfortunately, the cat ran away and never made a good spy!

This is a big story at the moment. The Russians have accused the UK of using spies and demonstrated how it was done. They are probably correct with the spying. However our country is making no comment.

Texashorselady · 01-30-2006, 01:40 PM

Oh I am sure we all spy and I think we all know it. A great deal of the KGB museum was about what they knew about other countries techniques and vice versa. But the official government position from any country has to be "Who us?? We would never do that!" doesn't it?