| |
Dear Language Enthusiast,
Greetings from Transparent Language! Every so often we send out this free newsletter
with topics of interest to Russian language enthusiasts. The first half of this letter is
in Russian, but you can also practice your language skills by reading the same news in
English in the second half. We hope this helps you with your Russian language learning.
Here in New Hampshire the flowers are blooming and spring seems to be upon us. As warm
weather approaches, traveling has been on our minds, and so we have chosen travel tips as
the topic for this newsletter. Included below are hints about travel to Moscow and Saint
Petersburg, Russia's largest cities, and most popular tourist destinations.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
In English:
Summer is the perfect time of year to travel to Russia. In this issue of the
newsletter, we will focus on events in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, two of the most
popular tourist destinations in Russia.
The average temperature in Moscow and Saint Petersburg in the summer months is in the
comfortable range of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit, though short spells of much hotter weather,
in the 80's, are possible. In addition, Saint Petersburg's northern location makes
possible its famous "white nights" in June and July, when twilight is the
darkest that it gets outside. The atmosphere in Saint Petersburg during the white nights
is quite festive. Expect to see many people and hear music in the streets of the city,
regardless of the time of night. Summer is also a time of numerous festivals, concerts,
and special museum exhibitions.
Moscow-Summer 1999.
The traditional Russian folk holiday Troitsa will be celebrated throughout June in all the
major parks of Moscow with various craft exhibitions and musical performances.
On June 4th, 5th, and 6th, a variety of concerts and performances will take place
throughout Moscow in celebration of the 200th birthday of Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin is
considered Russia's greatest poet.
On June 12th and 13th, look for major public celebrations marking the declaration of
independence of the Russian republic.
Don't miss the Moscow International Beer Festival in July of 1999, which will take place
in Luzhniki Park.
Moscow's Darwin Museum will mark the International Ecology Day on August 5th with a
variety of special lectures and exhibits.
The VVTS will host an exposition of folk art in September of 1999. Make sure to also visit
the exhibit on the theme of "New Technologies in the Service of Mankind,"
showing at the museum at the same time.
The Expo center at the Museum of Architecture will celebrate the International Architect's
Day on September 4th, 1999. Many of the world's leading architects will be present for the
festivities.
Moscow currently boasts over 37,000 hotel rooms available for visiting tourists. Although
Russian currency fluctuates, the dollar prices have remained stable over the past couple
of years. You will need to have your accommodations reserved and paid for in order to
obtain a visa for your trip. Allow 6-8 weeks for the planning of your itinerary and the
arrangement of proper documents.
While visiting Moscow this summer, keep in mind that the city has phased out the use of
metro tokens in favor of magnetically stripped cards. A card good for 60 rides costs $5,
while a monthly pass that will allow you unlimited bus and subway use is $11.
Those of you planning to visit both Saint Petersburg and Moscow this summer will enjoy the
newly completed improvements to the train service between the two cities. The trip will be
considerably faster as well as more comfortable.
Saint Petersburg-Summer 1999
Thrifty travelers will be glad to learn that the Economist Intelligence Unit has ranked
Saint Petersburg as the least expensive destination in Europe out of all the larger
cities.
The International Jazz Festival "White Nights Swing" will take place in Saint
Petersburg June10th-20th. The International Documentary Film Festival "Message to
Man" will take place June 17th-24th. Also in June, look for the International Ballet
Competition "Vaganova-Priz" and the City Festival of Street Theaters.
Traveling to the suburbs of Saint Petersburg, you will find several exciting events in the
palace-park complex of Peterhof. The Festival of the Summer Season opening, which includes
the ceremonial "Solemn Opening of Fountains" takes place May 29th-31st. The
International Festival of Fireworks in Peterhof is in August and the Festival of the
Fountains is on September 11th.
Note: don't expect to see the Bolshoi ballet while you are in Russia this summer-the
Bolshoi is on a world tour from April to August of 1999, and will be visiting Brazil,
China, the U.S., Japan, and Great Britain.
For more information on traveling to Russia this summer, we recommend the following two
sources, which kindly contributed the bulk of the travel news in this letter:
Russian Life Magazine.
89 Main Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
Phone: (802) 223-4955
Moscow City Tourist Office
300 Lanidex Plaza
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Phone: (973) 428-4709
|
