Astounded by Russia
 

Here's a link to my blogpost about a recent trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. If you are interested in travelling there, you might find the photos and trip description to your interest.

https://sujaa.wordpress.com/2015/10/...ded-by-russia/

Suja

Your pics are fabulous - Russia has long been on my bucket list.

Thanks for the pics. I visited both cities in July.....loved it.

just step over the blood then....

Nice trip report with pictures. Thanks for posting.

Moscow and St. Petersburg, of course, wonderful cities. But if you want to see the real Russia, it is necessary to go to the province. For example, in the Tver region, you can get acquainted with the Russian tradition, and it will be much cheaper:)

But any way nice photos)

Thanks for your informative report, highlighted by great pix!

The "real Russia" is just as much in the cities as it is in the rural areas*. The cities is where Russian culture and arts developed. The rural areas are, unfortunately, still quite primitive with lots of places without even indoor plumbing. Nonetheless, tradition can be well experienced in both areas.

*Nobody would say that the "real" United States is found only in the ghettos, inner cities, and farm lands.

You didn't understand a little that I meant speaking about "real Russia". "Real Russia" isn't understood as the thrown Russian villages. I wrote about the thousand-year cities in which our history arose. These cities were the richest and prospering, and Tver only thanks to treachery of the prince Moscow didn't become the capital of Russia.
If few years earlier I agree with you concerning discomfort of other regions, but now the situation extremely changed. The large-scale program of improvement made areas attractive to tourism.
As for to see the same traditions. Won't see! You won't see all the USA if visit only New York or Washington! Each region of such huge country has the specifics! Only to Konakovo faience known for the whole world, only in Torzhok, the homeland of known cutlets of Pozharsky was made, kept art of the most ancient gold sewing, only on Seliger it is possible to inhale the purest air, to try the most tasty eel and to live in the real restored Tolstykh's estate, and in Tver to visit the restored Travelling palace and so on.
I live in Moscow, but to go I prefer to have a rest to the Tver region.

I would have like to like to have seen more of a big and diverse country like Russia
( including Tver! ),it is not easy for individual traveler to move around in places not
accustomed to foreign tourists . The language barier for most is insurmantable
Even in SP and Moscow , I found the knowledge of some Russian very
useful.
With time, hopefully , more of the country will be accessible and
visa requirements will become less burdensome.

It is true, there is a language barrier, so when traveling to other cities in Russia makes sense to use the services of tour operators. Typically, they provide translators. And by the way, help with visa.