Thinking of going to Russia, and Tallinn and some countryside (Estonia) and Riga (Latvia). Have heard various comments about rude service people, as well as how glum everyone seems to be in these places.

True?

I don't want smily faces greeting me, that's for sure. I'm not going to Disneyland. But wonder if grouchiness is pervasive and how much that could impact on a vacation.

What's your experience?

Glum is certainly not the right word. Russians can be overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. A banquet with Russians, reciprocal toasts, vodka, singing and friendship is a lasting experience.

However, it is right that you find ridiculous service deficits, because many people have not learnt to think in economic categories yet.

Be prepared that Russians sing a different tune but that's part of intercultural experiences and travelling.

You find a few impressions in my trip report from Russia:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...cow-russia.cfm

No,generaly Russians are not. Who first said that we were rude, glum and grouch? I met a lot of people of good mood
Even if you meet just few people on street with smiles, I guess it won't hamper you to enjoy the beauty of the sity. Besides, there are a lot of professionals working in hospitality industry for making your stay at the hotel comfortable and pleasant. Just read the hotels' review on destination you have chosen. I think it will assure you that there are good hotels with attentive friendly staff in Russia.

We have traveled to many countries in this world and have always found kind and welcoming people......except in Russia. This should certainly not deter anyone from visiting this most interesting country but do not go with the expectation that the people will be helpful and cheerful. Remember how they lived for so many years. It makes their attitude very understandable.

Not sure if the "Russian attitude" is wholly from the Communist era. Think of their literature. Also just read that there is a saying in Russian: "resignation of the soul." Not sure how long that's been in use.

I live in NY and went to a Russian nightclub in Brighton Beach Brooklyn (AKA "Little Odessa") a number of years ago. Oh, yes, the Russians definitely do know how to party. We left at 4AM and it was still going strong (and these were not 20-somethings). Lots of pickled food and Vodka.

I have not traveled in Russia, so my experience is limited to working with lots of Russians here in the States. I wouldn't necessarily characterize them as glum, but rather practical and straightforward, not inclined toward unnecessary optimism or lightness of being. I have been to Brighton Beach a number of times, and do know their penchant for partying. I think it takes the edge off their tendency toward depression and heavy-heartedness, which they must have inherited from their history.

Where has the idea that you travel to observe and see what it's like gone? Go to Russia and find out what people are like...it's part of the experience.

I was in St Petersburg a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it

alihutch - Just questioning. I do want to go. especially since my grandparents came from Russia (or what was part of Russia then and is now Ukraine and Belarus) in 1917.

Anyone been to the Baltics?

I think there is a big difference in Russia between public and private. In public you will not see smiles, at first I thought this might have to do with the economic situation (I was there in 2004), or be a hang over from the Communist era, but then I realized that no one was smiling in any of the art I saw either, and thought it might have to do with the winters...

I've been to Vilnius and enjoyed it very much. I also liked Ukraine, especially Lviv. (My TRs for these trips are at wilhelmswords.com )

thursdaysd - I looked at your site. Wow you really have traveled.

Would like to get to Lviv one day. Ah, so many places to go to.

kenav - yep, so many places, so little time. When I put my RTW together I left out as much as I put in, and realized just how big the world is. Still.

Those who managed to leave USSR - we are happy people. Those who left behind, well, they will be serving you

(but don't take my word for it, I left 20 years ago)

Hi Dayenu - Have you gone back at all? Can you? It's not the USSR anymore. Think it has changed?

I think I can with the additional visa requirements. Don't care to go.

I know many who re-instated their citizenships and are now dual.

You can do this test – come to NYC or any other large busy city for a day. Speak any foreign language, except Spanish, if you don’t know foreign languages – just use make up one, but no word of English. Visit tourist sites (remember you don’t understand how much you have to pay and what tour you want), go to restaurant and order your meal and visit supermarket during busy hours, try to find help from customer service + pretend that you can’t understand what you have to pay at the register (and at restaurant).
It will give you great impression on what to expect.

When I was in Russia some years ago, my Russian colleagues told me that they do not smile in public - it just isn't done. That doesn't mean they are glum or grouchy; it's just a difference in what is considered normative public behavior. My experience of Russians in private settings was consistent with what several other posters have noted - they were warm, friendly, caring, and generous. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in St. Petersburg and Moscow, even with non-smiling people all around.

travfirst - Very good analogy. Although, what about the people who work at hotels? In NY you would be catered to and probably someone on the staff would speak your language enough to help you.

Perhaps if you spoke a language that was not used very often, say Croatian, you would have difficulty. But English is not that kind of a language. It is considered a "world language" as people from different countries, whose first language is NOT English, actually converse with each other in English, using it as the common language.

With regards to me, I don`t understand eg Brits with their glued insincere smiles.
Why? But they think this is good, better, then to be glum. It`s traditions only. And for Russian faces without smile only mask, nothing else.
Just understand it. Like japanese bows eg, cant transfer japanese traditions to other countries.
No difference only traditions.

"In NY you would be catered to and probably someone on the staff would speak your language enough to help you." - you think? If your language was Russian? Or German? Or Hungarian? Not unless the staff in question had actually emigrated from there!

It's been a long time--way too long--since I've been in Russia, but there were a lot of nice and helpful people that I met on my trips there. It's true that there wasn't a lot of smiling in the service sectors, but I had lovely experiences with a bus driver who took us beyond the route, a grandmotherly type who walked me to a flower shop (we didn't speak each other's language, but we communicated!) and so on: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
On a later trip (1989), we had a warm welcome from the guy in charge of Piskarevskoye Cemetery and an interesting visit with a couple of people we met in St. Petersburg.
I realize all of this was 20+ years ago, but I'm sure all the goodwill hasn't evaporated.

Much later, I went to Lithuania; I had a great time there,too, and in both places I noticed the possibility of falling into quite intense conversations rather quickly; makes me happy:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-july-2006.cfm