This stop afforded us three experiences, altho as busy as we are I think this is the one opportunity I would have forsaken to have had more time in a few of the other 'ports.' It was interesting enough but some of the other places would have been of more interest, to me, to have been able to explore more thoroughly (interpretation of explore means shop for those of you not as intimately familiar with my travel preferences.)

We started at a Viking hall, with a large man in costume of 1000 (?) years ago explaining life in the early times. He brought up a large whiskered man and dressed him as the king, then brought up his wife and did the same. Next he chose the only child in our group on which to place the mantle of chain mail, to serve as the knight protectorate, and ended with a burly-ish man on which to throw a bearskin, including the head, to be the lady's warrior.

The viking's little boy bounced in, followed by an older brother, they sang, and then we filed out. Hanging on the door was a leather grog mug with a sign for us to add our $ to help him pay for his beer.

Two souvenir shops lined the little walk up to the buses and then we were off thru the Kirilly National Forest. It was all so depressed looking and the roads narrow. Vadim, our guide, said they drive more slowly than the limit because of the proliferation of wildlife that can run across the road and cause damage to the cars.

The monastery was interesting, but we were shuttled thru fairly quickly without time to absorb much of what was said. Every room contained 'beautiful' icons or pictures which could not be photographed which meant, for me, I couldn't retain much. With the overload of information and images from the past ten days it all runs together!

We did go the Beloye, or White Lake, where they say those who swim there gain youth. None of us were up to the challenge, but I did nab a little of the sand for Susan's collection.

Next they hustled us on the bus (the only one that had ripped seat backs and reeked of cigarette smoke) and we went to a little town to the school. This school was for elementary thru high school and has a student population of 700.

They hold an art school here in the summer, where they study the history and culture of their heritage. A young boy in traditional dress played a brief tune on the accordion and we heard a folk song about a wayward lover from a young girl.

There was, of course, the obligatory table of wares the children had made which we were encouraged to peruse and purchase. Giving us only two minutes to look before we were hustled out of the gym to see the classrooms, no one bought anything and I could see the disgust on the faces of the women sitting behind the tables.

Examples of things for sale were the fairy-tale dolls that were red riding hood one way and then the wolf/grandmother when the dress was flipped inside out and linen 'dolls' to stave off the evil eye from babies. These dolls were just linen threads tied together in the approximation of a figure.

Most interesting to me were the school uniforms the children were required to wear in Soviet times.

Back to the bus and another bumpy twenty minutes to Kuzino, with ten minutes to shop. I don't know how those little places survive as the cruise ships allow all of 10-15 minutes each time as the tourists are hustled from ship to attraction.

I, of course, darted into one of the shops and discovered the perfect matryoshka doll. Rather than plump and full of ever-smaller dolls, these were slim and full of vodka. Score!

Debating with myself because I didn't want to buy nesting dolls, I finally succumbed to the vodka and took one to the counter. By then I had only minutes to conduct my purchase and get to the ship, where I knew Mama would be stressing about me missing the boat.

The third of three couples was wrapping up their multiple purchases when the woman disputed the charge of a certain item. All three women had picked out the same (large amounts of) things and one was charged 650 rubles for something that the first was only charged 240. Mind you that it's 32 rubles to the dollar, but I must be honest and admit that I would have objected as well.

The proprietor and his two daughters seemed to lose their ability to speak English at this point and all three became involved in the fray. And since I didn't have rubles with me and was going to have to charge the matryoshka, I decided the gods were telling me to get back to the ship and let the vodka go. So I did.

But no to worry dear friends. Once back on the ship I noticed the slim matryoshka dolls in the gift shop cases and Mama took care of me. My very own ma-vodka-doll is safely nestled in my things, and will look lovely on the bookcase in my office. Not to drink, mind you, but to know that it's just a reach away.