Parties, Superstitions and Rats: Just Another Day in Moscow

The 190th episode of From Moscow with Love and the tradition of office parties in the USSR. Traditional foods and Russian superstitions. New drugs – how widespread are they? Rats and other wild animals in Moscow. And what was it like to work at Radio Moscow World Service back in the 1980s?

From Moscow with Love celebrates 190 episodes with a little party. The tradition of office and factory parties in Russia and The Soviet Union goes back a long time. What are these events like and what are the refreshments and drinks served? Also, Natasha shares a recipe of cottage cheese pones Russians are so fond of.

Like any country, Russia is rich in its superstitions. What are the most popular ones and how superstitious are Muscovites?

A new dementia-causing designer drug in several Russian regions has caused an epidemic that has poisoned hundreds of young addicts, at times causing fatal respiratory failure. Natasha describes how she was approached on the street by two men in search of the deadly drug.

Rats have been living side by side with humans in all big cities of the world for ages. Moscow is no exception. What is the situation like in the nation’s capital and what other wild animals roam the streets and suburbs?

It has been 35 years since Nataly and Vasily joined Radio Moscow World Service. In this new, weekly installment, the presenters look back at life at the radio station in the 80’s and what it meant to them personally.

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