July, 2007, Expanding our skills... Russia. Karelia. Canooing.

Extremely wide range of emotions, different views, situations and fun. This is what we got from the week-long trip to Russian Karelia.

It was planned by our capitan that we go somewhere in Karelia on canooes. We didn't know about this transport a lot. We didn't have any skills in surviving in the rainy forest near strong rapids... But we had to try... I must say that we've got a success in this. Except some unpleasand cases we've spent great week in a wild forest 50-80 km far from the nearest civil places. And we're all know what the rapids are. Thrilling... Dangerous... And nothing belongs to you.

The final which I met alone [I've finished the route earlier than others ;) I was afraid a bit...] was fun. Safari-like trip for 60 km in the wild forest by military car. Then hitch-hiking somewhere a train station with the connection to StPete is.

Thank you guys for this ability to have rest together. It was really great! Canooing skills is really must have.

April, 2007. Ukrainian Revolution - Reload

I would love to live in the Ukraine. It's really cool! It [especially Kiev] looks like a old and clean European country. People live their own life and politicians are from the over planet. That's great! Most Russians don't realize that second crisis in the Ukraine is just paid by different political forces worldwide. This is true. But it's funny to see this in the streets. Lots of tents, flags, blue, orange [blue dominates this time], papers and transparencies.

The weakest point is language. Because Everyone speaks Russian, but the government wants people to speak Ukrainian. My friends says that it's not true, but I saw all the advertisements are in Ukrainian, all the signs on the state buildings are in Ukrainian and English. I don't like this. And I don't like people spoken Russian for a long years have to learn Ukrainian. Ukrainian should be, but without any pressure :)

[Midan Nezalezhnosti]

[European Square]

[Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra]

[Night]
[Tents in the Part near Mariinsky Palace]
[Dnepropetrovsk City Center]

[Saint-Sophie's Cafideral]

NY 2007 or How have we spent Long Holidays

It was the first time I spent my NY Holidays outside the Novgorod Region and outside Russia at all.
We have spent a week in Finland. We have seen a few snow in the silent forest. While there were no snow on New Year eve in Saint-Petersburg. There [in Northern Finland] were much snow some days. That's why we have played football in the tennis court and go the different Finnish mountain-skiing resorts. I have started mountain-skiing!!! Cool! Looking forward on me jumping from behind the rocks! I like this exciting pastime! Finland becomes Russian in winter holidays because of crazy skiing love! Also, I was impressed by automatic car wash! I would like to buy one in my apartment. It's so strong and so crazy to be inside and see how it works :)
Have a Happy full of new positive impressions 2007!