Let's go discover Russia

One of my favorite Russian dish: the Plov

Actually the Plov is not a dish coming from Russia but very popular there. Originally made in Middle-East, it has been spread up during the Soviet Union time in Russia.

It's a rice based dish made with simple ingredients but not that easy to cook, actually you can really taste a Plov made by someone who really know how to cook it.

The receipe I learned is:

• Pork shoulder
• Carrots
• Onion
• Garlic
• Broken rice

I'm not an expert like I just looked someone cook it one time and I cooked it myself one time. I find some receipe that seems to be good:

• Simple version: http://ambarcuisine.blogspot.com/2007/05/plov-for-dummies.html 
• High quality version with pictures: http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?language=2&Display=97&resolution=high&page=2

The one above have been made by someone from Middle East.

This one by the father of my gf.

 

Finally everybody is happy with Plov

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Petergof - Петергоф - The Russian Versailles

Pertergof is definitively a place you should go when you are visiting Saint-Pertersburg. About 25km from the downtown, it's about 30min by bus. 

This palace is often compared to Versailles because of the architecture, garden, fountains and spirit arround it. It's recognized as an UNESCO World heritage.

Some people prefers Petergof, some other prefers Versailles. I would say that the main fountain of Perterhof is very impressive, but I prefer the sharp of the Versailles one.

Also you can see the sea from Peterhof, but the site is not kept well and a lot of stuff are broken, I don't understand how the governement can't take care of a so beautiful place.

You can find a lot of fountains all arround the gardens, they are all working with the gravity.

Nature, is something you can't beat in Russia. It everytime give you extraordinnary landscape like on that picture.

Finnally, I advice you to have a look on that crazy church which is one of the most beautiful scene I have seen of all my trip in Russia, it's the St. Peter's and Paul Cathedral. If you want to go there, I locate my picture so just go here and use the map on the right.

 

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Medvedev correct Lenine : patrimony is giving back to the Orthodox church

Interesting News, (thank François), the Russian government just decided to give back to the Orthodox church its patrimony. This fact is a logical continuation to the evolution of the relation between the two parts, which has not been everytime good.

The religion were vere powerfull during few century in Russia, and especially during the mongole time where it was the only cohesion part of the Russian empire, which allow it to stay appart of Asia. Tsar time were also a strong religion time.

However since february 1917 and the Bolchovik revolution, the church is in trouble. It is accused of be responsibible of alienation and to have support the power of tsarts. Political protagonists of the USSR decided to make burn the churches and relics, the apogee was the destructon of the Cathedral Christ the Saviour, Moscow, in 1931 (rebuilt in 1995).

In 1934, the Russian government seize church's property, famine were the pretexte. The government tried during seventy years to delete the Orthodox faith for the communist ideology. It was a big project of Leline that Staline continued. 

Religion is a poison, take care of you!

 

In 1941, relation are going to change, because of the second world war, Staline decided make new links with the church in order to have move cohesion in the russian nation. Churches are allow to open, league against religion are delete. On the radio, the dictator does not speak anymore to his comrade(товарищь) strong communist word, but to his brothers(брать).

Staline is welcoming important church people

This 30rd november 2010, the president, Dimitri Medvedev annouced that he approved the law that give back to the Orthodox chruch its patrimony, which concern a lot of monastry often transformed in museum. It's about 6 854 religious sites. 

Medvedev and the Patriarche Kirill

I was impressed, during my travel in Russian, about the important place of the religion in Russia. Because of the number of churches, but also because of the number of believer. They are about 100 millions of belier so 70% of the Russian population. Each Russian I met was believer, from the old to young people. Which is a big contrast to the western Europe.

These 70 years of persecution did not succeeded to delete the faith that Russian have for the Orthodox Christianity.

Translation dedicated to Ekaterina

Saint-Petersburg, a cousine of Paris

Saint-Petersburg,

For many of us, this name is familiar, but few can say what this city looks like. First by the area size, second after Moscow about the population number, Saint-Petersburg still a human-sized city. It's also the most European Russian city, with a beautiful occidental architecture, Paris should be jealous about that!

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I strongly advice you to do the night city tour, you can buy tickets to the subway station Невский проспект, line 2. The city is much more beautiful during the night, you will be able to see all the in light monuments and also see the opening of bridges along the Neva.

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However the city keep this specific Russian atmosphere. Like I visited during october, I saw all the interesting contrasts of this season, temperature and colors.

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Saint-Petersburg is a russian cultural centre. Because of its rich history, you can find a lot of museums, the most famous is the Ermitage one.

You need some days to visit the city, may monuments are near the center but caution, like in each big city, you will walk a lot! So don't hesitate to ride the subway but try to avoid out of office hours, transports will be crowds! 

More picture about Saint-Petersburg here.