If you are in Russia, the Hermitage Museum is a must-see. However, we hope that you are not allergic to cats. There are currently 70 cats who make the museum their home. They spend their time there as guard cats, protecting the artwork from any rodents who are even thinking of chewing up the priceless artifacts.
There have been cats in the Hermitage since the 1700s, when Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter The Great, who also founded the city of St. Petersburg, suggested having them move in as a way to ensure the safety of the exhibitions.
Come In, the Water’s Freezing
The Russian people love to go to the beach to swim, and they won’t let a little thing like freezing winter temperatures stop them. While some only do the cold dip once a year to start the new year off right, others enjoy their icy swims all winter long.
Many Russians believe that swimming in ice-cold water is good for their health and head to the beach even on the coldest days. Their bravery has earned them the adorable and appropriate nickname “walruses.”
Odd Number of Flowers
If you ever find yourself having romantic feelings for someone with a Russian background, don’t forget to show your feelings with flowers, but never show up with a dozen roses, only with an odd-numbered bouquet.
This may sound strange, but in Russia, even-numbered flowers are reserved for funerals. Meaning that no matter what your intention, you may risk giving offense and end up without a date.
Tourists Pay More
As we already know, Russia is an enormous country and a great tourist draw. Although the country has a lot to offer, including forests, islands, and more, visitors usually stick to the most famous cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg.
If you do intend to check out all that Russia has to offer, get ready to pay – a lot. Tourists in Russia pay higher prices than the locals to visit the country’s famous attractions. For example, the price for the Hermitage Museum on the website is significantly higher if you are on the English page versus the Russian version. According to the museum, the lower price is intended only for Russian citizens.
Home to Many Beautiful Women
The “Miss Russia” beauty pageant is considered the perfect place to discover the world’s next supermodel. It has been taking place each year since 1992, and the winner goes on to represent her country in the Miss World and the Miss Universe global beauty competitions.
These gorgeous women are not just pretty faces. However, former Miss Russia winners include a power engineer, a few ballroom dancers, a global economics student, a cybernetic systems student, and a former police officer.