Featured Country: Russia You need an 'invite only' visa to cross its borders, but can travel across 11 different time zones without leaving the country once you're there. Along the way, visitors to Russia will see the remnants of communism, the home to some of history's most powerful men such as Joseph Stalin and Ivan the Terrible, and a massive, confused nation that struggles to create a new identity since the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the USSR 15 years ago. Tales of train bandits, skyrocketing inflation, active black markets, corrupt policemen and copious vodka consumption intertwine truth and fiction, enticing some visitors while discouraging others. Those who go are rewarded with masterful works of art and interactions with some of the most resilient people in the world. Regardless of the images one conjures up with thinking about Russia, one thing is true: it will be awhile before Russia can find its place in the world. As Russian General Alexander Lebed said, "Russia is like a dinosaur. A lot of time is needed for change to reach the tail from the head." What's in this issue? Top Attractions Airfare Deals Featured Content Hotels & Hostels Insider Information From the Bookshelf TOP ATTRACTIONS Although Russia's most popular attractions lie close to the western border, the Trans-Siberian awaits those willing to venture deeper into the country. Moscow Moscow is where empires rise and fall. It was first mentioned in writings almost 900 years ago, and is one of the few European cities to have retained old urban structures, with a radial-circular street layout. Like many large cities, the fabulously wealthy and the horribly poor live side-by-side. Interested in more information about Moscow? Check out our city guide to Russia's largest city. St. Petersburg Waterways creep into the city, earning St. Petersburg the nickname 'Venice of the North.' Russia's second most populous area remains stoic and proud, despite a history of conflict and poor upkeep in areas. However, even the worn corners cannot hide St. Petersburg's rich, grandiose past. For more on this city, check out our guide to St. Petersburg. Trans-Siberian Railway The quintessential backpacker rail tour, travassing the whole of the country in six days. The largest city along the way is Irkutsk, although the nature views more than make up for the lack of big-city entertainment. The Volga Europe's longest river ends in the town formerly known as Stalingrad, once home to a historically famous battle in WWII, now home to museums commemorating it. Back to top AIRFARE DEALS TO RUSSIA When searching for multi-destination air tickets, the BootsnAll TripPlanner is tops. After using the TripPlanner to get an idea of the itinerary you want, be sure to submit it to us and talk to our counselors about fine-tuning your trip. We found some good R-T-W deals that stopped in Russia: $2026 US San Francisco - Moscow - Overland To Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) - Angkor Wat (Siem Reap) - Bangkok - Koh Samui (Thailand) - Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Jakarta - Bali (Denpasar) - San Francisco $4662 US New York - Athens - Cairo - Malta - Moscow - Bombay Mumbai - Bangkok - Sydney - Nadi (Fiji Is.) - Auckland - Buenos Aires - Santiago - Lima - Caracas - Miami - New York If you are looking for single destination tickets, head to the International Airfare Center. You can search via destination or departure city. Here are some examples we found: $700 Chicago - Moscow $770 Los Angeles - Moscow $848 New York - Moscow Now, log on to the TripPlanner and put together an itinerary of the places you want to see! Back to top FEATURED CONTENT The World's Biggest Lake, the World's Biggest Travel In Siberia, Lake Baikal is thousands of miles from the nearest airport. But Joshua Hartshorne, and a host of volunteers from around the world, make the journey to help build trails around the world's deepest and oldest lake. The Trans-Siberian Railroad from Beijing to Moscow Undertaken in the right spirit of travel, The Trans-Siberian will be your greatest journey yet, according to Matthew J. Gill. Murmansk for Five Days and No Nights Five days without a sunset, 28 hours in a train full of Russian sailors, and dried fish still on the hook for lunch. Joshua Hartshorne recounts his trip to Murmansk, Russia. BootsnAll TravelBlogs BootsnAll members are travelling in Russia right now. Check out their latest updates on their travelblogs: In Search of the Poets: A pilgrimage to Russia & Eastern Europe East Until My Feet Get Wet Going on your own trip? A BootsnAll TravelBlog is a great way to share your journey with friends & family (and BootsnAll!). Get one now » Back to top HOTELS & HOSTELS There are an incredible amount of accommodations options available in Russia. From small affordable guest houses to big expensive hotels, we have them all. All Russia Accommodations Moscow St. Petersbug Irkutsk INSIDER INFORMATION BootsnAll members are a great source of information, and they can tell you what the guidebooks can't. Here's what some of them have to say about Russia: nata00, Off the Beaten Path You can take day-trips from Moscow to Sergiev Posad (center of Russian Orthodox Church), Vladimir-Suzdal-Bogolubovo (there is my favorite church near Bogolubovo), suburbs of Moscow. Pskov, Uglich, Yaroslavl... From St. Petersburg 3 or 4 days cruise to Valaam (old monastery on the islands) - Kizhi (wooden architecture museum); day-trip to Novgorod (former powerful rival of Kiev Russ). Solovki Islands with old (now active again) monastery that was a gulag during Stalin regime (fairy panoramic view from the water). Though it's way from the Moscow-St. Petersburg line (it's on the north of Russia, White Sea). Karelia is a nature (and paddling folks) paradise on the North-West part of Russia. A lot to see, a lot to do, a lot to enjoy. Mayafly, Dos and Don'ts at Services Russians are very superstitious, so there are lots of little things - but since you're a foreigner, no one will expect you to know all of them. For the most part, just exercise common sense. Russia's pretty bureaucratic, so it's best to follow the rules - get your visa registered on time, keep receipts from changing money in case of any problems at the border, cross streets only at intersections with crosswalks, etc - to avoid extra fines. I've never run into problems myself, but the Russian police are notorious for slapping fines on people for anything and everything. They're also known to take bribes... There's lots of petty crime in Russia (but nothing that you won't run into in the US!), so keep your money and valuables in a safe place. Keep a copy of your passport and your credit card info, etc., in case your purse does get stolen. They'll be able to spot you as a foreigner from about a mile away, but as long as you don't go around shouting in English and waving dollar bills around, you probably won't attract any particular attention to yourself. Lots of people think that Russia is really dangerous, but honestly, as a young, single, obviously foreign (and in Russia foreign=money) female, I felt safer walking home by myself at 3 am in St. Petersburg than I did at midnight in Boston. I guess it's because people in Russia tend to leave you alone, whereas Americans feel it's okay to talk to anyone and everyone on the street. For whatever that's worth... As far as cultural stuff, I don't think I've ever inadvertently really offended a Russian. If you're invited to someone's house, bringing a small gift (flowers, chocolates) is appreciated. If you bring flowers, make sure to bring an odd number (even numbers are for funerals, as are white carnations). Russians are very hospitable people and like to feed you a lot - don't refuse, as you might hurt your host's feelings. You might be expected to make a toast as well. Empty bottles are placed on the floor, never back on the table. In Russian Orthodox churches, women wear a scarf covering their heads, while men take their hats off. The church services are really beautiful, so do try to visit one (oh, I think you're not supposed to turn your back to the icons). So taking a scarf of some sort is advisable. My friend and I once did get away with wearing the thin towels from her hotel to an Easter ceremony, but another time when my friend and I tried to cover our heads out of respect (I used my cardigan and she used a pair of green mesh shorts from her bag...hmm, not very respectful, I guess!), we only got about 5 feet through the door before being yelled at and told "Girls! this is a church, not a beach!" oops.. Want more tips? Get in touch with more of our Russia insiders. Back to top FROM THE BOOKSHELF | Russia Read up before you go! Here is a list of the most popular guidebooks and literature/non-traditional guidebooks. For your convenience, these books are available at the BootsnAll Travel Bookstore. Traditional Guidebooks: The Rough Guide to Moscow By Dan Richardson Moscow (Eyewitness Travel Guides) By Christopher Rice, Melanie Rice Moscow & St. Petersburg: Russia's Heart and Soul, Second Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) By Masha Nordbye Travel Literature/Non-Traditional Guidebooks: A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia & Ukraine By Ben G. Frank Roaming Russia: An Adventurer's Guide to Off the Beaten Track Russia and Siberia By Jessica Jacobson Open Lands : Travels Through Russia's Once Forbidden Places By Mark Taplin Back to top WRITE AN ARTICLE If you have a story of your own that you would like to submit on Russia, have a look at BootsnAll's Writer's Guidelines: http://writers.BootsnAll.com And then send it along. We're always looking for new content and new perspectives, and we hope to get yours soon. TELL A FRIEND If you feel that BootsnAll.com is a valuable resource, or that others might think so, please tell your friends about us. As many of you know, we respond personally to every email we receive in an ongoing effort to build a true traveller's community. Many have responded positively. If you have comments both positive and constructive, we would love to hear them. Tell us what we have done well and how we can improve. We would appreciate it greatly. Back to top