Although being recently renovated, the flat still had some of the old stuff from its previous owner, an old lady. I had browsed through maybe all of her dusty books and brochures, althoughthe Marshall wasn't sharing my compassion about soviet literature and cheap print propaganda.
One of those brochures was a guide to tourists (!) to Soviet Union by Intourist. This central agency was dealing with all the foreign tourists crazy enough to travel to Soviet Union (assuming that they are not spies on covert action). It featured the soviet holiday locations from the warm beaches of Yalta to the chilly mountain resorts in Georgia. One could see how happy the fellow soviet workers rehabilitated after years of waiting in queue for a pass to a holiday. (Actually it was somehow the same in Turkey, where the state employees were drawn into lotteries every spring to have their places in the state-owned resorts in summer. No surprise that the high ranking managers always had their spot reserved every time.)
After the collapse, this agency is also privatized and now serves as a travel agency for those (still crazy) to come to see how hospitable and cheerful Russia can be...
Welcome to Russia! We wish you a pleasant stay... 
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