Covering more than one eighth land of the Earth, Russia is the biggest country of the world. Authors (Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Pushkin), Traditional Food (Borscht, Blini, stroganoff, Black Bread), Architectural wonders (Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin, Winter Palace, Hermitage Museum) reminds of just one name: RUSSIA!
Also, back in 1939, Winston Churchill famously remarked that Russia was “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” Quite positively, this still holds true for some people.
Let’s have a deeper look at the country founded by Viking Rurik in 862:
1. Vodka Rules
What if you get to know you are going to be paid in vodka at the end of the month? Well, in Russia, during times of economic disparity or high inflation, teachers can be paid in Vodka.
Source: kickassfacts.com, Image: tumblr.com
2. Anything Under 10%
Yes, 10% is the line drawn for anything to be a foodstuff and not alcoholic.
Source: kickassfacts.com, Image: tumblr.com
3. Who’s The Biggest of Them All?
We know that Russia is the biggest country. But did we also know that it’s bigger than PLUTO?????!!
Source: kickassfacts.com, Image: tumblr.com
4. “Closed Cities”
Russia is suspected to be a home to 15 secret cities. Besides their names and location currently unknown, they appear on no maps, no road signs will direct you to them too. Unsurprisingly, visits from foreigners are strictly prohibited as well.
Source: Wikipedia, Image: pinterest.com
5. Tattoo Game Strong
In Soviet Russia, prisoners used to get tattoos of Lenin & Stalin, since guards were ordered not to shoot at any image of the national leaders.
Source: kickassfact.com, Image: prisoners.russia.com
6. Sold Like Hotcakes (Not)
Russia sold Alaska to USA for just $7.2 million which, about $2.5 million less than what Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo!!
Source: kickassfacts.com, Image: tumblr.com
7. Food Hunting
There are stray dogs in the city of Moscow, that ride the subways on the same schedule each day to find food.
Source: emgn.com, Image: rail-moscow.com
8. Killer Lake
Lake Karachay, sometimes spelled Karachai or Karachaj, is a small lake in the southern Ural Mountains in central Russia, which is so radioactive that it can kill anyone in about 30 minutes of standing near it.
Source: Wikipedia, Image: youtube
9. Closest As Ever
At their closet point, Alaska in USA is just 2 miles away from Russia.
Source: businesinsiders.in, Image:
10. Alley Cat
The State Hermitage Museum in Russia has a team of cats that protects the artwork against rodents. These cats even have a passport with a photo. (whhaaatt??) Also, if you spent 2 minutes looking at each exhibit in the Hermitage, it would take you 6 years to see everything. That’s quite a labor.
Source: dailycaller.com, Image: wikipedia
11. No Words for… Well, Words
There is no literal translation for words like “fun” and “privacy” in Russian language.
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: investorshub.com
12. McBiggest
The biggest McDonalds is in Moscow, seating about 700 people at a time. Also, Russia is the only place where you can have a McShrimp!
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: gomoscow.travelblog.com
13. In Lieu of
Recently, many restaurants in Russia have started listing “Borscht” as “Beet Root Soup” because “borscht” is Ukrainian.
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: foodinrussia.com
14. New Year
Even thought, maximum people of Russia are Christians, New Year is a more popular festival than Christmas. In fact, they celebrate it twice.
Source: businessisniders.com, Image: russiaceleb.com
15. 🙂
Russians do not put eyes on the smiley- It is always ))))) or (((( but never 🙂 or 🙁 . Wow!
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: photobucket.com
16. Most Beautiful Subway
Moscow has the most beautiful subway station and also, it is the fourth deepest station in the world.
Source: Wikipedia, Image: youtube
17. A Good Man Is Hard To Find
You heard me! There are 9 million more Russian women than men.
Source: emgn.com, Image: russiaarmy.com
18. Cheers To … Liver?
“There are over 500,000 alcohol-related deaths in Russia every year.” An average Russian drinks about 4.8 gallons of alcohol per year which two times what doctor think is dangerous for you and four times more than an average American Cheers.
Source: emgn.com, Image: tumblr.com
19. Bridging the Distances
St. Petersburg has more bridges than in Venice. About 3 times more.
Source: emgn.com, Image: tumblr.com
20. Meat-y Gelatin
An extremely popular Russian meal called “kholodets,” is comprised of meat suspended in salty gelatin.
Source: Wikipedia, Image: foodsblog.com
21. Too Late to Play
In 1908, the Russian Olympic Team arrived 12 days late since it was still following the Julian calendar.
Source: factslide.com, Image: olympia-russia.com
22. If it’s Not Pickled, It’s Not Good Enough
You can find a pickled version of almost every vegetable in Russia. That’s wickedly impressive.
Source: recipes-plus.co.uk, Image: foodsblog.com
23. Vodka is Water!
Vodka is derived from the word “Voda”, which is Russian for “Water”.
Source: boredbug.com, Image: photobucket.com
24. World’s Least Friendly Country
Russia is voted for the title since the children at schools are taught not to smile in school. Furthermore, people do not smile at the passer by(s). (It is considered rude!)
Source: boredbug.com, Image: flickr
25. Late? Hire An Ambulance!
It is quite a fact that many wealthy Russians hire an ambulance in case of a hefty traffic.
Source: boredbug.com, Image: flickr
26. Not Americans’ Cup of Tea
A Russian drinks about 3.051 pounds of tea annually, compared with 0.503 pounds in the U.S.
Source: businessinsider.com, Image: youtube
27. Most Time Zones
Russia used to have 11 time zones but it cut that down to nine in 2010. “The less fractional division of the country will enable us to resolve a number of transport and communications issues, will increase its manageability and strengthen the position of Russia as an important chain in the world’s global infrastructure,” President Dmitry Medvedev.
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: mapsofworld.com
28. Where Is The Sun?
There exists a town in Russia with an average temperature of -50 degrees Fahrenheit, and a current sunrise time of 2pm and a sunset time of 3.30pm.
Source: boredbug.com, Image: pinterest
29. Astori-shing!
The Astoria hotel in St. Petersburg is where Hitler planned to hold a huge celebratory banquet once he’d conquered the city.
Source: factslide.com, Image: pinterest.com
30. Sweeper’s Colony
Subbotnik is the day when Russian residents volunteer to sweep up and tidy the streets of their city. It started after the revolution but happens till the date.
Source: wikifacts.com, Image: gemsofrussiawar.com
31. More Rules
Giving flowers to the people can be a delicate point of etiquette in Russia. You should always make sure to give them the odd numbers, unless going to a funeral, where even numbers are the rule.
Source: factsareus.com, Image: tumblr.com
32. Love Locked Down
Padlock trees can be spotted in Moscow where couples prove their love to each other.
Source: telegraph.co.uk, Image: loveinmoscow.com
33. Notorious Policemen
Although things are improving, Russian police are still notorious for asking the foreigners for “paperwork infringements”. So be careful in Russia and carry your documents with you (ALL THE TIME!).
Source: boredbug.com, Image: crimerussia.net
34. Banned
Few Western leaders are not welcome in at least one airport duty free shop in Russia.
Source: businessinsiders.com, Image: photobucket.com
35. Lesser Known Places
Around 10,000 British tourists visit Russia each year, and over 90 per cent of them go only to Moscow and/or St Petersburg.
Source: telegraph.co.uk, Image: britishtravellers.co.uk
36. Plain Beef Fat for Dinner?
Salo is a distant cousin of bacon. It consists of slabs of fat with or without skin. Salo is normally kept in the fridge and eaten raw. Describing its taste is tricky – essentially, you are literally eating pure fat. It’s salty and has a very subtle yet somehow rich flavor. The combination of thin chilled salo slices, pieces of rye bread and ice cold vodka is unbeatable.
Source: gorussia.about.com, Image: foodsblog.com
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