Twisted History

Did you ever wonder about historians and anthropologists? They find artifacts from past cultures, and with much confidence piece together what life was like in the past time. I suspect that if a person from that past time could travel to our time and see what the "experts" said their life was like, they would probably laugh and say "well, not quite".

I had a dining experience in Moscow Thursday that made me feel like one of those cultural time travelers. We went to a very exclusive restaurant that was a palacial home in the 1700's. It was immaculate, ornate, gaudy, and way way over the top, but in good original condition. Fourty foot ceilings, gilded chandeliers, gilded mirrors all over the walls, plush red carpet with gold inlay, and all furniture from the time with ornate decor. Lots of candelabras. All of the staff were dressed in period costumes with lots of frilly lace, women in bushy dresses, men with white knee socks and lacy cuffs. All wore white powdered wigs with pony tails. In the center was a period chamber orchestra playing Mozart. I felt like I had walked back into the mid-1700's. Obviously, we were in for a unique, and historically interesting, dining experience.

Sitting in my high backed ornate chair, I opened the menu with anticipation. I was sure this would be a real travel memory for me. It took me a minute to comprehend the menu...and then it sunk in. My choices were either Japanese sushi and tempura (deep fried stuff), or chinese dishes. Huh? This is a chinese restaurant? Are you kidding me? Of course, all of my Russian colleagues were glowing with pride, utterly clueless to the bizarre combination. They were thrilled that they could take me to this exclusive place. To them, this was a wonderful cultural experience. But a chinese restaurant???? I had sweet and sour shrimp with fried rice and it was actually pretty good. Thank god they didn't have chop sticks. I could not have handled that in such a setting.

As I exited to strains of Hayden, I wondered just what were they thinking? Was it smart business..."no other chinese restaurants around here so let's open one!" Was it practical..."my brother knows a great su chef so let's go asian!" Or was it just a really messed up result of decades of cultural repression and abuse from the soviet system? Regardless, it was indeed a memorable travel experience, and without a doubt the most strange and surreal dining experience I have ever had.

DADEO