Ten things I learned in Vilnius!

Those of you who regularly read my travel blog might already know that whenever I take a trip somewhere, especially when I go somewhere new, I like to sum things up with a “ten things I learned” post. Vilnius, Lithuania was a new place for Bill and me, so I definitely need to write one of my famous “ten things I learned” posts for that trip. Here goes!

10. Vilnius is a city with MANY churches.
One thing I noticed in Vilnius is that there are a whole lot of churches in the city, and even in today’s worldlier times, people who live or visit there seem to be very committed to their faiths.

*One of many religious landmarks in Vilnius.*

9. On the whole, Lithuanians did NOT want to be part of the Soviet Union.
As I’ve mentioned before, growing up in the United States during the 70s and 80s, I had a limited appreciation for and personal experience with other countries and cultures. Yes, I lived in England as a small child, but I never really went to other places. So, when I was growing up, I thought of the former Soviet Union like I might think of the USA– a big country on its own, rather than a huge conglomeration of republics with different cultures, languages, religions, and mores. Lithuania, like Estonia and Latvia, was a Soviet country, but it was made one under duress. The country was occupied by Russia, and forced to accept the Soviet regime. On March 11, 1990, Lithuanians declared independence from the Soviet Union, and it’s quite clear in 2025, that they have no desire to be aligned with Russia again.

8. The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights is a must see for adults and teens.
A week ago, Bill and I visited this incredible museum in what was once a KGB headquarters building. Although it was about how Lithuania became a Soviet republic, it really taught me a lot about the United States today. So many things that happened, techniques used to gain power, and attitudes among the people were disturbingly familiar. And yet, that museum, as frightening and stark as it was, also offered hope. Because Lithuania is no longer a Soviet country. It’s independent and progressive. And the United States can and will one day be back on the path to progressiveness. Hopefully, I’ll be around to see that day.

*We weren’t the only ones impressed by the museum.*

7. I love the smell of linden trees.
I noticed the fresh scent of linden trees when we went to Latvia in 2023. I enjoyed them again in Lithuania. I wish I had one of those trees in my backyard.

6. Pink Soup is beautiful, refreshing, and tasty.
I didn’t think I’d like Pink Soup, so I asked Bill to order it and taste it. He was kind enough to do that, and for under five euros a bowl, it was a bargain. We both discovered that it’s a very refreshing soup and doesn’t taste like beets (which is why I was hesitant to order it).

5. People travel to Vilnius for religious pilgrimages.
The Church Heritage Museum in Vilnius has a fascinating exhibit about people who traveled to Vilnius as part of a pilgrimage to religious sites. We saw and heard a number of people who had come to the city to fulfill their own spiritual quests.

4. The Cathedral Crypt tour is well worth doing, even if it’s raining and you’re very sore.
One of the most interesting things we did on our trip was visit the crypts under the cathedral. A very interesting anthropologist who had worked at the cathedral for nine years told us all about the history of the cathedral and how the Soviets had turned it into a concert hall and art gallery. She also showed us the tombs of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Barbara, and told us the fascinating story about their husband, Sigismund II Augustus.

3. If you want a good view and don’t want to be sore, consider visiting the bell tower at Vilnius University.
Bill and I climbed the Cathedral Bell Tower because it was very close to our hotel. We were both hurting afterwards, because we’re not so young anymore. I don’t regret climbing the tower, but I wish we’d done the bell tower at Vilnius University. you can climb the steps if you want to, but they also have an elevator! The Bell Tower doesn’t have a lift, and the steps are narrow and rickety. Consequently, you might get sore just from trying not to fall!

2. Vilnius has really excellent food!
I was actually a little worried about visiting Vilnius, because I kept reading about how much they love mushrooms. Fortunately, they had all kinds of excellent food there. I was particularly impressed by the excellent produce– lots of really nice salads and soups, as well as barbecue, and craft beers!

*They’ve got plenty of stuff for vegans and vegetarians, too…*

And 1. Putin is very publicly warned in Vilnius…

’nuff said…

*So are many other people in the world… isn’t it time he faced justice?*

So that about wraps up our trip to Vilnius. I hope some of you enjoyed this series. Now, I have to pack a bag, because today we’re headed for Switzerland, where we’ll be until next Sunday. That should be fun!

Champagne Bucket trips, former Soviet Union, Lithuania

The Vilnius Series… How Lithuania became a Soviet country… (part five)

On Saturday, June 21st, Bill and I woke up to bright, sunny skies. I was glad for that, because I was really looking forward to visiting the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. This very special museum, formerly known as the Museum of Genocide Victims, is housed in a building that, for about 50 years, was where the Soviet security services (also known as the KGB) operated in Vilnius.

Two years ago, when Bill and I were briefly visiting Riga, Latvia, on a cruise, we heard about a similar museum in that city. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the museum in Riga, although I am hoping we can go back to Riga and see it. Now that I’ve read up on Riga’s museum, I’m actually thinking the one in Vilnius is probably superior. I’m still interested in going there, though. While it’s horrifying to learn about what people went through as the Soviets forcefully occupied neighboring territories, the fact that they all survived that regime is somehow hopeful to me.

Bill and I set off for the museum, enjoying the sunshine and pleasantly cool summer temperatures. Vilnius is a nice place to be in the summer, especially if you’re tired of hot weather! I took some photos along the way.

*A bust of the man responsible for the defunct Lita, Lithuania’s former currency.*

When we got to the museum, we took a moment to look around the area near the front door. It was a chance to catch our breaths and prepare ourselves for what we were about to see… and take a few more photos.

We walked into the old building and immediately had to climb a few steps to get to the cashier to buy tickets. We decided to just wander through the museum, but guided tours are also available and bookable through the museum’s official Web site. Tickets for the museum can also be purchased online for six euros per adult, although obviously we didn’t do that. Now that I see that guided tours are available and can be arranged by theme, maybe I would consider visiting again for a more in depth look. They do have to be booked ahead of time, though. The guided tours in English are quite reasonably priced at 20 euros per person. The ones in Lithuanian are only 15 euros per person!

I took many photos in the museum. As long as you aren’t using a flash or a tripod, it’s perfectly okay to take all the photos you want. I felt compelled to take photos, because I was so affected by what I was seeing and reading. A lot of what I saw reminded me a lot of what’s happening in the United States today.

I’m not saying our country is being invaded by Russia, but it is, in a sense, being occupied by a personality cult. And so many of the Lithuanian attitudes I read about in the museum reminded me of what I’ve seen from American Trump supporters. I’m sorry to say this, because I know some people might be offended. But I see it very plainly. Maybe it’s because I’ve been away for so long. Likewise to the methods used to subdue the country and get people to accept and comply with the occupation.

Anyway… here are a lot of photos of the exhibits before we reached the cells in the bottom of the museum.

Then, after exploring the upper two levels, it was time to venture into the basement level, which is where the cells were, along with the execution chamber, where over 1000 people were executed. We saw the exercise yards, too. It started with a look at the “boxes”, which were tiny closet sized “rooms” where new inmates were kept before they were processed.

From the boxes were examples of cells and other facilities used for interrogations, storage, punishments, and executions.

The following photos are of the courtyards/exercise boxes for the prisoners…

And finally, we visited the execution chamber. They had put glass over what appeared to be white sand. A video played a graphic clip from the 2007 Polish historical movie, Katyn, showing a man in handcuffs being forcefully wrestled into a room and shot in the back of the head. Another couple was in the room with us as we watched that violent and bloody scene. They were familiar with the movie and cringed in horror, just as we did, when the character was executed without a second’s hesitation. Then, the man’s dead body, still handcuffed, was dumped in a pile of other bodies, like so much trash.

We walked back up the steps from the execution chamber and retraced our steps back to the beginning of the museum, although we could have cut through the outside area. I’m glad we retraced our steps, though, because we missed a few rooms on the way down.

On the way out, we stopped to sign the guestbook. Some people wrote disrespectful comments in it, but most people– folks from all over the world– seemed to be as awestruck as Bill and I were.

Once we were finished visiting the museum, we stepped back out into the pleasant sunshine. I took a few more photos near the museum’s entrance and of what appeared to be a nearby shrine.

We decided we wanted to take a walk by the Neris River. Since this post is so heavy with photos, I think I’ll pick up with that story in the next installment. Stay tuned!

Champagne Bucket trips, former Soviet Union, Lithuania

The Vilnius series… What made us decide to visit Lithuania! (part one)

The featured photo is of a cell that was once used in the KGB detention facility. That facility has now turned into the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius.

You might be wondering how a proposed trip to Paris, France turned into a trip to the former Soviet Union. Bill had asked me months ago where I wanted to celebrate my birthday. He said maybe it was time we visited Paris again. Our last visit there, and first time visiting Paris together, was in May 2009.

I like Paris fine, and truly have been wanting to go there again. At first, I was all for the idea. But then I started thinking about the crowds. June is the beginning of the high tourist season in Europe, and people from other countries are currently swarming the most popular European cities. So then I started thinking of other places I’ve never been and want to see. We did a champagne bucket draw, and it came down to the Loire Valley in France (which I did visit in September 1997) and Vilnius. We flipped a coin and Vilnius won.

So, we arranged for five nights in Lithuania’s capital. I was excited about it, because we have already been to Latvia and Estonia, the other two Baltic countries. I was eager to see what the largest one would be like. Then I started reading about Vilnius, which people described as a “gem” of a city. I remembered a couple of really nice people from Lithuania who were working on SeaDream I, a gorgeous mega yacht Bill and I have sailed on three times. And, as an informal Soviet Union history buff, I was curious to go to another former republic from that failed regime.

Now that I’ve been to Lithuania, I’ve come away from the experience deeply moved and newly educated. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, I heard a lot about the Soviet Union. Not knowing the history behind it, I assumed that the countries within it were “happy” to be in the Soviet Union. What can I say? I was an ignorant child, and didn’t have the greatest critical thinking skills. We weren’t necessarily taught about the Soviet Union’s history when I was in school. We were just taught that the “commies” were “bad”. It didn’t help that we had right wing movies like Red Dawn promoting stereotypes and propagandizing. Red Dawn came out when I was 12, and it was the very first PG-13 movie. Of course I watched it, and was seduced by its ignorant scaremongering messages.

Eleven years after I saw Red Dawn for the first time, I moved to the former Soviet Union to work for 27 months. I never thought I’d ever visit the former Soviet Union, let alone live there. I went to Armenia, which is not at all like Lithuania, except for the fact that it was also a Soviet country. The Armenian attitude toward Russia seemed to be somewhat more grateful, as Armenians were being threatened by Turks.

Armenians definitely don’t seem to have the same attitude about Russia that Lithuania and other Baltic countries have. Maybe that’s changed since Russia basically abandoned Armenia when Azerbaijan, another former Soviet republic, basically evicted Armenians for Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, part of Azerbaijan that is historically Armenian.

My time in Armenia didn’t inform me that not all of the former Soviet republics appreciated Russia. My much briefer time in the Baltic countries has taught me that, indeed, the Soviet Union was an extremely vast country with many different peoples, divergent attitudes, religions, languages, cultural traditions, and mores… and no, they certainly weren’t all “happy” to be Soviets.

I did have a basic understanding of this concept before we traveled to Lithuania, but the idea was definitely driven home when I visited museums and churches and looked around the city of Vilnius. Just seeing all of the pro-Ukraine flags, as well as this huge sign atop of a high rise building, was a big clue about how many Lithuanians feel about Russia. (I won’t say all Lithuanians, because I don’t actually know if they all feel like that…)

*Putin is definitely not widely esteemed in Vilnius…*

Once we had decided to visit Lithuania, I set about making plans. It wasn’t easy, because our trusty dog hotel staff was on vacation when the decision was made. We had to wait for them to come back to work before I could book plane tickets and get the hotel reserved. But once they were back to work and confirmed the dogs were welcome, I booked us five nights in a deluxe room with a balcony at the Grand Hotel Vilnius, Curio Collection by Hilton.

It had been years since I last stayed at a Hilton. I think I chose it because of the location, the fact that it had a pool and hot tub (which I sadly didn’t get to use), and because Bill collects Hilton Honors points. I am a member of Hilton Honors, too, but I had never actually collected any points. When we’ve stayed in Hilton hotels before, it was because Bill did the booking. Then I did some reading and figured Bill wouldn’t be able to get points unless he booked straight from Hilton, which was much more expensive than booking the hotel and flights through Expedia (where I also have a lot of loyalty points). So the booking was under my name.

I also booked business class flights on Lufthansa, because we can afford it, and I prefer to travel in comfort. Business class on flights within Europe isn’t all that special. You get access to the lounge, expedited security screening, a meal and drinks, and no one sits in the middle seat of your row. You also get “priority” baggage handling, and checked bags are included in the price. But the seats on the plane are no different than what you get in economy. You just don’t have to worry about offending a stranger who might be sitting next to you, or vice versa. To be honest, that’s really the number one reason why I try to book business class when I fly.

Once all of that was booked, we waited for the big day– June 18th. I was stoked, but kind of wondering what we were in for… I do love what little I’ve seen of Estonia and Latvia. This break would be a longer look. I was thinking maybe we’d be ambitious and take day trips or something. We didn’t end up doing any day trips, and yet it was still a very educational visit. More on that in the next parts…

art, holidays, videos

Two more videos about our travels…

Here’s one I made about Fasching, which is going on right now in Germany. I included stories, a photo, and video in which we also got mooned.

This is one of my funnier videos. The last part is about my disgust for people who patronize Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman)…

And here is one I made about buying art in the Czech Republic, and how it relates to our political situation today… It includes a sample of music from the wonderful Charles Bridge Swing Band. Both videos are a bit political… but that’s hard to avoid right now.

We can connect with so many people through art and music…

Champagne Bucket trips

Going “home” to Yerevan 26 years later… part one of our Armenian adventure!

Well, folks, I went and did it. I finally broke down and visited Yerevan, Armenia, which was my home for 27 months of my 20s, back in the 1990s. The 90s were quite a difficult time to be living in Yerevan, especially for a clueless twenty something like I was at the time. I had a difficult time serving in the third group to go to Armenia with the Peace Corps. There were a lot of times back then when I wondered if I would successfully conclude my service without either quitting or being thrown out of the country. Looking back on it, there were people I met through the Peace Corps whom I thought were stronger than I was and didn’t stay the course. But I did, and now that I’m 51 years old and a “hausfrau”, I’ll take that success.

I’m being very serious when I state that I resisted going back to the former Soviet Republic of Armenia for a long time. Part of me really wanted to go there… to see where I used to live, take photos, and experience the place as a tourist. Armenia actually is a very interesting country with a fascinating history. Parts of it are stunningly beautiful, too. I’d like to go back and visit those parts on a proper tour, or maybe hire a guide to take us around the country. Actually, I’d probably be better off with a private guide cuz, you know… I can be a little “extra”. 😀

Bill was also hesitant about going to Armenia. I’m not really sure why. He’s been to some pretty austere places. Last summer, I was pressuring him to go, because I was doing some research that indicated that Armenia has become a place drastically different from what I remembered from the 90s. I thought we could have an amazing and relatively inexpensive vacation. But he demurred, and when we did our usual Champagne Bucket drawing, Finland won. We ended up turning that into a Scandinavian extravaganza that included Estonia and Latvia. As we were wandering around Latvia, I couldn’t help but remember Armenia, and how I needed to grow a spine and go already.

Then in September, fate intervened. Bill put his hand in the Champagne Bucket, and pulled out Armenia. And this time, I decided come hell or high water, we were going– just in time to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. I found a great hotel, booked business class tickets, and let my former student, Stepan, who now works for the Peace Corps, know I was going to be coming.

I remember Stepan was a little skeptical at first. He didn’t want to get excited, since I’d been talking about coming to Armenia for ages. But I insisted that this time, it was for real. I was finally going to come back to Yerevan. I’m so glad we finally made it happen. We had an amazing trip that was extremely meaningful to me on so many levels. I think the biggest takeaway, though, is that sometimes going back to make good memories is the best way to get clarity and perspective.

My first time in Armenia was affected by a lot of things that I probably made more of than I should have at the time. But my second time there, I felt surprisingly confident and comfortable… and save for our actual anniversary day, which was pretty weird, we really had fun. Of course, Yerevan is a lot more developed now than it was in the 90s.

I couldn’t believe the shopping, western style food, and sheer lights everywhere. When I arrived in 1995, none of that stuff was there. Yerevan had few restaurants, few western style shops, and few lights. I got to see it change significantly when I was living there, but it was not even close to the level of development then that it is now. English is everywhere, too. I used my rusty Armenian skills, but I didn’t really need to do that, most everywhere we went.

So now it’s time for my usual blow by blow trip report. I hope some of you will come along for the ride. I have a lot of new stories to write and pictures to share! Not everything was positive, of course, and I do plan to be honest about that… but overall, I was left with a very good impression and a strong feeling of welcome. One thing that hasn’t changed since the 90s, for instance, is that people still seem to think I’m Russian.

I’ll get more into that later… especially when I write in detail about the overly intimate frisking I got this morning from a very obnoxious security officer at the airport. She seemed to be on a massive power trip. There was a lot of confusion, because there was a woman trying to deal with her baby stroller. She was holding things up.

Yerevan only has a metal detector, which requires security officers to put their hands on people who they deem “suspicious”, which I guess I must have been to to the security officer. She spoke English to me, then switched to Russian, as she snarled “Put your arms out. I’m not finished with you, yet.”

I looked her in the eyes and said in a calm, but very serious tone of voice, “I don’t speak Russian.”

At that point, she kind of backed off and let me get on my way. Now I wonder if she thought I was Russian, and was taking out some of the recent Armenian anti-Russian sentiment on me. Don’t get me wrong. It’s certainly well deserved. Russia screwed over Armenia regarding the conflict with Azerbaijan. But I don’t have a drop of Russian blood in me, and I had nothing to do with Putin’s policies toward Armenia and Azerbaijan. I simply wanted to move on from the struggling lady with the baby stroller, and the aggressive security officer with personality deficits. Sue me.

All week, people have been trying to speak Russian to me, just like the old days. I shocked more than a few of them by responding in Armenian. I didn’t bother trying to speak Armenian with the security lady, because I just wanted to get away from her. Aside from that, I think she needed a reminder that not everyone with blonde hair and blue eyes is an oppressor. My aim was simply to get through security and have some coffee, since it was about 3:30 AM. What the hell is wrong with that?

If the officer had spoken in Armenian, she might have gotten a cheerier and more respectful response from me. I’m not sure how people are supposed to behave in the wee hours of the morning when we’re trying to get through security and some woman with a baby stroller is holding up the line, frantically trying to get it to fold. I know I appeared to be very annoyed, because I was. My annoyance was perfectly justified, and there was really no reason for the security officer to practically give me a “happy ending” as I left her country. She certainly had no cause to be so nasty to me. Sorry… just had to get that out of my system. I feel better now.

But anyway, I’m pretty much over that rather traumatizing incident– for now, anyway… 😉 Tomorrow, I’ll commence with writing about the trip and everything we saw and did. That will be a much happier topic. Most Armenians are wonderful, warm, friendly, and talented people, and I really want to focus on their kindness, generosity, and good humor. So stay tuned. “Heto noritz k’gam eli…” (and if you’re Armenian and this doesn’t make any sense, “Voch inch.“)

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A review of Moscow, December 25, 1991: The Last Day of the Soviet Union

Here’s another review of a book about the death of the Soviet empire…

Conor O’Clery looks at the last day of the Soviet Union.A look at the day the Soviet Union died…

I’m pretty fascinated by the former Soviet Union. Ever since I found out about the Soviet Union as a grade school kid, I’ve enjoyed studying it. I also lived in the Republic of Armenia, which was one of the Soviet Union’s fifteen republics, just after the fall of the Soviet Union. I well remember the 1990s and, in particular, that time in August 1991 when there was a political coup that seemed to accelerate the Soviet Union’s downward spiral into eventual oblivion. That’s why I read Conor O’Clery’s 2011 book Moscow, December 25, 1991: The Last Day of the Soviet Union.

Who is Conor O’Clery?

It’s pretty clear that with a name like Conor O’Clery, this author isn’t Russian. Actually, O’Clery lived and worked in the Soviet Union during its final days as an award winning journalist for the Irish Times. He’s worked as a journalist for over thirty years and covered stories all over the world. He’s also got some family connections to Russia, having married a Russian born Armenian woman.

The Last Day of the Soviet Union

Having been a teenager when Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union, I vaguely remember hearing about the concepts of glasnost and perestroika. O’Clery writes about what led up to the fall of the Soviet Union, providing exhaustive commentary about Mikahil Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin and their respective political careers. According to O’Clery, Gorbachev had a lot to do with Yeltsin’s entry into politics, having brought him in to clean up the ministry of construction. They came from very different worlds, though, and did not like each other, but Yeltsin got things done. When the Soviet Union ended on December 25, 1991, it was Yeltsin who was poised to lead the country first post Soviet times.

When Gorbachev was forced to resign the presidency of the Soviet Union, Yeltsin wasted no time in taking over and re-launching Russia. O’Clery goes into great detail in his writing about how Gorbachev and his wife, Raisa, were treated in the days after Gorbachev left office. They were quickly evicted from their home and given no professional courtesies whatsoever. O’Clery provides some juicy details of the ways Gorbachev was humiliated as he left power. It was payback, though… because Yeltsin was similarly humiliated when Gorbachev had his time in the sun.

As O’Clery points out, Gorbachev had introduced the concepts of perestroika and glasnost; he had been a polished politician who had won over the likes of Margaret Thatcher and George H.W. Bush. But it was Yeltsin who led Russia under those concepts… and he did so despite being alcoholic and unhealthy.

O’Clery does a great job detailing the history of these two men who were from different worlds and had very different personalities. This book is factual, but reads a lot like a political thriller. O’Clery has a way of making the people involved come alive and, for me, it was especially interesting reading because I remember these men so well. O’Clery offers some insight into how Soviet and Russian government work.

I was riveted as I read about the colonels who were tasked with carrying the briefcase that had the power to launch nuclear war. Remembering the 1980s, I recall how people often talked or even joked about the “red button” and how if either the American or Soviet president pushed it, there would be war that would end the world as we know it. Conor O’Clery explains the truth behind that little briefcase that was always in the possession of the man in charge. O’Clery also offers some astute commentary on the reactions of the world leaders of the time, including George H.W. Bush.

This book is a look at one day. But it’s also a look at what led up to that one day when the Soviet Union fell to pieces. If you were around during that time or are interested in Russia or the former Soviet Union, The Last Day of the Soviet Union is an excellent read.

Overall

This book was a challenge to read, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it or learn from it. I was young when the Soviet Union fell apart and I saw firsthand what happened in the earliest years after it dissolved. When I lived in Armenia, people were still recovering from the massive changes. A lot of things were still done in a very Soviet way. Indeed, O’Clery writes about how American business leaders and politicians swarmed to Russia and the former Soviet Republics after the Soviet Union fell apart. They were there to offer advice and, of course, make money. In those days, Russia was in very bad shape. As I read O’Clery’s account, I found myself nodding a lot.

I would definitely recommend The Last Day of the Soviet Union to anyone who is interested. I found it a good, entertaining, exciting and useful book to read.

Mikhail Gorbachev resigns.

A truly excellent video about this subject. I just subscribed to History Scope’s channel. He’s got a good touch.

As an Amazon Associate, I get a small commission from Amazon on sales made through my site.

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A review of Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing

Last night, I finished a delightful book written by esteemed food and travel writer Anya Von Bremzen. I had never heard of Von Bremzen before I picked up her book, Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking, even though she is a well-known food writer who has published books and written articles for many well known food magazines. And as I read her memoir, Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking, I didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t until I reached the end of her book that I realized that the story I’d just finished about her “weird” past had led to her becoming a James Beard award willing food writer.

I didn’t read Von Bremzen’s book for food, though, even though the title mentions Soviet cooking. I read it because I remember the Soviet Union and even lived in Armenia for a couple of years after the Soviet Union fell in 1991. I moved to Armenia in 1995, just a few years after the mighty Soviet Union collapsed into oblivion. When I was growing up, the Soviet Union was this big threat. The people were mysterious, living behind the “Iron Curtain”. We had no Internet in those days, so my curiosity was piqued. Once I lived in Armenia and saw remnants of Soviet life up close, I was even more curious.

A couple of months ago, I stumbled across Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking and thought it sounded fascinating. I had been wanting to read the perspective of someone who had lived grown up in the Soviet Union. Anya Von Bremzen was born there in 1963, in an era of bread shortages. She grew up in a communal apartment building where eighteen families shared one kitchen. Her mother, Larisa, was not a fan of communism and discouraged her daughter from learning the songs about Lenin that were taught in school. Anya had attended a special kindergarten for privileged kids, where they were fed caviar like some kids are given cod liver oil. Her mother told her not to talk about the “special food” she got at the school.

In 1974, Anya and her mother left the Soviet Union under the guise of “reconnecting” with Israel. Since they were Jewish, it was allowed. Anya also had a childhood form of scleroderma, a disease that is deadly in adults. That was given as a reason for their departure, though it turned out Anya’s scleroderma was “harmless”. Via Rome, Anya and her mother moved to Queens, New York, where Anya polished her piano skills and eventually earned a master of arts in piano performance from Julliard. Anya’s father, Sergei, stayed behind in Russia and eventually sent Larisa a letter asking for divorce. He turned out to be an interesting character– Anya writes about how he eventually lost all of his teeth, but rather than missing them, he found life without his teeth “liberating”.

Interspersed within Anya’s life story and tales about the food she missed from the Soviet Union. She includes fascinating tidbits about the Soviet machine when it was still powerful and innovative. One of my favorite tales in this book was the one Von Bremzen wrote about Anastas Mikoyan, an Armenian Soviet statesman, who was one of Josef Stalin’s top performers. Miokoyan eventually became the People’s Commissar for Food. In 1935, he and his wife were sent on a goodwill trip to America to travel around tasting American food, visiting factories and production plants, farms, and slaughterhouses. Mikoyan tried popcorn, Coca-Cola, hamburgers, ice cream, and hot dogs and he brought new ideas back to the Soviet Union. In fact, Mikoyan’s cutlets, basically his version of the hamburger, were still enjoyed when I lived in Armenia. Ice cream was Mikoyan’s biggest love and he was responsible for popularizing it in the Soviet Union.

Anya Von Bremzen writes about her first reactions to American food. She writes of how grossed out she was by cold Pop Tarts, her mother not having learned that many people prefer them toasted, and super soft, spongy white bread. I imagine her reaction to American food was much like my initial reaction to Armenian and Russian food. I had trouble with borscht, dolma, and eggplant, all of which my host family served me during my first weeks in country. My very first taste of lamb (which was actually probably mutton) was in Armenia. I didn’t react well to it.

I also enjoyed reading about Anya’s family. She writes extensively of three generations and the history of how she came to be. She includes stories of food and drink and how they impacted her family relationships. I was particularly interested in how the foods she missed from her homeland delighted her when she went back to the Soviet Union years later to visit her family. Despite her extensive training in music at one of the world’s most prestigious schools, Anya turned her fascination with food into a dream career. At the end of the book, she even includes some beloved Soviet recipes.

Though I can’t say that everything Anya writes about was appetizing to me, as someone who has lived abroad and missed home, I could definitely relate to how much she missed Soviet food. I felt the same way when I lived in Armenia and missed American food. Much to my shame, I even remember spending $7 on a bag of Chip’s Deluxe cookies weeks after my arrival. I would definitely not do that today, but I’m much worldlier now than I was in 1995.

I learned a lot reading this book. It’s not just about food and family; it’s also about history, politics, and geography. Since I have been to three of the former fifteen Soviet republics, I could relate to Anya’s book on a personal level. For me especially, this book was pretty fascinating… especially as Anya describes how she felt on the day the Soviet Union fell apart. She was in Abkhazia, an autonomous area in Georgia, when Mikhail Gorbachev came on television to tell his countrymen that the Soviet Union no longer existed. How weird that must have been.

If you are interested in reading about the Soviet Union and what it’s like to be from a place that no longer exists the way you once knew it, I would highly recommend Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. I found it a true delight and even learned a few new Russian words.

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The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

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