Travel with "insider information": ten tips for traveling to Russia, Der Spiegel

Travel with "insider information": ten tips for traveling to Russia, Der Spiegel

Moscow, St. Petersburg, Baikal: popular tourist places in Russia can be counted on the fingers of one hand. For those who want to really get acquainted with the world's largest country in the world, it's worth listening to the following tips.
Stefan Orth Der Spiegel, Germany

Russia, except for the Red Square, a cruise along the Volga or the museums of St. Petersburg, it is difficult to call an attractive country for a discerning tourist. Most of the cities are not very beautiful, the people there are moody and make a repulsive impression.
When I traveled around Russia, the Russians kept calling me crazy - they just did not understand why I went to their vast country, not Thailand or Mallorca. At the same time, it is quite possible to fall in love with Russia, if you take as some kind of given its specific features. The following ten tips will help you in this.
Do not believe first impressions
When you go to a store or restaurant in Russia, you call your employees about the same joy as the average cockroach they found on the door jamb. First they ignore you, and then perceive as a kind of irritant, because you have disturbed their appearance by their appearance. And, finally, they declare the price for their services to you in such a tone that cine villains pronounce the phrase "I'll kill you!"
Nevertheless, I repeatedly noticed that in the process of communication the mood of the opposite side changed for the better. I in broken Russian asked how to get to the station, and the person I was addressing suddenly found a lot of time to show me the way, and he himself asked where I came from and where I was going. Then I ordered an extra portion of pancakes and received a gift of coffee as a gift. It is often enough to show a little more patience and ease to give a person a chance to "thaw".
Visit Altay
One of the most beautiful roads of Russia lies between the Gorno-Altai and Kosh-Agach in the Siberian Altai. This is an unforgettable journey along the mountain road at an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level, with wild camels and swift mountain rivers along the sides. And you can spend the evenings on the road in the bathhouse. However, you need to prepare for the trip in advance - for example, to visit the nearby surroundings of the Belukha mountain at a height of 4800 m, you will need a special permit, which must be requested in a few months.

A horse grazes on the shore of the Lower Shavlinsky Lake in the Kosh-Agach District of the Altai Republic

To be superstitious

The Russians have many different traditions: thus, before a long journey, they sit down "on the path," they rub their noses with sculptures, are afraid to whistle indoors and not look at the broken mirrors. Perhaps, in no other country in the world there is such an abundance of superstition, and many local residents are happy to talk about them to visiting guests.

Is there really something special about these signs, everyone can check on their own, for example, when he has something to heal. Here are some signs in this regard:

- If you scratch your nose, then you have to drink;

- if you scratch your lip, then you have to kiss;

- If the left arm is itching, then this is for money;

- If the right arm is scratched, then you will meet with a friend;

- if the neck is itching, then you will mark something or podderes. And maybe you will both.

- If you are itching all at once, then you, perhaps, should contact a doctor

Find out what is "underrepute"

Of course, traveling in Russia, it is impossible to avoid "gathering" with the use of "the most honest booze in the world" (because vodka is not tasty, but only causes intoxication). The most important rules: never mix it with other alcoholic beverages and drink with a lot of snacks, for example, with salted mushrooms, smoked fish or boiled potatoes.

During or after such a feast, you will get acquainted with a number of new words for yourself: "booze", "underperformed" or "sushnyak."

View Swan Lake

Perhaps there is no better place in the world where it would be worth to go to the ballet than to the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. This year, he celebrates his 235th birthday, but little has changed in the opening ceremony of the season. Chic scenery, creaky floorboards, a huge crown-shaped chandelier under the ceiling. And every evening, dancers and musicians create something that is now hardly associated with Russia: lightness, beauty and elegance.

Swan Lake ballet"

Take the train

Of course, huge distances cause a great temptation to travel by plane. However, without a long journey by rail - with an overnight stay under the clatter of wheels, with instant noodles for dinner and a couple of piles of booze - to understand Russia is impossible. It is traveling in Siberia, you get an idea of ​​the true size of this country, when you for 18 hours will have to look out the window at the endless birch forests.

Listen to "Leningrad"

Texts and music videos for the songs of the rock band "Leningrad", which you will find on YouTube, will give you an idea of ​​how the life of the young generation of Russians is filled.

I must say that, despite some of their caricature, these songs are, in fact, true: they are watched by millions of Internet users, and singer Sergey Shnurov, known for his vulgar escapades, lives rock-n-roll like no other. I recommend listening to his songs in preparation for the trip to Russia, but I must warn you that they should not be listened to in the presence of conservative native speakers of the Russian language, because they have a lot of curses - the so-called "mata".

Learn Cyrillic

Although the study of the Russian language can undoubtedly be called a serious challenge, it is easier to read the inscriptions on it than one might think. For a couple of days you will learn the letters and you can easily read the names of streets, dishes in the menu or inscriptions on billboards. And since many words are consonant with German and English, you will be fairly easy to navigate.

To get acquainted with cultural diversity

Some ethnic minorities in Russia have their own, very original culture, and during the trip you may well have the feeling that you are visiting not one but several countries at once.

Buddhist monastic complex Ivolginsky datsan in Buryatia

In the Buddhist republic of Kalmykia you will see temples that are more typical for Tibet than for Moscow, and guttural singing in Tuva will make you feel that you are not in Russia at all, but somewhere in Mongolia. And in Yakutsk, the coldest major city in the world, you can taste the sour mare's milk or fish, served directly in the ice block, and also learn a lot of interesting things about elves, legends about which may well compete with the movie "The Lord of the Rings".

Eat dumplings

Having tasted dumplings with sour cream, you risk becoming dependent on this dish, and the fact that this name is literally translated as "eared bread" will not have any significance. And in the capital of Udmurtia, Izhevsk, this "Russian ravioli" even has a monument a few meters high. And I must say that this monument deserves a dumplings.