Month: July 2013

Cave Bears, Dolmens, and Waterfalls “Oh my” Ten things to do in Sochi

July 31, 2013

Akhshtyrskaya cave 1. The Akhshtyrskaya cave site is one of the most famous in all of Europe. The cave was discovered at the beginning of XX century by a French scholar, E. Martel. During all the years of excavations more than 6000 bones have been accounted for, 92% of which belonged to cave bears. The … More Cave Bears, Dolmens, and Waterfalls “Oh my” Ten things to do in Sochi

Mirror Reflection – Uganda & Russia

July 31, 2013

Ugandan Leopards Animal protection groups in Uganda have become increasingly worried about the growth of illegal poaching of leopards recently. Two leopards were killed by poachers within one month, which is an usual phenomenon, said Uganda Wildlife Education Center. Henry Kayondo, a breeder at Uganda Wildlife Education Center, found the second dead leopard. He said … More Mirror Reflection – Uganda & Russia

New Russian Air-Bike to beat the commute

July 30, 2013

Because the daily commute in Russia isn’t already the equivalent of driving through a demolition derby on the way to work, several Czech scientists have come together with a Czech bicycle manufacturer to create the next hellish level of obstacles to just getting to the grocery store safely. For obvious inner-child reasons, this team has … More New Russian Air-Bike to beat the commute

Underground Palaces of the Moscow Metro – Part One

July 30, 2013

Kropotkinskaya station Kropotkinskaya station was the very first station to be opened in the Moscow Metro system. Architect  A.N. Duskin  was the designer for this station, the marble used here came from the demolished Christ the Savior Cathedral, which now adorns the walls and floor. Looking at the interiors here gives more of a sense … More Underground Palaces of the Moscow Metro – Part One

So you want to know a little about Russians? Part I

July 30, 2013

1: Russians distrust anything cheap. (no wal-marts in Russia) 2: The English word “bargain” can not be adequately translated into Russian. 3: Although Russians distrust anything with a cheap price, they are fine with freebies. (Americans too)     4: A Russian who reaches high levels of power feels it his his/her duty to put … More So you want to know a little about Russians? Part I

So where is the coldest place in Russia?

July 28, 2013

Oymyakon, Russia (short for “OhmyGoditscoldhere”, Russia) Oymyakon, a small village of about 500 people in the Sakha region of Russia, holds the claim to fame as being the coldest continually inhabited place on Earth. Located approximately 20 miles northwest of Tomtor on the Kolyma Highway in Siberia, it is not easily accessible. Situated in an area … More So where is the coldest place in Russia?

What are the Morals of Russians?

July 27, 2013

Have you ever heard about the “mysterious Russian soul” when someone starts talking about Russia or Russians. If you plan to come to Russia, or if you just want to understand them then you’ll find the following article of interest. Levada Analytical Center, non-governmental research organization in Russia, published some interesting results – statistics on … More What are the Morals of Russians?

Mirror Reflections – Madagascar & Russia

July 25, 2013

Global importance of Madagascar‘s Lemurs According to Russell Mittermeier in The Eighth Continent although Madagascar is only one of 92 countries with wild primates populations, it is alone responsible for 21 percent (14 of 65) of all primate genera and 36 percent (5 of 14) of all primate families, making it the single highest priority … More Mirror Reflections – Madagascar & Russia

The Friendly Atom gone bad – Prypiat, Ukraine – turns to safe haven for animals

July 24, 2013

Take a real good look at a city that has been abandoned for the last 27 years because of the Chernobyl disaster. We all remember this event, and the serious consequences that resulted from it. When events like this take place we keep them in our conscious memory for as long as the subject is … More The Friendly Atom gone bad – Prypiat, Ukraine – turns to safe haven for animals

Savory Spicy Sweet: Siberian Pelmeni

July 24, 2013

History of Pelmeni: Most historians agree that русские пельмени (Russian pelmeni) originated in Siberia and were probably named by the коми, коренной народностью Урала (Komi, a people indigenous to the Urals). In the Komi language, “pelnyan” means “bread-ear,” a reference to the food’s ear-like shape. When the word crossed into Russian, it changed a bit … More Savory Spicy Sweet: Siberian Pelmeni

Russian Pancakes

July 24, 2013

Blini Russian Pancakes Pancakes have been enjoyed the world over for centuries. It’s no surprise then that different cultures have developed their own popular cuisine built around pancakes. A typical Russian pancake is thin and very much like crepes, which are of course French in origin, but blini are even thinner. It’s said you can … More Russian Pancakes

Mirror Reflections – Albania & Russia

July 22, 2013

In Albania Corruption is a huge problem. Albania consistently ranks very low in indexes of corruption — in 2007, Transparency International ranked them #105 in the world, below Mongolia and Lebanon and in a tie with Burkina Faso and Djibouti. Inequality is very high, with perhaps 10% of Albania’s population living well and the rest … More Mirror Reflections – Albania & Russia