Roubles

I enjoy seeing other countries and cultures and one of the aspects of travelling outside of the Euro-zone that I particularly like is seeing the different currencies. I have a small pile of kopecks and roubles on a bookcase at home that I've still not put with my other, random coins - even though it's almost a year since I travelled across Russia and Siberia.

When I see them sitting there, they instantly remind me of the vastness of Russia, of borscht, dill, insane driving, pure Siberian vodka, banyas, snow, the Romanovs, the Black Tulip, the endless motion of the train and the incongruous site of a man in a suit & long, black coat galloping on horseback around a war memorial...

It scared me, it amazed me and I'd like to go back one day...