Features of the national water supply

Russian peasant on Saturdays also regularly goes to the bath, as the English working - the pub.

James Alexander, a British officer. 1830.

Every Russian traveler, coming to England is XXI century already is still surprises one feature, if not the strangeness of everyday British culture. It is two taps in a bathroom. Taps situated separately for hot and cold water. You stop up the drain stopper. Fills the bowl. And wash yourself. In the dirty and stagnant water. Just like American cowboys in the 1920s.

Soviet diplomat and writer Vladimir Ovchinnikov describes that "as splash in the bowl, as the British do, even in hotels, trains and public toilets. I did not like it, and after-shave had to rinse my face with warm water from a cup".

I just got British fascinating explanation of why, in Russia, there are no plug... It turns out that the whole our history is so heavy: war, revolution, war again... Clearly, all necessary not save enough. In addition, according to the English, the lack of plug congestion in the bowl - another testament of Russian sloppiness. Russian do not know how to save; the water - it's money! Anyway, Russians do not think "economically". There is so much water flows away for nothing, as long as this Russian washes. What shakes British soul more heavily is: why Russians have a plug for the bath, but no plug for the bowl?

Incidentally, the British classic tub on our concepts is peculiar - it lacks a shower.

The fact that the British "have no habit to washed down after a bath, but right in the suds start to dry himself. But even more difficult to come to terms with the fact that this practice extends to washing the dishes. " Typically, the dishes are dipped in water with liquid soap, hold on with a brush and put out to dry. "That's the only way to wash the glasses and mugs, plates and forks in all English pubs and restaurants”.

The customs of the British do not seem to a Russian, to put it mildly, the highest hygiene. You are alwyas thinking – If only not to get desease in a country where the dishes are washed so casually, with no even a bath rinse.

But Vsevolod Ovchinnikov explains, that they just have different customs, and that's it. Well, yes, British do not wash under running water, they have not accepted it. But he has a lot of reason to talk about the sloppiness, untidiness of the English! What conclusions can be made! But the delicate writer does not tell the British about their traditional mud on nasty practices that violate all the rules of hygiene. And those, in turn, do not use the book V. Ovchinnikov, to show each other what they are bad[3].

By the way, I remember, as a very distant 1987 I have visited in the socialist Czechoslovakia. The recent 1987... It took only 20 years old, but young people of these countries do not even know that there was such a state - "socialist Czechoslovakia" - the first country that tried to hold a "restructuring", "renewal and openness" in the borders of a single socialist country. We remember that in the first book - the so-called "socialism with the Czechoslovak face." Of course, in the summer of 1987, living in Prague, the choice of products and especially the "beer and beverages made based on it" We, the students of MGIMO[4], pleasantly surprised.

Needless to say, that taste of the Czech "Kozel" and "Budvar" somewhat contrasted with the "scent" of yellow turbid fluid, referred to us as Zhigulevskoye on tap", which we sometimes could not afford in the near to our University’s beer garden on the south-west Moscow under the "popular" name "Shell". However, it's not about that. The Czechs know how to make beer: tasty, inexpensive, and a good snack.

We were used to the beer fast. But, as in the "Golden Prague" were washed beer mugs, we could not get used for a long time. The fact that "classic" Czech beer mugs... do not wash. The order was: dirty mugs with froth and rest of the beer the waiter puts on the bar. There or two bowels filled with water from the tap. Drain in both closed by a stopper. The bartender grabbed 2-3 cups in each hand, deftly draws them obviously dirty yellow water from one basin, then pouring it back and then also "rinse" in the second bowl, where the water was, as it seemed, to be more clean. After that in the same mugs at once poured beer for new visitors. Against the background of this "dish" procedure even our automatic "mug-washer" in near-University beer-house seemed to us the highest hygiene.

[1] I believe, criticizing the system is typical for Russian world-seeing and derives to Russians feeling of “Russian community”, like “I am part of Russian nation, that means I am able to speak for the whole Russian nation”.

[2] Since, there is believe, that foreigners always know everything better.

[3] Like we, looking for perfectionism, would do.

[4] Moscow State University of International Relationships

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