5 things you can ONLY do in Russia!
We asked our readers to share their ideas about unique Russian activities. And here are the most interesting answers.
1. Travel more than 9,000 km by train
A whole week traveling by train only in one country? This really is only possible in Russia, because it has the longest railroad in the world! The total length of the Trans-Siberian Railway (from Moscow to Vladivostok) is about 9,300 kilometers (ca. 5,800 miles)! You will be able to see both snow and blossoms on the same journey!
2. Cross 10 time zones at once by plane
If you take a plane from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, you will cross as many as 10 time zones. On the way back, you can even travel back in time! The plane from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky flies to Moscow for 8 hours and 50 minutes, while the time difference between these cities is 9 hours. Thus, you should arrive in Moscow 10 minutes earlier than you left!
By the way, there are a total of 11 time zones in Russia. However, there is no direct flight from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka yet.
3. Swim in an ice-hole in the coldest place on Earth
Winter swimming is popular in many countries. But, can you imagine diving into icy water when the air temperature is -40°C (-40°F) and lower? This is also only possible in Russia, in its coldest region, Yakutia. By the way, they say it is even warmer in the water!
And, of course, once a year in winter in Russia, there are long waiting lines to take a dip in a specially designated ice-hole. On the Orthodox holiday of Epiphany!
4. Beating yourself with a bunch of twigs at high temperatures
Extreme cold and extreme heat. That's Russia. Russians are very fond of “warming their bones” in a 100°C (212°F) bathhouse. A special pleasure is to whip oneself or each other with a bunch of bound birch twigs. Afterward, you feel as if you have been reborn!
5. Meet representatives of almost 200 ethnic groups
The population of Russia is approximately 146 million and among Russian citizens there are representatives of more than 190 ethnic groups, who collectively speak 277 languages and dialects! India, for example, is ahead of Russia in the number of languages (no wonder, as its population is 1.4 billion!). However, the languages of India belong to four language families, while the languages of Russia belong to 15 language families. In the Caucasus alone, there are several families and, for example, one of the most widespread, the Nakh-Dagestani, has more than 30 languages which are spoken by more than 2 million people.
What else can only be done in Russia? Let's discuss in our Telegram channel!
