Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.

Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household.

The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics.

Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.
Russia breathes superlatives: the world's biggest country; its largest supplier of natural gas and second-largest oil producer; and home of the planet's longest railroads, busiest subway system (Moscow's), and one of its deepest, biggest, and oldest lakes (Baikal, in Siberia). It even boasts balmy beach resorts (on the Black Sea), though the Kremlin and the snowcapped cupolas of its cathedrals seem truer reflections of this northern nation's might and mysticism.

What the country lacks in climatic warmth, Russians make up for with their bottomless generosity and jovial hospitality. Survivors of despots from Ivan the Terrible to Stalin, Russians place high value on keeping their home worlds safe from the perils of without and stocking the larders with homemade jams, pickles, and desserts. The past decade has been rough on Russians, but it's sharpened their adaptation skills. Today's Russian university graduates know more languages, more about financial markets, and more about text messaging than many of their Western counterparts.

BOLSHOJ THEATRE
SWAN LAKE IN A VERY MODERN VERSION

There is much for travelers to experience in Russia's two most popular cities. The rigorous traditions of the Bolshoi Theater coexist with some of Europe's most cutting-edge DJs. Hip restaurants fashion mouthwatering delicacies that put a twist on traditional Russian meat pies and cabbage soup. The Hermitage Museum is a fortress of fine art from around the world; and just down the street, the Russian Museum overflows with works by local artists from throughout the centuries. Explore Russia's contributions to the exploration of the universe by taking a "ride" in a space shuttle in Gorky Park or wandering the Cosmonautics Museum, a tribute to the tireless scientists and engineers who sent the first man -- and woman -- into space.

Palacio de invierno
St Petersburg, Russia
(Photo: J. Bower)

Video Clip St Petersburg

Russia's tourism infrastructure, alas, is still catching up with the rest of the changes, but Moscow and St. Petersburg are well on their way. Take along some pluck and flexibility and have a look at the best Russia has to offer.

Thirteen days after Western Christmas, on January 7th, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates its Christmas, in accordance with the old Julian calendar. It's a day of both solemn ritual and joyous celebration. After the 1917 Revolution, Christmas was banned throughout Russia, along with other religious celebrations. It wasn't until 75 years later, in 1992, that the holiday was openly observed. Today, it's once again celebrated in grand fashion, with the faithful participating in an all-night Mass in incense-filled Cathedrals amidst the company of the painted icons of Saints.

Christmas is one of the most joyous traditions for the celebration of Eve comes from the Russian tradition. On the Eve of Christmas, it is traditional for all family members to gather to share a special meal. The various foods and customs surrounding this meal differed in Holy Russia from village to village and from family to family, but certain aspects remained the same.

An old Russian tradition, whose roots are in the Orthodox faith, is the Christmas Eve fast and meal. The fast, typically, lasts until after the evening worship service or until the first star appears. The dinner that follows is very much a celebration, although, meat is not permitted. Kutya, a type of porridge, is the primary dish. It is very symbolic with its ingredients being various grains for hope and honey and poppy seed for happiness and peace.

Georgios

Hi Georgios,

I am so happy I stopped by today.  This is such a fantastic history lesson on Russia and their seasons and traditions.

I have learned a lot here today and hopefully will learn more in the future.  I really love learning about other countries and their cultures.

Thank you again for sharing this valuable history lesson with me.

Blessings,

Beryl

 

Christmas in Russia

Russia - the multinational state but the most part of the population - orthodox.
The calendar of orthodox church differs from Catholic, and the holiday of Christmas in Russia is marked on January, 7th.
It is the state holiday.

Both in the first, and in the second cases Christmas Eve is, first of all, a family supper. All family set the table.

 And on a table there should be a hay (straw), and on hay - straw - a cloth. Or hay, in memory of a den and a day nursery. In the center it is put SOCHIVO (сочиво). Then other twelve dishes: pancakes, a fish, aspic, студень, a dairy pig, a pork head with a horse-radish, house sausage, hot, колядки, honey gingerbreads, ломанцы with a poppy and honey, взвар. On this set were applied also drinks, that already depend especially on taste and opportunities of the owner. On Belarus kvass and, strangely enough, moonshine have been widespread медовуха.
If with many traditional dishes all is clear. In sense does not cause difficulties in preparation, for example, with such as сочиво, колядки, взвар I have collided for the first time. By simple, but enough labour-consuming manipulations, me have been found and carefully summarized some recipes which I and transfer you.

So, SOCHIVO

For it 1 glass of grains of wheat, 100 gram of a poppy, 100 gram of kernels of walnuts, 2-3 table spoons of honey and sugar to taste is required.

For SOCIVO in advance prepared grain of wheat - all over again it толкут in a wooden mortar by a wooden pestle, periodically adding there water is used. This procedure is directed on clearings of grain of an environment. Then grain clean, sift, wash out in several waters, dry and cook a simple fast porridge. It should it will turn out friable. Then it cool and season with honey.

Separately pound a poppy before reception макового молочка, add honey. Everyone mix and add in a porridge. If this mix has turned out too dense, there it is possible to add waters. In last turn add kernels of nuts which can be roasted preliminary up to a crisp.

SOCHIVO it is possible to make and from fig. It is possible to add and the steamed out raisin, however is already trends of the present. Sometimes сочиво did of several groats, adding wood nuts and жженый sugar. All depend on region and taste the mistress, naturally.

KOLJADKI (Колядки).

The given food is widespread in Russia, however more and at us in some regions all the same meets. Therefore, I think, it deserves our attention.

Колядки or gates are the small baked products from the rye fresh test with various stuffings, fruit liqueurs, намазками or припеками. Колядки is both songs колядовщиков and entertainments for them.

Strangely enough, but колядки as food, are widespread enough in Finland. There them submit to coffee at breakfast, to a broth or soup at dinner, to easy evening salad by a supper, and, at last, as snack. Here all depends on structure. To a word, in Finland колядки refer to as gates and are considered as especially national dish. And in different regions of this Scandinavian country колядки look and prepare differently. Identical there is only a dough - rye and fresh.

So, we smoothly send to the test. It can be prepared from one rye flour, and can and from a mix wheaten and rye in equal proportions. For preparation of the given dish it is necessary to take 2 glasses of the flour, one glass of a liquid (water, milk, curdled milk, sour cream in any parities), it is possible to add salt on a tip of a knife.

The involved dough should be left for 20-30 minutes, having covered with a napkin. Then to unroll a dough in a plait, to cut on equal slices, to roll up balls, to unroll thin flat cakes. And here it is possible to dream. It is possible to make колядки round, it is possible - oval, triangular. Yes, what want! Then to put a stuffing and защипать or to bend edges.
Колядки it is necessary to bake at temperature 200-220 With up to readiness. Baked hot колядки to grease with the kindled oil or oil with sour cream. Колядки with porridges, a potato, mushrooms submitted to soups, a Russian cabbage soup, and snow stuffings - to tea, медовухе, to milk.

Certainly, it is possible and to not prepare by tradition, but present reaction of your visitors when you will represent them so exotic for modern people, dishes. For one evening it is possible to pass for the uncommon and original person, and at the same time - the excellent mistress.

By the way, do not forget about hay - straw under a snow-white cloth!

 

Best wishes once more to all from Russia

 

Hello Lidia,

These recipies sound delicious...I found the recipe for Sochivo....for those of us not using the metric system.....

Sochivo
From Olga Timokhina

2 cups wheat
1/2 cup honey
1 cup poppy seeds
1 cup walnuts
salt to taste

Sort wheat, wash and put in boiling water. Bring to a boil, drain and wash under cold water, bring to boil, cover tightly and put in the oven until soft. Then take out and cool down. Wash poppy seeds, scald, wash under cold water and ground until homogeneous and white, add sugar or honey and a bit of salt. Combine with wheat. If sochivo is very dense, add some water. At the end add chopped walnuts.

 

The  KOLJADKI sounds even more delicious....just can't find a recipe to translate.....Is there another name for it????

 

Thank you Georgios and you Lidia.....