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From: alexander koryagin <koryagin@erec.ru>

Hi, Ardith Hinton!
I read your message from 24.09.2013 16:32

  ak>> Yesterday, a Polish customs station was paralyzed by a Russian
  ak>> truck loaded with matreshka dolls.

  ml>> one needs to know what matreshka dolls are

  AH> ... usually spelled "matryoshka" or "matrioshka" in Canada. I have
  AH> also seen it spelled "matrushka". While it appears to be spelled
  AH> with an "e" in Russian, their vowel sounds differ from ours at
  AH> times.... :-)

    Actually, must be "matryoshka."

  AH> I had to think about it for a moment... but our daughter has such a
  AH> doll. AFAIC they're classic wooden toys of the sort which can still
  AH> be found here in Vancouver if you know where to look. They're quite
  AH> readily available in Alaska, especially in shops frequented by
  AH> tourists. I suppose there could be folks in other parts of North
  AH> America who have never heard of them.

    Well, there're no anecdotes understandable for everyone. Although, 
IMHO every nation has something that symbolize it, and it is usually 
known for everybody who is watching TV channels that show the world. In 
Russia -- matryoshka, vodka, balalaika (musical instrument). Ukraine has 
salo (salty pork fat), hopak (a crazy, national dance), horilka (vodka 
with cayenne). The US has football, baseball, turkey. Canada has 
grizzlies. ;=)

  AH> Okay, so you take the doll apart in the middle & find another doll.
  AH> You repeat the same exercise any number of times, depending on how
  AH> large a bit of tree trunk the wood carver started with & how much
  AH> you can afford to spend. Now imagine what reaction this might get
  AH> at an international border... and how a bunch of grownups might be
  AH> taking these dolls apart in order to establish to their own
  AH> satisfaction that there is absolutely nothing hidden inside them
  AH> except other dolls. As one who has travelled to the USA, I can
  AH> certainly relate... [BEG].

    Yes, some drugs can be put inside a small doll. Besides, 
disassembling, in this case, implies assembling thereafter. 

  AH> JFTR, I'm not criticizing border guards from other countries. When
  AH> we were flying from Whitehorse to Vancouver, a month or two prior
  AH> to 9/11, we encountered a young man at the airport who insisted on
  AH> examining my own & our daughter's deodorant bottles in detail...
  AH> while an older co-worker looked on. Although he'd been introduced
  AH> to us earlier in our hostess's house it was his duty to ensure we
  AH> weren't trying to smuggle bear spray... which is illegal in
  AH> Vancouver... and the size & shape of the containers was roughly
  AH> similar. :-)

    Why do people smuggle bear spray? Can it be drunk? 

Bye, Ardith!
Alexander Koryagin
fido7.english-tutor 2013
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