Winter Fun in Russia. Part III (''Russian Troika'')

Let me share with you one more idea to enjoy your winter vacation in Russia – a legendary ''Russian Troika'' (or ''troyka'') horse ride. After much abandoning this traditional pastime during communist times, it fortunately again becomes popular kind of sport and just amusement.

Basically, the term ‘’troika’’ is a three-horse team of special design, which draws sledge or carriage. The term’s other meaning is wild, speedy dashing race, wide steppes and the cold Russian winter: fur hats and garment, valenki (the kind of footwear – felt boots), warm blankets and sure, a stop for a glass of fine, original Russian vodka to get warm and continue the journey.

Something that makes troika a uniquely Russian invention is the special arc harness, serving as a fine shock-absorber when riding through the pretty rough Russian roads. To understand how it works, look at the picture below:

The troika of Orlov trotters

Over the wither of the middle horse you can see a huge wooden part that holds and fixes the shafts to the harness.

The wing horses' traces are also fixed to the vehicle; they hold splinter bars, which are attached to the outside of each wing horse and their heads are bending to the outside via a special, fixed leather belt.

Due to this pretty complex construction, the whip of a troika has to watch over 4 reins: two for the center horse (left rein in left hand, right rein in right hand) and one outer rein for each of the wing horses in the corresponding hand.

However the true mastery of whip is to be in control for different paces of all three horses simultaneously! Thus, the middle horse is supposed to trot, whereas the rest two (wing horses) are galloping. It is pretty problematic to force two wing horses into unnatural body posture all the time, so no wonder that the like skill takes a few years to train daily.

That’s why they used to harness only the best trained horse to run the center. As a rule, it is Orlov trotter. ‘’Orlov’’ is the specially bred Russian horse that used in troika racing competitions due to its ability to develop a very speedy, straight trot (check http://www.horses.ru/orlov_trotter.htm to learn more about Orlovs’ history).

The forehorse, the leader in the team, Orlov trotter is the key responsible figure that brings beauty and harmony to the whole — team and carriage. Exactly its flashing trot imposes control and direction while two other horses just help him to move the carriage and maneuver it best.

Russian troika appeared in its familiar for Russians sight in the middle of the 18th century. Back to then, it used to be a traditional style of cold weather transportation. Passengers bundled up in furs in the back of the sledge to ward off often dangerously low temperatures.

Today ‘’troika’’ is one of most internationally recognized and most famous symbols of Russia. This image of three horses, put together in a team in a horizontal row in front of a carriage or a sleigh commonly featured on Russian folk art, pictures, novelties, and also in classic Russian literature, like for example in the world-famous novel ''Dead Souls'' of Nikolai Gogol.

Palekh lacquer miniature

To understand such a phenomenal national love for Troika, one should conceive the greatest role the horse used to play for centuries in Russia. Apart from the work, horses participated in all events of social life. Be it a wedding procession or merry Pancake week’s celebration, no holiday in the old days could be made without them. Much of this tradition is renovated nowadays. For example, many newly married couples instead of inevitable limousine, often book a romantic wedding carriage.

But perhaps flip side of the coin is that Troika always was something more than just three horses, harnessed abreast.

Designed to fast speed wide distance of spacey continent, where poor, mud-locked roads and snow still always rule, in some allegorical sense, it was always reflection of the spacious and also pretty reckless Russian soul.

‘Spacious soul’, 'big nature' – that likely be the first thing to hear from a Russian if asked about the Russian national character. The phrase may sound a commonplace, yet its meaning is not so easy to define. "Russian people are altogether spacious people, just like their land, and extremely inclined to the fantastic and disorderly", — a Dostoyevsky's character says in "Crime and Punishment".

And it is very true. Just imagine the vast expanses of this huge country stretching over the continent and uniting Europe and Asia, with a great variety of cultures, landscapes, and nations… and you will perceive its infinity that reverberates in the unconscious collective mind of its people. One human life is far from enough to see all the places of this land, its riches seems impossible to waste and sure, its spaces are quite hard to control. That’s where the Russian spontaneity and generosity from one hand and weakness for extremes and longing for the known from other hand, plus everlasting (charming though!) unpredictability come from. Nuclear cocktail LOL ;-))

Thus, troika symbol is not just prominent part of national heritage but in many respects the very essence of Russian mentality.

''[Troika] …It could not have been a more quintessentially Russian scene — at least to the eyes of westerners reared on Doctor Zhivago'', says Telegraph (you can read the full article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1543285/Russia-driving-a-sled-and-horses-back-to-past.html )

If you want to see with your own eyes what the real Troika racings is about, here is the video I found on-line today:

Oh and just in case, you’re enough adventurous to try this exotic, typically Russian thing during your stay, ''Gold Horseshoe'' (http://www.gold-podkova.ru/troika.htm) seems one of most well-established services, specializing exclusively in horse activities (troika experience included). Actually their website is in Russian only but I don’t mind to help you with translation if you got really interested.

Honestly, Russian troika ride is something you are going to fall in love from the very first minute! : )

* * *

OK, feels like here our conversation about winter fun in Russia draws to a close. I enjoyed talking to you about everything that makes Russian winter is so special and I hope at least one of national attractions captured your attention.

But I can’t let you go without one last word of caution: Russian winter time can be fascinating but it’s often insidious. So unless you are in a warm refuge, avoid drinking alcohol in open air especially during some celebrations. It may seem a popular national method to get warm but actually fastest way to get frostbite. Also, remember that depending on location you are about to visit, Russian winters can be quite cold and it is hard to get by without fur coat, hat and boots. Clothes should be fewer but when choosing them, make sure they are really warm.

Bon voyage!

Winter Fun in Russia. Part II (Russian Banya)

One more experience you can get fond of in winter is traditional Russian ‘’banya’’ [баня in Russian]. Generally, you can visit banya at any time of year but I feel when it is cold outside, hot banya becomes especially enjoyable pastime. :)

If you never heard about this remarkable thing before….well, it is pretty much like a Finnish sauna, even though these two are not fully the same. What makes them similar is their common mission: they both not just clean but heal your body as well. In fact, yet Hippocrates said that a “steam bath helps to cure diseases when all other means are helpless”.

Nowadays the Banya’s amazing effect was scientifically proved by Nobel Prize winner August Krogh, who discovered the benefits of steam in opening up the body’s capillaries, increasing blood flow and jump-starting the metabolism.

A bit of history of the phenomenon: the Russian Banya has been around literally for centuries, since medieval times, and has been a staple or culture and health in every part of Russia. Every village had at least one banya, which served as a place of not only bathing and cleanliness, but also as a place of magic and Slavic folklore, personified by the Banya’s Spirit: mischievous little sprite known as “Bannik”.

Bannik symbolized the place itself and was considered to be the guardian of the steam and also the caretaker of the banya and its residents. Moreover, there was unwritten ritual of communication between him and patrons of the banya, the last ones for example are expected to clean it after each use. In return, the spirit would reward his patrons with good heat. Old legend tells that banya etiquette implies to appease the Bannik everytime you go bathing: you should enter the banya clean and in a good spirits and to leave the same way.

Thus, banya used to be so very typical pastime for many generations of Russians, that it was even expressed in the painting, depicting banya scenes.

Moreover, many foreign travelers, when traveling through Russia, also recorded their first-hand observations about the incredible impact that the Russian banya had both on health and on its patron’s happiness. One of such observers was the Englishman William Tooke, a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg. Here is the extract of his diary: “It is not to be doubted that the Russians owe their longevity, their robust state of health, their little disposition to certain mortal diseases, and their happy and cheerful temper, mostly to the baths.”

That was written in 1799.

It’s 2009 now and nothing really changed! :)

Of course, today’s banya get modernized in every way possible but the ultimate idea stays intact: Russians love going to banya and Russians know how to benefit from it. To illustrate how almost genetically this love is wired in many of us, read what Great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin wrote of the banya in 1832: “The banya is like the Russian's second mother.”

Now let’s finally move from historical excursuses to most pleasant part: the banya EXPERIENCE as such.

Alright, here we go:

PLACE: Steam-room with bottom and top shelves that features a wood-burning masonry stove and is kept at temperature of above 200 degrees with 40-65 percent humidity.

THINGS TO DO: Well, there are no rules actually; apart from you should bath of course LOL. Normally, you start from laying down on one of shelves just to keep your entire body and head at the same temperature. Then you can follow up with getting an invigorating venik massage.

VENIK: Perhaps one of most important ingredients. A venik is a bundle of either birch, oak, or eucalyptus branches bound together that you either use yourself or ask someone to massage all over your body. It’s difficult to underestimate the health effect a good venik massage can do for you: it takes away not only any muscle pains you might have but all your troubles and worries as well. But beware: this procedure will also make you extremely famished, so expect to eat an elephant when you finally came out (I’m serious! :)

DOUSING WITH COLD WATER: When it gets too hot inside, they do practise dousing with fresh, cold water. Some even used to jump into snow for a few seconds (of course, it’s possibly only if you have an own banya that also located on your dacha or any other private land) and then quickly get back into steam room again. This quick change of temperatures produce a unique rejuvenating effect.

Still, for those willing to have a fully authentic Russian banya experience, you guys are not recommended to enter the cold dunk pool after the first journey into the banya. Remember the purpose of the banya is to cleanse and detoxify your body by opening the pores; what the cold dunk does is sealing in your pores quickly so that no more toxins, milk acid included (thing that makes you feeling tired) can leave your body.

At the same time, not so many people can bear the heat even for health effect and need some refreshing along the way, so here is the list of rules to follow for novice banya-goers:

• When entering the banya first time, start out by sitting on the bottom shelf so that your body has a chance to adjust to the increased temperature. It is necessary because the heat causes blood to flow from the center of the body to the extremities, and for a novice, this process will take some time.
  
• Don’t emulate the experienced bathers who will be able to immediately go to the top shelf. Practice makes perfect everyone and if pushing yourself too hard, you can end with being overheat and feeling sick instead of enjoying the experience.
  
• Make your stay in banya maximally comfortable: some folk even bring a felt hat to wear but I actually much prefer just wrapping a towel around my head to protect my ears and head from the heat.
  
• Avoid drinking alcohol while using the banya as this will further increase the effects of the heat on your body and your heart in a negative way.
  
• Do not eat a lot of food before entering the banya, as this directs a lot of blood toward your digestive track, while the heat directs heat to the outer shell of the body (i.e., your skin). Thus, the strain on your heart is very great because your blood cannot all be at your core and at your extremities at the same time.
  
• If you have any kind of diseases, check with your doctor first about using any banya’s facilities. As everyone knows, without proper preparations even best things can be injurious to your health and vice versa.

Bottom line: when done right, Russian banya is almost solemn performance, no spa can be compared. Even ONE such session guaranteed to give you not only physical refreshing but a real spiritual lift so you feel literally reborn. BTW, one more fact proving the beneficial influence of the banya is that it's safe and wholesome for your baby to join you there! Just wait till he or she turned at least 3-4 years and practice a sparing regimen (be sure to consult with a specialist).

My personal experience (and believe me, I am an avid banya goer and fan ;-))) is that banya gives you two things: 1) inner peace and 2) crystal-clear, positive vision of life. What else you need to feel absolutely happy?

Gotta LOVE it!

Winter Fun in Russia. Part I

There is the interesting (and sadly, shared by the most foreigners) misconception that traveling to Russia in winter is often complete waste of time due to pretty low temperatures and general lack of any activities during this season.

Is it really so?

OR your Russian trip can become the sort of adventure you'd remember for years?

Well, let me to be bold here and say that unless you're having a strong medical contra-indication to the cold (which is unlikely), there are lots and lots of opportunities to have fun in winter time too!

But before we'd talk about fun itself, I want to emphasize several reasons (or benefits) for choosing winter Russia as your travel destination.

A. Winter season is best time to buy air tickets to Russia at cheapest rates (unless of course, you book the last minute: then prices will get extremely high; as it always happens on the threshold of New Year, for example). The other good idea is to buy them directly from the leading Russian air carriers:

• Aeroflot (code SU, http://www.aeroflot.com/)
• Pulkovo ROSSIYA Airlines (code FV, http://www.pulkovo.ru/)
• Transaero (code UN, http://www.transaero.ru/)
• Kaliningrad Airlines (code K8, http://www.kdavia.ru/)
• Siberia Airlines (code S7, http://www.s7.ru/)

Their service is quite decent and on a personal note, I must say I always get sort of tickled at the tradition of everyone clapping when the plane lands ;-) They seem not doing it anywhere else apart from Russian airlines, don't they?

B. Winter season lets you catch the MOST fabulous (and very merry too!) national holiday: New Year. Basically, New Year for Russians is just like Catholic Christmas for westerners. Considering this comparison, can you guess how thrilling it promises to be?

C. Winter season is also the time when you can enjoy a very active cultural life. Just FYI, summer is dead season for most of Russian theaters: they either are closed or go on occasional tours. The season starts at least in the middle of October. So if you always dreamt to see a startling Russian ballet, enjoy classical opera or performance in Bolshoi Theater, certainly consider a winter (this is also when lots of premieres take place).

D. Finally, winter has its own number of specific attractions, that I'll try to briefly describe below.

First of all, it's of course ourdoor activities. Even it typically gets dark around 4-5 p.m. but it still leaves your with plenty of time to walk, ski, snowmobile or even visit ice exhibitions that are frequently arranged in many Russian cities.

Then (and I know it can sound somewhat weird...but I'll tell it anyway) crispy day with lots of snow and bright sun sometimes can enchant you much more than oppressive heat of summer! Yes, YES and don't smile, my friend. ;-) Just bear in mind that you won’t find such lovely days in big cities: snow is either removed or melts quickly there. Travel to meet with this rimy fairy-tale to small, sleepy town where the like romantic landscapes still can be found. Chances are, you’d discover ‘’true Russia’’ spirit, glorified by many famous Russian writers, artists and poets.

If you’re a city animal (and that's what I definitely AM), go to ice-skating rink and join a cheerful, lively crowd. You see, ice-skating rinks become more and more popular in Russia these days. They are usually decorated with lights, giant Christmas tree, which accompanied with a light music create a bit old-fashioned but utterly romantic atmosphere.

Actually, there always was the nice tradition of two sweethearts, skating together in Russia. I even asked my granny yesterday and she proves the fact!

So today as never before it's extremely cool to take your date to go skating instead of banal hanging out in the streets or chatting in coffee shop. However...you still can meet there lots of parents with little children and even some elderly couples! As they say, love is ageless ;-)

Well, I think it is enough for today and stay tuned for Part II…I’ve stored up some more wonderful winter ideas for you :)

P.S. Wait, and just in case you made up your mind to go after my little ''marketing campaign'' LOL , winter season in Russia usually starts from the middle of November and lasts till February. February in its turn is one of most chilly months, so don’t forget your fur hat : )

Russian Winter Magic

It is softly snowing today in my hometown, Saratov as I'm typing it.

Dunno about you but to me snowing always is miracle thing.

Remember what greatest Danish story-teller Hans Christian Andersen wrote in one of his remarkable stories: "….Looks like as though the old woman is plucking her geese..."?

Well, that's what actually happens now outside: world slowly becomes silent, white and soaring place...

Now you might be surprised with my excitement but it's my strong belief that it takes to be born in Russia to appreciate a winter to that pretty abnormal extent, we Russians do! ;-)

And seriously, ask me why I everytime go almost gaga, just because of watching snow-flakes? Why I find romantic walking in the snow-covered streets with my sweetheart so-o-o romantic? Why I love the color of winter sky (deep, deep blue...you're never going to see THAT gorgeous in summer!)? Why I feel myself a little girl as the clock is striking twelve in New Year’s night?

And finally, why on earth I find an almost hedonistic joy in jumping into hot tub after getting all frozen outside? I hardly can explain to you...but deep down in my heart, I know that there are a few explanations for this winter magic.

First, Russian winter is never grey, gloomy or depressive unlike what you probably read, heard or were told before. Yes, it’s still maybe quite sentimental: these lilac-pink-purple sunsets; but overall it is pretty mild weather, especially if you choose to abandon a buzzing megapolis and take a ride to some remote and virgin suburb area. Read more about Traditional Russian Winter Fun in the next post.

Secondly, winter is one of most special seasons in Russian calendar due to lots of holidays, falling at this time.

• New Year (31 Dec to 1st Jan);
• Russian Orthodox Christmas (7 Jan);
• ‘’Old New Year’’ (from 13 to 14 Jan); Old New Year is celebrated due to the difference between Julian (old style) calendar which Russian Orthodox church still adheres to and Gregorian (new style) calendar.
• Epiphany (19 Jan);

Oh I forgot to mention here longest school vacation for children and pretty laid-back schedule for adults (this year for example, it was two weeks of days-off running before anyone ever started working again! LOL).

OK, now enough of writing. I want to share with you some amazing shots that tell you better than anyone about beauty of a true Russian winter.

White tracery – almost a peacock’s feather!

«DSC01491.JPG Ледянной цветок для милой принцессы...!!!» на Яндекс.Фотках

Hmmm, that’s perhaps one of those fabulous sunsets I mentioned above. It’s cozy to walk and think in such calm evenings…all alone…twilight sky, lonely bird's song, and brisk air. I bet, you already heard about inscrutable ‘Russian soul’? Often it refers to exactly this condition of perfect solitude that only a Russian person can appreciate as ideal for philosophic reflection and soul-searching. We are the nation of thinkers, above all.

«Зимний пейзаж в долине реки» на Яндекс.Фотках

Or how about this fantastic moonlit night? The cat is almost flying thru the air but it seems the photographer specially wanted it so? ;-)

«Фунтик в зимней сказке» на Яндекс.Фотках

Finally, enjoy these beautiful landscapes by Michail Tkachev… what a serenity!

Stay warm!! :)
I’ll be back soon.