Russia’s glorious Hermitage Museum—everyone is aware of its spectacular treasures and grand galleries, but did you know about the guardian cats that protect it?

On duty for centuries to keep the Hermitage rodent free, these feisty felines are ever vigilant. Come with us as we explore the basement of the Hermitage to meet these tireless warriors.

Wikipedia: The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise nearly 3 million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world.

Different tasty salads are popular amongst Russians, and if you get invited to dinner by a Russian you will probably discover at least two or more different salads on the table. One of the most popular is the famous Olivie Salad. A quite solid salad that very well fits to be served as a standalone dish (together with champagne) at an informal meeting.

The original version of the salad was invented in the 1860s by the Belgium origin Lucien Olivier, the chef and owner of the Hermitage restaurant, at that time one of Moscow’s most famous restaurants. Olivier’s salad quickly became immensely popular with Hermitage regulars, and became the restaurant’s reputed signature dish.

In our recipe we include a pork sausage (Varenaya Kolbasa or just Varenka), but you can use any similar local variant. You can even replace the sausage with cold Ham, Beef tongue or Chicken – as with many popular Russian recipes, there is plenty of variants.

Olivie Ingredients

These are the ingredients of Salad Olivie for 4-6 persons.

• 5-6 Small Potatoes
• 3 Eggs
• 150-200 g Pork Sausage
• 2-3 Pickles
• 200-300 g Canning Peas
• Few Spoons of Mayonnaise (according to your taste)
• Salt to Taste

The Preparation

Boil Potatoes to ready state (but not to soft). Boil the Eggs – the Eggs should be hard boiled. Let the Potatoes and Eggs cool down. Peel Potatoes and Eggs and dice it. Dice Sausage and Pickles as well. Everything should be diced to under 1 centimeter, or after your own taste – it’s your kitchen and you do as you want.

Mix all that sliced ingredients with Canning Peas, add Mayonnaise and Salt to taste. And mix properly but carefully – let it stand in a cool place (preferably in a refrigerator) and rest for three or four hours. The Olivie salad is now ready for eating.

If you so want, you can also add green onions, fresh dill, parsley and even some boiled carrots – many home kitchen masters use exactly those ingredients in their Olivie salad.

Other Variations Of Olivie Salad

Olivie Salad After Recipe From 1904
Krasnaya Ploschad, a Moscow restaurant-museum in the Red Square, offer a Olivie recipe from 1904 – with Camchatka Crabs and decorated with Black caviar and Crayfish meat.

Russian Salad (Olivier) by EnjoyYourCooking
This is a pedagogical written Olivie recipe with images to guide you through the different steps in Olivie salad making. This nice and tasty recipe includes carrots, onion and dill.

Salade Olivier by Nooschi
According to Nooschi, her food journey started with this Olivie dish. This Oriental inspired recipe by Nooschi includes for example chicken breast, white vinegar and Turmeric.

Good luck with your Olivie salad and have a tasty meal!

Image: Eugene Kim

In this incredible dramatic amateur footage presented by the Russian news site Vykzas, you can see a car with a group of youngsters making a very lucky escape from one of the raging forest fires in Russias Nizhny Novgorod region (east of Moscow).

Forest fires have killed, according to CBC News, 50 people and left thousands homeless in Central Russia, and the Nizhny Novgorod region is among the worst hit regions. The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised compensation to the victims.

Image: Public Library of Science

Blini is widely popular in Russia and is served in a huge variation of dishes. Usually the small variant is called Oladyi (оладьи) by true native Russians and has a slightly different recipe – but is very often and commonly mistaken as Blini. This recipe is from Kookse.tv – a website from Netherlands with online recipes that are supported by video tutorials.

This is a Blini, or Bliny or Oladyi (there are many different traditions of spelling and names, but they are almost all the same tasty), recipe for four up to six persons.

Blini Á La Kookse Ingredients

All the ingredients to this recipe are very common and non-exotic, and already in peoples kitchens. Except the Buckwheat flour perhaps, which is not so popular in northern Europe, but it shouldn’t be any problems to find it in some well-assorted food store.

• 50 g Plain Flour
• 200 g Buckwheat Flour
• 10 g Instant Yeast
• 2,5 dl Milk
• 2 Eggs (Yolks separated)
• 15 g Melted Butter
• Sugar
• Salt

The Blini Á La Kookse Cooking

As you can see, this is not exactly a fast recipe. There is nothing complicated, but it takes some time. If you want to eat these Blinis in the morning (like the suggest in the video above), you better make them the day before.

• Put 150 g Buckwheat Flour in a bowl.
• Mix 10 g Instant Yeast and 1,5 dl Milk – add it to the bowl and mix.
• Cover with folio and let it raise for 1,5 hours.
• Separate 2 Eggs and mix the Yolks with 1 tsp sugar and 3g Salt. Add it to the bowl.
• Melt 15 grams of Butter and stir it to 1 dl of milk. Add to the bowl.
• And add 50 g of Buckwheat Flour and 50 g of Plain Flour and stir well.
• Whisk 2 Egg Whites and gently mix it in to the bowl.
• Leave for 20 minutes.

Bake them on a frying pan (remember butter) until they are beautifully golden brown.

Blini Background

According to Wikipedia, our often quoted and contested well of wisdom, “Blin” comes from the Old Slavic word “mlin”, that means “to mill”. Some theories say Blinis had some ritual importance for old Slavic peoples in pre-Christian times since they were a symbol of the sun. Personally I think it seems unlikely – I think the round form was purely accidental.

But if you believe this theory, Blinis were traditionally prepared at the end of the winter to honor the rebirth of the adored sun. This tasty tradition was later adopted by the Holy Russian Orthodox church and is carried on to the present day. Blini were once also served at wakes, to commemorate the recently deceased.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

There are three things people often think of when you mention Russia: Vodka, Mafia and Russian Billionaires. And in Russia billionaires are mostly men. When it comes to rapid, and sometimes mystical, personal economic growth, Russia is a patriarchate. Of course there is plenty of wealthy women in Russia, but on Forbes list you see one first on place 342.

Elena Nikolayevna Baturina is that woman on Forbes list and also the richest woman of Russia. She is the co-founder of the construction company Inteco. The company grew quickly after her husband Yuriy Luzhkov became mayor of Moscow, and he was accused of corruption because her company was getting municipal contracts.

Flamboyant and nervous western media frequently report about corruption and ties to Mafia when portraying Russian businessmen – according to these media, it seems like Russian nationality alone is a sure sign of mobster activity. But suspicious backgrounds are not at all anything unique for the Russian business world.

For example Hugo Boss was during the Second World War member of the Nazi party and looked after so SS was well-dressed meanwhile committing genocide, and IKEA’s Ingvar Kamprad was member of the Swedish version of the same party, Michael Bloomberg has been accused of sexually harassing men and women, Perelman was accused of engaging in greenmail, Jeffrey Epstein, Nadhmi Auchi, Raj Rajaratnam, Allen Stanford and the list could continue. There is plenty of dirt even without the Russians and western media have no reason whatsoever to be self-righteous. Perhaps the simple truth is that you need to make your hands dirty if you want to became billionaire – just as in any business.

Anyway, RussianTales presents the 10 richest post communism Russians at this very moment. They are all self made billionaires and more or less colorful personalities.

The 10 Richest Russians

1. Vladimir Sergeevitch Lisin – Businessman
Vladimir Lisin, born 7 May 1956 in Ivanovo, is specialized in the steel industry. He is considered to be the richest man in Russia with an estimated net worth of $15.8 billion. Married (has three children). He is also professor of the Academy of National Economy.
[On Wikipedia]

2. Mikhail Dmitrievitch Prokhorov – Entrepreneur
Self-made Russian billionaire and owner of the New Jersey Nets. Prokhorov (born May 3 1965) is known throughout the world for his lavish lifestyle. He made headlines when he was forced to forfeit a £36 million deposit he placed on the £360 million Villa Leopolda.
[On Wikipedia]

3. Mikhail Maratovitch Fridman – Businessman
Born 21 April 1964 in Lviv (Ukraine) – active in the oil, banking, telecom industry and co-founder of Alfa Group Consortium. In 2005 he became member of the Public Chamber of Russia and involved in a privatization scandal. He is divorced and has two children.
[On Wikipedia]

4. Roman Arkadyevitch Abramovich – Businessman
Born 24 October 1966 in Saratov, and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC and Chelsea Football Club. Governor of Chukotka 2000 to 2008. Alleged by Berezovsky to harass him with “threats and intimidation“. Divorced and has six children.
[On Wikipedia]

5. Oleg Vladimirovitch Deripaska – Chief Executive Officer
CEO and owner of Basic Element company. Born 2 January 1968 in Dzerzhinsk, but grew up in Krasnodar Krai. Established the “Vol’noye dyelo”, Russia’s largest private charity foundation. Accused to have links to organized crime. Married and has two children.
[On Wikipedia]

6. Vagit Alekperov – Businessman
Born September 1, 1950 in Baku, and has now his residence in Moscow. 1990 he became deputy minister of the Oil and Gas Industry of the Soviet Union. Currently he is President of Russian oil company LUKOIL. Has good relationship with Putin. Married and has a son.
[On Wikipedia]

7. Vladimir Olegovitch Potanin – Businessman
Born in Moscow on January 3, 1961. Co-founder of Interros. Acquired his wealth through the controversial loans-for-shares program in Russia. In January (2010) he announced that he will transfer his fortune to charity and not his three children. Potanin is married.
[On Wikipedia]

8. Alexei Aleksandrovitch Mordashov – Chief Executive
Born in Cherepovets on September 26, 1965. Main shareholder and Chief executive of the steelmaker SeverStal. A magazine article suggested he took ownership of Severstal by ousting his former boss. Involved in charitable enterprises. Divorced and has 3 children.
[On Wikipedia]

9. Viktor Filippovitch Rashnikov – Businessman
Born in Magnitogorsk on October 13, 1948, where he still today has his residence. Main shareholder and chairman of MMK steel company. Partner with Mr Dmitry Pumpyansky. Elected three times to the regional legislature. Rashnikov is married and has two children.
[On Wikipedia]

10. Dmitry Evgenievitch Rybolovlev – Businessman
Born in Perm on November 22, 1966, and has his residence in Moscow. Chairman and also main shareholder of Uralkali potash fertilizer company and board member of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Pending divorced and has two children.
[On Wikipedia]

The rankings are taken from Forbes list over the worlds richest persons. This annual rich list was published by Forbes on 10 March 2010. RussianTales is not affiliated with Forbes.

Images: www.kremlin.ru, Anton Nossik, YouTube.com
Title Image: O Nokka and M Wuertenberg and adapted by T Olovsson

This video by Cortezawwriss describes the journeys of Russian pilgrims. There are many important pilgrimages in Russia – Sergiev Posad, Saint Sophia cathedral in Novgorod and Valaam Monastery in Valamo are some of the more well known. The longest journey starts in Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast and goes all the way to Moscow, over 9 000 km.

Russian pilgrims during 1890's

The Russian Orthodox Church is a body of Christians who constitute an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Moscow, nominally in communion with the other Eastern Orthodox Churches.

More About Russian Orthodoxy:

• Russian Orthodox Church – Wikipedia
• Orthodox Pilgrimages
• Sacred Sites of Russia

Image: The Library of Congress

To travel in Russia has it ups and downs. One of the absolutely major downs is definitely the almighty Russian bureaucracy. Do not even for a moment expect that you will be treated well, or with any kind of service level whatsoever, by a Russian bureaucrat. But even so, travel to and inside Russia has become a lot easier since the grim Soviet times.

Some of the major ups are the people, the history, the architecture and the climate. The Russian people in general are very warm and generous without some false politeness – if a Russian welcomes you, then you really can be sure that you are welcome.

And if you can overcome the initial problems with entering the country, the rest of the travel has all the possibilities in the world to be interesting and enjoyable, since there is something in Russia for all type of tastes.

In this short article RussianTales.se presents our 10 best Russia travel tips to make your travel as enjoyable, safe and reasonable trouble-free as it ever possible.

10 Tips When You Travel In Russia

1. Apply for visa well in advance
Apply for your visa very well in advance, do not wait until is just a few weeks left to your travel. You can do it through an embassy located in your country of residence. To apply for your visa needed an invitation. Invitations are issued by the hotel at which you plan to stay, through your travel agent or a private Russian citizen, if you plan to have private accommodation. The last alternative takes longer time than the others.

2. Do not forget to register upon arrival to Russia
When you are finally in Russia, you must register within three days of the arrival. You will receive an immigration form at the passport control that must follow your passport. To complete the registration process your hotel will enrich you with a stamp. Register at every new hotel you stay at if you move around in the country.

3. Keep your travel documents safe and in order
The best way to deal with a string Russian bureaucrat is to have all your documents in order and remain calm at all moments. Make photocopies of all you travel documents and to always carry a photocopy of your passport with you could be a good idea. And leave your passport number and other information with a family member in your home country (in the sad case of misplaced or stolen passport).

Don’t take the rudeness of a custom officer personally. Russian bureaucrats have a bit awkward behavior but they are like that to everybody – Russians and foreigners, they make no difference whatsoever. If you would meet them privately you would discover that they often are very nice and friendly people. Remember, remain calm and correct.

4. Exchange currency at your home bank
The Russian currency is Ruble. You need to have Rubles with you as soon as you go shop or out to restaurant for example, to have other currencies can be problematic. Euros and USD can be exchanged in many places in Russia – generally, it’s not any problem to find a place for exchange, but your bills must be of current issue, without tears, rips, markings or folds. Easiest is to do all exchange at your home bank before you travel to Russia.

5. Avoid bank and credit cards while traveling in Russia
Cash is still the undisputed King. ATMs/bank machines are common in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other large cities, but many times there are restrictions on foreign cards and not every place will accept credit cards. Above that, you have the language problem.

Forget about travelers’ checks. Bring always enough cash to last you for entire excursion – do not do the mistake to trust that travelers’ checks or credit cards will solve all your temporary money problems. Russia has a different tradition with cards and checks.

6. Use public transportation in Russia
Public transportation in Russia is usually reliable, and more or less comfortable. Buses and other public transportations are often crowded, but cheap. The metros are at least in the big cities easily navigated, but be prepared that you probably have to stand while you ride – that is not a problem, unless the Russian hospitality hasn’t enriched you with too much Vodka. Personally, I prefer taxi – it is easy, affordable and much more comfortable as long as you keep yourself to the major taxi companies.

7. Pay attention to social conventions
Shaking hands is customary when you meet someone in person. Small gifts (a bottle of wine, flowers or chocolate) when you visit someone are well received. It is not possible to be overdressed in Russia – conservative wear is suitable for most places.

Smiling in Russia is traditionally reserved for friends. Smile at a stranger in the street and they will either think you’re making fun of them or that you must be, if not complete, an idiot anyway. Combine that smile with sloppy clothing and the Russians might think that you are an alcoholic. Dress proper and behave balanced and everything will be fine.

Do not expect that English speaking people are widespread in Russia. It is a requirement in the business world, and younger people often know enough to communicate, and in major hotels some of the staff have a working knowledge of English. You surely need an English/Russian dictionary of some kind, and it doesn’t harm to learn some key phrases in Russian, or hire a local translator. A translator can be more affordable than you think.

8. Do not take photos of military installations
It is prohibited to take photographs of any military installation and/or establishments or sites of strategic importance. Failure to abide by this could result in police arrest or some really serious problems. And believe me, you don’t want problems with the Russian police.

9. Have all of your vaccinations and insurances up to date
Ensure that all of your vaccinations are up to date, and you have sufficient amounts of any prescription medicine you may be taking. Pharmacies are common in all cities and carry a large supply of quality western medications, but all the labels are in Russian and most Russian store clerks do not speak English.

Contact your insurance company before you travel to find out what your insurance plan offers in case of emergency. Many insurance providers offer specialized riders which can cover emergency evacuation. Travel insurance is important. To not have a good and reliable travel insurance when you travel in Russia is truly to play Russian Roulette.

10. Bring toilet paper with you when you are out on sightseeing
Do not expect every public bathroom or toilet will provide you with towels, soap, toilet paper or, most importantly, a chair. A hole is what you are offered. Sometimes stylish and fashionable, but still a hole in the floor. If you unfortunately need to visit public facilities often during your Russia visit, you will end up with thighs like a turkey (red swollen and heavily over dimensioned thighs are not especially attractive).

In most private homes and descent hotels you find bathrooms with acceptable and even excellent standards, and with all the features you need to do some effective and serious personal bathroom business.

If you keep the above tips in mind and behave respectful and normal, you shouldn’t have any trouble during your Russia travel. Keep also in mind, Russians are just like everybody else. It is a humorous and descent people, often friendly and always very hospitable.

Useful Russia Travel Links:

• Russia – WikiTravel
• Russian Consulates
• Russian Embassy And Consulates

Reference: WikiTravel

Grand Hotel Europe: Bizzare Foods by Discovery at the Grand Hotel Europe. Gastronomic journey of Andrew Zimmern through restaurants and bars of the best 5 star luxury hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Grand Hotel Europe is a popular hotel in Saint Petersburg, and for those of you interested in exploring the culinary side of Russia the hotel offers five restaurants, two cafés and one bar – and authentic Russian delicacies are available in the Caviar Bar and Restaurant.

The Caviar Bar and Restaurant mentioned in this video (located at the Mezzanine level) is decorated in Art Nouveau style and offers an extensive and exquisite selection of caviar. Moreover, the restaurant also offers a huge selection of imported and domestic vodkas.

Wikipedia: Grand Hotel Europe vies with Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel and Hotel Astoria for the title of the most luxurious five-star hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of great hotels of the 19th-century Europe, it opened its doors to the public on January 28, 1875, replacing an earlier inn situated on the same site.

More About Grand Hotel Europe:

• Grand Hotel Europe Website
• Grand Hotel Europe – Wikipedia
• Grand Hotel Europe – YouTube Channel
• Grand Hotel Europe – Facebook Fanpage

During the weeks 16 – 17 2010, we’ll be updating and rebuilding RussianTales website (partly new design, new pages, new functions etc). We estimate the new version of RussianTales.se will be out during week 18 or 19, 2010.

We apologize for any inconvenience that might appear during this period (broken links, 404 error, etc).

If a link is broken, the entire chain breaks – Yiddish Proverb quotes

Expiring Services

Due to our reconstruction of RussianTales.se the following services will no longer be updated from April 30, 2010.

Russia News – Krasnodar
Regional and national news and analysis on Russia.

Russia News – Blogwatch
National and international bloggers about Russia and Russians.

From May 1, 2010, above services will no longer be available.

Image by: Sigurd Decroos