Visiting Russia in Winter
Visiting Russia in Winter
- By: Jack and Jill on the Hill
- On: 01/28/2008 13:37:16
- In: Prospect/Farwell Neighborhood
In January of 2004 Jack and I went on a trip ro Russia. Why, you ask, would anyone do that? Well, we reasoned, we’re from Wisconsin so we’re used to cold weather. How much colder could it be? Cold it was, but it worked out fine; we spent little time outdoors. The bus or metro would take us to our destination, and it would be a short walk to whatever restaurant, church or museum we were visiting. Russian buildings tend to be overheated by our standards. It is, in fact, considered an insult not to check your coat when you enter a theater or restaurant. The implication is that the place is not well enough heated. The sight of all of those coats and hats hanging up looked daunting at first, but the Russian attendants have been doing this for a long time and are extremely well organized.
The major advantage to visiting such a cold place in the winter is that you may be the only tourists in otherwise extremely crowded venues, such as the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Jack was able to be alone in a room with some da Vinci paintings, something he would never have dreamed would be possible. Our guide told us that although she had paid many visits to the Hermitage, she had never been able to really see the paintings, because in the warm weather there are always so many people lined up in front of them. The concerts, circuses and ballets are in full swing, also, as they may not be in the summertime. The only time we really suffered from the cold was on a visit to a monastery out in a rural area. The monastery guide took us off the bus and proceeded to deliver her lecture outside as we slowly turned to peoplesicles. Our own guide said she would tell her that the next group she took should hear the talk inside the bus.
If you have never been to Russia, you have a wondrous treat in store for you. To our surprise the Revolutionists were wise enough to protect the treasures, and there are displays of wealth beyond your wildest imaginings. The churches and museums are breathtaking and contain, among other things, jewel-encrusted royal and clerical gowns and robes. There are crowns so heavily decorated that one wonders what head could bear that weight for more than a few minutes. There are displays of porcelain, silver, linens and carriages, that when enumerated, would fill volumes. No wonder that the starving peasants rose up.
We were fortunate enough to be in more than one church while a service was being conducted, and if you are Catholic, Jew or Protestant, the Russian Orthodox service is quite different from what you are used to. For one thing, the services are very long, and the people stand throughout. We found multitudes of very old people who must have been holding their religion inside for decades of Communist rule and young people who are apparently just being introduced to the faith of their ancestors.
If you ever have the opportunity, visit Russia; you won’t be disappointed.