Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) is a fairytale character who brings New Year’s and Christmas gifts to children every year. He is a big and stately older man with a deep voice, dressed in felt boots, a fur cap, and a coat that reaches to his heels. He either puts the gifts under the tree or hands them out to children himself: in this way, he is different from Santa Claus who leaves the gifts in Christmas stockings. The Russian Grandfather Frost has a granddaughter, Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden), who comes with him to wish children a happy New Year. The homeland of Grandfather Frost is Veliky Oustyug, an old town in the Vologda Region.
TROIKA
The troika is a Russian traditional triple harness, which connects the horses to sleighs, carts, or covered wagons. This troika ride has been recognized as the most spirited, fun, and fastest way to travel, and the sensations that it evokes are in tune with the Russian personality and spirit. Nikolai Gogol coined the famous phrase: “What kind of Russian man doesn’t like a spin?” The troika has become one of the most famous symbols of Russia, not to mention a favourite winter entertainment for tourists.
FROST
Russia is the coldest country in the world, where winter lasts for four to five months throughout the larger part of its territory, about seven months in Central Siberia, and ten months in the transpolar areas. It is in Russia, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), where the northern hemisphere’s coldest point is located: the mercury can go down to –72 °C (–97.6 °F) there. Severe frost can also be felt in Moscow, where a record low temperature of –42 °C (–43.6 °F) was recorded in the winter of 1942. The Russians are used to frosty weather, enjoying winter sports and festivities such as skiing, skating, and sledding. However, the severe climate does create many problems in everyday life. Buildings must be built with very thick walls to insulate them for effective heating and protection from the cold, roads must be clear from ice and snow. All of this requires money and effort, not to mention the extra warm clothing and footwear that one needs to survive the winter months.
ROADS
Life in Russia depended on roads since the old days. Many fairy tales are based on journeys; legends tell of hermits, pilgrims, and wanderers whom one can meet along the way. At the same time, Russians themselves often criticize their roads. As early as the 19th century, Nikolai Gogol, the famous writer, noted that “Russia’s two biggest problems are fools and roads.” Russians still use the word “road” for any type of terrain that they drive through, paved or not. Our immense country has many places where there are no people, much less roads. However, the developed areas have undergone many changes in recent years: roads are either built or are being built, though, given the enormous distances between places, building roads is no easy task. One can still wait for a letter to get from one place in Russia to another for many weeks; even express mail cannot work as fast as it does in other places.
VODKA
Yes, vodka is the most well-known of Russian alcohol.
Yes, most Russians prefer their traditional national vodka than other alcohol (like Mexicans like tequila and Germans love their schnapps).
Yes, a lot of Russians do like vodka BUT not everyone. Many women and some men can’t stand vodka (including myself!)
Yes, Russians drink vodka BUT not every day – just on occasion (birthday, holiday, wedding, etc.). I was in many different countries and honestly, Russians don’t drink any more than the common Canadians/Americans, French or Germans. They drink just different products of alcohol.
When and where was vodka invented?
According to one of the legends, the monks of Moscow’s monastery were the first who started producing Russian vodka. After their visit to Constantinople where they tasted grape spirit, they started making the first ever hooch. As there were no grapes growing in their land the spirit was made of grain. They called this drink “aqua vitae” (Latin for “water of life”). It was a prototype of the present-day vodka. The word vodka was derived from the word “voda” (meaning water).It by no means that Russians drink more vodka than water. And the whole myth of vodka being cheaper than water is also nonsense.
KGB
According to the popular stereotypes, after meeting the bears roaming the streets, a foreigner should be escorted by (as minimum) two KGB agents. Ridiculous.
During the Cold War, the KGB (the Russian abbreviation for Committee for State Security) had success recruiting agents in the United States and Britain who were known to support communism or belong to communist organizations. Since that time, the KGB-monster, “the root of all evil”, still scares Western people. Today Western mass-media created a new face of the Russian monster; it became the ex-president of Russia V. Putin who worked for the KGB in the past.
BREAD-SALT
“Khleb-sol” («bread-salt”) is the most famous symbols of Russian hospitality and the oldest cultural tradition of welcoming a visitor with a round loaf with a salt cellar on top. Bread and salt represent the giver’s wish that the recipient’s pantry will always be full.
Bread symbolizes key aspects of the national self-image.
ARCHITECTURE
A special place among the cultural symbols of Russian is occupied by its architectural monuments. The development of Russian culture is inseparably linked with religious tradition. Churches, cathedrals and monasteries constructed in different centuries reflect spirituality of Russia. The well-known around the world such cultural symbol of Russia as Basil’s Cathedral in the centre of Moscow.
BALLET
One of the most important cultural symbols of Russia is Russian school of classical ballet which is considered to be the best in the world. Classical ballet came into Russia in the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century the national school of ballet had finally formed. The world-known names of Russian ballet dancers are Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaia, Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nuriev and others.