Red Corner: Searching for Soviet-Retro in Tallinn’s Second Hand Stores.

by Neil Woodburn on

When communism ended and western products flooded into the vacuum left by socialist central planning, every-day goods which dominated life under communism were tossed in the trash or otherwise discarded.

It wasn’t a hard choice; everyone had the same thing and so very much of it was poor, shoddy quality.

With the passage of time, however, discarded objects tend to come back into fashion. Joel Alas, writing for the Baltic Times, decided to search out for himself some old Soviet era kitsch in the second hand stores of the Baltics–especially in the small town of Viljandi which is considered “the second hand shopping capital of Estonia.”

What he discovered was that not enough time had passed in Estonia for such clothes, household goods, and electronics to come back in fashion locally. But, he did find some cool items which he felt would be a hit in the West.

If you’re heading off to the Baltics and want to pick up some cheap souvenirs, you might want to consider stopping by.

Red Corner: Budapest vs. Prague

by Neil Woodburn on

On Sunday when The New York Times printed an article titled, Budapest Is Stealing Some of Prague’s Spotlight, I just had to smile.

I’ve debated many times with fellow travelers over which is the better city, Prague or Budapest? One thing I’ve learned is that those who visit Budapest first tend to prefer the Hungarian capital over the Czech one. Those who visit Prague first, consider Budapest a lesser, and therefore inferior version of the Czech capital.

It’s been many years now since I visited Budapest, but the gist of the New York Times article is that Budapest has come a long ways in that time. Thanks to a strong flow of foreign investment, the city is no longer grungy and smelling of post-communism, but has “turned the corner” and is now all “cutting edge and credit cards and trendy restaurants.”

I’m not convinced that this in itself is enough to “steal Prague’s spotlight” but nonetheless, I am impressed. I’ll certainly detour there on my next trip to the Czech Republic and judge for myself.

Red Corner: Historic Albania

by Neil Woodburn on

When I visited Albania a few months ago, I had to choose between the north of the country where the stunning Alps reigned supreme, or the south where gobs of ancient Greek and Roman ruins lay scattered about.

I chose the north and had a wonderful time. The south still remains a curiosity and hopefully a place to explore in the future.

Rose Dosti, writing for the LA Times, however, headed south and seemed to enjoy it equally as much.

Albania’s Ancient History Surfaces explores a region of Albania where Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans invaded poor Albania as regular as the tides. This melting pot of cultures left an impressive array of archeological sites and remains. In the town of Durres alone, Dosti comes across a 14th century Venetian rotunda, Roman baths, a 15th century mosque, a 2nd century amphitheater, and more.

This wonderful cache of history is virtually unknown outside of Albania. This is partly due to the fact that an isolationist communist government cut Albania off from the rest of the world from 1944 to 1992. Thankfully, mass protests put an end to this silly system and Albania is once again open for curious archeologists and history buffs.

Red Corner: Moscow Expat, a Woman’s Perspective

by Neil Woodburn on

Living the expat life is never very easy. One must learn a new language, figure out local customs, and find a place to live. There are a whole host of “foreign” challenges to overcome.

This was all pretty easy when I lived in Ireland but infinitely more difficult when I moved to Prague.

One of the most challenging locations for an expat to get up and running is Moscow. While decidedly westernized these days, the capital is also uniquely Russian and presents many challenges and rewards for those who tough it out.

With this in mind, The Moscow Times recently published an interview with Marina Somers, a New Yorker who moved to Moscow five years ago. “It’s very difficult to understand how complex it is,” she tells the Times, “and why it is such a challenging place to live in.” She speaks about the “horrific bureaucracy” of running a business and the numerous “barricades” which prevent every-day things from running smoothly.

Life in Moscow is a challenge she admits, but one that is ultimately very rewarding for those who learn the language, love art and culture, and develop strong friendships with the locals.

As perhaps the greatest compliment, she equates the “buzz” of the city with that of New York. I think first time visitors will strongly disagree, but with time and the right mindset, Somers argues, Moscow can indeed be a wonderful place for foreigners to live.

Red Corner: Jonesing for Czech Goulash

by Neil Woodburn on

After living in Prague for two years, I developed a love/hate relationship with goulash.

Although Hungary normally comes to mind when most people think of goulash, the Czechs lap up a slightly different version which they consider as much of a local culinary tradition as their fine pilsners.

I ate a lot of goulash while living there, and sopped it all up with pasty dumplings (another Czech specialty). I eventually grew tired of it but still found myself wolfing it down while frequenting hole-in-the-wall pubs that have been ladling the stuff out for seemingly hundreds of years.

After returning to the states, I found I actually missed the stuff. A short-lived restaurant in Los Angeles, Czech Point, briefly fulfilled my cravings until it eventually closed after changing ownership. I haven’t had good goulash since.

Thanks to a short article and a long recipe recently published in the Prague Post, I can now relive my culinary expat adventures. Of course, I won’t be able to replicate the smoky pubs and surly waiters, but I can close my eyes, take a bite, and be magically transported back if I try hard enough. Mmmm….