russia-insider--2020-12-17--15 Great Russian Expressions You’ve Never Heard Of

This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019 About the author : For lovers of Russian culture , folklore , and history , Kotar ’ s work is a treasure .
The grandson of White Russian immigrants , the 34-year-old is an author of epic fantasy novels inspired by Russian fairy tales .
You can see his four books here on Amazon .
He is also a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church , a professional translator , and choir director at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville , NY , where he lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where he writes about many aspects of Russia .
We highly recommend following it and subscribing to his email list to get exclusive material .
He has an excellent Pinterest page , and you can follow him on Facebook .
Here is an archive of his work published on Russia Insider .
I ’ m having a great time getting into the exciting bits of my new novel .
Bear-riders have appeared , my main character is in the middle of a huge dilemma , two other characters have lost their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some very dark , bad business ( it may or may not involve giants .
Or dragons .
Or both ! )
My second novel , I ’ m be honest , is a tad dark .
So even as I ’ m writing it , feel the need to lighten it up a bit .
In my first novel , unexpected bits of comedy came from secondary characters .
I ’ m trying to do the same in this one .
There ’ s one character , a kind of royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modeled on a guy I worked with in the kitchens of a monastery in north Russia ( true story ) .
Bhuk can hardly say a single sentence without having some kind of folksy expression in it .
It ’ s a very Russian thing .
So I thought it might be interesting to find and translate some of the more colorful Russian expressions and find out what they actually mean .
Here we go : Literally , it means someone who doesn ’ t like to follow traditions or rules .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The historical meaning is this .
During Tsarist times , police had to deal with runaway prisoners , serfs who were trying to escape hard masters , soldiers who couldn ’ t finish boot camp , various sectarians , and other wanderers with no official papers .
These people often hid their real names and places of residence .
If asked about their names , they all call themselves “ Ivan , ” and claimed they didn ’ t remember their families .
It means “ to beat the air , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The hidden meaning has to do with the supposedly miraculous properties of water .
From pagan times , Russians were in awe of water .
People used to whisper blessings on water and wait for miracles .
But what if someone already mumbled something over the water ?
Especially if that someone swore when he dropped a jug of it ?
Water remembers everything !
So the old pagan druids found a way to “ erase ” the negative information from water .
They used to beat water in a vessel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of torturing the water , the water was ready to be whispered over and used for magical rites .
The druids would use the supposedly magic water for barter .
But eventually , people realized that the water didn ’ t do anything special .
So after a long time , it became an expression meaning “ to waste your time.
” It ’ s a derogatory expression : “ stupid idiot , ” or “ moron.
” The image of the jester of Medieval Europe is well known—wearing motley , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rattle in his hand ( the rattle was often a bull bladder filled with dried peas ) .
He would always begin his performances by rattling the peas .
In Russia , jesters liked to decorate themselves with dried stalks of pea plants .
During the folk celebrations before Lent , an effigy of a pea-green jester was carried around on the streets .
Literally , it means to do humdrum work .
To work a long time at a monotonous task .
So why do you need to spin gold thread ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold , were used in decorations of clothing and rugs .
To make it “ sewable , ” you had to make it extremely thin by beating it and pulling it through smaller and smaller holes .
The process was laborious and very , very boring .
An English equivalent might be “ to count your chickens before they hatch.
” The older version of this phrase is “ to sell the pelt of a living bear.
” The meaning is pretty clear—you shouldn ’ t build plans before you know they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source of the bear image is actually from a French fable called “ The Bear and Two Companions ” by Jean de La Fontaine .
The story concerns two fur traders who make a bargain for the pelt of a bear they haven ’ t killed yet .
Hilarity ensues .
Here ’ s the full fable online .
The phrase now means to go through bitter experience , and come out the wiser .
But originally , the phrase was ironic .
Here ’ s the full version : “ He ate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tail.
” The expression was used to laugh at someone who had finished a very difficult job , but tripped up at the end over some trifle .
Literally : “ to scream bloody murder.
” Inside the Moscow Kremlin , the square that has the famous bell tower of Ivan the Great is called “ Ivanovskoe ” .
In old times , sextons would announce all public laws , documents , and other official business concerning Moscow and all other cities .
These sextons had very loud voices , apparently .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the hut Literally : “ to air dirty laundry ” .
This one also goes back to pagan rites .
The thing is , garbage was never carried out of the hut .
It was burned in the stove .
Why ?
People believed that a magician could find out a family ’ s secrets by smelling their garbage .
If he really wanted to harm them , he could even bury the garbage in a cemetery ( not good ! )
• Делу время и потехе час—There ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for play This one might seem obvious , but there ’ s an interesting historical episode here .
In 17th century Russia , the most popular way for a noble to spend his free time was hunting with falcons .
Even Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich loved it—he hunted almost every day , except for winter .
He even published a set of rules for proper falconry .
In this rulebook , the hunt was praised as an occupation that was very good at banishing sorrow and misfortunes .
However , ultimately the Tsar decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and government business was suffering .
So at the end of his rulebook , he added a warning : “ Do not forget the business of government : there is a time for work , and a time for play.
” • Куда Макар телят не гоняет—Where even Makar won ’ t take his cows Literally : very , very far away .
Here ’ s one version of this saying ’ s provenance .
Peter the Great was traveling through Riazan ’ .
He liked to talk to the common people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a certain day , every peasant he met just happened to be named “ Makar ” .
The Tsar was surprised by this , then was reputed to say , “ From this day forth , you shall all be called Makar !
” From that time , the name “ Makar ” was used as a catchphrase for “ peasant man.
” Strangely enough , this expression means “ to act always in the same way , never changing based on newly acquired knowledge.
” Funny story .
A certain man named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long absence .
When he returned , full of nostalgia , he recalled his childhood memories of taking dance classes .
So he ’ s standing at the stove , his feet in “ position three.
” His parents and servants are standing around watching him .
The teacher gives the command : “ One , two , three.
” Sergei does the first step , but loses his beat , and his feet get tangled up .
His father says , “ O , what a mess !
Well , get back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” This one sounds more violent than it actually is .
It means to remember something forever .
The image that comes to mind is a poor schoolboy that ’ s standing in front of an angry teacher who threatens him with a finger again and again .
The poor boy imagines it ’ s an axe hacking away at his nose .
But that ’ s not it at all .
Actually , a “ nose ” is a small wooden board notched by illiterate peasants as a way of remembering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who constantly changes his mind .
Someone you can ’ t trust .
In old times , Friday was market day .
Everyone shopped on a Friday .
Friday was the day that the goods arrived , and payment was arranged for the followed market day ( Friday ) .
Whoever did not come through with the payment was branded with this expression : “ For that guy , it ’ s seven Fridays a week !
” But there ’ s a different explanation too .
Workers were usually allowed to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lazy bum was also given this expression .
For him , every day was a day off , so to speak .
Literally : “ a very doubtful event.
” There are actually two explanations for this expression .
“ Vila ” ( the Russian word for pitchfork ) is also another name for Russian mermaids , dangerous spirits who were said to drown young men ( they also show up in chapter 3 of my new novel ) .
If you saw them writing on the water , you could be sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The second meaning refers to pitchforks as ritual objects used by druids .
The three points of the fork were said to symbolize the essence of the god Triglav ( literally , three-headed one ) .
Druids would use them to “ draw ” runes on water as part of their magic rites .
Of course , when nothing happened , people started to give the action its opposite meaning .
This refers to someone who has become independent—a daughter given to a husband who lives very far away , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never comes to visit his parents .
Interestingly , in old times bread was never cut , because it symbolized life .
You should only ever break pieces off .
So the expression “ cut-off piece of bread ” is a real historical oxymoron .
Stay tuned next week for more linguistic madness from the Russians !
The original Russian article can be found here .

This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019
About the author: For lovers of Russian culture, folklore, and history, Kotar’s work is a treasure. The grandson of White Russian immigrants, the 34-year-old is an author of epic fantasy novels inspired by Russian fairy tales. You can see his four books here on Amazon.
He is also a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church, a professional translator, and choir director at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, where he lives. Here is his bio from his blog, where he writes about many aspects of Russia. We highly recommend following it and subscribing to his email list to get exclusive material.
He has an excellent Pinterest page, and you can follow him on Facebook. Here is an archive of his work published on Russia Insider.
I’m having a great time getting into the exciting bits of my new novel. Bear-riders have appeared, my main character is in the middle of a huge dilemma, two other characters have lost their families, and another is getting himself stuck in some very dark, bad business (it may or may not involve giants. Or dragons. Or both!)
My second novel, I’m be honest, is a tad dark. So even as I’m writing it, feel the need to lighten it up a bit. In my first novel, unexpected bits of comedy came from secondary characters. I’m trying to do the same in this one. There’s one character, a kind of royal bodyguard named Bhuk, who’s modeled on a guy I worked with in the kitchens of a monastery in north Russia (true story).
Bhuk can hardly say a single sentence without having some kind of folksy expression in it. It’s a very Russian thing. So I thought it might be interesting to find and translate some of the more colorful Russian expressions and find out what they actually mean. Here we go:
The hidden meanings of Russian folk sayings: part 1.
Иван родства не помнящий—Ivan who doesn’t remember his family
Literally, it means someone who doesn’t like to follow traditions or rules. An innovator (not in a good way). The historical meaning is this. During Tsarist times, police had to deal with runaway prisoners, serfs who were trying to escape hard masters, soldiers who couldn’t finish boot camp, various sectarians, and other wanderers with no official papers. These people often hid their real names and places of residence. If asked about their names, they all call themselves “Ivan,” and claimed they didn’t remember their families.
Толочь воду в ступе—To beat water in a mortar
It means “to beat the air,” to waste time doing something useless. The hidden meaning has to do with the supposedly miraculous properties of water. From pagan times, Russians were in awe of water. People used to whisper blessings on water and wait for miracles. But what if someone already mumbled something over the water? Especially if that someone swore when he dropped a jug of it? Water remembers everything!
So the old pagan druids found a way to “erase” the negative information from water. They used to beat water in a vessel for a long time. After a few days of torturing the water, the water was ready to be whispered over and used for magical rites. The druids would use the supposedly magic water for barter. But eventually, people realized that the water didn’t do anything special. So after a long time, it became an expression meaning “to waste your time.”
Шут гороховый—A pea-green jester
It’s a derogatory expression: “stupid idiot,” or “moron.” The image of the jester of Medieval Europe is well known—wearing motley, a hat with donkey ears, holding a rattle in his hand (the rattle was often a bull bladder filled with dried peas). He would always begin his performances by rattling the peas. In Russia, jesters liked to decorate themselves with dried stalks of pea plants. During the folk celebrations before Lent, an effigy of a pea-green jester was carried around on the streets.
Тянуть канитель—To spin gold thread
Literally, it means to do humdrum work. To work a long time at a monotonous task. So why do you need to spin gold thread? Metal threads, whether of silver or gold, were used in decorations of clothing and rugs. To make it “sewable,” you had to make it extremely thin by beating it and pulling it through smaller and smaller holes. The process was laborious and very, very boring.
Делить шкуру неубитого медведя—To divide the pelt of a living bear
An English equivalent might be “to count your chickens before they hatch.” The older version of this phrase is “to sell the pelt of a living bear.” The meaning is pretty clear—you shouldn’t build plans before you know they’re going to come through. The source of the bear image is actually from a French fable called “The Bear and Two Companions” by Jean de La Fontaine. The story concerns two fur traders who make a bargain for the pelt of a bear they haven’t killed yet. Hilarity ensues. Here’s the full fable online.
Съесть Собаку—To eat a dog
The phrase now means to go through bitter experience, and come out the wiser. But originally, the phrase was ironic. Here’s the full version: “He ate the dog, but choked on the tail.” The expression was used to laugh at someone who had finished a very difficult job, but tripped up at the end over some trifle.
Кричать во всю Ивановскую—To scream over all Ivanovskoe
Literally: “to scream bloody murder.” Inside the Moscow Kremlin, the square that has the famous bell tower of Ivan the Great is called “Ivanovskoe”. In old times, sextons would announce all public laws, documents, and other official business concerning Moscow and all other cities. These sextons had very loud voices, apparently.
Выносить сор из избы—To carry the garbage out of the hut
Literally: “to air dirty laundry”. This one also goes back to pagan rites. The thing is, garbage was never carried out of the hut. It was burned in the stove. Why? People believed that a magician could find out a family’s secrets by smelling their garbage. If he really wanted to harm them, he could even bury the garbage in a cemetery (not good!)
Делу время и потехе час—There’s a time for work, and a time for play
This one might seem obvious, but there’s an interesting historical episode here. In 17th century Russia, the most popular way for a noble to spend his free time was hunting with falcons. Even Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich loved it—he hunted almost every day, except for winter. He even published a set of rules for proper falconry.
In this rulebook, the hunt was praised as an occupation that was very good at banishing sorrow and misfortunes. However, ultimately the Tsar decided that people had started enjoying it toomuch, and government business was suffering. So at the end of his rulebook, he added a warning: “Do not forget the business of government: there is a time for work, and a time for play.”
Куда Макар телят не гоняет—Where even Makar won’t take his cows
Literally: very, very far away. Here’s one version of this saying’s provenance. Peter the Great was traveling through Riazan’. He liked to talk to the common people incognito. It so happened that on a certain day, every peasant he met just happened to be named “Makar”. The Tsar was surprised by this, then was reputed to say, “From this day forth, you shall all be called Makar!” From that time, the name “Makar” was used as a catchphrase for “peasant man.”
Танцевать от печки—To dance from the stove
Strangely enough, this expression means “to act always in the same way, never changing based on newly acquired knowledge.” Funny story. A certain man named Sergei Terebenev returned to Russia after a long absence. When he returned, full of nostalgia, he recalled his childhood memories of taking dance classes.
So he’s standing at the stove, his feet in “position three.” His parents and servants are standing around watching him. The teacher gives the command: “One, two, three.” Sergei does the first step, but loses his beat, and his feet get tangled up.
His father says, “O, what a mess! Well, get back to the stove, start dancing again!”
Зарубить на носу—To hack at the nose
This one sounds more violent than it actually is. It means to remember something forever. The image that comes to mind is a poor schoolboy that’s standing in front of an angry teacher who threatens him with a finger again and again. The poor boy imagines it’s an axe hacking away at his nose. But that’s not it at all. Actually, a “nose” is a small wooden board notched by illiterate peasants as a way of remembering important tasks.
Семь пятниц на неделе—Seven Fridays a week
This describes a person who constantly changes his mind. Someone you can’t trust. In old times, Friday was market day. Everyone shopped on a Friday. Friday was the day that the goods arrived, and payment was arranged for the followed market day (Friday). Whoever did not come through with the payment was branded with this expression: “For that guy, it’s seven Fridays a week!”
But there’s a different explanation too. Workers were usually allowed to leave early on a Friday, so a lazy bum was also given this expression. For him, every day was a day off, so to speak.
Вилами на воде написано—Written on water with a pitchfork
Literally: “a very doubtful event.” There are actually two explanations for this expression. “Vila” (the Russian word for pitchfork) is also another name for Russian mermaids, dangerous spirits who were said to drown young men (they also show up in chapter 3 of my new novel). If you saw them writing on the water, you could be sure that what they wrote would come true.
The second meaning refers to pitchforks as ritual objects used by druids. The three points of the fork were said to symbolize the essence of the god Triglav (literally, three-headed one). Druids would use them to “draw” runes on water as part of their magic rites. Of course, when nothing happened, people started to give the action its opposite meaning.
Отрезанный ломоть—A cut-off piece of bread
This refers to someone who has become independent—a daughter given to a husband who lives very far away, or a son whose started his own family and never comes to visit his parents.
Interestingly, in old times bread was never cut, because it symbolized life. You should only ever break pieces off. So the expression “cut-off piece of bread” is a real historical oxymoron.
Stay tuned next week for more linguistic madness from the Russians! The original Russian article can be found here.


russia-insider--2020-12-17--Russia's Inland River and Lake Network Is the World's Largest - Excellent Recreation and Boating Pro

Russia's Inland River and Lake Network Is the World's Largest - Excellent Recreation and Boating Prospects

This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017 A very interesting post with excellent maps from regular contributor Dmitry Orlov which is related to his project to manufacture affordable cruising boats suitable for living - Quidnon .
Stay with him through the initial discussion of the pros and cons of living on boats and cruising - fantastic info , maps , and images below about the excellent boat cruising opportunities in Russia .
Orlov is one of our favorite essayists on Russia and all sorts of other things .
He moved to the US as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston area .
He is one of the better-known thinkers The New Yorker has dubbed 'The Dystopians ' in an excellent 2009 profile , along with James Howard Kunstler , another regular contributor to RI ( archive ) .
These theorists believe that modern society is headed for a jarring and painful crack-up .
He is best known for his 2011 book comparing Soviet and American collapse ( he thinks America 's will be worse ) .
He is a prolific author on a wide array of subjects , and you can see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has a large following on the web , and on Patreon , and we urge you to support him there , as Russia Insider does .
His current project is organizing the production of affordable house boats for living on .
He lives on a boat himself .
Quite a number of people in the world have taken up a nomadic lifestyle by living aboard boats .
Instead of cooperatively running in the rat race , they have escaped and now work some vague and sketchy internet-based job while sailing around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mediterranean , with the Greek islands a particular favorite .
Other favorite cruising grounds , for those who don ’ t much care for the open ocean , include the canals of England or Canal du Midi in France .
The Inside Passage which runs up the coast of British Columbia from Washington state to Alaska is another favored playground .
The Intracoastal Waterway that runs along the Eastern Seaboard ( and is lovingly called “ the ditch ” ) is said to start in Boston , Massachusetts , but can really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Virginia and Brownsville , Texas , on the Mexican border .
The more adventurous go through Panama Canal and go island-hopping among Pacific atolls .
There are many others .
But there is one truly gigantic cruising ground that is charted , dredged , has plenty to see and plenty to do , but remains almost entirely unexplored .
The boats used depend on the application : the seaworthier sailboats—keelboats and catamarans—for the ocean , while motor boats are restricted to the coasts , the canals and the rivers .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get through the Intracoastal and often end up running aground , and every autumn a steady stream of sailboats and catamarans arrives from Canada via the Erie Canal and Hudson River with their masts down ( to make it under the bridges ) and their decks a mad tangle of rigging .
There is a lot to like about cruising : the relaxed , unhurried lifestyle ( you move at your own pace with no schedules to hurry you along ) ; there is the chance to explore new places that are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not likely to be overrun with tourists ; the intimate contact with nature and the chance to observe it daily at close range .
One of the biggest problems with cruising is that it ’ s boring : virtually all of the cruising grounds have been mapped out , with detailed cruising guides telling you where to go and what to look at .
Essentially , when you go cruising , you are signing up to do something that ’ s already been done .
Another problem with cruising is rich people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being rich , and a good quote to remember is Deng Xiaoping ’ s 致富光荣 ( zhìfù guāngróng ) : “ To get rich is glorious !
” The problem is with people who try to act rich around you while you are trying to ignore all of that competitive nonsense and just have a good time .
To quote me : “ To act rich is in bad taste.
” An associated problem is that cruising tends to be expensive : the industrial sector that supplies the boats is competitive , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sportiness and luxury—while catering primarily to those who want to act rich .
And what sits at the intersection of sportiness and luxury is a financial black hole : the boats that result from this process are maintenance nightmares , and the most common topic of discussion among cruisers is getting their broken stuff fixed , wherever they happen to end up .
And the offshoot of all this is that most cruisers happen to be over the hill .
The vast majority of those I ’ ve seen are baby boomers squandering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toys , marina transient fees ( which cost as much as hotel room stays ) and lots of trips to local restaurants .
Most of them are reasonably friendly and personable , but what they mostly talk about is insipid : the quality of the food and the service , the weather and , of course , what broke and how they fixed it or are planning to .
If this doesn ’ t sound too adventurous or exciting to you , then perhaps you are right .
And then , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there is a cruising destination that hasn ’ t been explored at all : Russia .
Russia has the largest network of navigable waterways in the world : over 100,000 km long .
The European part of it is 6,500 km long , all of it dredged to 4 m ( 13 feet ) .
A system of canals connect it into a single network of waterways that reaches from the Baltic to the Ural mountains and from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea .
The following 2 maps shows all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Siberia and the Far East : To see the full map in large size , click here : Of particular interest is the area just inland from St. Petersburg , which is on the Baltic Sea .
River Neva , which is short and wide , connects it to Ladoga Lake , which is the largest lake in Europe .
It has islands , fjords and plenty of good sailing .
From there is the somewhat smaller Onega Lake , and rivers and canals then run on to Moscow and a ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the most spectacular travel destinations in Russia , featuring medieval fortresses and monasteries , most of them accessible from the water .
South from there , the mighty Volga River takes you through most of the rest of Russia ’ s historical heartland .
Then , via the Volga-Don Canal , you can cross over to River Don , which takes you to the Black Sea .
There are a few logistical problems with going on such a cruising adventure .
One is that no foreign-flagged vessels are allowed on Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a local skipper , who speaks fluent Russian and knows the local regulations , is an absolute requirement .
Also , any small craft that goes on this adventure has to be maximally self-sufficient : there are few to no marinas offering yacht repair services to be found .
Lastly , the cruising season runs from May through October .
It can be stretched by a few weeks each way further south , but nobody in their right mind would brave River Neva before the end of April , when Onega Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the Baltic .
But none of these problems is insoluble .
Specifically , it has occurred to me that Quidnon , by its design , makes it a splendid choice as a platform for such an adventure .
It is simple , rugged , quickly and cheaply constructed from commonly available materials and parts , is safe in both deep and shallow water , and can be set up for comfortable living in a harsh climate .
I will explain the details of this in the next post .
Meanwhile , please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near St. Petersburg , the largest lake in Europe

This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017
A very interesting post with excellent maps from regular contributor Dmitry Orlov which is related to his project to manufacture affordable cruising boats suitable for living - Quidnon.
Stay with him through the initial discussion of the pros and cons of living on boats and cruising - fantastic info, maps, and images below about the excellent boat cruising opportunities in Russia.
Orlov is one of our favorite essayists on Russia and all sorts of other things. He moved to the US as a child, and lives in the Boston area.
He is one of the better-known thinkers The New Yorker has dubbed 'The Dystopians' in an excellent 2009 profile, along with James Howard Kunstler, another regular contributor to RI (archive). These theorists believe that modern society is headed for a jarring and painful crack-up.
He is best known for his 2011 book comparing Soviet and American collapse (he thinks America's will be worse). He is a prolific author on a wide array of subjects, and you can see his work by searching him on Amazon.
He has a large following on the web, and on Patreon, and we urge you to support him there, as Russia Insider does.
His current project is organizing the production of affordable house boats for living on. He lives on a boat himself.
Quite a number of people in the world have taken up a nomadic lifestyle by living aboard boats. Instead of cooperatively running in the rat race, they have escaped and now work some vague and sketchy internet-based job while sailing around the islands of the Caribbean or around the Mediterranean, with the Greek islands a particular favorite.
Lake Baikal
Other favorite cruising grounds, for those who don’t much care for the open ocean, include the canals of England or Canal du Midi in France. The Inside Passage which runs up the coast of British Columbia from Washington state to Alaska is another favored playground.
The Intracoastal Waterway that runs along the Eastern Seaboard (and is lovingly called “the ditch”) is said to start in Boston, Massachusetts, but can really only be said to exist between Norfolk, Virginia and Brownsville, Texas, on the Mexican border.
The more adventurous go through Panama Canal and go island-hopping among Pacific atolls. There are many others. But there is one truly gigantic cruising ground that is charted, dredged, has plenty to see and plenty to do, but remains almost entirely unexplored.
The boats used depend on the application: the seaworthier sailboats—keelboats and catamarans—for the ocean, while motor boats are restricted to the coasts, the canals and the rivers. There are exceptions: plenty of keelboats try to get through the Intracoastal and often end up running aground, and every autumn a steady stream of sailboats and catamarans arrives from Canada via the Erie Canal and Hudson River with their masts down (to make it under the bridges) and their decks a mad tangle of rigging.
There is a lot to like about cruising: the relaxed, unhurried lifestyle (you move at your own pace with no schedules to hurry you along); there is the chance to explore new places that are not easily accessible except by land and therefore not likely to be overrun with tourists; the intimate contact with nature and the chance to observe it daily at close range.
One of the biggest problems with cruising is that it’s boring: virtually all of the cruising grounds have been mapped out, with detailed cruising guides telling you where to go and what to look at. Essentially, when you go cruising, you are signing up to do something that’s already been done.
Another problem with cruising is rich people. Now, there is nothing wrong with being rich, and a good quote to remember is Deng Xiaoping’s 致富光荣 (zhìfù guāngróng): “To get rich is glorious!” The problem is with people who try to act rich around you while you are trying to ignore all of that competitive nonsense and just have a good time. To quote me: “To act rich is in bad taste.”
An associated problem is that cruising tends to be expensive: the industrial sector that supplies the boats is competitive, and it competes on the basis of ostentation—in sportiness and luxury—while catering primarily to those who want to act rich.
And what sits at the intersection of sportiness and luxury is a financial black hole: the boats that result from this process are maintenance nightmares, and the most common topic of discussion among cruisers is getting their broken stuff fixed, wherever they happen to end up.
And the offshoot of all this is that most cruisers happen to be over the hill. The vast majority of those I’ve seen are baby boomers squandering their children’s inheritance on expensive toys, marina transient fees (which cost as much as hotel room stays) and lots of trips to local restaurants.
Most of them are reasonably friendly and personable, but what they mostly talk about is insipid: the quality of the food and the service, the weather and, of course, what broke and how they fixed it or are planning to.
If this doesn’t sound too adventurous or exciting to you, then perhaps you are right.
And then, there is Russia
And then it occurred to me that there is a cruising destination that hasn’t been explored at all: Russia. Russia has the largest network of navigable waterways in the world: over 100,000 km long. The European part of it is 6,500 km long, all of it dredged to 4 m (13 feet).
A system of canals connect it into a single network of waterways that reaches from the Baltic to the Ural mountains and from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea. The following 2 maps shows all of the navigable waterways in light blue.
European Russia and the Urals:
European Russia and the Urals
Siberia and the Far East:
Siberia and the Far East
To see the full map in large size, click here:
Of particular interest is the area just inland from St. Petersburg, which is on the Baltic Sea. River Neva, which is short and wide, connects it to Ladoga Lake, which is the largest lake in Europe. It has islands, fjords and plenty of good sailing.
From there is the somewhat smaller Onega Lake, and rivers and canals then run on to Moscow and a ring of cities around it, which are some of the most spectacular travel destinations in Russia, featuring medieval fortresses and monasteries, most of them accessible from the water.
South from there, the mighty Volga River takes you through most of the rest of Russia’s historical heartland. Then, via the Volga-Don Canal, you can cross over to River Don, which takes you to the Black Sea.
There are a few logistical problems with going on such a cruising adventure. One is that no foreign-flagged vessels are allowed on Russia’s inland waterways. Another is that a local skipper, who speaks fluent Russian and knows the local regulations, is an absolute requirement. Also, any small craft that goes on this adventure has to be maximally self-sufficient: there are few to no marinas offering yacht repair services to be found. Lastly, the cruising season runs from May through October. It can be stretched by a few weeks each way further south, but nobody in their right mind would brave River Neva before the end of April, when Onega Lake has dumped its load of winter ice into the Baltic. But none of these problems is insoluble.
Specifically, it has occurred to me that Quidnon, by its design, makes it a splendid choice as a platform for such an adventure. It is simple, rugged, quickly and cheaply constructed from commonly available materials and parts, is safe in both deep and shallow water, and can be set up for comfortable living in a harsh climate. I will explain the details of this in the next post.
Meanwhile, please enjoy the scenery!
Caspian Sea:
Volga Delta - Russia's answer to the Mississippi
Yenisei River - a massive river in Siberia
Lake Ladoga - near St. Petersburg, the largest lake in Europe
Source: Quidnon


russia-insider--2020-12-18--The Battle of Pochaev - a Tale of Cossack Glory. Part 1

This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017 Cossacks are a free semi-democratic military people who emerged in the southern Ukraine during the chaotic age of the 14th-17th century .
They played a crucial role in the liberation of Russian and Ukrainian people and the defense of the Orthodox Church .
Today , their fight continues as it did before .
For our freedom and yours This article originally appeared on : Russian Faith , a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia .
See their introductory video at end of article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part one of a series on the history of Cossacks defending Pochaev Lavra in Western Ukraine .
Cossacks are basically Russian Vikings .
They are a semi-democratic military people , who elect a Hetman - a warlord - to lead them , and are known for their unshakable courage in battle , and unwavering defense of the Orthodox faith .
Cossacks launched many Viking-like raids and even assaulted the shores of Ottoman-ruled Constantinople , infuriating the Sultan in the 16th century .
Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to the Turkish Sultan by Repin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
Notice the colors of the pikes on the top left , they reflect the color of the Ukrainian Flag , and the George Ribbon which is now banned in Ukraine by the fascists as being anti-Ukrainian .
History disagrees .
When the Sultan , the most powerful man in the world , demanded that they stop , their response was a letter filled with profanity and mockery .
`` You will not make Slaves of Christian Sons ! ''
they said to him .
And indeed , when his Tatar forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cossacks came to defend it , though it 's widely believed that a miraculous and terrifying omen from the Lavra 's icon saved the day .
Now , in modern divided Ukraine , the fight is again raging .
One of the places Cossacks have always protected unto death is the Pochaev Lavra , a monastery in Western Ukraine that has historically been a stronghold of Orthodoxy , its mighty walls a bulwark of the Russian Faith throughout the ages .
For that , it has endured endless attacks and trials .

Cossacks are a free semi-democratic military people who emerged in the southern Ukraine during the chaotic age of the 14th-17th century. They played a crucial role in the liberation of Russian and Ukrainian people and the defense of the Orthodox Church. Today, their fight continues as it did before. For our freedom and yours
This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017
This article originally appeared on: Russian Faith, a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia. See their introductory video at end of article.
Editor's Note: This is part one of a series on the history of Cossacks defending Pochaev Lavra in Western Ukraine.
Cossacks are basically Russian Vikings. They are a semi-democratic military people, who elect a Hetman - a warlord - to lead them, and are known for their unshakable courage in battle, and unwavering defense of the Orthodox faith. Cossacks launched many Viking-like raids and even assaulted the shores of Ottoman-ruled Constantinople, infuriating the Sultan in the 16th century.
Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to the Turkish Sultan by Repin was the most valuable Russian painting in history. Notice the colors of the pikes on the top left, they reflect the color of the Ukrainian Flag, and the George Ribbon which is now banned in Ukraine by the fascists as being anti-Ukrainian. History disagrees.
When the Sultan, the most powerful man in the world, demanded that they stop, their response was a letter filled with profanity and mockery. "You will not make Slaves of Christian Sons!" they said to him. And indeed, when his Tatar forces laid siege to the Lavra, the Cossacks came to defend it, though it's widely believed that a miraculous and terrifying omen from the Lavra's icon saved the day.
Now, in modern divided Ukraine, the fight is again raging.
One of the places Cossacks have always protected unto death is the Pochaev Lavra, a monastery in Western Ukraine that has historically been a stronghold of Orthodoxy, its mighty walls a bulwark of the Russian Faith throughout the ages. For that, it has endured endless attacks and trials.


russia-insider--2020-12-18--7 Reasons You Should Never Date a Russian Woman

The dedication that Russian women have to look beautiful is just scary .
For the majority of them life is like a podium , and so they have to look sparkling even on the way to get a newspaper or walking the dog .
My friend Sasha wears high heels every day and doesn ’ t worry about the lack of comfort as soon as it looks great .
Also , during five years of teaching she has never appeared at school wearing the same outfit twice .
When I asked her why she cares so much about her appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would I choose to not look beautiful ?
Beauty is power and respect .
How is anyone going to notice your rich inner world if you don ’ t attract attention ?
” The worst thing is that if you are going out with a Russian girl you will either have to dress up and put a lot of effort in looking nice , or everyone will be looking at you and wondering , how did a pretty lady like her end up with that slob ?
A Russian girl will be your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , critic and even your doctor if you are sick .
Women in Russia are caring and tender , and whatever happens , they will be by your shoulder ready to face any trouble together .
The best example of loyalty of Russian women : in the 19th century there was a riot against the tsar , and the aristocrats who participated in that riot were sentenced for a lifelong exile and hard labor in Siberia .
Their wives followed them voluntarily to cold deserted lands and shared the punishment .
A Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best person on the planet , the most talented , the strongest , the smartest — and she is sincere about that , because she values herself highly too .
And if she believes she is the queen , she ’ d only choose the king and treat him like the king – with the respect , care , love and support .
If you think loyalty is unnecessary and boring , don ’ t date Russians .
3 .
You might get Russian parents in law .
This is dangerous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be accompanied with feasts ( soups , meat , soups with meat , salads consisting of 50 % mayo , potatoes , potatoes , bliny with mince and more potatoes , and then a cake for dessert ) , and as it is not polite to not finish your meal in Russia , you will have to deal with all that amount of food .
You ’ d expect help from your beloved , but when it comes to hospitality , all Russians tend to become unreasonable and overfeed their guests until it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably offer you another piece of pie .
Is dating a Russian girl worth putting on a lot of weight ?
And don ’ t forget the initiation : the dad will most likely test you at some point .
You should prove that the family can trust you with their precious child .
Tests are different in each family .
For example , my boyfriend Jacques had to drink a full bottle of vodka with my dad .
Otherwise he would be considered too weak to protect me in danger .
Lucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the test successfully , and we had to celebrate it with more cake .
4 .
They are too independent .
Nekrasov , a Russian 19th century poet said : “ a Russian woman can stop a galloping horse and enter the burning house.
” This is a powerful image of an independent woman who doesn ’ t really need any help or protection from men .
Girls in Russia do not believe in ideal relationships and think that even if their Prince Charming finds them , they have to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career and getting a second degree often sounds more appealing than trying to find someone who will value their personality and freedom .
A Russian woman will be very independent in a relationship , and very stubborn , too .
But on the other hand , expect bravery in danger and trouble , and the strength that will help both of you overcome the most difficult times .
Russian women are very demanding .
They don ’ t want just a guy who will love them madly .
They want the best man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old manners are very important : you are expected to open doors , help to put on coats , bring flowers when you go on a date .
If you are not a gentleman , it is not even worth trying .
But Russian women don ’ t only pay attention to what you do for them .
Don ’ t forget the others , be a valiant knight !
Offer your seat in transport to elderly people and save a kitten from stray dogs .
Once I saw a man jump into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a hatch – in the eyes of his girlfriend he was a real hero .
6 .
The challenge of breaking the ice .
Russians are reserved and try to keep the distance before you become close to them .
Any Russian girl can create an impression of Ice Queen , even if she likes you ( especially if she really likes you ! )
.
I met Paul at work on one of my tours , and he told me he came to Moscow to visit his girlfriend .
“ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the wall of ice between us , as if she didn ’ t want to open up or let me closer .
Slowly , step by step , I discover that underneath this ice there was the most loving and caring person in the world.
” For many Russian women cooking is a way to show their love , so be prepared for food experiments .
At first the cuisine might seem absolutely normal and even a little boring .
But when you get to eat Russian food more often than during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have more and more questions .
What is that weird purple salad ?
Beetroot with herring ?
Pancakes with caviar ?
Why is she putting cabbage in pies ( and everywhere else ) ?
How many variations of pickles are there on Earth ?
Fermented rye bread drink…well , that one is surprisingly decent !
You might hate most of the meals , but occasionally there will be something great ( e.g.
, my boyfriend loves Russian salad .
He says it is because there is no cabbage there ) .

The dedication that Russian women have to look beautiful is just scary. For the majority of them life is like a podium, and so they have to look sparkling even on the way to get a newspaper or walking the dog. My friend Sasha wears high heels every day and doesn’t worry about the lack of comfort as soon as it looks great.
Also, during five years of teaching she has never appeared at school wearing the same outfit twice. When I asked her why she cares so much about her appearance, she looks surprised: “Why would I choose to not look beautiful? Beauty is power and respect. How is anyone going to notice your rich inner world if you don’t attract attention?”
The worst thing is that if you are going out with a Russian girl you will either have to dress up and put a lot of effort in looking nice, or everyone will be looking at you and wondering, how did a pretty lady like her end up with that slob?
2. Loyalty is not cool.
A Russian girl will be your most devoted friend, your best advisor, critic and even your doctor if you are sick. Women in Russia are caring and tender, and whatever happens, they will be by your shoulder ready to face any trouble together.
The best example of loyalty of Russian women: in the 19th century there was a riot against the tsar, and the aristocrats who participated in that riot were sentenced for a lifelong exile and hard labor in Siberia. Their wives followed them voluntarily to cold deserted lands and shared the punishment.
A Russian woman truly believes that her partner is the best person on the planet, the most talented, the strongest, the smartest — and she is sincere about that, because she values herself highly too. And if she believes she is the queen, she’d only choose the king and treat him like the king – with the respect, care, love and support.
If you think loyalty is unnecessary and boring, don’t date Russians.
3. You might get Russian parents in law.
This is dangerous. Visiting your girlfriend’s house will be accompanied with feasts (soups, meat, soups with meat, salads consisting of 50% mayo, potatoes, potatoes, bliny with mince and more potatoes, and then a cake for dessert), and as it is not polite to not finish your meal in Russia, you will have to deal with all that amount of food.
You’d expect help from your beloved, but when it comes to hospitality, all Russians tend to become unreasonable and overfeed their guests until it is hard to move. She will probably offer you another piece of pie. Is dating a Russian girl worth putting on a lot of weight?
And don’t forget the initiation: the dad will most likely test you at some point. You should prove that the family can trust you with their precious child. Tests are different in each family. For example, my boyfriend Jacques had to drink a full bottle of vodka with my dad. Otherwise he would be considered too weak to protect me in danger. Lucky for all of us, Jacques passed the test successfully, and we had to celebrate it with more cake.
4. They are too independent.
Nekrasov, a Russian 19th century poet said: “a Russian woman can stop a galloping horse and enter the burning house.” This is a powerful image of an independent woman who doesn’t really need any help or protection from men.
Girls in Russia do not believe in ideal relationships and think that even if their Prince Charming finds them, they have to be able to live on their own. Building a career and getting a second degree often sounds more appealing than trying to find someone who will value their personality and freedom.
A Russian woman will be very independent in a relationship, and very stubborn, too. But on the other hand, expect bravery in danger and trouble, and the strength that will help both of you overcome the most difficult times.
5. Her high expectations.
Russian women are very demanding. They don’t want just a guy who will love them madly. They want the best man alive to love them madly. Good old manners are very important: you are expected to open doors, help to put on coats, bring flowers when you go on a date. If you are not a gentleman, it is not even worth trying.
But Russian women don’t only pay attention to what you do for them. Don’t forget the others, be a valiant knight! Offer your seat in transport to elderly people and save a kitten from stray dogs. Once I saw a man jump into sewage to save tiny ducklings that fell down a hatch – in the eyes of his girlfriend he was a real hero.
6. The challenge of breaking the ice.
Russians are reserved and try to keep the distance before you become close to them. Any Russian girl can create an impression of Ice Queen, even if she likes you (especially if she really likes you!). I met Paul at work on one of my tours, and he told me he came to Moscow to visit his girlfriend. “When we started dating, I was challenged with the wall of ice between us, as if she didn’t want to open up or let me closer. Slowly, step by step, I discover that underneath this ice there was the most loving and caring person in the world.”
7. All the Russian food.
For many Russian women cooking is a way to show their love, so be prepared for food experiments. At first the cuisine might seem absolutely normal and even a little boring. But when you get to eat Russian food more often than during occasional visit to her parents, you will have more and more questions. What is that weird purple salad? Beetroot with herring? Pancakes with caviar? Why is she putting cabbage in pies (and everywhere else)? How many variations of pickles are there on Earth? Fermented rye bread drink…well, that one is surprisingly decent! You might hate most of the meals, but occasionally there will be something great (e.g., my boyfriend loves Russian salad. He says it is because there is no cabbage there).