Rhiannon Hendricks
In 1988, shortly after his wedding, Bernie Sanders travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane. Critics of Sanders have since accused him of honeymooning in the USSR, suggesting that he has ties to Russia. However, the trip was not a traditional honeymoon, but rather a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl. Sanders himself has described the trip as a “very strange honeymoon.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1988 |
| Honeymoon Location | Soviet Union |
| Honeymoon Type | "Strange Honeymoon" or "Very Strange Honeymoon" |
| Honeymoon Activities | Walking through Red Square, visiting Lenin's Tomb, touring factories, hospitals, and schools, taking a boat ride down the Volga River, dancing to live Russian music, drinking vodka, singing Russian folk songs |
| Honeymoon Purpose | Government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl |
| Actual Honeymoon Location | St. Lucia in the Caribbean |
Explore related products
![Bernie [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41BLc-0nV7L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Bernie Sanders' 1988 trip to the Soviet Union
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, then-mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife Jane. The trip, which took place shortly after their wedding, was a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl. Sanders himself has described the trip as a ""very strange honeymoon". However, it is important to note that this trip was not a traditional honeymoon and was primarily focused on official business.
During their time in the Soviet Union, Sanders and his delegation of city representatives and officials visited Moscow, where they walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's Tomb. They also travelled to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and took a boat ride down the Volga River. In Yaroslavl, Sanders and his entourage were treated to a visit to a sauna, followed by vodka toasts and Russian folk songs. Sanders even sang "This Land Is Your Land", a Woody Guthrie socialist classic.
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union attracted attention during the lead-up to the 2020 election, with critics accusing him of having a soft spot for Russia or nefarious ties to the country. However, the trip was not during the height of the Cold War, as some have claimed. The purpose of the trip was to foster relationships between ordinary citizens of the two nations and to explore cultural exchange programs. For example, Sanders suggested exchange programs between young people and media outlets of the two cities. He also expressed interest in developing a Russian studies program in Vermont high schools.
While in the Soviet Union, Sanders praised the housing system, noting that it cost only 5% of a Russian's income compared to 40% in the United States. He also commented on the cultural life he observed, stating that they wanted to enrich the cultural life in Burlington as much as possible. Despite the lighthearted moments and expressions of goodwill, the trip has become a point of criticism for some, who use it to question Sanders' political leanings and allegiances.
The Honeymoon Phase: When It's Hard to Move On
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sanders' visit to Yaroslavl
Bernie Sanders' 1988 trip to the Soviet Union has been a topic of discussion for critics who claim that he had "honeymooned" in the country during the Cold War. However, the trip's purpose was to establish a "sister-city" relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl. Sanders himself has described the trip as a ""very strange honeymoon", but it was not a traditional honeymoon.
During his visit to Yaroslavl, Sanders toured factories, hospitals, and schools, all prepared for the American visitors like a Potemkin village. He also visited a sauna and participated in numerous toasts with vodka and Russian folk songs. Sanders even sang the Woody Guthrie socialist classic "This Land Is Your Land" while bare-chested and clad in a towel.
Sanders spoke about his dream of reducing conflict between the two nations by fostering relationships between ordinary citizens. He suggested exchange programs for young people and media outlets, proposing that a Vermont editor visit the Soviet Union and meet with local newspapers. Sanders' wife, Jane, also proposed a teacher and student exchange program, expressing her impression with the Soviet Union's cultural life.
The trip included a boat ride down the Volga River, a walk through Red Square, and a visit to Lenin's Tomb. Sanders travelled with a delegation of Western journalists and opinion leaders, as well as city representatives and officials from Burlington. The delegation included his new wife, Jane, and they jokingly referred to the trip as their honeymoon.
The Knot' Honeymoon Fund: A Simple Guide to Adding Your
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Weekend at Bernie's (BD) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91PpiTotK1L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Was it a honeymoon or a government trip?
In 1988, shortly after his wedding, Bernie Sanders travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane Sanders. The trip has been described as a "honeymoon" by critics of Sanders, who claim that it demonstrates that Sanders has ""nefarious ties" to Russia or "a soft spot" for the country. However, the trip was primarily a government trip, intended to establish a "sister-city" relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl. Sanders himself has described the trip as a ""very strange honeymoon", acknowledging that it was not a traditional romantic getaway.
During the trip, Sanders and his wife participated in cultural exchanges, danced to live Russian music, and visited various locations, including Moscow, Red Square, Lenin's Tomb, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), the Volga River, and Yaroslavl. Sanders also toured factories, hospitals, and schools, and expressed interest in reducing conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union by building relationships between ordinary citizens.
While the trip did include some elements of a honeymoon, such as dancing and cultural exchanges, it was primarily a government initiative. Sanders and his wife jokingly referred to the trip as their honeymoon, and it has since become a punchline for Republican candidates who accuse Sanders of Bolshevism. However, the couple took a more traditional honeymoon to St. Lucia in the Caribbean the following year.
In conclusion, while the trip to the Soviet Union did occur shortly after Sanders' wedding, it was primarily a government trip with a specific diplomatic purpose. The "honeymoon" label applied by critics and the media is an exaggeration, used to imply a closer relationship between Sanders and Russia than may have existed.
Honeymoon Fund: Amazon Registry for Newlyweds
You may want to see also
Sanders' soft spot for Russia
In 1988, shortly after his wedding, Bernie Sanders travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane. Although the trip was not a honeymoon in the traditional sense, the couple jokingly referred to it as such. The trip was a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl. Sanders, who was the mayor of Burlington at the time, took a 12-person delegation of city representatives and officials.
During the trip, Sanders walked through Red Square, saw Lenin's tomb, visited Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and took a boat ride down the Volga River. He also travelled to Yaroslavl, where he toured factories, hospitals, and schools. Sanders found things he liked about the Soviet Union, including the housing, which cost only 5% of a Russian's income, compared to 40% in the United States. He also expressed a desire to reduce conflict between the two nations by building relationships between ordinary citizens and suggested exchange programs for young people and media outlets.
The trip attracted attention in the lead-up to the 2020 election, with critics accusing Sanders of having a soft spot for Russia or even nefarious ties to the country. However, the trip occurred shortly after Sanders' wedding and was not during the height of the Cold War. The purpose of the trip was to foster connections between Burlington and Yaroslavl, not for the newlyweds to enjoy a romantic getaway.
Honeymoon in Greece: Top Romantic Getaway Destinations
You may want to see also
Sanders' strange honeymoon joke
In 1988, shortly after his wedding, Bernie Sanders travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane. Although the trip was not a honeymoon in the traditional sense, the couple jokingly referred to it as such. Sanders himself has described the trip as a "very strange honeymoon".
The purpose of the trip was to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl. Sanders, who was the mayor of Burlington at the time, took a delegation of city representatives and officials, including his new wife. The trip included a visit to a sauna, numerous toasts of vodka, and Russian folk songs. Sanders also toured factories, hospitals, and schools, and walked through Red Square, where he saw Lenin's tomb.
The "honeymoon" has become a source of criticism for Sanders, with some accusing him of having a soft spot for Russia or even nefarious ties to the country. However, Sanders has defended himself, saying that the trip was a chance to combine business and pleasure and that he enjoyed meeting "ordinary people" from different walks of life.
Despite the criticisms, the trip to the Soviet Union was not Sanders's actual honeymoon. The couple took a more traditional honeymoon the following year, in St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
Exploring Honeymoon Island: Can You Drive There?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Bernie Sanders and his wife Jane travelled to the Soviet Union shortly after their wedding in 1988. Sanders himself described the trip as a ""very strange honeymoon". However, the trip was not a romantic getaway but a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl.
Sanders walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's Tomb. He visited Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and took a boat ride down the Volga River. He also travelled to Yaroslavl, where he toured factories, hospitals, and schools.
Yes, critics of Sanders have accused him of having "honeymooned" in the Soviet Union, implying that he may have ties to Russia or a soft spot for the country. The trip attracted new attention in the lead-up to the 2020 election, with Republican candidates using it to accuse Sanders of Bolshevism.
