Wow it has been so long! My apologies. Russia has presented challenges that I had never expected to experience as a seasoned traveler. Lots of Culture Shock to cope with for sure! This weekend my friends and I are going to Murmansk in the Northern part of Russia to hopefully see the Northern Lights. Here's hoping! So a few major cultural experiences have happened and that is what I will be covering in this post:

1. The Banya

This is a bizarre but very fun Russian Tradition. So the Banya we went to was our Tour guide's personal family banya at his Datcha (A home outside the city that sits on some land). We were welcomed to his home and greeted his wife with the flowers and chocolates we brought. It is very disrespectful to show up empty handed to a house. We arrived and our tour guide took us to see the lake near his home and the craters in the landscape from the World Wars. It was the first time I had really faced the war in that way. There were trenches and bomb craters and memorials to the battalion who fought at the front line. It was crazy. Then we returned to the house and those who could had some Borscht. Traditionally, Borscht is made with beef broth and includes meat chunks. I politely declined. Then we went into the Banya. So this space is broken into three rooms. The social location where you sit and eat in between trips into the hotter rooms. Then there was the shower room where you could rinse yourself off and shower at the very end of the day. Finally there was the actual sauna like room. It could get to above 100 degrees Celsius in there! While in the Hottest room you have to wear a special type of hat called a "Banya Shopka" and it helps keep your head from overheating while you are in the banya. It was super cool! There were four rounds that myself and my friends participated in. The first two rounds were called a Finnish Sauna. Essentially we put essential oil on the hot coals and just sat in the dry heat. That is when it was about 100 degrees and you just sat in there for 5-8 minutes and start to sweat. Then you leave and rinse yourself off and go eat more food. After those two rounds, you start with the branches and the water. You take these branches of dried leaves that have been soaking in water as well as pour water onto the hot coals to create a steam. Then you take the branches and beat (for lack of a better term) each other or yourself with the branches. It sounds crazy, it looks crazy but it actually feels really nice. After that, you run out into the snow. It is so nice and refreshing! We did that a few more times and every time you are in the hot room for maybe 5-8 minutes maximum and then you spend like 30 minutes eating and drinking. We ended the evening with Russian Karaoke and Tea. It was an incredible cultural experience and though exhausting, I can certainly see the appeal.

Don't be fooled... we had just been
whipping snow each other

All of us and our Russian companions
Post banya with the branches and hats!

In honor of my brother, I decided to wear a Pilot Shopka! 

2. The Jungle Restaurant
This is a wonderful little restaurant that me and some of the girls went to on Valentines Day. It was really cute and we took a lot of pictures! A perfect place for the needed pick me up!

3. Art exhibit
We went to an art exhibit in a different district of SPB and it was a dream exhibition. It showed what people dreamed of and it was really fun and colorful! Lots of Instagram-able moments! Also we went to a Poke bowl shop and it was SOOOOO GOOD! Made my vegan heart very happy!

4. Day of the Defender
Day of the Defender is the day that Russia celebrates the men in their population and the servicemen who have fought for the country. We spent the day at the Peter and Paul Fortress. We wandered the grounds, saw the political prison and the cathedral that houses the deceased Tsars, Emperors and families. I saw the graves of Peter the first, Nicholas the Second and almost all of the Tsars/Tsarinas in between. It was cool to see the memorization that survived the Soviet Era.

The main gate with an incredibly complex anecdote up top that deals with biblical imagery and the War with Finland

Me and behind me is the Palace embankment. To my far right is the Hermitage and the winter palace.

The grave of Nicholas II and his family and the servants who suffered the same horrendous fate and ended the Romanov line and the Tsar reign in Russia.

5. Maslenitsa
This is a week long festival in Russia for the week leading up to Lent for the Russian Orthodox church. It started the Monday before Ash Wednesday for me and my western Christians. It is a combo of the old pagan celebration and sort of a fat Tuesday like behavior. So it is a celebration of the beginning of lent but also the end of winter. Everyone eats a lot of Blini (Russian Pancakes) and some places even burn a doll made of hay though it is not common in the city due to a fire hazard. We celebrated as an international department here on campus with traditional folk dancers and singers. I danced and ate blini and just enjoyed a very very cold day that was supposed to celebrate the end of the winter season. It was very fun!


Thank you for bearing with me as I keep forgetting to post! To those of you participating in Lent, Enjoy and God bless and keep you. Hopefully I will post soon!