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There\u2019s something about Russia which cannot be experienced during those hot, sunny months of continental summer. There\u2019s something about Russia which only comes out with the first snowfall, something that can only be seen when those first, fragile white flakes start to fall. As the ground gets covered, more and more, minute by minute, by a layer of glittering frost, that something about Russia becomes a reality. Russia is at its best during the winter. And lucky for Russia winter here is not a brief period that is over before it has even begun, but at least four months long. In some places it is shorter, in the Caucasus for example, in other places it is longer, such as in northern Siberia and northern Far East. Winter is what makes Russia another world.<\/p>\n
During the other three seasons of the year Russia and Russians look like most people in most countries; they wear jeans and t-shirts and sneakers. Not until that one sacred season starts, not until those dark and cold months begin, not until then do they go all out fashion wise and not only show but also prove that they are another people, with an utterly different culture. Fur-spotting could and should be considered an official sport for foreigners here. Anything and everything is either entirely made out of fur or has fur trimming or other kinds of fur details. Men and women who respect themselves greatly wear fur hats twice the size of their heads. This can cause a problem when getting in and out of buildings and public transport since removing headwear outside in Russia is considered to get you a cold within five seconds and therefore not an option. Men and women who respect themselves to a lesser degree wear fur hats of smaller size. The same rule also applies when it comes to fur coats \u2013 the more respect one has for oneself [or the more money one has in one\u2019s pocket], the bigger and longer and fluffier is the coat. However, all of the above have one thing in common \u2013 they are made out of real fur.<\/p>\n
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When it comes to protection from the severe Russian winter, nothing else works, which is what the Russian would say to anyone questioning this. Russians will also tell you, right after they\u2019ve explained the right way to isolate your windows and where you can buy a silver chinchilla coat, that without eating meat and doubling your daily intake of fat there\u2019s no way you\u2019re going to survive here until March comes and the snow starts to melt. On a good day I might tell them that I\u2019ve been a vegetarian since the age of 10 and that I\u2019ve survived three Russian winters without wearing anything anyone had to die for me to enjoy. On a not so good day I will probably just smile and nod and ask them where the closest ice-cream kiosk is.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s another thing that makes Russian winter all the more special, all the more enchanting, all the stranger and absolutely wonderful \u2013 here people can eat ice-cream even in minus 30. And they do. Some sources say that the average Russian eats more ice-cream during December than July. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s true, but if you look around on a snowy day in downtown Yekaterinburg, which is where I live, it sure looks like it. It is only November now. Winter has only begun. Outside my window this Sunday morning the snow has been coming down for the past two hours and I know that as long as Global Warming doesn\u2019t get a Russian visa, then this winter is going to be lovely. Lovely in that very warm, very cold, very either everything or nothing Russian way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There\u2019s something about Russia which cannot be experienced during those hot, sunny months of continental summer. There\u2019s something about Russia which only comes out with the first snowfall, something that can only be seen when those first, fragile white flakes start to fall. As the ground gets covered, more and more, minute by minute…<\/p>\n