The first step of the journey was to fly until Saint-Petersburg, the imperial city. The three travelers spent three whole days to visit the city. Of course they visited the Hermitage. “It’s unbelievable! I’ve never seen such an amazing palace!” exclaimed Tiia while she looked at a ceiling with complex paintings from the past centuries. Jukka was their guide. “Do you know that if you spend 30 seconds in front of each object you will need seven years to visit the museum?” In the fortress Peter and Paul on a small island in the Neva River he told them the origin of that beautiful city and why Peter the Great chose that place to build the city. The next step was the capital Moscow.
Then they really started the great adventure. During the following week they flew to Kirov, Perm and Yekaterinburg. The evening before to leave that last city, they were invited to a traditional music festival. All the local people wore their colorful costumes. In the middle of the square there was a huge fire. The three Finns were sat and applauding the dancers following the rhythm of the music. “Go to dance! You know that song,” Jukka said to Janne and Tiia while he heard the first notes of Kalinka.
Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka moya! V sadu yagoda malinka, malinka moya!
Akh, pod sosnoyu, pod zelenoyu, Spat' polozhite vy menya! Ay-lyuli, lyuli, ay-lyuli, Spat' polozhite vy menya.
Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka moya! V sadu yagoda malinka, malinka moya!
Akh, sosyenushka ty zyelyenaya, Nye shumi zhe nado mnoy! Ay-lyuli, lyuli, ay-lyuli, Nye shumi zhe nado mnoy!
Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka moya! V sadu yagoda malinka, malinka moya!
Akh, krasavitsa, dusha-dyevitsa, Polyubi zhe ty menya! Ay-lyuli, lyuli, ay-lyuli, Polyubi zhe ty menya!
Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka moya! V sadu yagoda malinka, malinka moya!
“Good! Good!” A man with a rounded belly, a long beard and dark eyes congratulated the two foreign dancers. “Spaciba,” Janne thank while he hugged Tiia. “Isn’t it a wonderful evening?” he murmured in her ear. “Oh yes. It’s wonderful. People are great. Music and food are great. And I love to dance with you,” she told to her husband. “Vodka, vodka,” said the man coming back with a bottle and three glasses. “No, thanks,” she answered but the man insisted. He gave a glass to each. “Russian tradition. You have to drink it in one glup.” He counted until three and they drank the little glass. Suddenly they felt some fire going to their stomachs. It was homemade vodka and it was much stronger than the vodka sold in the shops. Then the man threw away the glass that broke on the ground. “Break the glass.” Janne and Tiia looked at each other and broke their glasses. “Good! You are Russians now!” the man exclaimed while he hug them. “Wow. I notice that you are having fun here,” Jukka said while he arrived near the little group. “I feel drank. I need to sit,” Tiia said in a low voice. Janne sat next to her and scrubbed her back. “Are you okay sweetheart or do you want to go to the room?” he murmured.
“Let’s walk a bit,” she said after few minutes. The dark blue sky was full of stars and the moon was shining. A flying star was crossing the sky. The tall trees were dark and some animals were communicating in the forest. “Do you feel better now?” Janne asked still a bit worried. “Yes, it’s good to be away from the noise and to breathe some fresh air. That vodka was so strong.” “For me too it was strong. No more drinking for tonight. Tomorrow we have a long journey to Omsk. I will tell to Jukka that we go to the room. Are you agreeing?” “Yes, I am. It’s getting late and I’m tired.”
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