Vilco wrote:


> Gregory Morrow wrote
>
> > Russian cigarettes (at least in the old USSR days) were even worse,
> > if you can believe it...
>
> Yeah, those with the long filter to be used with heavy gloves on, LOL
> They were named something like "papyrosi", IIRC.


Yes, thanks, "papirosi" was the name I was thinking of...

When I visited East Germany and Czechoslovakia in the late 70's it was
always interesting to see the various brands of cigarettes, especially the
Soviet ones (I did not smoke). A lot of them were "space" - themed, e.g.
"Laika", "Kosmonaut", etc. At that time Marlboros were produced under
licence in the CSSR and when I first arrived in Prague I was somewhat
astonished.to see the sides of several apartment buildings painted with
these huge Marlboro logos. Coca - Cola was also at that time bottled there
under licence, it was available most everywhere. Tic - Tacs (from West
Germany) had also just been introduced, they were the big rage...and I think
Cinzano vermouth was bottled under licence, too.

In the DDR no such western brands were available (except in the hard -
currency "Intershops"), but East Germans knew all the western brands from
watching West German TV. Remember the funny scene from the film _Goodbye
Lenin!_ where the mother's birthday is being celebrated and she sees the
huge Coke sign being unveiled outside the window...her son hurriedly
explains to her that Coca - Cola was actually an East German invention,
lol...

Ah, I miss those old Cold War days...they were *very* interesting times.

:-)


--
Best
Greg