A BIT OF RUSSIAN INFO

Russian Primer

In Moscow a local guide told us, “You may have noticed that the old red flag of the USSR with the sickle and hammer is gone. Our flag now goes back to the days of Peter the Great. He was quite taken with the Netherlands and this flag reflects the colors and style of their flag. The flag of the Russian Federation has three equal stripes, one each of white, blue and red in that order from top to bottom.”

Russia, the largest state of the former Soviet Union, spans two continents, Europe and Asia, and is the largest country in the world. On the west it is bordered by Norway, Finland, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Black Sea. On the south lies Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. The Northern Pacific Ocean is on the east, and the Arctic Ocean borders the north

Our 30-story Moscow hotel was the second tallest building in the city. Stalin built the seven large buildings to show the mighty power of the USSR. The locals dislike these Gothic buildings, which they call wedding cakes or seven sisters.

 The Moscow River runs nearly 50 miles through the city. The city has five airports and nine railway stations to accommodate Russia’s 93,000 miles of railroad. That might give you a bit of an idea how large Moscow is. Two and a half million people arrive or depart the city every day. The city runs 25 miles north to south and 19 miles east to west.  Like Rome, Moscow is built on seven hills.

After a few days in the dynamic capital city of Moscow we boarded a river boat for the rest of our Russian stay. Cruising between the inland waterways we had a chance to discover the unknown Russia where daily life has remained virtually unchanged for centuries. Along the canals, waterways, and lakes we glimpsed and often visited ancient monasteries, shimmering forests of silver birch, thriving street markets, and churches filled with the sound of chanting voices. And all too soon we arrived in St. Petersburg where we experienced the opulent splendor of the once imperial capital city.

The difference between the two large cities was also a marked contrast to the lovely countryside and its friendly people. It was a remarkable trip full of surprises, wonders, and lots and lots of education and information.

Everywhere we went we noted that WW II was always referred to as the Great Patriotic War.