And is this Pavilion open?
Part I: Promise
The days of youth are so far from people of our age that some details of everyday
life are hardly remembered. Adventures and meetings with interesting people had
happened, and it even happened that I got into some ridiculous situations. But this
is life, and it often has such surprises and turns, that only then does a miracle
occur!
I remember that in high school, I very much enjoyed learning French. Our beloved
teacher put on with us performances in which the whole class participated, we sang
“Marseillaise” and other songs in French. One day, Valentina Mikhailovna invited us
to a meeting in the Teacher's House [editor’s note: a meeting place for teachers]
with a real Frenchman who had cometo Kharkov on business. I cannot convey to
you my state (nervous, joyful) in which I was, preparing for this international
meeting! I wanted so badly not to fall flat on my face in front of a foreigner and show
him my excellent knowledge of the language; I wanted just to have a look at a
person from another place (and even a capitalist one)! And now the time has come!
The young Frenchman came up to us, introduced himself, and began to question us
about life and study. Excited and nervous, I said a few phrases in return. And then
the young man came closer to me and shook my hand! I froze and did not know how
to react, I was so overjoyed! The most interesting thing was that this representative
of France had black skin. My hand was glowing, I was so excited. I've never seen an
African before. I stepped aside, thought for a moment, and decided that I would
never again wash that he shook! In this state of shock, and in a stressful mood, I left
the Teacher's House! Of course, I violated my vow and I still wash my hands to this
day. Never give up and do not make impossible promises!
Part II: A journey on a tourist train
As a child, I did not often travel by train, only during the holidays when I was sent to
my grandfather in Belarus. The trip lasted 18 hours, it was quite difficult to spend so
much time in the slowly moving and stopping at every turn. Of course, I dreamed of
going on a long journey on a beautiful, new train with good friends and cheerful
company. By the way, it turns out that a two-story modern train already runs
between Kharkov and Kiev! Awesome!
I do not think that I will be able to ride with the breeze on such a beauty! But I
remember my youth and do not regret it! I took an active part in the social life of my
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department at the factory, where I worked back then. The authorities decided to send
the best Komsomol members and workers on a trip to three cities. They were Kiev,
Moscow and Leningrad. And I was among the lucky ones! Hooray! Young people of
my age, cheerful guys and girls, went one evening on an ordinary train, but intended
for a special occasion, on an interesting and useful journey! Note that it was in the
cold wintertime, but it did not stop or discourage any of us! Conversations,
acquaintances, playing the guitar and singing contemporary songs, together with
the rumbling wheels and loud voices! I had not had such a good time before then!
Nobody slept, everyone was excited, dozing off in the morning, and then we arrived
in Kiev!
I really love that city. A few years later, I again found myself on its wonderful streets,
wandered around Khreshchatyk Street, visited theaters and went on some
excursions. I got a lot of pleasure and joy. On this first visit, I did not manage to walk
much around the capital; I spent more time at home. The fact is that, there at that
time, were my closest relatives (my aunt and family). I was glad to visit them. Of
course, I walked around the city for a bit, visited the park, admired the Dnieper. But I
spent most of my time with my aunt and her children.
And the fast train left again in three days. And again, conversations, songs, and
arguments until midnight and later, and in the morning, a sweet dream...
In the morning, the conductor announced that we are approaching Moscow! We
looked through the windows and could not believe that it was we, Kharkiv citizens,
who would soon walk along Red Square, through wonderful historical places and
admire the beautiful Moscow! My God, what is happiness for? The train parked
somewhere far from the station. We were told that we could walk all day, wherever
we want, there will not be organized excursions; we would have a lot of free time. By
the way, during the day our staff moved our train several times to other places; I
barely found it. I found a stall with oranges right near the station, stood in line, and
bought several kilograms of this orange vitamin for my family. Then I found my car,
left my purchase there and went to explore the capital of our Motherland. Since that
time, I traveled to Moscow many times, but my first impression was the most
impactful. I stood and looked at the streets and houses near Kursk station, and was
shocked from happiness! Then I arrived at the Red Square, looked around and sat
down on the low window sill of a store, GUM, in front of the Lenin Mausoleum. I sat
for a long time, watched the changing of the guard, I did not want to move, my
happiness was unlimited! With my little money, I had nothing to do at an expensive
store. But nothing stopped me from admiring Moscow! Late in the evening, I hardly
found my train. That night, in the car there was a dead silence, everyone was fast
asleep.
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The next day I went to the Tretyakov Gallery, spent almost all day there, got much
pleasure from the museum and its exhibits. Back on the train, I talked to the guys
and my girlfriends. They told me that they spent the whole day in shops and made
many purchases. I had nothing to brag about, except for oranges… But I got
aesthetic pleasure.
Photo of Tretyakov Gallery
Finally, there was the third, last day in Moscow. I decided to attend the Exhibition of
the National Economy.
Now the VDNKh is undergoing a grandiose reconstruction, everything looks
different. But I also came to the exhibition in the winter season; it was cold and
frosty. I decided to visit several pavilions quickly, without delaying in any one for too
long. And here I was, runing in a little coat with an artificial collar, in a light cap on
the vast territory of the Exhibition. And I could not understand, what had happened?
I ran to the door of one pavilion, and it's closed! I run up to the other, it's closed! I
ran around the territory, and all the doors were closed! And no one was around; no
workers, no visitors. Tired and exhausted, I was looking for at least someone to ask
why everything is closed? And there it was! I saw as one man exited out of a cute
little house. I ran to him: “Tell me, please, is this pavilion open?” He looked at me in
some strange way and replied: “Yes, this pavilion is open…” I rushed into this room
with joy and was stunned: in front of me was a public toilet! Well done! This was
how I visited VDNKh!
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Well, I should not end my story on such a sad note! After that, we have still another
magnificent city: St. Petersburg. That's what I want to tell you about.
I adore St. Petersburg, because it is a city where beauty and love live. I love it for the
modest, quiet streets and the avenues (especially Nevskiy) that amaze with their
beauty, for the white nights and proud rivers, for that special atmosphere that
always reigns here.
The names of Pushkin and Gogol, Blok and Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-
Korsakov are connected with this creative city.
By the way, I happened to meet A. Pushkin many, many years after that. I was lucky
again with a trip to St. Petersburg. On an exchange of teachers between the USA and
Russia, I went to Moscow, to Kaluga, Vladimir and other cities. Some of the
Americans decided to take the opportunity to visit St. Petersburg. So we did. We
spent a wonderful time visiting many famous places, taking part in excursions; the
Hermitage made an indelible impression. I helped the Americans to navigate the city,
and was an interpreter. Honestly, I was growing tired of the bustle around me, and of
the endless questions. One evening, I managed to tear myself away from my friends,
I was walking along Nevsky avenue, went to a cafe, joyfully bought some custard
cakes, a lemonade, and decided to consume it alone. And now I walk along the
street and suddenly I see Pushkin sitting at the table in the window! So much he
looked like himself, that I had to climb the frozen stairs and enter this cafe! The joy
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of seeing him was extraordinary, although on closer inspection I saw that this
sculpture is made of wax. Look at the photo!
And this photo accurately conveys my impressions of winter in Petersburg. I walked
here on snow and ice, remembered this weather in Ukraine, falling into the
snowdrifts! Pleasure and only!
I will continue my narration. I was inspired by St. Petersburg, its majestic buildings
and structures. I love this city for St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Winter Palace, for the
Russian Museum and the Admiralty, for the Anichkov Bridge and the Bronze
Horseman. I realized all these beauties much later than during this winter excursion.
The agents who organized our trip to Leningrad (St. Petersburg) did not think it all
through and did not think to warm up the bus. All the windows were frozen, we had
to make holes in the ice and look through them at the beauty and sights of the city.
Of course, we saw very little. We listened to the guide and turned obediently in the
direction that she said. "Look to the right, here is ..." "Look to the left, you see ..."
We did not see anything, in particular. But we felt the soul of this magnificent city.
The journey home was calm, the people were very tired and everyone was
thinking about the past 10 days. But it was, it turns out, not the end of my
adventures. At the station in Kharkov no one met me, my parents went to rest in a
sanatorium, and my sister’s husband had just returned from the army on leave. I got
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on the tram home, entered the hallway, and just wanted to start telling the story of
my glorious journey, when I started feeling bad, fainted, and fell to the floor. I got
home! It turns out that I was so frozen that I fell ill with the flu. I had traveled nobly!
Some years later, when I was already living in the US and teaching Russian, I
managed to return to Moscow several times; to admire its beauties, to sit again on
the windowsill of the GUM, see the changing of the guard, and even get to Lenin's
Mausoleum. And each time, this trip was impressive and unforgettable! When I came
with teachers from the USA to Moscow for the first time, my tears began to flow in
excitement on Red Square. When asked by the Americans why I was crying, I
answered that I will probably be here for the last time! But a miracle happened, and a
year later, I had again returned to this place. The red square met me, as usual,
elegant and solemn…
So here’s something to know: Never say never! And at VDNKh I also got to visit
many pavilions! They were all open! Hooray!. Wonderful! Unforgettable!