owennnnnnnnnn wrote on 07-07-2006:
"I imagine the line, "so we're all drinking, as leaves fall to the ground" is intended as a joke."
Not necessarily true! I have several Russian friends who have said that in the last years of the Soviet Union that people would often drink on national holidays. As the lustre of the holidays subsided, people were less inclined to celebrate them, despite the fact they still received the day off from work for it.
I don't know if you've seen the German movie "Good Bye Lenin!", but there's an example of the main character spending the 40th anniversary of the GDR in varying states of inebriation. Obviously, USSR =! GDR, but still useful.
owennnnnnnnnn wrote on 07-07-2006: "I imagine the line, "so we're all drinking, as leaves fall to the ground" is intended as a joke."
Not necessarily true! I have several Russian friends who have said that in the last years of the Soviet Union that people would often drink on national holidays. As the lustre of the holidays subsided, people were less inclined to celebrate them, despite the fact they still received the day off from work for it.
I don't know if you've seen the German movie "Good Bye Lenin!", but there's an example of the main character spending the 40th anniversary of the GDR in varying states of inebriation. Obviously, USSR =! GDR, but still useful.