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Oh I’ve got tons of stories from that trip rarely shared. As a 16 year old kid (1986), I remember Russian kids sneaking into our hotel rooms. We’d all exchange smokes, light em up, and start trading stuff. They’d search our room and whisper “KGB” when they got there. I got a haul for a Beatles mix tape I’d brought along for my Walkman. Another kid approached a girl in our group near Red Square and pointed to her teeth. He wanted to try to trade for her braces.

They had drink vending machines on the street that had a cup attached to a chain. They’d buy their lemonade-like drink, it would pour into a cup, they’d drink it, then put the cup back for the next person.

On returning home, I wasn’t nearly as scared of the Russians as I was when I left.

Oh and all of that was like three months after Chernobyl (what were my parents thinking).

Thanks for the post and apologies for rambling on. It triggered some memories.

I knew a member of the USA Cycling Team that went over to the USSR in the mid-80’s for the Goodwill Games. They got friendly with a member of the housekeeping staff at the hotel. When they left, they gave her several pairs of Levis jeans and a Walkman. They said she cried over their generosity.

On returning home, I wasn’t nearly as scared of the Russians as I was when I left.

Oh and all of that was like three months after Chernobyl (what were my parents thinking).

A spectacularly powerful time to have been there! I'm sure the people you met were so appreciative of having met you.