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When I was in the Soviet Union in '91, the Metro was fantastic, like walking through an art gallery. In '93 and '98, things got a little trashy for awhile, but by 2000 it was pretty much restored to its former glory.

Peterburg's and Kyiv's are pretty nice, but still nothing like Moscow's. All three cities dug their subways very deep as part of civil defense.

Russian's attitudes towards Americans have also had their ups and downs. Nowadays mostly down.

Back when they first opened things up, Russian were very friendly and curious, but lately...

Usually I would hear the someone - whose opinion I could care less about - had really admired America until Yugoslavia/Iraq/takeyourpick. I think it's due to the world-wide drumbeat of anti-Americanism that our own media perpetuates.

Even in Ukraine, which should know better, people would repeat the most outrageous cr*p and act surprised when I'd put my fist under the noses and tell them - the recently liberated inmates of the world's largest insane asylum - that they need not lecture a citizen of a 220 year-old democracy about 'freedom'.

Even in Kazakhstan - ruled by the same guy since Gorby's days - I had students whose first sentence they could put together was "I hate your president."

There's a huge category of jokes about Americans over there, whom they often call 'Amerikosy', and a popular comedian named Zadornov who makes a good living telling how fat, stupid, lazy, etc. Americans are.

Sveta claims it's all envy - a Slavic trait they can't shake.

Of course, compared to France and Germany lately, Russia does seems pretty friendly, and when you get outside of the big cities the attitudes change somewhat.