March 8- International Women's Day

Russia celebrates Women's Day on March 8 each year.  The day was a holiday for most businesses and schools , which were closed both Thursday, March 8 and Friday, the 9th.  (To compensate, businesses and schools will reopen on Sunday, March 10.)The holiday is celebrated with gifts, flowers and candy for the women in each man's life.  To say it is an important holiday here in Russia is an understatement and one that would be nearly impossible and certainly unfogiveable to forget.  

I spent the day at a party in Dagomis, which is part of Sochi, but northwest of the city center along the coast. There were about 20 people at the party, which centered around a large meal that included, shashlik (barbeque grilled pork), chicken salad, potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, many other dishes and a large cake for desert.  The day cooperated with sunshine, although the streets were wet from the previous night's snow fall melting.