Where two or more tourists are gathered, there a church is likely to be...

This past weekend, after final exams, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Suzdal, near the city of Vladimir, within what is referred to as the Golden Ring of Russia. The Golden ring is a series of some of the oldest cities in Russia, located northeast of Moscow, which played prominently in the early history of Russia and formation of Russian Orthodoxy. Russian Orthodoxy came into its own after the fall of Constantinople and its leaders saw Russia as the continuation of the Christian empire.

Suzdal dates back to 1024 and is particularly well-known for its numerous churches and monasteries. The town is now mostly a tourist village, but still maintains a beautiful sample of Russian churches and the countryside. The first 3 pics are from Suzdal, the last 2 from the city of Vladimir.

Matryoshkas, oh my!

A matryoshka doll or a Russian nested doll is a set of dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside the other. A set of matryoshkas consists of a wooden figure which can be pulled apart to reveal another figure of the same sort inside. It has, in turn, another figure inside, and so on. It's orgins in Russia are said to have derived from a similar tradition of nested dolls in Japan. A few weeks ago I visited a local factory which produces matryoshkas en masse. It was interesting to see the full process - from wood carving, to drawing the faces, to the final painting. However, there was something disconcerting about being surrounded by so many of them at one time - perhaps an irrational fear of the dolls coming to life and waddling after me!

Globalization? - 2

One place that I could not avoid going during my time in Nizhny Novgorod was the new mall (only half complete) across from the apartment complex in which I lived. The mall is named "Fantastika" and features two main stores"OBI"and "Real," along with housing a few smaller clothing, jewelry and clothing stores. OBI is complete replica of HomeDepot, and you can notice for yourself the distinctive orange decor and warehouse interior.







On the left, is the other large store "Real," roughly the equivalent of a Walmart with food and
clothing. The questions remain, what do these

stores mean for the future of Russia? Do they adapt to local tastes? Can we really say there is something distinctive American or Russian about them? And, finally, do they represent anything less Russian than what are considered more traditional forms? (Remember the "metryoshka" or nested doll, originally was inspired by a Japanese tradition.)

Finally, some graffitti from the wall near the university I attended. Strange I walked passed it for weeks without noticing. The Russian translates as "Love who you want!" and the images speak for themselves.

Москву! Москву! Москву!

04-06/vii/2008: Weekend trip to Moscow - overlapped with 4th of July weekend. Not the most traditional way to celebrate the Independence of the U.S.A., but there is something to be said for traveling from one of the most closed cities of the former Soviet period (Nizhny Novgorod) to the capital of Moscow.

When Napolean surveyed Moscow from Sparrow Hills he remarked, "There it is at last, this famous town...Are they abandoning all this?" Almost 150 years later, Stravinsky returned to the country of his birth and went to that same spot. It is recorded that he was "silent and more moved" than ever before.

I traveled with much excitement, for when I lived in Turkmenistan, Moscow was often on our minds. All roads once led to Moscow and most of Central Asia is still dependent on its connections to that city. In the end, contemporary Moscow seemed mostly the product of the Soviet period (and the architecture that went along with it) and the emerging market economy now dominating Russian cities. This is, of course, the impression only after a few days.

There are the major sites to see, which remain impressive. Just after seeing Lenin's tomb and while we were in the middle of Red Square, a nasty storm swept in and we took refuge in ГУМ

(formerly the main goods store of the Soviet Union, now converted into a mall - It's the bottom right-hand picture).

Like St. Petersburg there is construction everywhere in Moscow. What this will mean in the long run is unclear. I've never been one to support the proposition that development inherently leads to a better way of life. But one thing is certain, all roads in Russia will continue to lead to Moscow for many years into the future. It is the spiritual and physical "center" of Russia and decisions made there will shape the furture of Russia and its people.

Globalization?

In what ways do we think of globalization - econonmic, cultural? To what extent do the financial benefits of globalization threaten indigenous and/or traditional ways of life - whether that be lingustic, religious, or other? And, how do we begin to define indigenous and/or traditional ways of life?

McDonald's and Coca-Cola are certainly the two most ubiquitous exports of the United States, but does their presence in another country signal the cultural invasion of America? I'd love to read some comments. I'll be posting more pics and thoughts on this in the next week...

Kazan-2

In addition to the post below, I add a few pictures and comments on language in Kazan. While Russian is without a doubt the main language of daily interaction in the street, Tatar is still preserved, spoken in homes and all official signs are posted in both languages. I noticed many similarities between Tatar and Turkmen: (a) in the grammar structure and (b) in the lexicon. Of course, unlike Turkmen, Tatar has remained in the Cyrillic alphabet. It is interesting to consider the future development of Tatar, since to be Russian implies to speak Russian. Many national groups find language as a rallying point for independence (i.e., the Kurds), but for now the Tatar nation is content to remain a part of the Russian Federation.

(President of the Republic of Tatarstan)

Tatar (People's Library of the Republic of Tatarsan)

Kazan-1

27- 29/vi/2008: Weekend trip to Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. East of Nizhny Novgorod along the Volga river. From the moment of entry I felt a different air about the city. Exploring the winding roads and walking under the rising minarets and church towers, this felt like a Russia more closely linked to its Asiatic roots. There is a Russian proveb: "Scratch a Russian and you'll find a Tatar."

Of course, the Mongol tribes did not appear by invitation. Rather they invaded the territories known as Rus (or Kievan Rus) in the mid-13th century. Tension continues even today between the nation which considers itself "Russian" and the other "Tatar". Another proverb, "An uninvited guest is worse than a Tatar" is sometimes changed today to "An uninvited guest is better than a Tatar."

Kazan offered a unique blend of Russian and Tatar culture, architecture and people. Upon arrival, I visited several mosques. Two of which I was permitted to enter, and at the third a very politie Uzbek apologetically denied me entry since I was not Muslim. He was an older man and we spoke at some length - about his being from Tashkent (and my visit there), life in Turkmenistan, and life for Uzbeks in Russia. Quite touchingly he concluded by saying that he was very honored to have met an American - something he never thought would happen in his lifetime. I doubt, however, I live up to whatever idea he has of such a person... There are a large number of Uzbeks currently living in Kazan.

The mosque in the picture (Qol-Şarif mosque) below was recently renovated (as was the whole Kremlin) through UNESCO funding. The various structures in the Kremlin were built throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. It is quite beautiful from a distance, but the entire renovation has a bit of a plastic-like quality to it. It is obvious that it is now a tourist attraction and used for ceremonial purposes only. As a consequence, it is hard to imagine the communities that once lived within its walls. I suppose it is only possible to get a fleeting feeling for such things during one's travels.