This is the last "normal" vlog I filmed in Russia. After this the narrative changes, although that certainly wasn't my choice. I apologize, I know you all want to know what happened with my detainment. I needed time to process it myself, and it was best to post these videos beforehand. We'll get to that in the next one. Until then, enjoy this glimpse of Omsk and the friendly German and Azerbaijani Russians I met along the way.
Good that you’re taking care to process te experience. These things can get under your skin. Might sound dramatic, but if you feel that processing is difficult, don’t refrain from getting help from a trauma therapist. That can really help. Trauma feels like a big word, but it basically means unprocessed stress and tension. Happens way more often than we think. No shame in getting help with stuff like that.
@@noureb3833 Are you serious? Nothing would happen to a regular Russian in the US. There are plenty of protests in the US against the government, the same can't be said about Russia.
If only the world could understand that we are not our governments. We are so much alike in many ways. Most strive for love, health, and family. We only want peace in our lives and a warm place to keep our hearts safe. All the money spent on destruction could create peace on earth if only we could see that we are all brothers and sisters on one earth.
I live in the US, and It is fascinating to see my little home town Azovo on UA-cam! Thanks for this opportunity! It's been a while since I was there last time.
THIS was very educational foe someone of my senior age, a US citizen ....... I found it humbling how this Taxi driver, opened up his way of life to you, and introduced you to his family ..... He obviously has a good heart, and was relaxed enough to do so .... Not always the case with "outsiders" ... "Thank you for posting this one !!
This (openness to guests) is quite normal in the Slavic South, and sometimes East as well. It's the western society and cultural norms that are the problem.
I love these videos, they bring the world together. I’m 73 years of age and pray that all people could join hands and laugh and share and find a way to peace. Yes I get emotional and I say the prayers I was taught as a child for peace and a future for all the children of our great planet. ❤
I'm going to say what everyone else is thinking. You're 73 years old, born just six years post-WWII in this great and unscathed country, and now in 2024 despite having the benefit of hindsight and seeing all that has been wrought over the past 73 years you like a naive child (or typical flower child) still believe that like, man, like, man, just listen maaan, if every person in the world was just like toasting smores, singing kumbaya to the tamberine man, and eating psychadelics around a campfire while the youth would just like pull themselves up by their boot straps and listen to Pink Floyd or the Beatles or something, man, the world would be like at peace. But who farms the cocoa and wheat and gelatin for the smores, who logs the wood for the campfire, who manufactures the guitar, without someone somewhere feeling and resenting they've been taken advantage of? You boomers really deserve the reputation you've received.
Many of us don’t work for the US government and don’t make up stories about Russia (there’s at least two dozen channels that do that). It’s embarrassing and it is a nev low. I’m serious.
Best cab driver ever! Free snacks and beer and even brought you by his family for a home cooked traditional meal. Plus to hang around and make sure you get back later in one piece is something that would be difficult to find in almost any place.
Happens often in Russia. You can make friends with randoms on the street, in taxi, trains, stores etc and go party together the same day lol. I miss it but I can’t go there.
@@AnnR20 It's a small town thing, not exclusive to Russian small towns. I've had people wake up the whole village in Poland when one of the residents arrived with me - then a 20 something year old with dreadlocks, backpack and djembe with me. People are nice generally all over the world outside of big cities.
Just you being there during this time in history is significant. you show us the everyday here and now while the world figures out where it goes next. Hopefully peace wins out, I think people have had enough of madness for awhile. Be safe and be blessed!
all it takes for "peace to win out" s for russia to stop it's illegal invasion and occupation of Uklraine and Crimea and Georgia and Azerbaijan and Khazakstan and Moldova etc etc etc. and here come the excuses from the russians why they "can't" (they mean won't)
I have no idea how I found your channel, it just showed up today… and just saying, I’ve got nothing else to do today and I’m going to watch more! I’ve studied Russian and Russian history for years and I love these type of videos. Thank you. ❤
Thanks! Your work contributes immensly to worldwide peace and understanding. This is so much more effective than anything from any government ever. Thank you.
I very much admire your language ability! Seriously. That was SOME day. How cool. I watched this video after I'd seen your last Russian video. Damn. I'm sorry for your troubles, and I am glad that things turned out alright, in the end.
You are a very kind person and you project beautiful radiant light of a pure heart. Watching this made me feel I was there with you walking. Thank you so very much for just being you. You are a gift to all the world. Be safe and I look forward to seeing more content from you.
Tommy! This was fantastic. Great reminder that traveling is not always about the photo ops and cuisine BUT the wonderful people. Thanks for taking us to a part of the world that I could never imagine. I hope you and your family have a terrific Thanksgiving. Keep crushing it!
I agree completely. I have had the good fortune to have traveled to 55 countries in my life. I have a few pictures and a few souvenirs but the friendships that I have made mean the world to me.
I am from Omsk originally! I just came across this video, and loved every second of it. Thank you for showing Omsk in a positive light and finding the good in it. Best wishes always!
The people you met in this video are some of the most friendly and seemingly honest people I have ever seen in any video from other places around the World!
Super video, thank you for what you do. When visiting Volgograd in Oct 2012 I had a chance encounter with a German-Russian gentleman who fought for Germany, was captured near Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in 1942, and lived in Russia/Soviet Union since. Even at 90 years old, he stood out from other Russian men, dressing sharper, standing taller, which is how he caught my eye. Funny how meeting someone from a chance encounter 12 years ago remains such a vivid memory.
One reason I like your videos is because you often sort of wander into interesting places with interesting people and things. And they're real things. That is pretty good!
Seeing you communicate with a vast variety of nationalities, always friendly, always with that smile, you have that magic that brings people together that want to talk about their lives . If more people were like you, there would be no hostility. People would just get along. I wish I had your confidence, even a tiny bit. Thanks for sharing your travels.
@@Kardashian_merchantit’s called charisma and it translates to positivity no matter where in the world you are. This is where peace in the world begins. Brilliant genuineness.
Tommy, I just started watching your UA-cam videos several months ago! They are fantastic, informative and educational! I’m a subscriber and live vicariously thru your travels! When I was young I lived in Europe for over a year! The time to travel is when you are young!! Keep the videos coming!!!’
I have watched many travel channels here on UA-cam. The one thing that is consistent is there are friendly people all around the world that show genuine hospitality towards foreigners that are visiting their country. People are people as the song says. You made new friends in this city. I love people, meeting people from around the world. We all have so much in common it’s crazy that we still have wars.
It's my birthday so....Tommy's video is a perfect gift! 🎂📼🎁 Muchas gracias por el maravilloso vídeo de cumpleaños. Sabes que, Tommy? Es el regalo perfecto para esta noche. Espero que todo haya ido bien durante el viaje. Te mando un abrazo! ❤ Hasta luego! Chao!
such an awesome video tommy! especially the interaction you had with the cab driver, my favorite part. i’m so sorry you ended up having a not so fun experience in the end but i hope these moments outweigh the bad. much love and safe travels ❤
Leave out the 'rich tourist' vibe and see how generous he would be. He's there to get rich. Nothing he gave, that he didn't expect a threefold tip for. Stay real.
@@gardenjoy5223 That's too cynical, I think. Sure, it's part of it, but meeting new ("and exotic") people and showing them around really did appear to be fun for him.
@@arjenlaan4103 Plus buying him food. Plus stalling his time. That's not too cynical. That's knowledgeable. When one visits a poor country, this is what happens. One attracts such friendliness like honey attracts flies. I don't condemn it. But I do understand how the world works.
Hey Tommy - Greetings from fellow New Yorker. I got to see some of the world when I left Buffalo and joined the Navy, but Man - you're doing it right and I want to thank you for sharing all your footage and for being a great Ambassador for those of use who just want to meet the people and see the lifescapes while leaving the political drama far behind. I wish I had done more traveling when I was your age but now, I google map everything and share friendships with out fellow Earthlings on these platforms. So many things to say but for now, I'll just follow you.
Thanks for covering this Tommy. Parts of my Dad’s family are Volga German and I’ve always wanted to visit here for this reason! Now, with your video I’m able to :)
My fellow Wolgadeutsche brudder; Omsk is no where near the Volga region. Where did your relatives move to after leaving the Volga region? Mine went to Northern Iowa (pretty much the Siberia of the US).
@@Maxშემიწყალე Also a descendent of the Volga Germans. They moved to Oshkosh, WI afterwards... Conrad Schuhart and Anna Goerlitz Good catch on Omsk being nowhere near the Volga... Not sure where Tommy got the idea that they're there. Saratov would have been much more apt.
@@MaxშემიწყალეI know it’s no where near but a fair number of Volga Germans are in Omsk! The reason why I’d like to visit there would be for the same reason as Tommy: to speak to them and hear about their experiences. Omsk wouldn’t be the only place - Saratov too. My family left in the 1890s to North Dakota and then to Saskatchewan. I also have Dobrudscha German ancestry and they left around the same time to ND and then Saskatchewan.
@@NicknameGranthe addresses it in the video. The Volga Germans were moved around and deported, and many ended up in Omsk. There are lots of Volga Germans in Saratov, though yeah.
He does not speak russian, he uses a few words in random order (which he probably took out of dictionary), does not mean he speaks the language. Imagine I come to cafe and say - "coffee breakfast need" - people will understand me, but does not mean I speak the language, that is the way he speaks.
I just recently came across your channel. I've watched many travel blogs and have many favorites. You have a natural talent for adding narrative and light humor to many faraway places on the grid. I saw your video on Lagos, Nigeria was really cool. The way you can bring out the personalities of random strangers is a gift in humanity. Cheers man!
I’m a Russian who was born in Azerbaijan and now lives in the U.S. Your channel was randomly suggested to me(probably because I also watch that crazy Brit who used to travel around Russia) 😂. Loved the video.i will be checking out the rest of your channel.
Hello from Perth Western Australia. I Just discovered your channel. I enjoyed your commentry and your neutral approach to the topics you discuss. I have always believed that most people are the same, they just want a peaceful life with their families and friends. Your video confirms that point of view.I am envious of your language skills but happy that you are able to utilise them as you travel around Omsk. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. I am curious about why you were detained but I am guessing that the authorities want to make sure you are not spreading any political propoganda such as casting Russia in a negative light.
I really wish you could have had the chance to finish your trip across Russia, these have been some of my favorite videos of yours. Best of luck, Tommy.
neutela he is mocking the tank and call it it might be called for battle soon and better take picture , after that i no leonger wish to watch the video
Maybe you're not insightful and can't pick up the obvious anti-Russian, anti-West nuances he drops, and they're not subtle. Like the anti-Spain sentiment in Morocco, the Kazakh "hero" statue that impressed him because it wasn't about Russians but Genghis Khan's connection--without a hint of neutrality--the most brutal of invaders got a big tick. Can tell he's straight out of the woke avenues of NYC.
Sat 30 Nov 24 Almost all my life I have casually and formally studied Russiya . Sincerely , thank you very much for showing to me the famous and great city of Omsk . Sincere greetings and sincere appreciation to folks in . . . Omsk ! ~ from Indiana 🇺🇸 .
I love this video!!!! This video should be shown in Russian and German language classes!!! I've lived in Russia. I've never been to Omsk. You make Omsk look so inviting.
You are seriously good with different languages - have seen you speak chinese, Indonesian & Thai Also blown away at how many English signs there are on Omsk
@KirillManenkov-ug7fz English has become kind of a universal language. In my old job I was working with Japanese, Russians, Swedes, Italians, and others. Everyone communicated in English.
Just stumbled on your channel. You are a very gutsy person. I like your style and the fact that you are tenacious about looking for Germans. It made me chuckle a little. Good job.
Hello from Alaska. Very interesting video! About 35 years ago we hosted several Russian “Boy Scouts”. Our two sons were about two years younger, but we all enjoyed about five days together. Our weather is very close to most of Russia. We do have a few taller mountains though!
You really captured some very authentic characters and did a great job speaking to the locals about their lineage. You got some cajones mi amigo. Travel with kindness and humility and all the world is your home. Play well.🙏
In reality he mostly just does what most linguists encourage which is choose some useful phrases to make life easier and learn what you can on your travels. He has a good video on his method for learning. Think it was back in the brazil videos not so sure. .maybe Argentina.
Much Thanks Sabbatical for an interesting travel through towns like Omsk and the like that we realise how people’s lives are so easily affected by politics both nearby and faraway!
I'm German and Russian mainly, but born in the US and this was very cool to see. I am also fluent in German and know a small bit of Russian. The young German teacher and the woman giving the tour in German was sweet to see. Nice scenes.
@@Jakub680 yeah so much history it could literally all fit on a single piece of paper now compare that to ANY other country in the world? So no it doesn't really 🤣🤣🤣
Hello brother and thank you for the tour in Omsk. That’s quite interesting to see how average people live there. I felt like I saved a lot of money by not traveling there and seeing the whole thing. Cheers!!!
I was drawn in by your statement 'a city you've never heard of' and delighted to see Omsk. My wife is from Omsk and I have been there many times. Stayed at the Beacon (mayak) hotel by the Yrtish & Om rivers you visited. Thank you for the walkabout, the people are delightful and that matches my own experience there. All pleasant memories for me.
Greetings from someone who comes from wolgadeutsche family - my granddad's family was moved to Kazakhstan from former Volga German SSR. It's nice to see someone reporting on that topic. My grandmother and her 5 children moved back to western parts of Russia later in life, in 1984 or so, but they couldn't leave for Germany in the 90's - they were essentially russians, with no knowledge of language, no money or formal education, only some ancestral roots. Not a bit of german language or culture in my family, probably, but the respect for the memory of our ancestors is still there.
@@JohnJourdan88 Today I learned: > The new German citizenship law came into effect on June 27, 2024, introducing significant changes. Key highlights include: > • *Multiple Citizenships:* Germany now allows dual citizenship as a standard practice, instead of the previous rare exceptions > • *Faster Naturalization:* Residence requirement reduced from eight to five years (or even three years for those with "special achievements") > • *Broader Access:* Children born to foreign parents can now more easily obtain German citizenship > Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the change as doing "justice to our diverse society", noting that it recognizes the life stories and contributions of immigrants. Source: Perplexity AI.
@@JohnJourdan88 > _Spätaussiedler_ are people who moved to Germany after 1 January 1993. > > These immigrants used to be mostly from Poland and Romania, but are now overwhelmingly coming from the former Soviet Union. > > From 1992 this claim is limited to those who were born before 1 January 1993 and needs to follow a list of requirements. Individuals have to demonstrate that they had suffered discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity and that they are sufficiently proficient in German, having retained strong ties with their German heritage. > > In reality, it is now very difficult to claim citizenship on this basis due to a series of reforms. (…) > > The German government processing times for citizenship applications outside of Germany have increased to over two years (…). Source: Passportia ("A UK immigration & citizenship law specialist")
brexitgreens I have no idea why you’re responding to me. 7,0000 Germans from the Near Abroad remigrate to Germany every year. There aren’t that many left because they are in Germany already.
Also in Russia, there is an old internet joke about how you cannot escape from Omsk. So I am sorry for that bit of dark humour, but if you were detained there - the meme comes to life... "You can't leave Omsk on your own. Only Omsk can decide when you are good enough to leave."
@@mnemonicpie the Bird of Omsk sent her as a honeypot to fool everyone into believing Omsk is safe-ish so more people would come to stay in the Hotel Omsk but then never leave. It's a big conspiracy. Don't believe her :)
Catherine The Great of Russia was originally a German Princess who invited German farmers to Russia in 1763. Other waves came, and many also left Russia for USA, Canada and Argentina.
Yes, in a Russian poll done about 10 years ago, she was voted the most-admired leader of Russia. Just imagine, Russia's best leader was actually German. :-)
It's no wonder that WW2 is so remembered in Russia with the humongous loss of life, not a single Russian family was left unaffected, with many families wiped out. Over 20 million Russian people died...that is a huge amount of people and a massive sacrifice.
Погибло 27 миллионов, из них 15 миллионов гражданских в оккупированной части Советского Союза (по сути немцы и их союзники сознательно истребляли простых людей). На фронте потери были один к одному.
i just found your Ch and luv your cheerful disposition! A smiling person will get many invitations; and since men have vanished there, you can easily find a RU wife, no? (soon i'll watch your back-episodes... happy Traveling!)
I am so fucking excited to see this video drop! I lived in Russia for 5 years and it was amazing, I wish I had done what you are doing and recorded it all, though I didn't travel as far and wide as you I did make it to most of the major cities. I only came back to the UK in 2020 so it's still fresh in my memory and now I get to continue my adventure through you. I miss the Russian people, I really do.
@ yes, I wouldn’t hesitate to live in those countries and for a million years would never consider living in this “safe” Moscow you speak of… the Russians who have the means do not let their children live there either. Even Putin is hiding itself in the bunker. North Korea has very little crime, glad that ruSSia is following its lead…
@@End0fst0ry idk man there have been drones hit here in Moscow and a massive shooting not that long ago so i wouldnt say suuuuuper safe. Their are much better and safer parts of Russia
@@End0fst0ry idk man there have been drones hit here in Moscow and a massive shooting not that long ago so i wouldnt say suuuuuper safe. Their are much better and safer parts of Russia
Hey! Thanks! I do enjoy your videos a lot! You misunderstood the the name of this bridge in St.Petersburg you're referring to here. It's not related to Trotsky in any way) The name is Troitskiy. (Trinity bridge) It does sound very similar, I know. But now you do as well. Thanks again!
If you didn't know the old ladies love flowers even my mom wanted fresh flowers all the time. She was east german before the wall came down and before moving to the states. It's a big deal for the older generation to get flowers. Its part of their everyday life.
It's awfully nice, but It's incredibly expensive. I never, ever get flowers from anyone. In fact, I would rather get something more useful, like coffee, toilet paper, or a gift card.
@@ДаданДаданский Сын военного же? Раз в четыре года места жительства менялись, если без блата. Вики гутарит, что Омск. Летова никогда не принимал, как панка, как поэта - возможно.
There’s very few English speakers especially in this area nowadays so they are probably happy to try out their English too. Also they are nice and hospitable people too!
You're mileage may vary. I lived in Russia for a year as an exchange student. I am hispanic and I spoke Russian with a not-so-american accent. Some people assumed I was a migrant from the caucasus region and let's say they were less than patient when I needed them to repeat something.
Did you know that Omsk has a smallest metro system in the world? There's only one completed station. The whole project took 25 years(1992-2017). Today it's used only as an underground passage... Directed by Robert B Weide.
German-russian here! In 28:25, this memorial apparently dedicated to repressed germans, because almost all of germans in Siberia and Central Asia are descedants of those germans, that where forcibly resettled in those areas during WW2 and decade later. Russian germans historicaly (before Soviet Union) lived in european part of Russia, like Saint-Petersburg, around Volga area (Wolgadeutsche), Black Sea area (Schwarzmeerdeutsche), Crimea (Krimdeutsche), Baltics (Baltendeutsche), and soooo on... Things changed as i metioned earlier, like in my case, my mother was born in Omsk, but her ancestors are from Volga-river german colonies, and some my german friend who lives in Yekaterinburg, but actualy was borned in north of Kazakhstan (close to Omsk), is descedant from crimean germans. In Kazakhstan still a lot of german people, especially on the north. When i lived in Uzbekistan, i even there could find a lot of germans, even in my first school classes (it was russian-speaking school) i had german girlfriend and our german families were friends!
Greetings my friend, I'm also German and I must say this part really irritated me. He talks about Germans who lived in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia (which he understood were forcefully resettled) yet he couldn't put 2 and 2 together that this memorial was about them... A very ironic/ funny scene was where he passed that house at 30:57 which was playing Alex C "Du hast den schönsten Arsch der Welt" (a naughty German pop-song from the early 2000s) and literally says right after: "I'm not gone leave here until I find at least one sing of Germanness". In any case, it is nice to hear that the Germans from the east haven't forgotten their roots. Kind regards from Saxony!
Today, when I woke up, I didn't expect that I would be seeing German Russians speaking German in Russia, such as the two young ladies that did, so that was beautiful. The young woman in blue talking about how her soul feels as if it belongs in a certain place, like there, was really nice to me.
Germans are the most migratory people in the world. There are more than 80 million German origin migrants all across the world. It's strange but it seems Germany was never a nice place for Germans and this is probably why so many German origin people do not live in Germany.
10:53 Not simply the people who died. "Memorial Glory to the Heroes. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, a monument to the Glory to the Heroes was erected on Victory Boulevard, which compositionally united the feat of soldiers and home front workers. The obelisk, 22 meters high, made of concrete and polished gray granite, represents the unfurled Victory Banner. Five sculptures are located on the ledges of the monument: a defender of the Motherland, a Soldier with a rifle and bayonet over his shoulders, a victorious Soldier with orders on his chest, a Worker in overalls holding a hammer in his hands, a Kolkhoz Woman with a sheaf of grain, and a Girl with a dove, completing the composition. On the right and left sides of the monument there are two thirty-meter walls made of metal and concrete, on which metal plates with the names of 156 Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia, 35 full cavaliers of the Order of Glory and 146 Heroes of Socialist Labor - natives of Omsk and the Omsk region are attached. Erected on May 7, 1985. Sculptors: S. A. Golovantsev, L. I. Semenov. Architects: Yu. F. Zaychenko, V. A. Shevchenko."
Seeing how they proclaim people heroes in Ukraine these days, it was probably all bs. Made up stories for patriotic communist lore. Who knows if any of this was true.
For decades I've had a dream to travel Russia to film the GPW monuments. So creative and dramatic and beautiful! Ukrainians are destroying them, along with a few other countries.
The reason you can’t get out of Omsk is because their metro (subway) system only has one station. Construction of the system was abandoned after only one station was built.
Women alone in a country which is at war, sad to lose so many young men on both sides, so many children who will never be born because they were lost in the time of violence .
If every man killed in war had 2 kids, and those kids had two kids the whole world would be shoulder to shoulder. Not advocating wars but it does keep the population in check.
@@gregorybarth930The Big problem.in the world now is population implosion not expansión. If the US didnt receive migration today its population would have dropped by two million in the last two years alone..
Germans moved here voluntarily at the invitation of the Russian Empress Catherine 2. Omsk is a city in Western Siberia, a large industrial city. It was built and developed under the Russian Empire, then as one of the major railway hubs of the Trans-Siberian Railway, built in the 19th century. In Soviet times, the city became one of the largest industrial cities in Western Siberia and reached 1 million inhabitants. The Germans of the Volga region were deported by the Soviet government in 1941, because when Nazi Germany attacked the USSR, it tried to raise an anti-Soviet uprising of Germans in the Volga region through agents and intelligence. Therefore, they were resettled in the Kazakh SSR and the Siberian regions of the USSR.
Knowing what you will go through, Tommy, in the days following this, I am somewhat creeped out watching it. But, I am very grateful that you made this trip. Both of my parents were born into German Russian families- my father in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine and my mother in the Omsk region that you are visiting. I always wanted to see it, but now, sadly, it might be too late. I don't want to get my comment deleted as some others have been, so I'll just say that during the Stalin period,, it didn't end well for about half of the members of the German Russians including my parents' families. The ones who were 'not able to get out.' lost their lives or were Russified to the degree that they were not able to keep their language and culture without severe persecution.
This is the last "normal" vlog I filmed in Russia. After this the narrative changes, although that certainly wasn't my choice.
I apologize, I know you all want to know what happened with my detainment. I needed time to process it myself, and it was best to post these videos beforehand. We'll get to that in the next one. Until then, enjoy this glimpse of Omsk and the friendly German and Azerbaijani Russians I met along the way.
Good that you’re taking care to process te experience. These things can get under your skin. Might sound dramatic, but if you feel that processing is difficult, don’t refrain from getting help from a trauma therapist. That can really help. Trauma feels like a big word, but it basically means unprocessed stress and tension. Happens way more often than we think. No shame in getting help with stuff like that.
@@noureb3833Naaah🥱
@@noureb3833stop assuming shit
@@noureb3833 Are you serious? Nothing would happen to a regular Russian in the US. There are plenty of protests in the US against the government, the same can't be said about Russia.
Can someone explain what happened? Videos so far look innocent. Did he break some law? Or was he filming some military equipment? What happened?
If only the world could understand that we are not our governments. We are so much alike in many ways. Most strive for love, health, and family. We only want peace in our lives and a warm place to keep our hearts safe. All the money spent on destruction could create peace on earth if only we could see that we are all brothers and sisters on one earth.
When 86% of the country votes putin again, they have chosen their government without question.
Very well said
Well said brother, ✌️
Спасибо Молодец
Agreed. It’s a shame how government “leaders” typically only lead themselves to greatness
I live in the US, and It is fascinating to see my little home town Azovo on UA-cam! Thanks for this opportunity! It's been a while since I was there last time.
Why would you move from such a chilled, beautiful place to such a dangerous hellhole?!
Is Azovo located ~20 miles SW of Mock? Thanks.
@@lechen5540 Yes, but SW of "Omsk" :)
@@theg0rdanthere are some NHL hockey players from Omsk
@@theg0rdan Thank you. Sorry for my typo.
THIS was very educational foe someone of my senior age, a US citizen ....... I found it humbling how this Taxi driver, opened up his way of life to you, and introduced you to his family ..... He obviously has a good heart, and was relaxed enough to do so .... Not always the case with "outsiders" ... "Thank you for posting this one !!
💯
He was so sweet and kind.
I as a daily watcher of bald and bankrupt, you do his traveling nicely. He drank more than you, vodka with the locals.
This (openness to guests) is quite normal in the Slavic South, and sometimes East as well. It's the western society and cultural norms that are the problem.
@@JebacPresretac101
I'm surprised he admitted to being American.
I love these videos, they bring the world together. I’m 73 years of age and pray that all people could join hands and laugh and share and find a way to peace.
Yes I get emotional and I say the prayers I was taught as a child for peace and a future for all the children of our great planet. ❤
I'm going to say what everyone else is thinking. You're 73 years old, born just six years post-WWII in this great and unscathed country, and now in 2024 despite having the benefit of hindsight and seeing all that has been wrought over the past 73 years you like a naive child (or typical flower child) still believe that like, man, like, man, just listen maaan, if every person in the world was just like toasting smores, singing kumbaya to the tamberine man, and eating psychadelics around a campfire while the youth would just like pull themselves up by their boot straps and listen to Pink Floyd or the Beatles or something, man, the world would be like at peace.
But who farms the cocoa and wheat and gelatin for the smores, who logs the wood for the campfire, who manufactures the guitar, without someone somewhere feeling and resenting they've been taken advantage of?
You boomers really deserve the reputation you've received.
One day brother, one day. God Bless ya
if only we all were raised that way.
Totally. agree, David! Knowledge is power!
you had the best taxi driver I have ever seen. wanted you to enjoy the trip and your stay...I hope you tipped him extra good.
I wouldn't ride with that taxi driver.
@@DyreStraits Why not?
Kinda fruity as Joe ..I'm surprised he didn't try to touch piipi😁
@@DyreStraitsI would 💯
Did they ever say what the taxi ride cost?
Glad what happened isn't discouraging you from the course. Many of us wouldn't be so positive. Looking forward to the next adventure.
Many of us don’t work for the US government and don’t make up stories about Russia (there’s at least two dozen channels that do that). It’s embarrassing and it is a nev low. I’m serious.
@@bosmanmclnnis Where can I find information that Tommy works for the US Government?
Best cab driver ever! Free snacks and beer and even brought you by his family for a home cooked traditional meal. Plus to hang around and make sure you get back later in one piece is something that would be difficult to find in almost any place.
Happens often in Russia. You can make friends with randoms on the street, in taxi, trains, stores etc and go party together the same day lol. I miss it but I can’t go there.
@@AnnR20 It's a small town thing, not exclusive to Russian small towns. I've had people wake up the whole village in Poland when one of the residents arrived with me - then a 20 something year old with dreadlocks, backpack and djembe with me. People are nice generally all over the world outside of big cities.
@@whatsupbudbud oh that’s awesome 👏
I'm it is taxi driver))) it is my account 😊
@@ТимурЗаправду Good driving, and very nice service!
You're awesome!! Thanks for taking me along!!
Just you being there during this time in history is significant. you show us the everyday here and now while the world figures out where it goes next. Hopefully peace wins out, I think people have had enough of madness for awhile. Be safe and be blessed!
Peace will win out when NATO stops trying to place their launch-sites along the Russian border as was agreed in 1990.
all it takes for "peace to win out" s for russia to stop it's illegal invasion and occupation of Uklraine and Crimea and Georgia and Azerbaijan and Khazakstan and Moldova etc etc etc.
and here come the excuses from the russians why they "can't" (they mean won't)
Well said 👏
I have no idea how I found your channel, it just showed up today… and just saying, I’ve got nothing else to do today and I’m going to watch more!
I’ve studied Russian and Russian history for years and I love these type of videos. Thank you. ❤
Miss Parker. Miss Parker., Miss Parker finer than a mfr , when we going to _ _ _ _ miss Parker 😂😂
Thanks! Your work contributes immensly to worldwide peace and understanding. This is so much more effective than anything from any government ever. Thank you.
I very much admire your language ability! Seriously.
That was SOME day. How cool. I watched this video after I'd seen your last Russian video. Damn. I'm sorry for your troubles, and I am glad that things turned out alright, in the end.
What a talented fellow you are being able to adequately communicate in several languages. Kudos! And very personable as well.
You are a very kind person and you project beautiful radiant light of a pure heart. Watching this made me feel I was there with you walking. Thank you so very much for just being you. You are a gift to all the world. Be safe and I look forward to seeing more content from you.
Tommy! This was fantastic. Great reminder that traveling is not always about the photo ops and cuisine BUT the wonderful people. Thanks for taking us to a part of the world that I could never imagine. I hope you and your family have a terrific Thanksgiving. Keep crushing it!
I agree completely. I have had the good fortune to have traveled to 55 countries in my life. I have a few pictures and a few souvenirs but the friendships that I have made mean the world to me.
I am from Omsk originally! I just came across this video, and loved every second of it. Thank you for showing Omsk in a positive light and finding the good in it. Best wishes always!
The people you met in this video are some of the most friendly and seemingly honest people I have ever seen in any video from other places around the World!
Thanks! Glad to see you pushing on
This video is fascinating , when I lived in Germany I worked with many German-Russians, from Omsk and Kazakhstan , safe travels bro and thanks.
did you have sex with any of them
spent a year in baumholder but that was in 1970-71.
Super video, thank you for what you do. When visiting Volgograd in Oct 2012 I had a chance encounter with a German-Russian gentleman who fought for Germany, was captured near Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in 1942, and lived in Russia/Soviet Union since. Even at 90 years old, he stood out from other Russian men, dressing sharper, standing taller, which is how he caught my eye. Funny how meeting someone from a chance encounter 12 years ago remains such a vivid memory.
One reason I like your videos is because you often sort of wander into interesting places with interesting people and things. And they're real things. That is pretty good!
Seeing you communicate with a vast variety of nationalities, always friendly, always with that smile, you have that magic that brings people together that want to talk about their lives . If more people were like you, there would be no hostility. People would just get along. I wish I had your confidence, even a tiny bit. Thanks for sharing your travels.
A good 1/3 of Americans don't know enough English to communicate intelligently and it's our native language.
@@Kardashian_merchantit’s called charisma and it translates to positivity no matter where in the world you are. This is where peace in the world begins. Brilliant genuineness.
Great video Tommy. Thanks for bringing us along to a place none of us will ever see otherwise. I really appreciate your videos and narratives.
Tommy you’re the best. Taking us places we would never see without you! ❤ Stay safe
Tommy, I just started watching your UA-cam videos several months ago! They are fantastic, informative and educational! I’m a subscriber and live vicariously thru your travels! When I was young I lived in Europe for over a year! The time to travel is when you are young!! Keep the videos coming!!!’
I have watched many travel channels here on UA-cam. The one thing that is consistent is there are friendly people all around the world that show genuine hospitality towards foreigners that are visiting their country. People are people as the song says. You made new friends in this city. I love people, meeting people from around the world. We all have so much in common it’s crazy that we still have wars.
It's my birthday so....Tommy's video is a perfect gift! 🎂📼🎁 Muchas gracias por el maravilloso vídeo de cumpleaños. Sabes que, Tommy? Es el regalo perfecto para esta noche. Espero que todo haya ido bien durante el viaje. Te mando un abrazo! ❤ Hasta luego! Chao!
Happy Birthday!🎉Best wishes from Switzerland
Happy Birthday :)
@@seano.1426 Danke schön/Grazie mille/Merci beaucoup ! Greetings from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria 🌴🌞❤️
@@kidkinnu1993 Thank you so much! Very kind of you ❤️✨❤️ 29 yrs young now lol...greetings from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria 🌞🌴
Happy birthday 🎂 from Connecticut USA
This was so interesting. I love how you just floated along for the ride and got to see all that.
such an awesome video tommy! especially the interaction you had with the cab driver, my favorite part. i’m so sorry you ended up having a not so fun experience in the end but i hope these moments outweigh the bad. much love and safe travels ❤
The people are so laid back and friendly, taxi driver was funny and generous to show you around.
@@Flat_Earth_Sophiayes
Leave out the 'rich tourist' vibe and see how generous he would be. He's there to get rich. Nothing he gave, that he didn't expect a threefold tip for. Stay real.
@@gardenjoy5223 That's too cynical, I think. Sure, it's part of it, but meeting new ("and exotic") people and showing them around really did appear to be fun for him.
@@arjenlaan4103 Plus buying him food. Plus stalling his time. That's not too cynical. That's knowledgeable. When one visits a poor country, this is what happens. One attracts such friendliness like honey attracts flies. I don't condemn it. But I do understand how the world works.
Russians are good people, despite demonizing from western propaganda main stream media and the small hat tribe.
Mate I’ve been watching your videos for a couple of years now. One of the best on UA-cam in my opinion. Keep them coming my friend.
Hey Tommy - Greetings from fellow New Yorker. I got to see some of the world when I left Buffalo and joined the Navy, but Man - you're doing it right and I want to thank you for sharing all your footage and for being a great Ambassador for those of use who just want to meet the people and see the lifescapes while leaving the political drama far behind. I wish I had done more traveling when I was your age but now, I google map everything and share friendships with out fellow Earthlings on these platforms. So many things to say but for now, I'll just follow you.
Thanks for covering this Tommy. Parts of my Dad’s family are Volga German and I’ve always wanted to visit here for this reason! Now, with your video I’m able to :)
My fellow Wolgadeutsche brudder; Omsk is no where near the Volga region. Where did your relatives move to after leaving the Volga region? Mine went to Northern Iowa (pretty much the Siberia of the US).
@@Maxშემიწყალე Also a descendent of the Volga Germans. They moved to Oshkosh, WI afterwards... Conrad Schuhart and Anna Goerlitz
Good catch on Omsk being nowhere near the Volga... Not sure where Tommy got the idea that they're there. Saratov would have been much more apt.
@@MaxშემიწყალეI know it’s no where near but a fair number of Volga Germans are in Omsk! The reason why I’d like to visit there would be for the same reason as Tommy: to speak to them and hear about their experiences. Omsk wouldn’t be the only place - Saratov too.
My family left in the 1890s to North Dakota and then to Saskatchewan. I also have Dobrudscha German ancestry and they left around the same time to ND and then Saskatchewan.
@@NicknameGranthe addresses it in the video. The Volga Germans were moved around and deported, and many ended up in Omsk. There are lots of Volga Germans in Saratov, though yeah.
My family went to CO!
No matter where I have traveled, I seem to find guys like your driver. And that makes travel amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Never failed to be impressed by your language skills 👌
i know it amazing
C.I.A
He does not speak russian, he uses a few words in random order (which he probably took out of dictionary), does not mean he speaks the language. Imagine I come to cafe and say - "coffee breakfast need" - people will understand me, but does not mean I speak the language, that is the way he speaks.
@@lldd11 he speaks many languages enough to get by you absolute goofball LOL
@lldd11 well he's still communicating something 🤷🏻♂️
Omsk was a tank factory in WW2, that’s the reason for the tank monument.
Your video was so interesting. I've been watching an Azerbaijani couple so a little background of the history and the people there.
Thanks so much. ❤
I just recently came across your channel. I've watched many travel blogs and have many favorites. You have a natural talent for adding narrative and light humor to many faraway places on the grid. I saw your video on Lagos, Nigeria was really cool. The way you can bring out the personalities of random strangers is a gift in humanity. Cheers man!
I’m a Russian who was born in Azerbaijan and now lives in the U.S. Your channel was randomly suggested to me(probably because I also watch that crazy Brit who used to travel around Russia) 😂. Loved the video.i will be checking out the rest of your channel.
You must have been watching bald and bankrupt.
Azerbaijan?…. Super!
@@lukekcc8911 yes, I was born in Baku, we left in 1998. Most of my family and friends moved to either Russia, Germany or the U.S.
Hello from Perth Western Australia. I Just discovered your channel. I enjoyed your commentry and your neutral approach to the topics you discuss. I have always believed that most people are the same, they just want a peaceful life with their families and friends. Your video confirms that point of view.I am envious of your language skills but happy that you are able to utilise them as you travel around Omsk. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. I am curious about why you were detained but I am guessing that the authorities want to make sure you are not spreading any political propoganda such as casting Russia in a negative light.
I really wish you could have had the chance to finish your trip across Russia, these have been some of my favorite videos of yours. Best of luck, Tommy.
Do you know what happened yet? I haven't seen any video talking about it, just the post Tommy made a couple of weeks ago.
@@garethmarshall7724 Dictator putin kicked him out
@@garethmarshall7724 He implied that he will talk about it in the next video or otherwise soon. See the pinned comment.
@@garethmarshall7724 It was probably the filming of the war adverts or climbing on the tank that got him detained.
@@camocasthere's a biggest war in Europe since WW2, you know... Boomers are in the defense mode
I've heard of Siberia mentioned in old movies, but it's not as portrayed. It's great that you bring the reality of places to us on UA-cam.
Ah Tommy , you are living my dream and doing a great job. Yvonne, Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪
Thank you. I really appreciate these pictures of your trip to Omsk and beeing interessted for german-russian history. 🙂
I just love your laid back, neutral, commentary.
neutela he is mocking the tank and call it it might be called for battle soon and better take picture , after that i no leonger wish to watch the video
Same. Like he's not even trying makes it feel so authentic
Maybe you're not insightful and can't pick up the obvious anti-Russian, anti-West nuances he drops, and they're not subtle. Like the anti-Spain sentiment in Morocco, the Kazakh "hero" statue that impressed him because it wasn't about Russians but Genghis Khan's connection--without a hint of neutrality--the most brutal of invaders got a big tick. Can tell he's straight out of the woke avenues of NYC.
@LouiseAus10 sometimes we see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear. Human brain is amazing
Sat 30 Nov 24
Almost all my life I have casually and formally studied Russiya .
Sincerely , thank you very much for showing to me the famous and great city of Omsk .
Sincere greetings and sincere appreciation to folks in . . . Omsk !
~ from Indiana 🇺🇸 .
Yes i also am real americanman eagle. Thank you for the commenting to video. Many flag us emoji from warmwater port american i eat a the hot dogs.
Thanks!
I love this video!!!! This video should be shown in Russian and German language classes!!! I've lived in Russia. I've never been to Omsk. You make Omsk look so inviting.
You are seriously good with different languages - have seen you speak chinese, Indonesian & Thai
Also blown away at how many English signs there are on Omsk
Those signes are all over the Russia. Especially in my town. Although 95% foreigners are Chinese and Koreans, so it's kinda confusing
@KirillManenkov-ug7fz English has become kind of a universal language. In my old job I was working with Japanese, Russians, Swedes, Italians, and others. Everyone communicated in English.
@dalefrolander3583 but the irony is neither Russians, nor Asians know this language
He mentioned Anki in another video…
I should do my reviews now…
Just stumbled on your channel. You are a very gutsy person. I like your style and the fact that you are tenacious about looking for Germans. It made me chuckle a little. Good job.
This was an excellent video. Interesting, informative, comical and it was interesting how it fell together. Good job, your persistence paid off.
Very interesting to see this. Thank you for sharing your experience
Hello from Alaska. Very interesting video! About 35 years ago we hosted several Russian “Boy Scouts”. Our two sons were about two years younger, but we all enjoyed about five days together.
Our weather is very close to most of Russia. We do have a few taller mountains though!
Nice that you could host them as a good neighbour. Likely a few Russian descendants in Alaska as it was formerly theirs.
What an amazing taxi driver. Such great luck!
You really captured some very authentic characters and did a great job speaking to the locals about their lineage.
You got some cajones mi amigo. Travel with kindness and humility and all the world is your home. Play well.🙏
... and money. Don't forget that it opens the way almost everywhere. That's just how it is.
This is the best thing I've seen on UA-cam in a long time. Really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Your biggest flex is you speak more languages than most language UA-camrs and you do it more fluently. You are amazing in every way.
This guy is setting the foundation for peacemakers to be able to accomplish their jobs in the future.
In reality he mostly just does what most linguists encourage which is choose some useful phrases to make life easier and learn what you can on your travels. He has a good video on his method for learning. Think it was back in the brazil videos not so sure. .maybe Argentina.
😂 not everything needs to be a ‘flex’
That cab driver was a legend
absolute legend
Need his SoundCloud
@@mZondo Such a shame that Tommy didn't ask for some links to his music.
Maybe I’m weird but that driver reminded me of Sacha’s Borat
Busting out the beers was pretty awesom. 🍻
The best vlogger on UA-cam...stay safe Tommy
it's his nr.1 priority
he went to jail lol, welcome to modern day paranoid russia
It amazes me how many languages you are able to speak and read and you do it so well !
Much Thanks Sabbatical for an interesting travel through towns like Omsk and the like that we realise how people’s lives are so easily affected by politics both nearby and faraway!
I live in America and the local VFW has a tank outside. Seems pretty common in the states too. At least in rural areas.
yeap ive seen a million tanks in PA =)
Omsk has tank building industry... foreigner walking around with a camera could seem dodgy probably why he got arrested
@@joyholtzhausen8976sounds like ‘Merica.
I'm German and Russian mainly, but born in the US and this was very cool to see. I am also fluent in German and know a small bit of Russian. The young German teacher and the woman giving the tour in German was sweet to see. Nice scenes.
Это не сцены😂Это жизнь.
the USA. I dislike that country, I read its history for a school writing and never forgot
@@Jakub680you don't like American history? What history?? It doesn't really have any 😂
@@occamsrazor3128 oh it does. It’s somewhat interesting but crazy
@@Jakub680 yeah so much history it could literally all fit on a single piece of paper now compare that to ANY other country in the world? So no it doesn't really 🤣🤣🤣
Hello brother and thank you for the tour in Omsk. That’s quite interesting to see how average people live there. I felt like I saved a lot of money by not traveling there and seeing the whole thing. Cheers!!!
No matter where you go, the people are always so kind and welcoming.
I really enjoyed your blog about the countries you visited all over the world great information.
Thank you
Bro glad to see new videos, started worrying when I didn't see any for bit , thanks for letting us all tag along on the adventure
I was drawn in by your statement 'a city you've never heard of' and delighted to see Omsk. My wife is from Omsk and I have been there many times. Stayed at the Beacon (mayak) hotel by the Yrtish & Om rivers you visited. Thank you for the walkabout, the people are delightful and that matches my own experience there. All pleasant memories for me.
Greetings from someone who comes from wolgadeutsche family - my granddad's family was moved to Kazakhstan from former Volga German SSR. It's nice to see someone reporting on that topic.
My grandmother and her 5 children moved back to western parts of Russia later in life, in 1984 or so, but they couldn't leave for Germany in the 90's - they were essentially russians, with no knowledge of language, no money or formal education, only some ancestral roots. Not a bit of german language or culture in my family, probably, but the respect for the memory of our ancestors is still there.
You can still return as a Spätaussiedler.
@@JohnJourdan88 Today I learned:
> The new German citizenship law came into effect on June 27, 2024, introducing significant changes. Key highlights include:
> • *Multiple Citizenships:* Germany now allows dual citizenship as a standard practice, instead of the previous rare exceptions
> • *Faster Naturalization:* Residence requirement reduced from eight to five years (or even three years for those with "special achievements")
> • *Broader Access:* Children born to foreign parents can now more easily obtain German citizenship
> Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the change as doing "justice to our diverse society", noting that it recognizes the life stories and contributions of immigrants.
Source: Perplexity AI.
@@JohnJourdan88 > _Spätaussiedler_ are people who moved to Germany after 1 January 1993.
>
> These immigrants used to be mostly from Poland and Romania, but are now overwhelmingly coming from the former Soviet Union.
>
> From 1992 this claim is limited to those who were born before 1 January 1993 and needs to follow a list of requirements. Individuals have to demonstrate that they had suffered discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity and that they are sufficiently proficient in German, having retained strong ties with their German heritage.
>
> In reality, it is now very difficult to claim citizenship on this basis due to a series of reforms. (…)
>
> The German government processing times for citizenship applications outside of Germany have increased to over two years (…).
Source: Passportia ("A UK immigration & citizenship law specialist")
brexitgreens
I have no idea why you’re responding to me. 7,0000 Germans from the Near Abroad remigrate to Germany every year. There aren’t that many left because they are in Germany already.
Мои тоже не стали ехать в Германию. И сейчас очевидно, что это был правильный выбор
Also in Russia, there is an old internet joke about how you cannot escape from Omsk.
So I am sorry for that bit of dark humour, but if you were detained there - the meme comes to life...
"You can't leave Omsk on your own. Only Omsk can decide when you are good enough to leave."
it's true
haha, I'm watching this video from Omsk. It's true, I couldn't leave it.
Bs, Eva elfie left it successfully
@@mnemonicpie the Bird of Omsk sent her as a honeypot to fool everyone into believing Omsk is safe-ish so more people would come to stay in the Hotel Omsk but then never leave. It's a big conspiracy. Don't believe her :)
@@oavdov 😆
Catherine The Great of Russia was originally a German Princess who invited German farmers to Russia in 1763. Other waves came, and many also left Russia for USA, Canada and Argentina.
Yes, in a Russian poll done about 10 years ago, she was voted the most-admired leader of Russia. Just imagine, Russia's best leader was actually German. :-)
@@romanmichaelhamilton8729это где такие опросы были?
Мои предки также приехали в Россию из немецких княжеств, около 1730-50х годов. Были аптекарями, потом царскими офицерами
Technically she was Prussian (Pomerania) by birth....just sayin'
@@yuliabalashova3866 It was a survey done I believe by Channel 1 of Russia.
It was interesting to see my hometown in your video)
It's no wonder that WW2 is so remembered in Russia with the humongous loss of life, not a single Russian family was left unaffected, with many families wiped out. Over 20 million Russian people died...that is a huge amount of people and a massive sacrifice.
Погибло 27 миллионов, из них 15 миллионов гражданских в оккупированной части Советского Союза (по сути немцы и их союзники сознательно истребляли простых людей). На фронте потери были один к одному.
Don't forget the Russian revolution millions died and WWI
@@quartermaster1976 I agree, and those unlucky souls who returned from WW2 had to deal with Stalin too!
Returnees dealing with what?
You mean former POWs?
Even that has been over inflated
27 million in total died in the USSR. I have no idea how many of those were Russians.
My favorite vlogger!! Thanks Tommy
i just found your Ch and luv your cheerful disposition! A smiling person will get many
invitations; and since men have vanished there, you can easily find a RU wife, no?
(soon i'll watch your back-episodes... happy Traveling!)
It takes BALLS to travel the way you do ! Thank You for taking us around The World. Great Stuff
not everyone is a vagina like you
Thanks for covering the German-Russians, My moms family are all Volga Germans descent. There are alot of us Volga Germans in Kansas and Nebraska.
I am so fucking excited to see this video drop! I lived in Russia for 5 years and it was amazing, I wish I had done what you are doing and recorded it all, though I didn't travel as far and wide as you I did make it to most of the major cities. I only came back to the UK in 2020 so it's still fresh in my memory and now I get to continue my adventure through you. I miss the Russian people, I really do.
@@End0fst0ry it will take a couple of generations to get through the psychopaths and trauma; it won’t be safe or stable.
@ yes, I wouldn’t hesitate to live in those countries and for a million years would never consider living in this “safe” Moscow you speak of… the Russians who have the means do not let their children live there either. Even Putin is hiding itself in the bunker.
North Korea has very little crime, glad that ruSSia is following its lead…
@@Got-landerWhat a brainwashed person you are! Amazing! 😅😅😅
@@End0fst0ry idk man there have been drones hit here in Moscow and a massive shooting not that long ago so i wouldnt say suuuuuper safe. Their are much better and safer parts of Russia
@@End0fst0ry idk man there have been drones hit here in Moscow and a massive shooting not that long ago so i wouldnt say suuuuuper safe. Their are much better and safer parts of Russia
Tom….You hit it out of the park with each video.Thanks❤.
Hey! Thanks! I do enjoy your videos a lot!
You misunderstood the the name of this bridge in St.Petersburg you're referring to here. It's not related to Trotsky in any way)
The name is Troitskiy. (Trinity bridge)
It does sound very similar, I know. But now you do as well.
Thanks again!
Great video Tommy. Love your uploads. Thanks for them.
If you didn't know the old ladies love flowers even my mom wanted fresh flowers all the time. She was east german before the wall came down and before moving to the states. It's a big deal for the older generation to get flowers. Its part of their everyday life.
It's awfully nice, but It's incredibly expensive. I never, ever get flowers from anyone. In fact, I would rather get something more useful, like coffee, toilet paper, or a gift card.
@@cattymajiv In these times you are correct. Shame all these leaders all over the world can't just leave stuff alone.
Is it just the older generations? I feel like flowers are a big thing in most Slavic countries in a romanticized sense. For younger generations too.
first time watching but this is awesome! raw content and honesty.
Omsk was the capital of Soviet punk rock. Everyone once knew the song "Everything is going according to plan"
До того как Летов начал писать, АУ уже разрывали залы, да и Алиса с Задерием панк получше играли.
@@SergeyAnatolich Да и Летов вроде из Семипалатинска.
i guess it was an ironic song if it was punk and soviet
Is not ironic
@@ДаданДаданский
Сын военного же? Раз в четыре года места жительства менялись, если без блата. Вики гутарит, что Омск. Летова никогда не принимал, как панка, как поэта - возможно.
I do admire how patient Russian speakers are when trying to converse with foreigners.
Кто приехал в страну считается другом
Cuz there're almost none of the western foreigners in Russia at all
@@KirillManenkov-ug7fz LOL they're so many tourist and westerners in Russia presently!
There’s very few English speakers especially in this area nowadays so they are probably happy to try out their English too. Also they are nice and hospitable people too!
You're mileage may vary. I lived in Russia for a year as an exchange student. I am hispanic and I spoke Russian with a not-so-american accent. Some people assumed I was a migrant from the caucasus region and let's say they were less than patient when I needed them to repeat something.
bro is alive still! lol man this was awesome to see taxi bro was cool as hell still lmao you always meet so many good people
Thanks!
Did you know that Omsk has a smallest metro system in the world? There's only one completed station. The whole project took 25 years(1992-2017). Today it's used only as an underground passage... Directed by Robert B Weide.
@@bogmelochej I bet he's not the only one :,)
Does one station count as a "metro system" ?
Seems to me that if there's nowhere to go or train to catch then mayyybe it's not a metro system??! 😂
@@NowInIwoN it was a sarcasm, sorry
Lol I heard jokes about this like 15 years ago. Nobody cares about Omsk, it seems so.
@@mnemonicpie apparently :(
German-russian here! In 28:25, this memorial apparently dedicated to repressed germans, because almost all of germans in Siberia and Central Asia are descedants of those germans, that where forcibly resettled in those areas during WW2 and decade later. Russian germans historicaly (before Soviet Union) lived in european part of Russia, like Saint-Petersburg, around Volga area (Wolgadeutsche), Black Sea area (Schwarzmeerdeutsche), Crimea (Krimdeutsche), Baltics (Baltendeutsche), and soooo on... Things changed as i metioned earlier, like in my case, my mother was born in Omsk, but her ancestors are from Volga-river german colonies, and some my german friend who lives in Yekaterinburg, but actualy was borned in north of Kazakhstan (close to Omsk), is descedant from crimean germans. In Kazakhstan still a lot of german people, especially on the north. When i lived in Uzbekistan, i even there could find a lot of germans, even in my first school classes (it was russian-speaking school) i had german girlfriend and our german families were friends!
Greetings my friend, I'm also German and I must say this part really irritated me. He talks about Germans who lived in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia (which he understood were forcefully resettled) yet he couldn't put 2 and 2 together that this memorial was about them... A very ironic/ funny scene was where he passed that house at 30:57 which was playing Alex C "Du hast den schönsten Arsch der Welt" (a naughty German pop-song from the early 2000s) and literally says right after: "I'm not gone leave here until I find at least one sing of Germanness". In any case, it is nice to hear that the Germans from the east haven't forgotten their roots. Kind regards from Saxony!
Today, when I woke up, I didn't expect that I would be seeing German Russians speaking German in Russia, such as the two young ladies that did, so that was beautiful. The young woman in blue talking about how her soul feels as if it belongs in a certain place, like there, was really nice to me.
You are something else man. Keep up the fantastic work, thank you.
As a German Russian living in Germany this was very interesting.
На Алтае я тоже русских немцев встречал
Germans are the most migratory people in the world. There are more than 80 million German origin migrants all across the world.
It's strange but it seems Germany was never a nice place for Germans and this is probably why so many German origin people do not live in Germany.
@@Chris-je9feДа русских немцев везде полно в России после амнистии разъехались по всей России.
Remigriert euch. Ihr seid unerwünscht.
I had a host family in high school in germany who were Russian german that returned to germany
The funny thing is that at 31:00 the song playing in the background is german and he says that he looks for a german sign .
I noticed that too, perfect timing.
10:53 Not simply the people who died.
"Memorial Glory to the Heroes. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, a monument to the Glory to the Heroes was erected on Victory Boulevard, which compositionally united the feat of soldiers and home front workers. The obelisk, 22 meters high, made of concrete and polished gray granite, represents the unfurled Victory Banner. Five sculptures are located on the ledges of the monument: a defender of the Motherland, a Soldier with a rifle and bayonet over his shoulders, a victorious Soldier with orders on his chest, a Worker in overalls holding a hammer in his hands, a Kolkhoz Woman with a sheaf of grain, and a Girl with a dove, completing the composition. On the right and left sides of the monument there are two thirty-meter walls made of metal and concrete, on which metal plates with the names of 156 Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia, 35 full cavaliers of the Order of Glory and 146 Heroes of Socialist Labor - natives of Omsk and the Omsk region are attached. Erected on May 7, 1985. Sculptors: S. A. Golovantsev, L. I. Semenov. Architects: Yu. F. Zaychenko, V. A. Shevchenko."
Seeing how they proclaim people heroes in Ukraine these days, it was probably all bs. Made up stories for patriotic communist lore. Who knows if any of this was true.
For decades I've had a dream to travel Russia to film the GPW monuments. So creative and dramatic and beautiful! Ukrainians are destroying them, along with a few other countries.
Such a great video. Driver was way too awesome!!! Too cool!!! Keep up the good work.
The reason you can’t get out of Omsk is because their metro (subway) system only has one station. Construction of the system was abandoned after only one station was built.
Women alone in a country which is at war, sad to lose so many young men on both sides, so many children who will never be born because they were lost in the time of violence .
If every man killed in war had 2 kids, and those kids had two kids the whole world would be shoulder to shoulder. Not advocating wars but it does keep the population in check.
@@gregorybarth930The Big problem.in the world now is population implosion not expansión. If the US didnt receive migration today its population would have dropped by two million in the last two years alone..
Women need to have 2.1 kids to keep the population stable.
Or abortion
@@gregorybarth930yeah no
Germans moved here voluntarily at the invitation of the Russian Empress Catherine 2. Omsk is a city in Western Siberia, a large industrial city. It was built and developed under the Russian Empire, then as one of the major railway hubs of the Trans-Siberian Railway, built in the 19th century. In Soviet times, the city became one of the largest industrial cities in Western Siberia and reached 1 million inhabitants. The Germans of the Volga region were deported by the Soviet government in 1941, because when Nazi Germany attacked the USSR, it tried to raise an anti-Soviet uprising of Germans in the Volga region through agents and intelligence. Therefore, they were resettled in the Kazakh SSR and the Siberian regions of the USSR.
Некоторые из них считали что лучше быть депортированными чем идти воевать. По крайней мере один русский немец мне так сказал.
Knowing what you will go through, Tommy, in the days following this, I am somewhat creeped out watching it. But, I am very grateful that you made this trip. Both of my parents were born into German Russian families- my father in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine and my mother in the Omsk region that you are visiting. I always wanted to see it, but now, sadly, it might be too late. I don't want to get my comment deleted as some others have been, so I'll just say that during the Stalin period,, it didn't end well for about half of the members of the German Russians including my parents' families. The ones who were 'not able to get out.' lost their lives or were Russified to the degree that they were not able to keep their language and culture without severe persecution.