RUSSIAN FEDERATION -- PART TWO

MOSCOW

MOSCOW UNDERGROUND

PEOPLE AND REPUBLIC

The great majority of people are Russian. They are of Slavic origin and related to Ukrainians, Bylorussians, Poles and Czech. Their most widely spread religion was Eastern Orthodox Church which communism tried to abolish but after the collapse it has seen a full revival. As communism suppressed the religion they also demanded that the Russian language is adopted across the country. Apparently it is still establish in schools even where the Russian Language is not the first                             language.

Communists’ authority also had a policy to move European Russians into lesser populated area and mostly forcible. Siberia which was far less populated because of its harsh climate was chosen to establish gulags and anyone, rightly or wrongly, was against the regime was banned there with the entire family.

Since the power of communism collapsed and nationalism started to take a pride again, people started to speak their language, revived their ancient customs and have freedom of speech. They managed to keep their language and their ancient tradition alive even during those dark ages of Stalin.

The difference between languages and culture between eastern and western Russia compares to Europe and Asia. It is no doubt a vast country with an enormous population and incredible variations of cultures.

The Christian, Finnic-language-speaking people living in the extreme north-west of the country.  In the Volga valley there are Muslims Tartars, Christian Udmurts, and Buddhists Kalmyks.  In the north-eastern Siberia are Yakuts, Evenks and Buryats . These people are related to the Inuit of Alaska and Greenland.  It is estimated that in Russia are at least over 100 different peoples and languages.

EASTERN  SIBERIA 
 FOLK MUSIC

EASTERN SIBERIA

HISTORY

The history of Russia was ruled by kings, emperors and dictators. They were always most powerful leaders who mostly shed blood of their people.  Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Catherine the Great all ruled over this huge country. Some of them even expanded it further.  There is no doubt that a country of that size needs a powerful leader but within reason which was not always done.

Even in the 20^th century Lenin with his ideas of a better Russia under communism and Stalin who went power mad and murdered 20million people was like a repeat from the past. Hopefully for the Russian people the time has come that they live in peace and prosperity.

VLADIVOSTOK  HARBOUR

Vladivostok a harbour at the Sea of Japan was a closed military base during the Soviet period, since 1992 it is open to tourism. It is also the eastern end of the Trans-Siberian Railway which starts in Moscow. The full journey takes about seven days and nights and gives an idea how big Russia really is.  

EASTERN SIBERIA - MAGADAN REGION -- FOLK MUSIC

EASTERN SIBERIA --
MAGADAN REGION

The far eastern states of Russia have five time zones to travel through and yet it is only one sixth of the country. People in these vast areas were lucky because the 20th century turmoil never reached them. They lived their lives as centuries ago and their generations before them.

MOSCOW

The Moscow University is in one of the seven buildings in Moscow known as ’Stalin's Wedding Cake’ because of the elaborate style. It was originally planned to build eight of these towers in celebration of the 800^th anniversary of the city. The central towers measures 240m high have 31 floors. The spire on the top measures another 60m.

MOSCOW -- STALIN'S WEDDING CAKE

MOSCOW -- GUM

MOSCOW -- GUM -- INSIDE

The inside of the Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin and is called GUM in short is Russia’s largest department store. However, it looks more like a shopping mail and has 200 small shops within the three story building. Since the collapse of communism the Western capitalism seems move in more and more. It is estimated the at least 200,000 people passing through every day.

TRINITY SERGIO MONASTERY

This beautiful Cathedral of the Dormition in the Trinity Sergius monastery’s domes is especially remarkable because of its beautiful blue and golden colours. It is also remarkable that it survives the Soviet era and is a great pilgrimages site for the Christians’ faithful.  

OLD RUSSIAN STEAM ENGINE -- EASTERN SIBERIA