Russian Tightrope Village

I watched a video about the universal pastime of a Russian Village on Bing. The video shows how a poor village has transformed itself into a prosperous model even though they don't have any land to cultivate or grow food crops. The village set amidst mountains has a secret formula. Its residents are tight rope walkers and that is how they make their living. At one time they were considered the best team in the whole of Soviet Union.

What interested me in the video particularly was the fact that this village though set in one of the developed nations and former super powers of the world, the infrastructure seems to be similar to villages in India. People don't seem to be as rich as one would expect. Probably this is because of socialistic economy. There are remote rural locales in India where people use frozen rivers (Zanskar, Lakakh), Burma Bridges, tight rope, etc, but these were are tools for survival. Unfortunately the people in Indian villages never thought of marketing their skills else I am pretty sure those villages could have developed too.... and once developed I am sure the skills that brought them the prosperity would have been forgotten.

Russia... Going back in time!

When the whole world is progressing in terms of lifestyles, social patterns, ways of expressing love and affection, technology etc... some nations are taking retrograde steps. Couple of years ago when I was in India there was a flurry of activity in the country's college and university campuses. The authorities were trying to enforce dress code for students, especially girl students. Naturally numerous feminist organizations protested against the diktats and reasoned that women should be free to wear or "not wear" what they want.

Anyway I guess the Indian university administrations and students have made peace I suppose. But this news item I read on CNN shocked me completely. According to a Reuters report authorities in Moscow, Russia are considering imposing a ban on Kissing on the city's underground rail system. If couples are caught Kissing, then they could be fined or even jailed. And this ban could extend even to married couples and also to plain hugging. Anyone and everyone caught hugging or kissing in public places would be fined and/ or jailed under the new set of regulations.

Well... well... well... I really don't know what to say. When Indian newspapers and feminist organizations fought for liberating women from the clutches of dress codes, I thought it was a necessary move and that women should be allowed the freedom to choose their attire. But now Russia, the seat of global revolution in communism and socialism is passing laws to constrict its citizens expressions of affection.

I wonder if the nation is slowly inching backwards towards the middle ages. First kissing and hugging ban, then there will be restriction on holding hands, then on women and men travelling and working in the same room and so on...

Of course the newsreport is pretty old... I am reading it after a few years.... :):):)

Book Review: Into the Den of the Bear and the Lair of the Dragon on a Motorcycle

Epic biker’s odyssey
Into the Den of the Bear and the Lair of the Dragon on a Motorcycle by Werner Bausenhart; Legas, Canada; Price: Rs.900; 203 pp

Cross-country biking is not new to two-wheeler aficionados across the world. Men and mobikes taking off to far-flung destinations is old hat for intrepid and free-spirited souls who wish to explore the world. One such adventurer is Dr. Werner Bausenhart, a former professor at the University of Ottawa, who during the past decade has biked across the Americas and travelled down the west coast of Africa.

“Motorcycle adventure travel is mainly a man-thing, although lately a few women seem to have been bitten by the bug as well. It is a disease without a cure. The symptoms are well known, but not well understood, particularly by the female half of the population. We, the sufferers, need space; no, more than that: we need the vista of wide open spaces. We need adventure as a fish needs water. We need a bit of danger in our lives to add zest to an otherwise prosaic existence,” writes Bausenhart, the author of this travelogue. The ambitious eventful excursion on two wheels took Bausenhart across two of the largest countries in the world — Russia (the eponymous den of the bear) and China (the dragon’s lair). Refreshingly Bausenhart’s thrilling adventure narrated in this book began after his retirement from Ottawa University which he served faithfully for 27 years — proof there’s a lot of life after retirement.

The Russian leg of the 31,686 km journey on a BMW R 100 GS PD began in London and ended in Vladivostok via Moscow, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, and Khabarocsky, and return was via Beijing, Kashgar, Islamabad, Tehran, Ankara, and Istanbul — an eight month long odyssey.

Liberally peppered with route maps, monochrome photographs and illustrations, this book is an easy and entertaining read. Conversations with a multitude of locals, fellow travellers on the road and policemen and inevitable haggling with border officials provide useful information on local cultures and practices of each country.

“Although the highway to Minsk was excellent, I did not make much time, since at every little town I was stopped by their traffic police, only to admire my motorcycle and to make conversation. This I loved. This was the very purpose of my journey, to meet the locals. In Minsk I was chased by a city cop on a motorcycle for no apparent reason. He pulled me over at a traffic light, and with a smile pointed out at his motorcycle: it was a BMW, the same type and year as mine, but in police livery. The two of us went through an instant ritual of male bonding, a ritual that was to be repeated again and again throughout the trip. After all boys will be boys, no matter what nationality and where they may meet,” writes the author.

Like Bausenhart’s earlier books 8 Around the Americas on a Motorcycle and Africa Against the Clock on a Motorcycle, this comprehensive travel diary would particularly interest the multiplying tribe of bikers — majority of whom entertain ideas of hitting the highways full throttle. A series of vignettes and a tour d’ horizon of societies and cultures en route, mark the meandering jaunt.

Indeed as one pours over lengthy paragraphs, it’s arguable that the unique selling proposition of this travelogue is the valuable advice it contains on required documentation, bike maintenance, road and riding conditions and how they affect the motorcyclist, sea crossings by air/ sea freight and basic security precautions. A concluding appendix of hard data provides details of exact distances between towns, camping sites and most importantly, includes the author’s rating of hotels in which he lodged.

On the down side the book could have done with professional editing, production, and colour — instead of black and white — photographs. Nevertheless for the growing tribe of subcontinental bikers, Bausenhart’s recitation of an epic odyssey is certain to prove inspirational. It demonstrates that anyone with the ability to win friends and influence people can do likewise. All it takes is a bike, a bit of money, and lots of time.