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Slippers?
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Posted by: Aaron2

I'm going to Ukraine in a couple of weeks. I've heard about the no-shoes-in-the-house thing. No biggie. But here's my question: Do I bring my own slippers or do they keep spares around for guests?

Aaron

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron2

I'm going to Ukraine in a couple of weeks. I've heard about the no-shoes-in-the-house thing. No biggie. But here's my question: Do I bring my own slippers or do they keep spares around for guests?

Aaron

LOL, Don't worry they'll have extras.. Just have a great time since this is your first trip. It's a neat country with alot of beautiful women. Have fun!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

LOL, Don't worry they'll have extras.. Just have a great time since this is your first trip. It's a neat country with alot of beautiful women. Have fun!

If the women in Ukraine are anything like the women in Moscow, take a neck brace with you. Your neck is gonna be sore from flying back and forth looking at them. The beautiful women are everywhere.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

I always wore my socks, she didn't have a problem with this. I noticed she even put slippers on when she got up at night. I don't know if it is a superstition thing, a health thing, or a floor protective thing. I have a feeling it's a little of all of these but mainly a health thing ... cold feet means you'll get sick ... sounds like a superstition though!

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

I always wore my socks, she didn't have a problem with this. I noticed she even put slippers on when she got up at night. I don't know if it is a superstition thing, a health thing, or a floor protective thing. I have a feeling it's a little of all of these but mainly a health thing ... cold feet means you'll get sick ... sounds like a superstition though!

Irina tells me we'll just wear socks as guests. I know that she ALWAYS has something on her feet when she goes anywhere in the appartment.

I did see her feet actually touch the floor while trying on shoes yesterday though. Usually she'll slip off one shoe and slid into the next one without touching the floor. I can only guess that her excitement got the best of her and she didn't realize what she was doing at the time. Kto znaya?

We both scored some nice shoes cheap though.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

HE HE HE - Yes I was caught 1 time in bare feet walking on her floor. She pointed at my feet and said, "SOCKS"! She never had to tell me again!

There's nothing like experiencing the culture first hand and you also learn a lot.

Posted by: freebird

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron2

They usually have extras for guests....

Posted by: blucatz

Does the same rule apply for hotel rooms? I ask because my lady and I both were in bare feet a few times in our hotel room and she said nothing about socks or slippers, in fact that subject was never brought up at all.

Posted by: Raspberry

Just curious....is this "no shoes in the house" thing strictly Ukrainian, or is a common practice in other FSU countries.(I have no problems complying with it as I am around Asian people all the time---who do the same thing.)

Posted by: GoingToRussia

This happened to me in Sochi Russia.

As I said, I don't know the thought behind it. I think it is a health/superstition thing. The apartments I went to all had wood, tile, linolium but no rugs, or "cover" as Larisa calls it

. These floors are cool to cold and I guess it is bad, health wise, if you have cold feet. When I was barefoot on carpeting, no one said anything about socks.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

This happened to me in Sochi Russia.

As I said, I don't know the thought behind it. I think it is a health/superstition thing. The apartments I went to all had wood, tile, linolium but no rugs, or "cover" as Larisa calls it

. These floors are cool to cold and I guess it is bad, health wise, if you have cold feet. When I was barefoot on carpeting, no one said anything about socks.

Whats with the no carpet thing in Russia? I never seen a single place with carpet on the floors. I don't know if it was because I never went into a so called "New" building or not, but never seen any carpet. Just seemed a little strange to me.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

I think a lot of it has to do with cost. You don't need a rug, you need food, clothing, and shelter more. You have to remember many people live friom pay check to pay check. Carpeting is a luxury.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Dunno BC. Maybe it's cause carpets cost money or maybe it's easier to sweep and mop than vac.

I can see the sense in removing one's street shoes at the door to avoid tracking dirt all over the place, but the cold floor thought makes a good arguement for house shoes too.

From what I recall reading at EM, changing to house shoes (or slippers) is common throughout the FSU and Irina confirmed that for me.

I recall a trip report from a member who was there recently that he carried some knitted slippers in his pocket and changed into them whenever he entered someone's home. The prospective in-laws loved it IIRC.

Posted by: blucatz

OK, stupid question, what is "IIRC"? I see it all over this forum and cant figure it out.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

If I Recall Corectly

Posted by: Cheburashka

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Visit Russia in the winter and you will answer your own question. You will track in more icy slush and be very glad there is no carpet. Not only Russia, but most of Europe has wood or tile floors without rugs.

Posted by: dagpop

Just take your slippers. You have them if you need them. Since it is summer, you might just want to go barefooted.

Posted by: dagpop

Cheb, it is good to have you back posting.

Posted by: Aaron2

Thanks everybody, I have my answer now. I'll wear socks or just rely on my girlfriend and her parents having spares. To be quite honest, I haven't worn slippers since I was a kid, so I don't own a pair. Hell, I wouldn't even know where to buy them!

Aaron

Posted by: dagpop

Aaron, I would go by any. Sox or your bare feet will be fine.

Posted by: Raspberry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheburashka

Although within the hotel rooms themselves, they have some nice rugs...but not in the lobby or public areas.

Posted by: I/O

Carpets are much more common than some here seem to think. In 5 years of travel all over the FSU, I have never been into an apartment or hotel room which is not carpeted to at least 60%.

Slippers are, IMO, a must. No outside shoes worn inside. None, zip, zero. Many families will have spare slippers or scuffs available but I always take my own in the form of knitted wool for two reasons. 1) I like to do as Romans do when in Rome. 2) Knitted slippers roll up and hide in my pocket so I have them wherever I go. They also serve a great double on the plane when flying.

BTW, if you end up married ot a RW, you will NOT be tracking around your own home in bare feet too often.

I/O

Posted by: sidney

I've seen carpet on the walls in a few homes. I think used as insulation.
Sid

Posted by: Cheburashka

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Although within the hotel rooms themselves, they have some nice rugs...but not in the lobby or public areas.

How true. And the nicer the hotel the more carpet you will find. I guess they figure that the more money a person has the less they will actually walk the streets. And hanging rugs on the wall is another thread in itself. Below are the Metropol and Garden Ring hotels

Thanks for the nice words Dags.

Posted by: redhawk

i noticed in moscow and kalmykia rugs on the walls as well. also,i never could understand why all the leather padding on the doors? they are upholstered like your grandpas dark brown lazyboy. i asked my RW,she said"i dont know,never thought about it"

Posted by: EasyTarget

The doors are padded for 3 reasons, insulation, noise reduction, and reduce the shock of touching a cold metal door in the middle of winter.