Trivia collectors<\/strong> \u2013 one of the world\u2019s tallest free-standing statues, not including the pedestal, is in Volgograd;<\/p>\n Men looking for Russian wives<\/strong> – It\u2019s a well-known fact, confirmed by Boris Yeltsin during his May 1996 visit to Volgograd, that \u00ab\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0438 – <\/strong>\u0438\u0437 <\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb [the most beautiful girls are from Volgograd]. How else to explain all those annual beauty contests, including \u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u0438\u0441\u0441 <\/strong>\u0412\u044b\u043f\u0443\u0441\u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Miss High School Graduate], \u00ab\u041c\u0438\u0441\u0441 <\/strong>\u0421\u0442\u0443\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Miss College Student], \u00a0\u00ab\u041d\u0435\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430 <\/strong>\u0413\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Volgograd Bride of the Year], \u00ab\u041c\u0438\u0441\u0441 <\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [Miss Volgograd], \u00ab\u041c\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0441 <\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [Mrs. Volgograd]\u2026<\/p>\n I think this semi-oblivion stems from the fact that Volgograd does not boast any ancient golden-domed churches. Instead of quaint crafts, such as \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0430\u043a\u0438\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [lacquered boxes], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0441\u043d\u044b<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [colorfully painted metal trays], or intricate \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [lacework], the city produces lots and lots of heavy industrial machinery and chemicals (not at all quaint). Compared to Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is very blue collar and provincial.<\/p>\n Yet this large (around 1 million residents) industrial city remains one of the nicest and quirkiest places to visit, especially in the summer and not just for history buffs or men looking for their future Mrs Volgograd.<\/p>\n If you are planning a trip to Russia, plan on spending a few days in Volgograd for some of the best real-Russia experiences:<\/p>\n Riding the only underground passenger tram in Russia (and maybe in the entire world) <\/strong><\/p>\n Volgograd doesn\u2019t have beautiful subway stations (this honor goes to Moscow) or the deepest ones (that\u2019s St. Petersburg claim). Instead it has a \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u00bb\u2013<\/strong> a tram that, for 3 out of its 30 or so stops, runs under ground. The extension line with some more underground stations has been in the works since 1984 (I remember watching some of the construction work from my 2nd<\/sup> grade classroom window).<\/p>\n Driving over the longest bridge in Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n Unbelievable as it might sound, stretched for almost 100 kilometers along a river bank, the city only has one bridge across Volga. It took 13 years to complete; but to be fair it is now the longest bridge in Europe.<\/p>\n Checking out the world\u2019s largest statue of a real person<\/strong><\/p>\n The 52-meter tall statue of Lenin is officially the world\u2019s tallest statue commemorating a real person. Hand on his hip, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0436\u0434\u044c <\/strong>\u043c\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0442\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [the leader of the world\u2019s proletariat] is overlooking the workings of the Volga-Don Channel.<\/p>\n Testing your \u201clucky 13\u201d theory<\/strong><\/p>\n Why not take a look at the world\u2019s tallest Lenin from aboard one of the many river cruise ships passing through the locks of the \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0433\u043e-<\/strong>\u0414\u043e\u043d\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [Volga-Don Channel].\u00a0 Your ship will have to move through 13 locks on the way from Volga to Don – a trip that takes 10-12 hours (maybe you get exceptionally lucky with an unexpected delay of some non-alarming sort and it\u2019ll take you full 13 hours then).<\/p>\n Driving along the longest street in the entire Mother Russia <\/strong><\/p>\n Russia is the largest country in the world. Wouldn\u2019t it be so very cool to travel the length of the longest street of the largest country? (Especially as a low-cost alternative to the epic Trans Siberian Railway trip)<\/p>\n Hail a cab (they are refreshingly cheap after the rip-offs of Moscow) and do a round-trip of the \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> \u00a0[lit. Second Lengthwise Street]. Not only will you get to see much of real city life along its 50-km stretch (one-way), but you will also understand why it is said that Russia has two banes \u2013 fools and roads.<\/p>\n Checking out the most romantic (per linear foot of bench space) park in the entire nation<\/strong><\/p>\n Fresh from your round-trip along the longest street, ask the cabby to drop you off at \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [Pedagogic University]. It is on one side of the \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [lit. First Lengthwise street] in the \u00ab<\/strong>\u0426\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0439\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/strong>\u00bb [Central district]. It is right across the street from \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0445\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [Polytechnic University].<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the easy way to tell apart the two institutions of higher learning even if you can\u2019t read the plaques on the facades. If 90% of people walking through the building\u2019s doors are girls, then it\u2019s the \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [short for Pedagogic]. If it\u2019s mostly guys, then you\u2019re in front of the \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [short for Polytechnic].<\/p>\n Now cross the street half-way to a long and narrow park. If it\u2019s a warm late-spring day and the air is filled with the aroma of lilacs, you will have a hard time securing a seat on one of the many benches in this lovely park filled with kissing and making-out \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435\u0434-<\/strong>\u041f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> couples.<\/p>\n Tasting the world\u2019s best tomatoes and watermelons<\/strong><\/p>\n We all know that supermarket tomatoes smell or taste nothing like the real thing. But let me tell you \u2013 even your best farmer\u2019s market organically grown Brandywines are no match to Volgograd\u2019s finest, like \u00ab<\/strong>\u0411\u044b<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u0435 <\/strong>\u0421\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0434\u0446\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>(Bull\u2019s Heart). You will dream about these juicy warm meaty tomatoes for the rest of your life, guaranteed. Same goes for the sweet melt-in-your-mouth \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u0440\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [watermelons].<\/p>\n Have you been to Volgograd?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Volgograd, my hometown, is relatively obscure in the West. Most Americans ask me where in Russia I am from and look seemingly lost when I say I\u2019m from Volgograd. The notable exceptions are these three categories: \u00ab\u0417\u043d\u0430\u0442\u043e\u043a\u0438 \u0412\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0439 \u041c\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0432\u043e\u0439\u043d\u044b\u00bb [WWII history buffs] \u2013 \u00ab\u0421\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0431\u0438\u0442\u0432\u0430\u00bb [Battle of Stalingrad] was one of the major battles…<\/p>\n![\"Volgograd](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2010\/04\/VechOgon-350x263.jpg\")