We’ve just received another photo-filled report from the Little Mail Carriers, all the way from frosty Siberia! Read on their adventures in Russia from their most recent host, Kelpie.
At the middle of February when the strongest frosts were over, we arrived at PO Box in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia. Or, more properly, we arrived not in Novosibirsk itself, but in Akademgorodok, it’s a part of Novosibirsk, located 20 km south of the city’s center. It is the educational and scientific center of Siberia. It is located in the center of birch and pine forest on the shore of the Ob Sea. This winter had little snow, but despite that, we fell in the snow up to the waist!
There are a lot of scientific institutions in Akademgorodok, the largest of which is the Institue of Nuclear Physics. It conducts research on elementary particle physics, accelerators, plasma and associated with synchrotron radiation. INP has performed quite an impressive amount of work for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. We coudn’t go inside due to strict access control. The clock at the entrance also shows the level of radiation, which does not exceed the norm.
And of course we visited the center of the city too. Novosibirsk is the third largest city of Russia (after Moscow and Saint Petersburg) and so called “the capital of Siberia” with population about 1.5 millions. It is also the youngest city which attained the population of a million citizens. On the main square called after Vladimir Lenin there are some high statues of labour and State Theater of Opera and Ballet (against the background). It is the largest theater in Russia and the symbol of the city. Its dome has aunique construction that supports itself without girders or columns. The ratio of its thickness to its radius is less than that of a chicken egg!
Near the theater another symbol of the city is located. The city’s legend says that the exact geographical center of former Soviet Union was marked by the Chapel of St. Nicholas, originally built in 1915 (on the left). Residents build an ice town on the Ob River in winter, where we gave ourself up to traditional Russian fun, sledge (on the upper right corner one can see line of wishing to slither).
Novosibirsk Metro bridge over Ob river is longer than 2 km and the longest one in the world!
We also visited souvenir shop with Matryoshkas and other national souvenirs and an unusual puppet show building.
Also we celebrated “Maslenitsa”, Pancake week, a Russian religious and folk holiday. At this time, people begin to see off winter and welcome the Spring. It is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is “bliny” (pancakes), popularly taken to symbolize the sun. The red teddy bear on the left is Kooky, the main character from Czech action comedy film “Kuky se vrací”.
Here you can see a local folk festival…
…and traditional Russian winter footwear made of wool felt, “valenki”:
On next photo you can see national rag dools. These dolls are made as a talisman without the use of scissors or needles. It was believed that in the production of ceremonial dolls, the use of piercing and cutting tools is unacceptable, because they are able to hurt people. Also, these dolls have no face, because faceless dolls do not allow evil forces to move into them.
At the end of celebrating woman of straw Winter is burn out in an impressive show!
On next photo you can see the PO Box from which you usually receive mail from Kelpie if you ever did, but sometime this box has its bottom open (it’s just one of the many reasons why Russian post might be lost) and she’s forced to carry mail to another one.
At the beginning of March presidential election was carried out, Little Mail Carriers made their choice too. As you might know already Vladimir Putin has won and it will be his 3rd official and 4th total governing.
And out last stopping in Russia this time was settlement called Sheregesh, previously a mining town and now a popular winter sports resort.
Thank you Kelpie for showing the Little Mail Carriers around Siberia! On they go…
45 comments so far
Wow! What an extraordinary life our beloved Mail Carriers have! Russian chapter is great.
What an extraordinary visit! The doll talisman tradition is fascinating! Thank you very much for hosting the LMC and showing them so much of your culture, Kelpie!
What an impressive travelog!! I really enjoy the scientific part of the city, especially the dome's structure of State Theater of Opera and Ballet! The festival part is just gorgeous, and makes me want to visit there myself, too!! Thank you very much for sharing so many wonderful photos! Olga! :D
Thank you for the very interesting story and all the nice photos. Awesome!!! :)
Nice stories. I would like to know how was the temperature when they arrieved :)
Heidi, here it's average daily temperature diagram for that time in Novosibirsk http://weather.nsu.ru/?start=2012.02.01&end=2012.03.15&std=various&average=true
Thanx for sharing, nice photos! :)
Those mailcarriers had the best guide in Nowosibirsk. Thank you for showing 'us' around all the best things.
great!
awesome I wondered what they were up to.
Interesting story and great photos! :)
Bravo ono completion of a most adventerous time in the great country of RUSSIA...Kelpie was a great hostess. Wishiing you many more adventures!
Thanks for this great travel journal. I wonder where the mail carriers will go next... maybe to the Baltics?
Thank you thank you thank you SO MUCH for doing such a GREAT job, Kelpie! We feel like we visited your lovely and so interesting area right along with the little mail carriers!!!! ;D
Blessings!!!
great job done by kelpie!!! and pretty enough snow in her hometown! I think the little mail-carriers agreed a lot, enough snow perhaps untill the end of their life.. hehe...
bye, ipuenktchen, waiting for the tiny couple :-)))
I enjoyed this great tour through the capital of Siberia so much! So many photos together with interesting explanations! Thank you Kelpie! ;) (P.S. I'm also grateful for your little introduction to Kooky. ;p)
Well-done Kelpie!!! :D Lovely little mail carriers... :) :)
lovely story. :)
Cool!
I wonder what is Kuky doing in Russia :) nice pics nice story..
Oh))) it's my city))) Tears go on my face)) I was so surprised to see this story with photos of places where i walked many times )))) Voila))) All is truth)))
Thank you for showing us around - very interesting!
Wow! What an amazing travel!:) I always wanted to see Novosibirsk. The Little Mail Carriers are so lucky!:D Thank you very much for showing us Novosibirsk, Kelpie! Bolshoe spasibo!:) And when will they finally visit Istanbul?:)
what a nice story - so beautiful and great idea!
Loved all the photos, but especially those of the souvenir shop, girls in national costumes, food, wool felt footwear and the national rag dolls. Is that an actual election ballot? If so, I found that interesting because we just had general elections here (BAHAMAS) in May 2012 and not are allowed to take cell-phones or cameras of any sort into the voting booth.
Gina, yes, it was an actual election ballot. I think we haven't any restrictions about photography in Russia till secrecy of other people's vote isn't intrenched.
And thank you-all for good feedback!
Great travel report!
What a great report! Many thanks to Kelpie! Good photos! By the way, I didn't know that our Metro Bridge is the longest in the world.
Оля, отлично!
Cute!
Улыбнула галочка напротив Прохорова)))
Love the "traditional" outfits that those ladies are wearing! So pretty :)
Great way to know a little bit about Siberia. I loved the dolls and explanations about local traditions. Great job Kelpie!
A really interesting report! Well done! I particularly liked the idea of the faceless dolls!
You obviously put a lot of effort into making this and I really enjoyed the trip until the second-to-last photo... The Little Mail Carriers should not be political! It feels offensive to suggest that these cosmopolitan toys would vote for a certain very controversial leader.
I loved seeing were little Paulo and Ana are visiting. The bridge is very long and the faceless dolls were very interesting to read about. They had a great time by the looks of it and thank you for showing us their adventures.
It is very interesting - thank you!
"I wonder where the mail carriers will go next... maybe to the Baltics?"-
I wonder, too!
Thank you Kelpie - and I wouldn't worry asbout being political - everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's what voting is all about. A great trip and this is the first time I've met The Little Mail Carriers so it was a super introduction to their travels.
Very interesting story !有创意！
nice, nice!
Прохоров улыбнул тоже)))
I liked the story :)
awesome! so cute story and interesting story!
прекрасно!!
THX for the great idea of the small toys at every pic - it makes the pics unique!
Thank you for sharing your story; it was excellent. You are a great storyteller and I love the mail carriers; they are brave and strong!!
Now I want a pair of the wool shoes and the doll too!! I love them.
d
How exciting! A friend of mine went to school near here, so it's really nice to see pictures!
Also, how can someone become a host for the Little Mail Carriers? I would like to be one! Please send me a message on my profile site!
:)
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