November 05, 2023

Readers Respond: What We Miss about Russia


Readers Respond: What We Miss about Russia
A Russian lake, morning. The Russian Life files

With Russia effectively closed to outside visitors for years, first from COVID, and more recently because of the invasion of Ukraine, we've all been feeling a bit wanderlust-y lately. So we asked you, our readers, to tell us what you miss about your travels to Russia.

And we got some great answers back.


Not surprisingly, "people" was a common response, friends both old and new:

I miss being able to freely visit my relatives in Rostov-na-Donu.

I have visited and lived in Belgorod, Russia. I miss the way the people took me in as one of them.

Kindness and thoughtfulness of Russian hosts.

Connecting to the people of Russia.

My dear friends.

I miss most the warm welcome from local people.

Communicating with strangers on slow trains.

Also not surprisingly, the many sensations of food and cooking and the way they bring people together:

Highlight has been sitting around a table and building friendships.

Sitting at a table of Russian zakuski and toasting all good things with my beloved Russian friends.

The smell of coal-fired samovars on the train.

The visits to the dacha, the picnics in the forest with friends, shashlik, and singing.

Being in the kitchen with friends talking, singing, eating until the wee hours of the morn.

In a similar vein, many related spiritual experiences:

The woods, the slow swampy river surrounding Yasnaya Polyana; the ghost of Tolstoy walking beside me.

The smell of incense and candle wax, the sense of peace in the churches, monasteries, and cemeteries.

Walking on the streets of Peter[sburg] in the early morning, entering a random small church, feeling home.

Some reflected on travel, adventure, and exploration:

Walking from the Novy Arbat to the Kremlin on a quiet Saturday morning.

The Tretyakov [Gallery]... That's number one. The Tretyakov.

The view of Russian villages from the top bunk of a train until the gentle swaying puts me to sleep.

Walking in the streets of Peter[sburg], meeting friends I knew in Sochi OG, skiing Kamchatka or Altai.

Long walks during the white nights.

Some provided vignettes, relatable snapshots:

Stepping from harsh stairways into warm apartments.

Watching ice fisherman motionless at their spot.

Footsteps crunching in the winter stillness.

Walking in the birch groves, strolling down the alleys, riding the tram.

The smell of forests and train rides. The rich smell of Earth is still buried deeply in my heart.


A heartfelt thank-you to all who shared; many of these responses reminded us of our own memories

You Might Also Like

We'll Swim After Victory
  • October 15, 2022

We'll Swim After Victory

Our correspondent was offered a business trip to Odesa, Ukraine. He took it and brought this back.
Trekking In Partisan Footsteps
  • May 01, 2011

Trekking In Partisan Footsteps

Eastern Crimea was a center for partisan activity during the Great Patriotic War. In honor of the May Day holiday, we trek through this wild realm along the Black Sea.
A Wall of Resistance
  • February 27, 2023

A Wall of Resistance

A Russian shopkeeper's picture went viral after using the walls of his shop to express opposition to the invasion of Ukraine.
At Home with Dostoyevsky
  • October 30, 2021

At Home with Dostoyevsky

If, for some reason, you ever find yourself in the small town of Staraya Russa, be sure to check out Dostoyevsky's summer house.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

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