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When you try to explain Russia, it is hard to find a starting point. The country is huge and somewhat of an enigma. Each Russian region and city is so different to the next: the nature, the weather, the standard of living, the architecture, the lifestyle all vary from place to place. If you really want to get to know Russia you have to prepare yourself for many adventures, for which you will need a lot of time, energy and dedication.
For most westerners, Russia is associated with its largest cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. But of course Russia is much bigger than this. Within its vast expanse you can find the largest freshwater lake in the world – lake Baikal, rivers and forests teeming with fish and wildlife, awe-inspiring volcanoes, and towering mountains. Russia is the largest country on earth, with enormous tracts of land that have only been opened to foreign travelers in the last few years. It takes over 8 hours by plane from Moscow to reach Vladivostok on the Pacific coast. To the west of the Ural Mountains, stretching south to the Black Sea and below the Arctic Sea, lies a broad plain with low hills where the historical core of the Russian nation is located. East of the Urals from the border of Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia and extending north to the Arctic coast lies Siberia - a scarcely- populated area covered by primeval forest, swamps and tundra in the north and mountainous terrain in the south.
Taking into account the size of the country and its tumultuous history - especially the hard times experienced under communism - it is understandable that changes happen slowly here. The transition from communism to capitalism is a very painful process and truly difficult for every generation. The largest cities are adjusting at a faster pace than the rest of Russia. Cities like Moscow and St Petersburg, in addition to their mystical (yes, mystical!) architecture and unique way of life are also very modern, with a high standard of living, advanced economies and a technologically-adept population.
Russian people, by the way, are really not any different from other people around the world. In the big cities people are well educated and hurry with Western-like urgency. Sometimes they seem a bit cold, and smiling certainly isn't a national pastime. However in central Russia and in smaller towns people are extremely kind, warm and welcoming. This probably has something to do with their simpler and often harder way of life, in which co-operation is a necessity.
Begin your adventure with UTS Travel Company.
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