Cultural Observations: And the List Goes On

My list of observations was beginning to get quite long, so to spare you all the pain, I cut the thing in half. The following is another set of cultural differences I have noticed while in Russia.

Mirrors - Looking presentable at all times is a major concern in Russia. To help remedy the situation, there are a lot of mirrors everywhere. For example, there are two mirrors in the elevator in my apartment. At the university, there is a huge full-length mirror on our way to classes. If you need to check your hair or your make-up, you can easily find a spot to do so. I do not believe this obsession with presentation is because Russians are vain, I honestly just believe that they want to look nice, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Fashion - Women wear heels, men carry handbags. The women in Saint Petersburg can be very classy. Most wear either skirts or dresses and have on nice shoes, mainly something with a heel. Some heels are ridiculously high. I do not understand how some women walk, although I have seen a fair share of those who do have difficulty in their heels. At first, I felt out of place in my tennis shoes on the metro, because I looked scroungier; however, I quickly dispensed with that idea and chose comfort over fashion. Women also carry handbags and backpacks are a rarity. Tennis shoes AND a backpack, what am I thinking? The men in Saint Petersburg tend to dress decently too, but there is more variation in their styling then in the women's. You can see two guys standing next to each other in the metro, one in jeans and a t-shirt, the other in a suit. Also, man bags are a very popular item in Saint Petersburg. I believe this trend is a mix of a fashion statement and practicality.

Lines - Patience! Russians have a lot of patience. They are okay with waiting a while for the next metro train to come or in a long line at the store. However, when you see Russian lines, the word "patience" does not come to mind. A line in Russia is a glob, no single file, orderly fashion here. People just jumble together and hope for the best. Surprisingly, Russians adhere to who was first in line. When I was waiting for stamps in the post office, when a new lady would come in (there seemed to be a lack of males that day), she would claim a spot behind whoever was last in line and then go stand somewhere else in the room. Everyone knew who was in front and behind of them. At one point, when one girl tried to cut in line, some of the ladies started yelling. It was intense. All because of a spot in line. Anyway, since lines in Russia tend to be a glob, there is a lack of personal space. The little old lady behind you will come stand next to you while you are paying just to make sure she gets her spot. This is all an extremely normal procedure in Russia, and it can easily frustrate your average American who is accustomed to orderly, single file lines.

Medicine - Russians treat illnesses differently than Americans. In the U.S., we usually jack up on drugs and wait for it to pass. Russians resort to home remedies instead of the medicine cabinet. Now, I personally would rather take some medicine and wait for whatever it is to pass. However, when in Russia... A few weeks ago, I got a cold consisting of a sore throat and stuffy nose. I did have some medicine with me and was prepared to wait it out. However, once my host mom heard my coughs and sniffles, out came the home remedies. It was very sweet of her to take such good care of me and it was interesting to experience the home remedies we talked about in Russian class when learning vocabulary about being sick. For my sore throat, I was not to eat or drink anything cold, only hot items. So I was given hot tea, and then a bowl of honey and a bowl of jam. I was supposed to eat and drink all three items in order to feel better. My host mom also gave me some medicine to take as well. Before I went to bed, I was supposed to eat more honey and jam but with hot milk this time. It was all very strange to me, but it was definitely a Russian experience.

Flowers we gave to one of our professors

Flowers and Gifts - When going to visit someone, you bring a gift. It is a sign of appreciation and respect. Flowers and chocolates are the most popular. There are numerous stores that just sell little trinkets for Russians to take with them on visits. Every corner has a 24-hour "producty" and a flower shop. I love seeing fresh flowers all over and I think it is a wonderful and kind idea to give people flowers. You do not have to take a lot, 1, 3, or 5 flowers will do the job. (For those who caught on, one may only give flowers in odd numbers, even numbers of flowers are reserved for funerals only. Another Russian superstition.) And there are so many kinds of flowers to choose from! And all of the stores have multiple flower arrangements and ways to dress your bouquet up fancy if you wish. In order to show your appreciation, it is respectful to present your teachers with flowers on the last day of classes. So this past week we have been dealing out the flowers and gift giving. When we gave each of our teachers a bundle of flowers, their faces light up with gratitude and surprise; they thoroughly appreciated the gesture. It was definitely nice to participate in such a kind Russian tradition. The fresh flowers (and fruit) are one of my favorite things about everyday Russian life. It is so common to have fresh flowers on your table or to give someone a flower or three. In America, it seems flowers are reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and anniversaries. In my opinion, flowers brighten up life and should be more common in the States!

Student IDs - Student IDs are an absolute treasure trove in Russia! When we started university in St. Petersburg, we were given an official Russian Student ID. One, it is cool and official looking. No plastic ID cards here. Two, it gets you into almost everything for free or extremely discounted. Out of all the places I have gone sight-seeing at in Russia, I have had to pay to get in less than 5 times. It has saved me so much money. Instead of paying $8 to get in somewhere, I just show them my ID and in I go. My ID even got me into the world-renowned Bolshoi Theatre for $3! It is absolutely wonderful and I am very grateful to have it during my travels. Now, if only my student ID would get me into more places for free in the U.S., I would be set. I know we have many student discounts, but free is always better!

Newlyweds!

Weddings - In Russia, weddings are an extravagance of celebration. Weddings are a long, drawn out ordeal full of many traditions. For starters, the actual wedding is not held in a church. Instead, the couple is married in a government building. After the ceremony, if they so desire, the newlyweds may have a second ceremony in the church. Second, wedding celebrations last several days. The party usually lasts for two days, if not longer. The days are filled with amusement, dancing, drinking, and eating with friends and family. It is certainly tiring, but the fun and memories are guaranteed. Another tradition of Russian weddings is for the bride and groom to go around the city and take pictures at famous places. This is the tradition that I am the most familiar with, because almost not a day goes by that I do not see a newly married couple out taking pictures. The brides are, usually, quite beautiful in their fluffy, white or off-white dresses. (It has become a habit to rate the dresses as they pass by.) The grooms in their snazzy tuxes. And friends and family in tow with glasses of champagne and flowers. Russian weddings seem like a truly unique experience, from an American point of view, and they seem full of happiness and cheer. In the U.S., you usually do not see a newly married couple out and about, and it can be easy to forget that people are getting married all the time. This joyous occasion is not forgotten in Russia, where one is reminded of this celebration of love daily. Once home, I shall definitely miss passing by delighted and enamored newlyweds frolicking about town.

Cultural Observations

One of the several reasons to study abroad is to experience a different culture, to immerse oneself in something entirely new, and improve one's global perspective.

After almost eight weeks living in Russia, I have noticed a multitude of cultural differences between my host country and my home country. Some differences are good, some are intriguing, and some take getting used to.

As my friends and I have begun to long for home over the past few weeks, we have talked a lot about the cultural differences we have experienced. We are making observations about the different lifestyles, but observations sometimes turn into complaints or longing. There is a lot of stuff that I miss about the States; family, friends, my own bed, but there are little things too that one would not normally think of. As we discuss, I take note of the cultural differences we have experienced, and thought I would share some of them on my blog. Please keep in mind that these observations are from a biased point of view. I have only lived in one Russian city for two months, and I do not know how all Russians live. However, the anecdotes below are from my experiences and I have tried to include both the good and the bad. A lot of these observations are a collection of things discussed with other students from the program and are based off of combined experiences. So, I welcome you to take a little peek into the everyday lifestyle of some Russians.

Meal at Carl's Jr.
Although I had to pay for the Ketchup, it is the one
spot in town that has free ice and unlimited refills.

Restaurants - The restaurant industry and culture is relatively new in Russia. In 1990, the first McDonald's opened in the Soviet Union, and people waited in line for hours to get their first glimpse, and bite, of American culture. Due to the wage system in Russia, tips are low and service is slow. The staff is usually friendly, but, in comparison to American servers who will do anything for a good tip, one's server is not very attentive. It takes forever to get your check, and it all comes on one bill, so no separate checks for the group of eight. Meals for Russians are events. Russians can spend hours in a restaurant, eating several courses and enjoying the conversation and company. Partly due to this, meals do not always come out at the same time. One person will get their meal, then five minutes later someone else's meal will make an appearance, and five minutes later another dish comes out. Nonetheless, I have been able to try several kinds of food and experience many types of Russian restaurants. Although you can spend a lot of time at a restaurant, if you plan accordingly, it can be nice to sit and relax for a while just chatting with friends after a long day of sight seeing.

Drinks  - This warrants a category of its own, because it is probably one of the little things I miss the most about the States. For starters, you cannot drink the water. One must drink bottled water, or go through several stages of purifying the water. That in itself is not a big deal, but the lack of water factors into water at restaurants. In Russia, there is no such thing as free water. Anywhere. Getting a bottle of water costs more than getting a bottle of pop. I spent $5 at a restaurant the other day on one bottle of water. And all drinks ordered anywhere come in an unopened bottle with a glass. And no free refills either. Also, ice is a rarity in Russia. I am definitely ready to order a tall glass of ice and a pitcher of water at the first restaurant I go to back home.

Even the Mexican food lacks a kick!

Spice - Many Russian dishes lack an amount of spice or flavoring. Salt, pepper, and dill seem to be the staple here. Mayonnaise can be put on quite a lot of things. However, when cooking, not a lot of spices are used. I could gladly go for some ranch or barbecue sauce sometimes. The chicken, potatoes, noodles, you name, it all come plain with no added kick. It also seems that Russians cannot handle the heat when it comes to spices. Anything with a little bit of heat is marked on restaurant menus. The server at the Mexican restaurant pointed out the "hot" salsa to us, although it turned out to be pretty mild. There is not a lot of kick or spice to many dishes, but I have learned to appreciate the basic things and have learned to eat more of my vegetables. I use the vegetables with my dinner to "dress up" the rest of my dinner and have one lovely combo of fresh food in almost every bite.

Freshness - There is a lot of fresh produce in Russia.  At every meal my host mom serves me, we have a salad consisting of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. An entire shelf in her refrigerator is full of cucumbers from the dacha. There are a ton of fresh berries in the fridge and the occasional melon. On several street corners, you can find little stands with ladies selling fresh fruit and vegetables.

Milk - In Russia, most of the milk is sold in bags, not plastic cartons. I just find it amusing, and thought I would enlighten everyone on the milk situation in Russia. To me, milk in a bag sounds funny. Several host moms will not let their students pour their own milk for fear that we cannot handle milk in a bag. The milk percentage is also a lot higher in Russian than in the U.S. There is currently a bag of 2.5% milk in my host mom's fridge; early this week it was 3.5%.

Laundry - Most Russian families have a washer, but no dryer. Instead, they choose to do laundry the semi-old fashioned way and hang it out to dry. Most families have places in their homes on which to lay out clothes to dry, rather than hanging them out on a clothes line for all to see. It also seems to me that Russians do not use fabric softener. I know that a lot of our clothes come out starchy and we long for a bottle of Snuggles or Bounce.

Bathrooms - In Russia, there is the toilet and there is the bathroom. Two separate rooms. The toilet is a little room with just the toilet in it. The bathroom contains the sink and the tub. And sometimes, the bathroom is in the kitchen. All apartments are set up differently, but fortunately for me, the bathroom is not in the kitchen. The two separate rooms thing has taken some getting used to, mainly just remembering to turn on and off the lights multiple times. I personally see no particular benefit for having two separate rooms, but the reasoning is for cleanliness.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner
of Azkaban in Russian

House Slippers - Russian women take pride in their household and try to keep it clean as much as possible. Walking about the city all day long and riding the metro are dirty tasks, and when you arrive home you have brought all of that dirt along with you. In order to remedy part of that situation, when you arrive home there are two things you must do before anything else. First, you must take off your jacket and shoes. However, you cannot walk around in your socks or bare feet, cleanliness and old superstitions play a factor in this. So, every person has their own pair of house slippers. You wear them around in the house, and you leave them by the door when you are out. After you have disposed of your dirty outer wear, you go straight to the sink and wash your hands. Again, it is a grimy world out there, particularly that metro. (Actually, program students have decided that the metro is pretty clean and nice in comparison to other metros, especially in NYC.) After you have your house slippers and clean hands, you are free to go about your business in the apartment. A lot of Russians also change their clothes as well, having their own house clothes. If you are guest in the house, no worries! Most families tend to have a few extra pairs of house slippers lying about just for you! My favorite thing about the slippers, however, is that they let you know who is home and who is away. House slippers are the less sophisticated muggle equivalent of Mrs. Weasley's kitchen clock.

A Palace in Pushkin

I have exactly one week left in St. Petersburg, and today I took my last big excursion in Russia. I really enjoyed my adventure today, and it is in the top three of the best things I have done since being in Russia.

I woke up earlier than I would have liked to on a Saturday. It was a beautiful day out and I put my sunscreen on before leaving. For me, the smell of sunscreen signals that an adventure is about to take flight. I was ready and extremely excited. A few of us hopped on a "mini-taxi" and headed out of the city to one of its suburbs. A group of Italian tourists joined our ride, and their lively chatter added an extra level of enthusiasm to our journey. The constant "Ciao Bella" that persisted non-stop for almost five minutes shall forever be my go-to Italian phrase.

We reached the suburb, a quaint little place called Pushkin. As we drove through the town, we quickly realized that it was no ordinary Russian city. It had a quaint, magical element about it. And yes, I used "quaint" to describe the area twice; it is not that I lack the vocabulary, but the fact that quaint really does summarize Pushkin excellently. I loved the atmosphere of the town, it was a new experience that you cannot find in a large city.

When we finally arrived at our destination, I was filled with a wild anticipation. I knew that I needed to come here when I first learned that I would be studying in St. Petersburg for a summer. I had read numerous books that included this place. So much history was contained on these grounds, so much history that I have devoured. Today, I finally got to experience a place that had only resided in my imagination, Tsarskoe Selo.

Catherine's Palace

Catherine's Palace

Palace Interiors

Tsarskoe Selo contains two palaces, expansive grounds, and several other infrastructures. Catherine's Palace and Park is the most well-known and most visited part of Tsarskoe Selo. And that is where we set out for first. The exterior of the palace was extensive and ornate. After standing in lines for about two hours, we were finally walking up the staircase to the palace interiors. We thought the outside of the palace was ornate, but it was nothing compared to the inside. The rooms were covered in gold engravings, there was so much gold! The ballroom was designed entirely of mirrors and gold. The dinning room and drawing rooms were decked out in their own fair share of gold. It was surprising to believe that people actually lived here on a daily basis.

And then we stumbled upon the famous Amber Room. The Amber Room is an entire room made out of amber. It is absolutely incredible, elaborate, ridiculous, beautiful, and expensive. And it was all a gift from the Prussian king to Peter the Great. During World War II, the room was looted by Nazis and most of the original materials have never been seen again. Two parts of the room have been discovered and returned, but the rest of the room has been refurnished due in part to a large contribution from a German company.

Catherine Park

Catherine Park

After the palace, we explored the Catherine Park. It was huge and gorgeous. Beautiful landscapes, numerous buildings scattered throughout the grounds, and a large lake in the middle made the park very picturesque. It was so pleasant just to stroll by the waters edge, feeling the light breeze, and slowly taking in all of the sights and sounds.

The construction of the Catherine Palace began in 1717 under the orders of Catherine I. Elizabeth I added much of the extravagant exterior. However, the palace is most often associated with Catherine the Great who actually disapproved of the reckless lavishness of the palace. After Catherine's death, the palace was abandoned for one of the several other palaces in the Romanov family's possession. One such palace was the nearby Alexander Palace.

We walked through the Catherine Park and then walked across a street and entered the Alexander Park. This park was not as elaborate in its design, but it was quieter as we roamed under canopies of trees. After a little wandering, we found the palace.

Alexander Palace

The Alexander Palace was commissioned by Catherine the Great for her favorite grandson, Alexander I. Four tsars and their families lived in this palace, but it is best known as the favorite residence of Nicholas II and his family. And this one particular place was the entire reason I wanted to come to Tsarskoe Selo.

I would not call Nicholas II my favorite tsar, but his story is the one I am most fascinated by and the one that motivated me to study Russian. In my readings, I have learned so much about him and his family's time spent at Tsarskoe Selo. I knew I needed to visit Alexander Palace, and it did not disappoint.

Clothes wore by the family

Billiards Room

When I first saw the palace, I knew immediately why Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra, loved it so much. In comparison with all the other Romanov palaces I have visited, the Alexander Palace is the simplest and least ornate. In my mind, the design of the palace fit perfectly with what I knew of the family and their personalities. And inside, I felt at home, as I knew the layout because of my readings. The family lived in one wing of the palace on two floors. And the wing consisted of one hallway with rooms on either side. We were only able to walk through the first floor, but I knew Alexandra's rooms and Nicholas's rooms. The rooms were so homey and so much like I pictured. I saw outfits the family wore, the icons they prayed to, the desks Alexandra and Nicholas wrote love letters to each other on, the room Alexandra spent her time in on the countless occasions she was ill. I could imagine the family living in this palace and then, after Nicholas's abdication, their confinement in the wing. It was all so real and all so wonderful to me.

In case you have not stumbled upon the fact, I love history. I love what other people's lives can teach us. I love learning from previous mistakes, and then improving upon them the next time. I view historical analysis as a building block to carving out new paths for the future. Books can only get you so far, eventually you have to view the history firsthand. And that is what I was able to do today. I got to visit the home of a family that I know so well and have learned so much from, a family who's story helps define a country's past.

"Night" at the Museum

The State Hermitage Museum housed in the Winter Palace

I have now been to the Hermitage twice. Both explorations were completely different and completely wonderful.

The State Hermitage Museum is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world.  It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great as a private collection. Since 1852, the museum has been open to the public. Catherine the Great had the original Hermitage added on to the Winter Palace along the banks of the Neva River in Saint Petersburg. Today, the Hermitage is located in its original branch of the palace, but has overtaken the entire palace to display only a portion of its priceless exhibits. The Hermitage's website claims a collection of over three million works of art and artifacts.

The Throne Room, viewed over the heads of many tour groups

My first visit to the Hermitage was during my first week in Russia. We were given a guided tour, in English thankfully, through the palace interiors and a portion of the Italian and French art exhibits. I stood in the throne room and the ballroom. I saw a gigantic gold clock with an owl, a peacock, and a rooster that one of Catherine the Great's favorites gave to her. I walked in rooms where the royal family spent their days. I saw waiting rooms and dressing rooms. I saw the little door in the wall that led to the room where Catherine the Great died. As a fan of imperial history, I was taking in as much as possible.

After the palace interiors, which I found to be my favorite of the day, we moved on to art collections. After going to several art museums in Saint Petersburg, I have discovered that I am really not an art person. I can appreciate aspects of the art, but it is just not my thing. I did, however, see my first da Vinci and Michelangelo. So that in itself is a cultural achievement in my life.

The Hermitage is huge: three floors, hundreds of rooms, and millions of things to see. People claim that you can spend a week in the museum and still not see everything. With that said, of course I needed a second gander!

Palace Interiors

On Wednesdays, instead of closing at 5:00, the museum is open until 9:00. Can you say score? Although we only had an hour and half to explore the museum, it was an incredible experience. Tourist groups were not clogging the rooms and you could freely go wherever you wanted. I could stand and gaze at a tapestry for five minutes or skip to the paintings that actually interested me. We started by viewing the "France: 19th - 20th Centuries" exhibit. I saw Renoirs and van Goghs, although Monet was my favorite. I actually appreciated some of the paintings, and I could view the art long enough to pick a favorite. It was very pleasant to wander the quiet halls that the Romanov family once waltzed in and ran through.

Our final stop was the Siberian Antiquities exhibit. It took us a while to find the exhibit, because the main route was under construction. But we had the opportunity to see other collections while finding the one we wanted. To get there, we walked down the staircase that the Bolsheviks ran up while storming the Winter Palace during the October Revolution of 1917. So much history!

Palace Interiors

Twenty minutes before closing, we found the exhibit. We met several antsy volunteers who just wanted to leave, but no one was stopping us from getting there. The Siberian exhibit was pretty amazing. The first thing I saw were death masks from the 4th-3rd century BC still attached to the skulls. Then, there was a horse saddle from the same time period, with the horse underneath it. There were so many old cloths and tools, it is a wonder how all of it survived. But the gem of the exhibit is the mummy we got to view. In a glass case, for everyone to see, is a Siberian mummy. It is all there, and if my Russian skills were a little more advanced I could explain how the body was able to be so well preserved for thousands of centuries. Although a little disgusting at times, the exhibit was really cool and something I never would have thought existed in the Hermitage.

It was just about closing time, so we thought it best to find the exit. We made our way back to the area one of the ladies originally told us was the exit. Well, we ran into another lady and she pointed us in a different direction, so off we went. One plus was that with our new path, we got to see more stuff! However, we ran into some other ladies, including the original one who gave us directions. They were closing up one of the corridors, so one of the nice ladies personally escorted us to the main entrance hall of the Hermitage. We briskly walked through a back area, Russian ladies were jabbering at us, and the lights were going off. It might not seem that way, but it was a really cool and odd experience. It was a crazy five minutes getting out of the building, but it was the icing on the cake.

In one night, I went from 18th century French art to really old mummies, all in one place. I stood where the tsars held balls and had family hour. The Hermitage is truly amazing. The palace is elegant and extravagant and exquisite, a dream come true for me. It is an absolute must-see while in Saint Petersburg.

Main Staircase of the Hermitage - where all the tours begin

Pushkin is Our Everything

Considering that my blog's title references Alexander Pushkin, I feel it is only fitting to share my experience visiting one of his apartments.

Last week, I was able to take a guided tour through the Alexander Pushkin Museum and Memorial Apartment. The museum and memorial is situated in the last apartment rented by Pushkin, and it consequently happens to be the place where he died.

"Pushkin is our everything" is a very common phrase in Russia. Pushkin is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and is also credited as the founder of the modern Russian language.

Pushkin statue at his apartment museum

He was born in 1799 in Moscow and died in 1837. The poet was born into Russian nobility and received a very privileged education. One of the many intrigues of Pushkin's past is that one of his great-grandfathers was an African slave brought over to Russia and who eventually became an aristocrat. Pushkin became committed to social reform and was exiled for several years. Upon his return, he requested permission from the tsar to continue writing but was concerned with the strict limitations placed upon literature by the censors. Tsar Nicholas I allowed Pushkin to continue his works, and in order to overcome the issue of the censors, all of Pushkin's manuscripts were sent to the tsar to read. Subsequently, the tsar became Pushkin's personal editor.

In 1831, Pushkin married Natalya Goncharova, and the couple eventually had four children. Natalya was the belle of the ball, the beauty of the social circle. Pushkin loved his wife and called her his muse. However, Natalya's beauty attracted several men, even while she was married, and a scandal broke out that she was having an affair. In order to uphold his and his family's honor, Pushkin challenged his wife's alleged lover to a duel. Pushkin was fatally shot, and after two days of anguish, he died in his apartment.

I stood in the very room that Pushkin died in. I saw the couch he bled out on for two days; the clock his friend stopped when Pushkin took his final breath. I saw his desk, and the candle holders which lit the room while he penned his classic tales. It was a place of triumph, a place of suffering, a place of history.

Pushkin statue in front of the Russian State Museum

Pushkin was not only a great writer, but he made up his own language, which today is the modern Russian language. When he needed a word for his poem, but it did not exist, he just made it up. And through his wonderful stories, people were able to pick up on the new words and begin using them. Some of his greatest works include Ruslan and Ludmila, Boris Godunov, The Queen of Spades, The Captain's Daughter, and several fairy tales. Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman is about the worst flood in Saint Petersburg's history (ironically, Pushkin was in exile during the flood and did not actually experience it himself). The title is in reference to the famous statue of Peter the Great on horseback, and Pushkin's tale gave the statue the name it is now known by. Pushkin also penned Eugene Onegin, which was turned into an opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The story and music is also used as a ballet, which just happens to be what I saw at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In the museum, I saw original copies of Pushkin's work. I saw drafts of Eugene Onegin and The Bronze Horseman. Although I could hardly decipher his handwriting, especially with so many words crossed out, it was amazing to view the original works and thought process of Pushkin. His drafts also included doodles about the story he was writing. On top of being a fantastic poet, Pushkin was also a very good drawer.

Alexander Pushkin is everywhere: statues, bookshops, movies, postage stamps, he even has his own holiday. Worthy of note, Pushkin Day is on June 6, his birthday, which also happens to be when people celebrate Russian Language Day. Coincidence? I think not. Pushkin and his works are deeply ingrained in Russian culture, and practically all Russians have read his works. If they have not read them, then they have seen the tales in movies, ballets, operas, and cartoons. Due to his immense contributions to Russian culture, language, and life, Pushkin really is Russia's everything.

My Journey in Moscow

Last weekend I visited Moscow, the capital of Russia. I have heard numerous stories of how different Moscow and Saint Petersburg are, and I was able to experience that difference for myself.

A little on the differences of the two cities:

Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and become extremely Westernized. The city is known as Russia's cultural capital. Moscow, on the other hand, was established sometime before 1147, and over the years exerted its influence to become the capital of Russia.  The Bolsheviks returned the capital to Moscow in 1918 and it has remained so since. Moscow is known as the political capital of Russia.

Moscow is huge, spread out, and extremely metropolitan. Saint Petersburg does not seem as big and is much more provincial. Moscow has its own skyscrapers and modern buildings. The streets of Saint Petersburg are lined with old buildings that are no taller than the spire on Peter and Paul Cathedral.

So the trip:

I got to ride on a train! It seemed like something out of Harry Potter. I was extremely excited. We took an overnight train to Moscow. It had 4-person compartments and we slept on the train. Then we arrived in the capital at 9:00 in the morning. A whole day for adventure! After breakfast, we had a bus tour throughout the city. Now I have already shared my opinion on bus tours, and this bus tour reconfirmed my feelings. I was unsatisfied and longed for adventure after the tour.

Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre

So what did I do to quench that desire? I waited in line for tickets to the Bolshoi Theatre! The theatre was founded in 1776 and opened in 1856. It holds performances of ballet and opera, and each of its companies are among the oldest and most renowned in the world. Due to its extravagant history and amazing performances, tickets are expensive and hard to get. Lucky for us, the Bolshoi has a special program for students where it sets aside a certain number of student tickets each night which cost a little over $3. We were extremely lucky to get tickets and I am very glad that we did. We saw the premiere of the ballet Eugene Onegin. It was absolutely spectacular and I loved every minute of it! Seeing a performance at the Bolshoi Theatre is just awesome in itself, but the ballet made the experience my favorite in Moscow.

Saturday I woke up early in order to go see Vladimir Lenin. His body is preserved and displayed in a mausoleum situated in the middle of Red Square. It sounds a little creepy, and it is. Well, we got there and Red Square was closed. So no Lenin for us. Instead, I saw the Duma (Russia's parliament), the old KGB building, the gardens next to the Kremlin, Lenin's Library, and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Then, it was a tour of the Kremlin!

Putin's helicopter pad

Inside the Kremlin

The Kremlin was my second favorite thing in Moscow. The Kremlin, any kremlin for that matter, is a fort that surrounded the city and protected it. Over time, of course, Moscow expanded outside its kremlin walls, but the Kremlin continued to have a prominent role. First, we toured the Armoury Chamber, which houses a wonderful collection of imperial items. Thrones, carriages, gifts, Faberge eggs. It was a wonderful collection of history and I did not want to leave the building, but there was more to see. We passed the residence of the President of the Russian Federation, although Putin does not live there. Then, we saw the building that houses Putin's office, and yes he does work there. Recently, Putin had a helicopter pad installed inside the Kremlin in order to avoid shutting down the traffic of Moscow whenever he comes, which we saw. We were also able to see "church square" and went inside the cathedral where all the Romanov tsars had their coronations. The Kremlin was filled with years of history and was a little hidden-away world of its own.


Next, some of us took a trip to the gigantic, and supposedly cheap, souvenir market. The market was outside and composed of stalls where people were selling their "wares." It was a fun shopping experience, looking at all of the stuff and trying to find the best deal. I walked away with numerous purchases that I was extremely proud of; however, my wallet was not as happy.

After we dropped our treasures off at the hotel and relaxed for a little while, it was off to dinner, followed by pictures on Red Square. Moscow actually gets dark, as it is further south than Saint Petersburg. It was nice to feel and see the night. We took a stroll down Arabat Street in order to soak in the darkness and the Moscow atmosphere. The street is closed off to cars, and is lined with numerous little cafes and shops. All of the shops were closed by the time we got there, but there was still plenty of sights and sounds to take in. Along on the street, there were a lot of street performers hoping to make some rubles. From singers, to poetry readers, to a man who juggled and claimed he could ride a flaming unicycle (we stopped to watch, but after 15 minutes, several dropped pins, and no flaming unicycle, we left). Moscow was very pretty and alive at night. It was a fun experience, and I am little sad that I will not truly be able to see Saint Petersburg lit up in its nighttime splendor.

Cosmonautics Memorial Museum

Cosmonautics Memorial Museum

Sunday morning I woke up sick. No fun, so I went back to bed. I managed to drag myself out and get ready in order to go to the Cosmonautics Memorial Museum. It was definitely worth the venture out of bed. I was able to see the first two living creatures that traveled to space; the Soviets stuffed the two dogs who are now displayed in their own glass cases. There was also a lot on Yuri Gagarin, who was the first man in space. The Russians adore him, as they should.


After the museum, I went back to the hotel to sleep off whatever it was I caught. After a nap and several hours of the news, I was finally beginning to feel better. I felt much better on Monday, and was totally fine by Tuesday when we got back to Saint Petersburg. For those of you who were concerned, I am completely better. Relaxing in the hotel was kind of nice, because I did not completely wipe myself out while in Moscow and was able to enjoy the adventures on the last day in Moscow.

Tree houses and adventure courses

Buran space shuttle

Monday, three of us explored two of Moscow's parks and the Borodino Battle Panorama Museum. The Battle of Borodino was the largest and bloodiest day during the French invasion of Russia and the Napoleonic Wars. It was a decisive battle that eventually led to Russia's defeat of Napoleon. In order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the war, Franz Roubaud was commissioned to paint a panorama depicting one of the events of 1812. The panorama has been on display for almost 101 years. On a completely different note, Moscow's parks are amazing! A park in Moscow is no ordinary park. First, we wandered through Gorky Park, one of the city's most famous parks. There were large fountains, a pond where one could rent paddle boats, carousels (we passed two), restaurants, and a spaceship. Yes, a spaceship. It is a test-unit, so it never had an actual trip to space, but it was still cool to stand next to! The second park we visited was next to our hotel. The previous night it hosted an Italian festival. This park has its own walking trails, multiple restaurants, and a mini-park full of tree houses for children. The parks were also extremely clean and well-kept, which just added to their marvel and splendor.

Inside St. Basil's

Mexican food!

In between the two parks, my friend and I headed back to Red Square and went inside St. Basil's. St. Basil's is the iconic picture of Russia that almost everyone knows. It is the on with the numerous swirled-spiraled domes sitting in Red Square. The cathedral is gorgeous on the outside and just as gorgeous on the the inside. All of the walls were intricately designed with multiple patterns, I do not know how people found the time or patience to do such a thing. After St. Basil's, we were hungry, so we wandered into one of the malls next to Red Square. And what did we find inside? A Mexican restaurant! Of course we had to eat there for it was such an exciting find. The two American girls received chips and salsa compliments of the chef and a delicious quesadilla. Now, it may not have been the best Mexican ever, but it was Mexican in Russia and we gladly took it. Here is a little anecdote on Russian cuisine: When the waitress brought out the chips and salsa, she pointed to one of them and explained that it was spicy. Well, it really was not, it was quite delicious. I have decided that Russians have a low tolerance for spicy food, because there is rarely spice on their meals. So my friend and I were grateful for a little kick to our plates.

St. Basil's at night

After a nighttime bus tour through the city, including night pictures of Red Square, it was back to the train station. This time the train did not hold as much charm, but it was still cool and a nice place to sleep for the evening. I spent four days in Russia's capital, which of course is never enough. But I was able to see the highlights and I thoroughly enjoyed myself (besides the whole getting sick ordeal). Moscow was definitely a wonderful adventure and chapter in my journey in Russia!

The Romanov Dynasty: My Reason for Studying in Saint Petersburg

This past weekend, I was able to explore Russia's capital, Moscow. However, today is an infamous day in Russian history. Moscow adventures will have to wait and instead I would like to focus on the Romanov dynasty.

The Romanov dynasty is the imperial family that ruled Russia for over 300 years, from 1613 to 1917.  In 1613, 16 year old Mikhail Romanov ascended the throne and ended the 15 year long Time of Troubles in Russia. His grandson, Peter the Great, founded Saint Petersburg and began to Westernize Russia.  Peter the Great's grandson married the future Catherine the Great. Catherine's favorite grandson, Alexander I, defeated Napoleon. His grandson, Alexander II, emancipated the serfs of Russia in 1861 (almost two whole years before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation). His grandson, Nicholas II, was the last tsar of Russia.

I have only mentioned about half of the Romanov tsars, all of whom had their highlights and their downfalls. I could ramble on for hours about the Romanov line, for I sadly know the Romanovs better than the list of US presidents, but I will spare everyone that and stick to the Reader's Digest version above.

So why is July 17 infamous? 95 years ago today, tsar Nicholas II, his wife and children, and four of their faithful servants were executed by the Bolsheviks. In March 1917, Nicholas II abdicated the throne after the February Revolution, and for a year and a half him and his family were held as prisoners. They lived better than the average prisoner, residing in one of their palaces for a while with numerous restrictions on what they could do. They were eventually moved to the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg. The story of their death is filled with gaps and conflicting accounts.  On the night of July 16 and/or early morning of July 17, 1918, the ex-tsar and his family were awakened and told to dress because they would be leaving the city. The officers brought them into the basement and supposedly told the family and their servants to line up for a picture to prove that they were still alive. Then, their executioners fired upon them. Most of them were instantly killed. The tsar's four daughters, however, survived the first round of bullets due to jewels they had sewn into their dresses. The officers instead had to stab them to death with bayonets or shoot them in the skull. After all 11 were dead, the officers gathered the bodies, burned them in acid, and eventually buried nine of them in one spot.  The remaining two bodies, two of the tsar's children, were buried in a separate spot about 230 feet away. The nine bodies buried together were eventually found in 1979 and identified in 1998. In 2007, the last two remains, of tsarevich Alexei and his sister Maria, were discovered.

The Russian citizenry was not told for some time about the tsar's death, and even later about the death of his family. For years, legends circulated that one of Nicholas II's daughters may have survived. There were numerous impostors, books, and movies about the fabled Anastasia...

My Anastasia birthday

In 1997, 20th Century Fox (not Disney!!!) released Anastasia, an animated film about how one of the tsar's daughters did survive. Being about five when the movie came out, I instantly fell in love with the story, the music, and the setting for such a tale. Most princess stories are set in Western Europe, but along came Anastasia, a real princess from this snow covered land that I had never seen before. In my heart, there always remained a special part for Anastasia and her imperial Russia. When I was about to enter college and needed to decide on a life path and a language to study, Anastasia came to mind. I had narrowed my language choices down to Arabic and Russian. But which to choose? Anastasia and her kingdom greatly influenced my choice, because it was a place I thought I knew and a place I one day wanted to discover. So I enrolled in Russian and began to read books about Anastasia and her royal family. I was thoroughly depressed when I learned that no way did she survive, I was even more depressed to find out that although some of the details are true, the vast majority of the information in the movie is complete bologna. The characters were real, but their stories were false. So I devoured books on Nicholas II and his family (Anastasia was only 17 when she was murdered, so not a whole lot for a historian to write about) in order to discover the truth about their lives. I then moved on to Catherine II, Alexander II, and the entire Romanov line. My love for and curiosity of the Romanov family is what has motivated me over the past two years to continue learning the Russian language and is why I very much wanted to study in Saint Petersburg this summer. Saint Petersburg was home to all but two of the Romanov tsars and their families and is filled with so much of the history that I have come to love.

My favorite song from Anastasia and what I was expecting to find in Saint Petersburg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCW5-JV8tT4
The scene takes place at the Winter Palace, also known as the Hermitage. Seeing this palace and this grand ballroom was all I really wanted out of the Winter Palace, wanting to feel like I was stepping into history  (or the movie). Once I got there, I discovered that the film's artists took several liberties with the design of the palace, because such a room does not exist in the palace. However, the palace is quite gorgeous, I really felt like I was stepping into history, and I had numerous Anastasia moments while walking through the corridors.

Assumption Cathedral inside the Moscow Kremlin

In Moscow, I was able to discover some of the wonders of the Romanov line. I visited the Armory Chamber, which held so many of the family's belongings. I was able to see Catherine the Great's wedding and coronation dresses; I saw several of the imperial coaches and royal thrones. Although I was geeking out over the history the entire time, my favorite display was of 10 of the Faberge Tsar Imperial Easter eggs, including the egg that Nicholas II gave his wife in 1908 displaying portraits of their five children. It is an egg that I have read much about and was so excited that I was actually able to see it in person. Also inside the Moscow Kremlin, was the Assumption Cathedral where all the coronations were held. After reading about numerous coronations, the inside of the cathedral seemed smaller than I imaged and it still baffles me. But I stood where history was made and changed several times.

Yesterday, back in Saint Petersburg, I went to the Peter and Paul Fortress. Amazing place, one of my favorite things in the city. Nonetheless, I will stick to the focal point of the fortress and this post. Peter and Paul Cathedral lies inside the fortress. Besides being the tallest point in Saint Petersburg, it is the burial site of the majority of the Romanov family. Starting with Peter the Great, who founded the city, all the tsars have been buried inside this one cathedral. It was an amazing experience to stand in one room that held so many wonderful and devastating histories.

Inside Peter and Paul Cathedral 

Graves of six Romanov rulers, including
Peter the Great and Catherine the Great

Today, I viewed an exhibit at the Russian State Museum on the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty. The exhibit consisted mainly of numerous portraits and busts of the tsars, tsarinas, and their children. I enjoyed seeing such large portraits and such details of their regal portrait posing attire. By the end of the exhibit, I could easily tell you who was in each portrait, brushing up on the tsars I was less familiar with. Of course, my favorite portrait was of Nicholas II. I was naturally drawn to his portrait, but what drew me in and held my gaze were his eyes. They seemed to be staring back at me, reaffirming my decision to be in Saint Petersburg, encouraging my study of his life, and also wanting to remind me of something. It was a creepy moment for sure, but it was a good creepy. It got creepier when, as I was staring at this huge portrait of a man I have come to know so much about, I realized that he was executed on this day. So in honor of the entire Romanov family, particularly those who were brutally murdered on this day 95 years ago, I chose to write this post. They are the reason that I am in love with Russia, the reason I am exploring their city, and the reason I will buy five new biographies on them when I return to the states.

The graves of Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children,
Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei
Also buried with them family are their four servants who were killed alongside them:
Evgeny Botkin, the family doctor; Alexei Trupp, the Emperor's footman; 
Anna Demidova, the Empress' maid; and Ivan Kharitonov, the family's cook