Tag Archives: Tolstoy

Ivan the Terrible with his Oprichniki, overseeing his treasury. The Oprichniki were the tsar's dogs responsible for sniffing out treason. There were the forerunners for Imperial Russia's history of political police which carried on into Soviet times.

Colliding cultures in Kazan

They say first impressions are important and my first view of Kazan was beautiful. Rising slowly from the haze of the Volga River, the Kremlin, cupolas of the Orthodox churches and the minarets of the mosques, shimmering in the afternoon heat was like a twisted fantasy from the 1001 Nights. This impression was enhanced by the greeting I was given…

A different Russia – Samara

Samara sits concealed on a bend in the Volga River. Inconspicuous and forgotten, Samara is Russia’s sixth largest city and a major contributor to Russia’s aerospace industry. This little known city was closed off to foreigners during the Cold War and this has perhaps contributed to its obscurity. Despite this, Samara is an exciting, dynamic city with good restaurants, hotels…