Russians in Space! *echo*

Today I saw in article on yahoo.com about the Shuttle Discovery docking with the International Space Station (is it weird that I get 99% of my news from Yahoo?). The article mentions how the shuttle crew was greeted with bread and salt by the Russian Cosmonaut and American Astronaut onboard the station.

I quote, "About two hours later, following leak and pressure checks, Discovery's astronauts entered the orbital lab, where they were greeted with hugs and bread and salt‚ a Russian tradition thought to bring good luck when visiting another's home."

With the reputations that Russians have for being superstitious, I'm not at all surprised that they would bring this tradition to space. Unfortunately, they had no microphones to record the meeting, but in my mind it would go something like this

The hatch opens and the shuttle crew enters the ISS ...

The Russian: "Zdrasvyetye! Zdrasvyetye! Moi Druugs, pajzhallista davietye priidyem, priidyem. "

(I'm going to switch into English now) The shuttle crew will be led to sitting room, where the Samovar (tea dispenser) will already be hot.

The Russian: "Will you have some tea? Please, here, just a little. Sugar? Please please help yourself!" Everyone will enjoy their tea and each other company as they swap stories. "Now, let us drink to our health and to our mission!" The vodka is handed out and everyone raises their glasses.

Everyone: "Za zstrovia!"

I don't know, I read this article and this little stories ran through my mind. Translated the first line says "Hello! Hello my friends, please come, come (inside)." Russians are very hospitable, at least the ones I've meet, I just get a kick out of imagining an old Russian couple, living in space and welcoming all their visitors.