summer houses and local trains

Summer’s here in Siberia.  Dacha season is open. Dacha is a Russian word for a summer house. People hardly ever (=practically never) use it for just chilling out and spend days working on their little plot of land growing and taking care of vegetables. Those who don’t have a car get to their Dacha and back to the town on Elektrichka, and electric train that runs locally.

You can meet all kinds of people on Electrichka. My mom doesn’t have a Dacha. But today I visited some dear friends in their Dacha. As I got on a night train to get back I was glad to find the cars practically empty – what can be better of enjoying a village scenery from a train at the sunset (the sun sits here after 10 pm and is beautiful). I picked a bench, but  right after me came an older lady and so we sat together. I hesitated whether I should take another seat to enjoy some solitude but decided to stay and maybe chat with a lady. Talking to older strangers (well older than me, my mom’s generation people) is one thing that I enjoy here. So we had a chat about her dacha, and lilacs that my friends’ little son gave to me, and about what we do, and our families, and the struggles that her grandson has growing up without a father.  Yeah, Russians go deep with strangers on a train. That’s why I love talking and hearing their stories, and yep, sharing mine.

The lady got off at her station in about half an hour. Before she left she told me to tell my mom that there’s a retired people hang out happening every Sunday in the center (where all the cool kids used to hang out hoho).

 


Then I heard  someone sing behind me. I assumed someone was drunk and sweet, and I turned back- only to see no drunken, but an older couple sitting together, so sweet, the singing was coming from the good looking husband. I smiled and turned back. He stopped singing. I looked at them again and asked “Please sing some more”. The lady smiled and looked at ther husband “He sings ina Theater” she said.  “Oh then please sing some more!” He said- another time…” They started talking about songs, how old songs were so melodic and beautiful unlike songs nowadays. I knew what they meant, and asked to sing them together. They smiled and continued sharing some stories. Now, it is so rare to see an older couple seemingly enjoying each other’s company in our country (a grandson growing up  without a father remember, it is so common in Russia). 





the pic is from the web, not mine,
but it totally illustrates what I'm talking about :)



 They looked so beautiful together, and they were smiling…. “Hop on  this train tomorrow at the same time” – the man said as they were getting off,  and he smiled . And I smiled. I love riding Elektrichka in the evening and talking to strangers. It helps me to remember the real things about Russia that I love.