Part 13/16:
Later stories recount encounters with Russian culture and history, including a trip to Russia just before the fall of communism in 1990. Reap shares amusing anecdotes about trading ink pens with locals, being detained by police, and acquiring a Soviet emblem—highlighting the absurdity and adventure of Cold War-era travel.
He relays his experience at Red Square, Chernobyl-exposure near a river, and the socio-political atmosphere—an outsider’s perspective on a collapsing empire. These stories are laced with humor but underline the significant geopolitical shifts of the late 20th century.