Gary Kasparov is a Russian patriot

Gary Kasparov is a true Russian patriot. Many people think being a patriot is about drum beating and marching in line. I think it is just the opposite. Usually bright minds see this. In fact, Albert Einstein basically said the same thing, that people who glorify this imperial forced expansion and suppression thought are of a very primitive human nature.

Kasparov is right, the Russian people need a free press.  A country changes in their minds and hearts before their government changes.

Kasparov website The other Russia deals with the issues Russian should be aware of today.

Therefore, I think Gary Kasparov is a great man, not because of his mind on the chess board but because he has the courage his convictions.

Why I care about Russian politics

I am an American and EU citizen (Polish).  My family came from Ukraine and Poland.  Poland, Ukraine and America have all had their issues with Russian politics.  However, the reason I would like to see Russia change is not because of any advantage to me or my counties, rather, I have always had a passion for Russian culture.

Growing up in America I studied Russian culture as it was closely connected to Ukrainian culture.  I also had a love of philosophy. One guiding idea I have believed in is truth, all philosophy is based on this idea. Unless you are an extreme skeptic that believes there is no such thing as truth, but this is wrong because even that is a truth.   If a person or country can not operate from the point of view of truth all will suffer.

In Russia, the people of Russia suffer because their leaders manipulate the news to favor Oligarchs new Russians and Kremlin interests.

A free Russia – Gary Kasparov

Can you imagine how great Russia would be if there was truly a free exchange of ideas?  If there was truly a free movement of labor and capital and integration with the EU.  The Russian middle class would be rich, rather than the new Russians, Oligarchs and ex communists.

However, that is not the point, it is about a free exchange of ideas.  You can be rich as a person but if you operate under a web of lies you are limited in your ability for your soul to express itself. I think this is what Gary Kasparov is arguing for.

Many people suffer under Russian imperialism.  I think there are peoples in the country of Russia that are not fully accepted.  I think there are beliefs in Russia that are dangerous to have.  Am I even safe for writing this?

• A free Russia would allow expression of all beliefs and people would not live under fear.
• In a free Russia other towns and cities would grow rich not just Moscow which is like a black hole that draws all wealth and energy from a thousand miles around it, leaving other parts of the old Soviet Union or the CIS  on a path of slow development.
• In a free Russia science and art and the human mind would progress because open expression would be allowed.  If you ever want to really see what nonsense is allowed try reading the Russian website Pravda.

Is it that bad in Russia?

On one level, no, but on another level I am glad I live in a free USA and free EU.  I think most Russian people love Russia in their hearts an do not want to escape, they just would love a little more justice in their society. It is not about leaving Russia or comparing Russia, it is about truth and justice and freedom.  This is what Gary Kasparov is hoping for.

Siberian nature

Siberia is mostly forest and fields with bright blue sky’s. Maybe being so far north makes the colors seem richer and more intense.

Baikal Syberian sky

From the Urals the Eurasian Steppe go to the watershed between Pacific and Arctic drainage basins live the Siberians, including all the wild animals from tigers to bears.

Siberian lands extent from the Arctic Ocean to north-central Kazakhstan mountains.

Eastern Russian also borders Mongolia, China the Pacific, with the biggest city being Vladivostok, which is currently a post industrial city. I think in the future it will be a very avant-guard city like Vancouver once Russia changes its economy towards more free market and generally when East Asia develops more.

Most of central Siberia is taiga while the southern regions are temperate broad leaf forest and the northern Tundra, with the far south being steppe.

Mountains in Siberia

The if you have ever gone through Siberia on the train, the trans-Siberian railroad you will mostly see endless forests of birch and pine trees. Fresh green colors or white beautiful birches. These aromas are uplifting.  These are softwood trees, because hardwood trees usually grow in a warmer region.

You will see wildflowers with vibrant colors, deep purples and blues.

In fact there is not a lot to see in Siberia except nature.  And if you’re on the train for week you might get bored or not depending on your love of nature.  But the people who I have talked to all said they love the train Siberian railroad.  I have not been on it myself.

The air in Siberia is dry not like the desert but like a clean and fresh winter day.  Therefore, despite the cold it is very invigorating and refreshing to breathe clean fresh crisp Siberian air.

Siberian civilization

It makes up 77% of Russian land but only 25% of the Russian population. The region grew in population from the 1950s to 1980s, basically under the Soviet Union.

In Siberia of a art be their small villages which are agrarian or in some way is connected to an industrial purpose such as mining strategic minerals like copper ore Nickle.

There are mountains in Siberia however they are more on the perimeter such as the Ural mountains or the mountains to the south. and of course Siberia is surrounded by emotion and see but the sea is very cold and for all practical purposes is not accessible.

My childhood Siberian fantasy

One of my childhood dreams was always to go to Siberia and even have a small little house in Siberia and in and a wooden cottage in Siberia.  Of course is just a fantasy during and I would imagine in real life that’s very difficult to live there, but maybe not, as long as you have Internet.

Here is a beautiful mapping of Siberia.

If anyone has ever been to Сибирь please let me know and share this experience with me by leaving a comment.  if you have thought of going to Siberia also let me know.

The main difference between Russian orthodox music and western music is as follows church music of the west is western music is more detached and flowering, while Russian music has more of an emotional quality to it.

The range of notes and sounds in the west is less than the range and Russian orthodox music.  In Russian orthodox music often times you do you get very deep male voices hitting the low range notes I did not know existed, and very high female voices.

I believe the basis of Byzantine music from Russia and its depth is because Orthodoxy is more traditional than even the catholic church.  This difference between east and west in liturgical music of the Russian church comes not from the theology but rather from its connection to the Middle Ages and mysticism, but also the connection with nature.

It is almost like the Russian church is monastic in nature and the music in the Russian church reflects this. Its deep sounds and other worldly feel appeals to emotion rather than to intellect.

My experience with Russian church music

I am American but my grandparents came from Ukraine.  And because of this I had a lot of exposure to this Eastern Music.  I love it.  Growing up in snowy New England I would imagine myself in the middle of a Siberian forest as I fell asleep to these chants.

I think chants in general are great for learning.  Many people think Baroque music is the best but I think this brings you do alpha waves.  I think theta or even delta waves are the best for learning or at least assimilating the knowledge you have studied.  This is where  ancients chants from Russia come in.

One of the best places to find free Russian music is Youtube of course.  I scan it and come up with a play list.

Even if you do not understand what is being chanted, and I do not know many people who do, it is peaceful music.

Let me know what your experiences have been or your impression of this ancient mystical chant music from Russia.

It could be twenty below zero, however, Russians will be eating ice cream.  Further, Russians are not eating ice cream in  cafes, but rather walking around on the street in Moscow or the city of saint Petersburg with ice cream in their hands and a smile on their face.

The best ice cream in town is family hole in the wall kiosks with plastic spoons and to go cartons and eaten on the street in the middle of winter in Russia.

I know where this tradition of ice cream in winter on the street in Russia got started.

Russian word for ice cream

The Russian word for ice cream is мороженное. This is pronounced maroshenoye.

There are over 300 to commercial Russian ice cream producers in Russia.  However, of course there are many more small producers, mom and pop shops.

I think the best buy screen in Russia is found in this small privately owned Ice cream shops.  Not one of the large 300 producers.  The most recent trend in Russian ice cream is large international companies that we have in the west are trying to penetrate the Russian ice cream market.

Russian specific Ice cream

The strategies that Russian ice cream producers have is offering traditional flavors.  However, if you want to succeed in Russia you have to offer something that is uniquely Russian.  Therefore you have ice cream that has the colors of the Russian flag for example.  Or Russian named after a historic monuments in Russia.  Or something very unusual like birch tree flavored ice cream because birch is very common in the Russian forest.  You need something that is specific to the country of Russia for it to appeal to the Russians because they are very nationalistic and proud of their country.  This is in addition to the traditional flavors.

The basic ingredient in ice cream is milk, actually milk and cream.  Of course you add other things like rock salt, sugar, vanilla, and ice, however, a the primary taste comes from the milk.

Other quality of the milk will determined the flavor of the ice cream.  One of the good things about eastern European ice cream is, Slavic countries have very good dairy farming.  I think most milk comes from local farms.  Most of these are organic.  My wife’s parents have a very farm. Well it is not really a dairy farm, they just have their own milk. This organic home grown milk is the best and many small ice cream makers only use this.

Another component of the taste of Russian ice cream comes from the natural ingredients which they flavor it from.

Where do I recommend to buy ice cream in Russia?  Like I wrote in family owned shops. However if you are in Moscow one place I do recommend is the Pushkin cafe, it is a little more up scale. Go downstairs it use to be an old chemist.  The menus are written in old Russian.

Let me know what you think about my post on Russian ice cream and if you have ever tasted real authentic мороженное in the winter.

Although it is not directly an insurance payout, but rather a potential marriage dissolution settlement, it is insurance related none the less. Anna Khachaturova, the wife of Danil Khachaturov who is the head of the Russian Insurance empire Rosgosstrakh wants 50% of his insurance stock. Gosstrakh and its successor Rosgosstrakh was the first and is the biggest of the Russian insurance companies and succeeded in the Russian insurance industry because of brand name recognition. If this settlement is reach it will dwarf western settlements of this nature. Insurance is clearly a profitable business.

I live in eastern Europe and I see what has happened. The Russian economy is destroyed by the drop in oil. Moscow city projects are at a halt and it is panic. Russia will not go back to the stone age but close.

Russian de-privatization of the economy

This was a code word for giving Russian industry to friends in government. They focused on oil and gas and did not diversify and upgrade their facilities.

Russian economy will need outside help

The Russians can not bail themselves out. They need outside help, the damage is too deep. If oil does not recover the economy will collapse.

Russian economic solution

If Russia did not play this imperialistic autocratic game but rather a more free market open to Europe and Asia and real free markets Russia would be a diversified economy that bridged east and west and resilient. However, it is not in the Russian culture to respect economic and political freedom like we have in the west. I think they fear their culture, which is very beautiful will be corrupted by the west. This is the state of the Russian economy.

The Russian film called Transsiberian is about two Americans who used to train Siberian railroad to cross Russia.  If you like adventure and suspense in movies and then you will like the film Trans Siberian.  It is a bid is a combination of a thriller, a Sherlock Holmes’ mystery, and a stereotypical portrayal of Russian culture.

I once took a 26 hour train ride to Crimea.  It only cost me about 20 dollars so it was quite and deal and an adventure. And nothing like the movie Transsiberian, it was perfectly safe.

I have often thought about taking the train Siberian railroad to China or the Pacific.  I am an American that lives in Krakow Poland.  Of course I have taken the train to Kiev and Moscow’s and to just buy one more ticket across Siberia would not be a problem.

Transsiberian stars

The only star you would know is Woody Harrelson (from friends), however,  Emily Mortimer as a neurotic American girl is not bad either.

Ben Kingsley from the movie Gandhi also played in the movie.  As always amazing.

Was it filmed in Russia?

Yes part of it was, but most of it was filmed in Lithuania. I have no idea why they did not film it all in Russia, it would have been more authentic.  I think it was a low budget film, heavy on plot.

The reason I would not say this was a true Russian film is not that it was filmed mostly in Europe, but rather it talked about nihilistic Russian philosophy, but Transsiberian was clearly a Hollywood, not a Russian film

If you want to watch the film that is not produced by Russians, but betrays the Russian culture in a funny stereotypical way without being too disrespectful I can recommend the film trains Siberian.

If you have seen the American Russian movie Transsiberian, let me know what you thought about it and its portrayal of Russia.

Origin of Rusalka

The word Rusalka is an interesting word. It comes from an ancient fairy-tale from Russia, Poland and Ukraine.

According to Slavic mythology Rusalka, is a beautiful female who seduces men to get their life energy. It would have been better if the film was made about this ancient and Slavic myth.

The Russian film Rusalka

Instead of the film was about a girl with a very unusual circumstances. She moved to Moscow on as a girl and encountered many people who had no redeeming characteristics. In fact, I would say that nobody in the entire film had any redeeming characteristics. Even the main character was only OK morally.

I am not going to tell you the whole plot because in case you see it by to want to spoil it for you. However, did and what I have written above, I can tell you that unless you like films with nothing uplifting or positive, you were not going to like this Russian film.

Photography of Rusalka -  Russian film

The images in the film and the actual filming of Russia is quite interesting to watch. The images were rich and almost surreal. The colors of the Film also very well done.

Have Russians changed?

Some people say it is the character of the Russian people to like dark nihilistic Russian films. however I think those times the past and the new Russians the new people of Russia of the youth prefer more optimistic but trails of life.

Therefore, if you wanna see a Russian film which has great photography but rather weak on the plot then you can see the film Rusalka.

I believe in the power of wishes. I think your subconscious mind communicates with your conscious mind with wishes you are not aware of. I think wishing someone well also is a warm gesture. Here are some ways to wish well on others in Russian.

Wishes in Russian

Пожелания [pozhelaniya]

All the best!
Всего наилучшего! [vsevo nayluchshevo]

Have a nice trip!
Счастливого пути! [shchaslivovo puti]

Happy birthday to you
С днем рождения! [z dnom razhden’ya]

Happy Birthday in Russian

Happy Valentine day!
С днем святого Валентина! [ z dnom sv'atovo valentina]

Happy New Year!
С Новым Годом!  [s novym godam]

Merry Christmas!
С Рождеством!  [s razhdistvom]

Good Luck!
Удачи! [udachi]

Enjoy! (For meals…)
На здоровье! [na zdarov’ye!]

Bless you (when sneezing)
Будьте здоровы! [bud'te zdarovy] (means be healthy!)

Congratulations!
Поздравляю![pazdravlyayu]

I think the most know is happy birthday in Russian but also Merry Christmas in Russian.

Полезные выражения

If you start to travel in Russia you need to know some the most important words. Firstly, these connected with railway station, bust station and airport. When there is not much time till you arrive in Russia – read this expression few time and try to remember them. And do not afraid to use your Russian!

Russian travel vocabulary

How to get to… ? -  Как попасть…  [kak papast]
Where to buy… ? –  Где можна купить… [gde mozhna kupit']

Are there any more trains leaving this evening?
Есть ли еще поезда сегодня вечером? [yest' eshche poyezda sevodn'a vecherom]

How many trains are there tomorrow?
Сколько поездов отходит завтра? [ skol'ko poyezdov otxodit zavtra]

I’d like to book a sleeper ticket.
Я хотел бы забронировать спальное место. [a xotel by zabronirovat' spal'noye mesto]

How much does it cost?
Сколько это стоит? [ skol'ko eto stoit]

I’m calling for  some information about trains to Moscow.
Я хотел бы узнать о поездах в Москву [ya xotel by uznat' o poezdah v moskvu].

I want to book a place in
Я хотел бы забронировать место в  [ya hotel by zabronirovat' mesto v]

At what time I need to be in airport?
В каком часу надо прибыть в аеропорт? [v kakom chasu nado pribyt' v aeroport]

Are there any vacances to …?
Есть еще свободные места в ? [yest' eshche svobodnye mesta]

How long the journey is?
Сколько длиться путешествие? [skol'ko dlit'sa puteshestvie]

When we com to?
Когда мы приедем? [kogda my priedem]

I’m late. My plane has flied.
Я опоздал на самолет. [ya opozdal na samolot]

If you know a few Russian travel words doors will be open for you that are closed to people who do not know Russian travel words, you will see what I am talking about.