What Napoleon and Hitler didn't see

In Polish rural areas house often look shabby and and patched up, in Belarus, too, as well as on the route into Moscow, however the Polish frequently have new roofs and fresh brick and cement around the window areas, where double glazing has been inserted. Russian villages seemed to be in a state of hibernation, with outbuildings collapsed and crumbling and weeds taking over the garden areas.

I travelled with two particle physicists, Constantine and Natalya, who had been at CERN and also had been attending conferences, they were both excellent English speakers, and were returning to Novosibirsk unwillingly. Constantine had to do part-time work as an electrician in order to make ends meet. Villages closer to Moscow were having their choicest houses bought by
"yuppiski" to use as dachas.

One particular village, 40km from Moscow is famous in Russia, Borodino, the place where Napoleon almost met his Waterloo. He suffered heavy troop losses, almost loosing the battle, which resulted in Europe smiling with relief, now knowing the little Corsican was not invincible. The rest is history.