February 25, 2022

Where the Sidewalk Ends


Where the Sidewalk Ends
A typical Saratov sidewalk. Photo by the author

A blogger from Saratov (the home of this author) raised a simple question: can I go for a walk? The answer turned out to be a bit more complicated than one might expect.

Elena Nalimova walked around the streets of downtown Saratov for five hours with a stroller and met quite a few obstacles along the way.

In her video investigation, Nalimova strapped a child-sized doll with the face of the mayor, Mikhail Isaev, into a stroller. She affectionately referred to her creation as Misha, before pushing him over mountains of snow, under dangerous icicles, and around a confrontational stray dog. All this to bring attention to the poor snow-removal practices of the city.

Speaking from experience, walking around Saratov in the winter can feel a bit like a dangerous mountain expedition (or a game of Frogger). However, parents with strollers and people with disabilities face a much larger challenge when it comes to running simple errands. If only there were a way to clear the sidewalks!

Meanwhile, and on a completely unrelated note, multiple bureaucrats are under fire for stealing funds intended for winter road maintenance in Saratov. Coincidence?

You Might Also Like

Metro Station Shower
  • January 19, 2022

Metro Station Shower

A nice refreshing outdoors shower? Or a dangerous collapse waiting to happen?
The Art of the Fall
  • January 14, 2022

The Art of the Fall

A St. Petersburg artist draws attention to the city's ice and snow problem.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955