Nature and climate in Russia
What kind of climate does Russia have?
What importance do the Ural Mountains have for Russia?
What is sour cabbage?
Golden fall and “babiye leto”
Russia covers an extremely large territory, and its climate varies from a strongly pronounced continental one to a maritime one. So, it is only possible to talk about the weather in Russia with reference to a concrete area.
Siberia and the Far East take up most of the Russian territory. The Ural Mountains divide Russia conditionally into its European and Asian parts. Chucot Peninsula and Jakutia are located in the northeast, where there is the lowest population density. In the north of Siberia, there is permafrost, snow and ice, and only two seasons: polar winter and the short polar summer. The tundra is everywhere there, and the climate is very cold. Southward, the taiga stretches for thousands of kilometers. The biggest Russian rivers — the Ob, the Lena, and the Yenisei — flow through the same place: Siberia. But in Siberia’s south is unigue Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. In the Far East, the climate is milder because of its proximity to the sea. There, the winters are mild and the summers cool.
In the European part of Russia, as in Siberia, the north is cold, while the center is home to a more continental climate. The Volga flows here, the biggest river in all of Europe. A great many works by Russian poets, writers and artists have been devoted to the Volga. Russians call it Mother Volga. In the south of Russia the climate is hot, and in the Caucasus near the Black Sea coast there is even a subtropical climate.
In Russia, as throughout the world, global warming has lately been felt. The winters are getting warmer, and the summers hotter. As for people’s favorite seasons, in Russia as everywhere, it all depends on one’s personal preferences. There are people who like winter, and throughout most of Russia there is always snow in the winter, so you can go snow-skiing, ice-skating, or sledding. Many people like summer, because in many parts of Russia you can swim in the rivers and lakes, gather mushrooms and berries in the forest, or go fishing. Russians have liked going to the forest to gather mushrooms, berries and medicinal herbs since olden times, and this tradition has remained. In the forests of Russia, especially far from the cities, there are a lot of various berries and mushrooms. At home, Russian women like preserving different kinds of food collected outside: salted and pickled mushrooms and vegetables, jam, stewed fruit, and much more. In the summer as well, many families go on vacation to the south of Russia, to places such as the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
When fall comes, one’s chances for preserving food at home increase, since fruits and vegetables are ripening in the gardens right outside. In the fall many Russians make sour cabbage, especially in the country and in small towns. Sour cabbage is a special Russian traditional dish that is very delicious and good for one’s health. When you will be in Russia, you will definitely appreciate it.
In Russia they say that fall is golden. It is a very beautiful sea
son, and many Russian poets have devoted much of their poetry to it. In the fall the warm weather returns for a short while, giving rise to the name “babiye leto” (literally, “ladies’ summer”, whereas in America this period is called “Indian summer”).
The favorite season of many Russians nevertheless, is winter. Lately, winters in Russia have become warm. But for a Russian man true winter means snow and freezing weather, where everything outside is white. This is the season when you can snow-ski, ice-skate, and go sledding. For children, it’s a time for throwing snowballs and making snowmen. In winter, every Russian’s favorite holiday is New Year’s.
The idea that foreigners have of Russian winters is often wrong. All you need do is buy some warm clothes and you will be glad to breathe in the fresh frosty air, to admire the white snow, and to say that Russian winters are beautiful.
In Russia, nature is very beautiful. There are boundless fields and meadows, leafy and coniferous forests, rivers at high altitude, deep lakes… There are even a lot of beautiful and picturesque place not far from the city. Russians like nature very much. They are fond of going into the country on their days off, on their vacations, even in their spare time. A great deal of poetry and prose has been devoted to a description of Russian nature. If you read Russian literature, even in translation, you will feel the Russians’ love for the beauty of their native land. And the beauty of Russian nature has been captured on so many pictures! There are many masterful Russian landscape painters, such as Isaac Levitan and Ivan Shishkin. You can go look at their pictures in the Tretyakov Gallery, or even at their reproductions, and you will see how beautiful Russian nature is.
The great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky created a musical composition called Seasons of the Year. Each part of it is devoted to a single month. Listen to it and you will hear Russian nature.
So when going to Russia, find out what kind of climate the area you are going to has, and what kind of weather will be there in the winter, summer, spring and fall.
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