Beer
For the average joe, a shot of vodka is enough to get your head spinning. But when it comes to Russia, you could call that ‘breakfast’. It wasn’t until 2011 that Russian authorities decided that beer was an alcoholic beverage. Before then, anything that had 10% alcohol or less was just… well, a soft drink.
Beer
Beard Tax
If you ever found yourself in need of a shave you didn’t want to pay for, then Russia would have been the place to be in. There was a time when having a beard meant you needed to pay a tax for it. Had you not paid the tax, the beard police (yes, the beard police) would shave your hairy face right where you were. Whew, thank goodness that law has been let go.
Beard Tax
Secret Cities
You can bet it’s nothing like El Dorado, although that would be pretty neat to imagine. Russia boasts having 42 secret cities throughout the vast area it holds. So what’s there? Well if I told you I would have to kill you. Or the KGB would, I suppose. What we do know is that many of these cities were used for different industries like, metallurgy, chemical, and military.
Secret Cities
Into Outer Space
During the Cold War, huge focus was placed on putting a man on the moon. The Soviets definitely won the short leg of the race when they sent Yuri Gagarin into orbit around the Earth in 1961. But America successfully landed Apollo 11 (hush, conspiracy theorists) by 1969. But what most people don’t talk about are the many Soviet cosmonauts who died during failed test flights. The numbers are astonishing, but records of the “Lost Cosmonauts” have all disappeared.
Into Outer Space
No ‘The’ Or ‘A’
Did you know that the Russian language ranks as the eighth most spoken language across our globe? There are more than 260 million people who speak Russian fluently. But, did you know that in Russian, they don’t have articles like the words, ‘the’ and ‘a’. So the next time you’re in Moscow, just say, “I want pancake. I want big pancake.”
No ‘The’ Or ‘A’
Red Square
Since communism adopted the color red as their color, many people think that Red Square has that name for that reason. But the truth is that the name came years before communism since the Red Square was erected in the 16th century.
Red Square
Icicles
Now this one is going to sound a bit strange, but just bear with me. Russia can boast being one of the coldest places in the world, and it has served them well during enemy attacks throughout the centuries. But one of the greatest dangers during the winter actually happens to be icicles! Since they grow so large, they have fallen from gutters and injured passers-by. Many sidewalks will be blocked because of this.
Icicles
More Hare
If you happen to visit St. Petersburg, you should really take a walk (avoid sidewalks) to the bridge that takes you to the Peter and Paul Fortress. There you will see a statue of a hare which pays tribute to the thousands of hares that perished in the massive flood in the 18th century. That’s sweet, isn’t it?
More Hare
Women In Numbers
Have you ever seen pop-up ads on your desktop for Russian brides? Well that might actually be legitimate and I’ll tell you why. According to a 2014 census, there were around 10.5 million more women than men in Russia. What’s kind of alarming, is that according to officials, the birth rate of males and females is equal. So what exactly happens to those males as they get older?
Women In Numbers
Body Building
It’s no secret that during the USSR’s heyday, they boasted some of the world’s most skilled and precise (and overworked) athletes. Until this day though, women take part in gymnastics, body building and weight-lifting resulting in some of the most impressive athletes of all time. Russian women maintain that these activities are not solely masculine and even lobby that they can be feminine too.
Body Building
The Amber Room
Get ready to scratch your head. The Amber Room once was a lavish room that impressed visitors with its rich amber panels which had golden leaves and massive mirrors. The room was tucked in the Catherine Palace of Tsarskoye Selo. During the Second World War, the Nazis looted the luxurious room. The Germans took the contents back to Germany where they intended to rebuild the room. To this day however, the contents of the room are nowhere to be found.
The Amber Room
2:10
One question that you’re guaranteed to get the same answer to every time is, “What’s the time?” The answer will always be “2:10”, when you’re in the White Dining Room of the Hermitage House. It was at 2:10 precisely on October 25, 1917 that Russia became a communist country. There’s no turning the time back on that one… ba dam dam dish!
2:10
Tourists Pay
To be honest, you can get this in many countries nowadays but it’s still worth a mention. With more than 10,000 British tourists and another innumerable amount of other nationalities, tourist sites get massive amounts of paying tourists. But the Russian tourism industry has bumped up the prices to enter the hot-spots… for tourists only that is.
Tourists Pay
Billions
For a communist country, we must say that they sure have a lot of billionaires in one place. While New York has 62 billionaires, Moscow claims 84! If we put all their money together, we would find the cushy sum of 366 billion dollars. I could think of a few things to do with that.
Billions
Gassy Business
You don’t need a calculator to understand this, just your imagination. The Earth is 40,075 kilometers in circumference, got it? Good. Russia is one of the greatest gas exporters in the world. Their pipelines are 259,913 kilometers long, which means they can technically wrap around the Earth… six times!
Gassy Business
Subway Dogs
Many cities around the world have a “homeless dog” problem, but perhaps not as unique as those in Russian cities. The “metro dogs” causally get on and off the Russian subway system at all hours of the day. A Russian biologist by the name of Dr. Andrey Poyarkov, says that these dogs understand how to come to the city during the day to get food and then return in the evening back to the suburbs.
Subway Dogs
Want A Pepsi?
During the “Kitchen Debate” of 1959 when vice President Nixon met with Premiere Nikita Khrushchev in Russia, something great happened. At the time soft drinks didn’t exist in the Soviet Union so when Nixon shared a Pepsi with Khrushchev, they didn’t realize what an impact it would have. Today Pepsi’s has its second largest market share in Russia. See what sharing can do?
Want A Pepsi?
“How Are You?”
Why couldn’t Westerners make it in Russia? Well it could be (just maybe) because of a simple question and a not-so-simple answer. When we ask each-other “How are you?” we usually reply with one word like, “good”, “great”. In Russia when you ask someone how they are, they will answer you with a full detailed answer. Answering briefly is actually quite rude according to the Russians.
“How Are You?”
Climbing The Ladder
Contrary to what many people believe, women have climbed the political ladder in Russia. One sterling example is Natalia Poklonskaya who was born in Ukraine. Today she holds the position of Deputy of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Federal Assembly and has held the position since 2016.
Climbing The Ladder
Most Popular Sport
It took everyone by surprise when a nationwide poll revealed that the most popular sport in Russia was actually soccer. Be honest, we thought it was going to be something to do with snow or gymnastics. Some other sports that Russia performs very well at, is tennis (think Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova) and long jump (think Darya Klishina).
Most Popular Sport
White Beaches
Russia can proudly tell the world that they have the whitest beaches in the world with many visitors even in the winter! Let’s just clarify what we’re talking about. The beaches are covered in snow and the visitors are walruses.
White Beaches
Big… Very Big
It’s no wonder why many countries throughout history wanted to conquer Russia. The landmass that it holds is a tenth of the entire Earth’s land surface. But it’s not just land that makes it special, it has Europe’s biggest river and the world’s deepest river, with the latter containing 20% of the world’s fresh water supply.
Big… Very Big
Rich In Widlife
It’s no surprise that the brown bear was adopted as the symbol for Russia. No, not because it is hairy and sleeps throughout the winter, but because it is strong and lives in the Siberian Alps. Aside from the bear, Russian wildlife is alive and full with animals like the Siberian roe deer and the Siberian tiger which is the largest cat on Earth.
Rich In Widlife
Flying Helicopters
Russian inventor Igor Sikorsky may have been one step behind French inventor Etienne Oehmichen when it came to the first helicopter flight, but he outdid him eventually. Sikorsky beat the Frenchman’s 1-kilometer flight and built a flying machine that could travel for long periods of time – the predecessor to all the helicopters we have today.
Flying Helicopters
Check Mate
Chess is probably synonymous with Russia and for good reason. At the beginning of the 20th century, chess had become one of the country’s strongest suits and to this day Russia claims more than half of the top 20 chess players ever. Fun fact – in 1584 when Czar Ivan IV died, reports told that he was playing chess at the time. Checkmate.
Check Mate
Russia To Alaska
Taking engineering to the next level has got to be the project called the TKM-World Link. Russia is planning to construct 3 undersea tunnels from Russia to Alaska that will cost close to $65 billion! Their argument when it comes to the financial intelligence of the move, is that it will save a fortune of money in the long run.
Russia To Alaska
Reporting Reporters
You know when they say that bad publicity is still good publicity, yeah, no, the Russian government doesn’t believe that for one second. Russia comes in first place with the highest number of reporters and journalists killed each year. If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say nothing… your life might depend on it.
Reporting Reporters
Submarines Or Gas
Sweden and Russia almost found themselves in a full-blown war after suspicious sounds in the water were thought to be Russian submarines. After a huge confrontation and even vaster research, it was discovered that what they heard was actually… fish farts. To everyone’s relief, there were no submarines… or were there?
Submarines Or Gas
Human Reptiles
When alcohol is like a soft drink, it might not be surprising that heroin and other heavy drugs move quite easily around Russia. One particular drug that is 10 times stronger than heroin is “krokodil”. The drug actually causes the user’s skin to become reptilian (hence the name) and most users can’t survive longer than a few years after becoming addicted.
Human Reptiles
Butchers
Russia is a mass exporter of many things, but none as notorious as serial killers. At least they have become creative with the names of the perpetrators, like “The Butcher of Rostov,” “Raskolnikov in a Skirt,” and “The Chessboard Killer”. Creepy.
Butchers
They’re Lovin’ It
There’s no doubt that McDonald’s is an American establishment, so you can understand the issue the Soviets would have had with the fast-food chain. In 1990 when the first chain opened in Moscow, more than 5,000 were waiting to sink their teeth into a Big Mac, and by the end of the work day more than 30,000 got their Happy Meal. There were even some really hungry people who waited as long as 6 hours to get their share!
They’re Lovin’ It
Bear-ly Addicted
According to Winnie The Pooh, bears like sniffing out beehives and then chomping down the honey. But in Russia it’s different, obviously. The bears have become addicted to the powerful scent of kerosene and jet fuel. Whether the liquids have been dumped or are sitting in containers, bears find them and end up sniffing them until they pass out in ‘stoned ecstasy’.
Bear-ly Addicted
The Dwarf Planet
Do you remember when Pluto was a planet? That poor guy downgraded to become a ‘dwarf planet’. But why? Well consider this. Pluto is smaller than Russia! Pluto is 16,647,940 square kilometers while Russia, the largest country on Earth, is 17,098,322 square kilometers. Should we start calling Russia a planet?
The Dwarf Planet
Day Of Conception
If you ever happen to visit Russia on September 12th, don’t be surprised if the streets are empty. The reason might be because that day is called “The Day of Conception”. Since Russia’s population was falling, a Russian governor introduced this special day which encouraged adults to start making babies. The 2005 initiative even used prizes like cars, cash and appliances to encourage parents-to-be to get it ooon.
Day Of Conception
Cat Theater
How much do you love cats? Enough to go see them pull off an entire cat production? If you answered ‘yes’, then you should make your way to the Moscow Cat Theater. Not only does the theater ’employ’ more than 200 cats, they also have spent between 2.5 to 7 years making the cat theater a success.
Cat Theater
Ivan The Terrible
Ivan the Terrible, no not the wrestler. This man was the first official tsar of Russia. You might be wondering how he got his title, not the tsar one, of course. Well let’s just say that he was pretty terrible. Killing, torturing and pillaging aren’t exactly going to get you the name of “Ivan the Wonderful”.
Ivan The Terrible
The Nutcracker
Most people know this already, but for those who don’t let’s make it known. Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the music for “the Nutcracker and the Mouse King” in 1981. Believe it or not, the first performance didn’t do well, but when it came to the ballet it turned out to be one of the most successful and famous of all time.
The Nutcracker
Dog Game
Vladimir Putin loves dogs. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel hates dogs. Putin thought about how he could take advantage of this imbalance of dog love, and then he came up with this. When the two met in 2006 for an intense negotiation, President Putin brought along a large dog that was sure to throw the German leader off. Talk about psychological warfare!
Dog Game
Deadly Lake
Some places around the world have lakes and rivers that one shouldn’t drink from. But then when it comes to Lake Karachy in Russia, it has the potential (and the promise) to kill any person within an hour after coming close to it. The lake is contaminated with nuclear waste that makes it the most polluted place on the entire Earth.
Deadly Lake
Millions
When your country has a massive military count, and an even larger population, you have much more to lose. This sadly was the truth for Russia during the Second World War when Russia lost more civilians and soldiers than any other country – over 30 million. Even though Russia managed to defeat the Nazi regime, they lost 14% of their total population in the process.
Millions
Only In Russia
Some of the most hilarious videos on YouTube and Facebook, come from the dashboards of Russian drivers. The main reason dashcams became such a hit in Russia was because of accident fraud. Many pedestrians, cyclists and even drivers have feigned injury in hopes of acquiring money for their “injuries”. The dashcams help prevent this from occurring.
Only In Russia
Vodka
Did you say ‘Russia’ or did you say ‘Vodka’? Well, what difference does it make since the two are basically synonymous. Every year during the holiday season, the average Russian will spend up to $400 on their vodka pleasure!
Vodka
Drinking Problems
Russia isn’t too proud to claim that about 23,000 people die from alcohol poisoning every year. A big contributor to that figure is an illegal alcohol substance called “samogon” which is twice as strong as vodka is! In 1985, Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev tried to introduce his own version of “prohibition”, banning alcohol in Russia. Did it work? Well did banning ice in Alaska work? Exactly.
Drinking Problems
Beauty Queens
It’s no surprise that many “Miss Russia” candidates have made heads turn at the “Miss World” beauty pageant. The beauty queens have come from all sorts of backgrounds including being engineers, police officers, economists, ballroom dancers and actresses. The winner of the “2008 Miss World” pageant was Russian actress Ksenia Sukhinova.
Beauty Queens
Real Smiles
Here’s one to wrap your head around. Many of us think that Russian people aren’t friendly, well because they never smile! But actually Russians choose to smile only when it is completely genuine and not just because it is polite. They’re probably living by the well-known Russian proverb, “Laughter for no reason is a sign of foolishness.”
Real Smiles
Right Hand
Next time you visit Russia, just be careful which person you start hitting on. Unlike us Westerners, the Russians place their wedding ring on their right hand. Just so you know, this tradition isn’t Russian alone, other countries like Poland, Germany, Israel and India do the same.
Right Hand
1,3,5,7,9…
Oh look at that, a beautiful Russian girl. Every girl deserves a bunch of flowers… hold on a second, buster. If you give flowers in Russia, make sure that the amount you give is an odd number and not even. Russians believe that an even amount of flowers is a sign of bad luck since that is what is given at funerals.
1,3,5,7,9…
No Handshake
Don’t be offended if, while being invited into a Russian home, the host refuses to shake your hand. Russians believe that shaking hands in a doorway is an omen for bad luck. Doing so will lead to an argument. Don’t believe it? Try it.
No Handshake
War Heads
For a long time, the U.S. had been in a nuclear race with the Soviets, but perhaps we now have our winner. Russia is the proud owner of over 7,000 nuclear warheads with most of them being able to hit targets near and far. You can take a breather, “only” 1,950 are operational at this current time.
War Heads
Rush Hour
Moscow has the busiest underground system in the entire world. Every day more than 9 million people use the underground system which is more than the numbers of New York City and London combined!
Rush Hour
Close Neighbors
We’re pretty far from Russia, aren’t we? If you take a look on the map, they’re all the way in the east and we’re all the way in the west. Well, that’s only if they don’t go around the other side of the world where Alaska and Russia have all but four km’s between one another.
Close Neighbors
Tetris
Left, right, turn, right, down! That was my childhood, playing Tetris. Did you know that it was a Russian computer game designer who created this addictive game? That’s right. Alexey Pajitnov brought us this old-school classic.
Tetris
