Everybody has their own favorite travel memories, transcendent moments occurring far from home that spawn a new awareness and perspective on life. For me, a snowy trip to Moscow in January, 1993 is one of the fondest, as it was a moment that awakened in me the idea that the world is there for the taking, and all that is needed to visit somewhere exotic is simply to get up and go. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-07-18T13:02:20-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/11/21/7197/4240
In the interest of public safety and suitable provision of wild bear warnings, we bring you this important information from Russia. In southwest Siberia, global warming or some other quirk of the climate has given the region around Kemerovo an unusually long fall, and the bears who normally begin hibernating in October are still wandering around.

To date no tourists have been caught up in this bear frenzy, but locals are worried about possible attacks on hunters or crops. These insomniac bears are a bit unpredictable: just remember what you feel like when you stay up all night without sleeping, and multiply it by at least a month of waiting.

Seems like nowhere in Europe is safe for travel right now, with the drunken elks in Sweden and mad bears in Russia, and the ever present threat that Germany and Austria could expose another dangerous Bruno the Bear. And you thought terrorists were bad.

Related Stories:
· Warm Weather Wrecks Bears' Slumber [Reuters]
· Oh Deer! It's a Drunken Elk [Jaunted]
· Obituary: Bruno the Bear [Jaunted]
]]> amandak 2006-11-21T09:30:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/11/10/8837/6418

No surprise that you can keep the vodka flowing on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The route isn't famous for its onboard dining, but the various snacks available at service stops get some attention. Dining on the train itself, especially for those who don't speak Russian, is usually relegated to using boiling water for soup cups and other provisions. But we're sure you'll be able to get some vodka easily, and if you're bored enough, you'll more than be able to make a night out of it. Above, travelers on the train enjoy a steady flow of vodka and get drunker and drunker as they go. Air travel may be a little faster, but there's no way they'd let you get trashed like that!

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· Russia's Big Bang [Jaunted]]]> djk 2006-11-10T12:10:04-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/23/11757/270 Museums devoted to just one famous person can clutch at straws a bit for material. A photo there of the house of the neighbor of the celebrity's father at age 6 hangs next to the framed wrapper of the first piece of chewing gum they ate, and so on.

In Russia, a museum devoted to classic writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky doesn't really manage to break this mould, but is worth visiting just the same. The Dostoyevsky Memorial Museum and Flat in St Petersburg features, as is reasonable, original manuscripts from many of his novels, newspaper clippings and pictures explaining his narrow escape from death by firing squad and displays of some of the rooms of his flat as they were when he lived there from 1878 to 1881.

But to fill the flat other sentimental objects are needed which round out the character of the man, as the museum curators would say. You'll find short notes from his children ("Papa, please give us sweets"), an old hat protected by a big glass bubble, unused papers and most tragically, the very pencil stub he was writing with the day he died.

Related Stories:
· Dostoyevsky Museum, St Petersburg [Suite101]
]]> amandak 2006-10-25T16:23:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/15/164240/32
Where's the coldest place on earth? The North and South Poles probably rate a mention, but so does Siberia. There's one small problem, though: it's melting. Despite the fact that over 6 million square miles of Russia is permafrost--to make that clear, permanent frost--Siberia seems to be thawing out.

The facts are pretty scary. In the last thirty years, satellite photos prove that the total areas of lakes in Siberia have increased by some 12 percent. So animals are on the move, houses are sinking and, worst of all, this whole process is releasing massive amounts of methane gas, five times more than scientists predicted.

Two lessons: try not to add to methane emissions if you're traveling through Russia; and book your Siberian trip before it's all just one big puddle.

[Photo: C_ONO_R]

Related stories:
· Siberia's Once Frozen Tundra is Melting [Radio Free Europe]
· Ride the Cold Train [Jaunted]
]]> amandak 2006-10-16T08:34:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/11/111514/22
Tourism in Vladivostok, Russia, is largely based around Chinese and Japanese visitors--these countries are, after all, nearby--but intrepid Western travelers love it as the romantic end (or start) of the Trans-Siberian railway. In Russia it's better known as a naval base and port, and most of the sightseeing centers on its pivotal role in sea trade and defense.

If you're in need of a good solid frightening from a very loud noise, then the place for you is this somewhat desolate part of Far Eastern Russia. Get yourself to Vladivostok's Fortress Museum at midday and you'll successfully have your wits scared out of you when a canon fires a blast much louder than it looks like it should be. If it doesn't deafen you, you'll hear the Chinese tourists cheering. Kind of crazy, since defending itself against China was one of the reasons Vladivostok built this fortress in the first place.

[Photo: samuelgagnondotcom] ]]> amandak 2006-10-12T08:57:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/6/145933/955
When we've reported on Latvia before, it's been for worthy and decent tourism reasons like promoting a visit to Riga's Occupation Museum. This decency is all about to change.

Recently in Russia, workers digging holes to plant trees hit a pipe. A common-enough occurrence, until they discovered the pipe was filled with homemade vodka. And this spirited spirit was heading over the border into Latvia. Incredibly, this wasn't even the first such pipe to be found. Nobody's quite sure who's responsible--this pipe ran between two empty, rented houses--but the Russians have turned off the pipeline, anyway. We suppose there are a few thirsty Latvians this week.

[Photo: m_y_eda]

Related stories:
· Customs discover vodka pipeline [Ananova]
· Drink Vodka, Drive Volvo, Get Laid [Jaunted]
· Riga's Occupation Museum [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2006-10-09T09:09:00-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/