I have been to Russia twice. This is what I know: To me, Russia= vast, cold, many different cultures and incredible hardships under the czars , inequality between rich and poor people, Russian Revolution, communism, collectivization. World Wars 1 & 2, NKVD, KGB secret police, gulags, Siberia, mass forced deportations of innocent people. Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Kruschev, Cuban Missile Crisis, Yeltsin, Gorbachev, disintegration of Soviet Union, Afghanistan war, Vladimir Putin.

I´ve been there only once,but I hope to return some day. Vast country, multicultural, suffered a lot during XXth. century,26 million people died during WWII. Abolition of serfdom in 1861. I´m very fond of Russian literature and music. Blinis,schi,beef strogonov, smetana, vodka,miedovuja, ogurtzi... Regimes pass,change, but Russian soul will remain always beautiful and strong. " Веселая и грустная, Всегда ты хороша, Как наша песня русская, Как русская душа " The best future for you!!!! my historical motherland....

Incredibly vast and diverse land. Beautiful architecture and an industrious commercial sector. I found the stories and birch bark scrolls from Veliky Novgorod fascinating. I also study Systema, the Russian martial art; its concepts are far different than any other martial art I have come across. I have not been to Russia but plan to visit in the next couple of years.