Without a visa in the USSR

The Beatles sang, somewhat idiotically, how lucky a fellow was to be back in the USSR. Really? Talk about Lennon and Lenin, rose-coloured glasses. But I’ve been there. Illegally, to boot. 30 years ago this summer a beautiful three months were spent working and travelling in occupied Estonia. Working for rubles, part-time, among the few Canadian-born Estonians, I believe, who have done so. Had a visa for occupied Estonia – but not for the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic. In 1990 the Soviets were lax about travelling within. Hence plenty of time to explore the ancestral land, birthplace of both parents. But thanks to brave others I left occupied Estonian territory a total of four times. Only once into the RSFSR.