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Finland #1

Slava and Alexander went to Finland for a week to go shopping and check out some business opportunities. (Helsinki is the nearest Western port, four hours away.) I couldn't go because I had only a single-entry visa, so I couldn't get back into Russia. They came back saying, "The prices there are even higher than they are in Russia!"

(In fact, I found the prices of Western stuff to be exactly the same in Russia as the States, which is quite an accomplishment, considering the extra overhead you have in Russia with having to arrange transportation, prevent theft, and pay off the government and the mafia.)

Here, Slava is buying a shirt.

Helsinki, Finland -- September 1996

Copyright © 1999-2004 by Mike (Sluggo) Orr
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