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Uncle Pasha's hand-picked and regularly updated collection of
RUSSIAN TRAVEL RESOURCES

Request to add links to ORIGINAL and RELEVANT page/site are welcomed.  Note that descriptions that consist of vague general phrasing like "we offer accommodation for any budget" or linguistic atrocities such as "interesting attractions" (the author of one the recent requests hit me with this one) will be rejected. If I feel your site is getting stale I'll remove the link but by all means re-submit it after you do an update.. e-mail paul_voytinsky@yahoo.com

"Russian SoulRelated categories: Language and Culture

  • http://www.bigrussiansoul.org  Good-natured fun poked at the "Russian Soul" concept.
  • www.sovokoftheweek.com  October 2006: This site seems to have evolved from a private page into a full-scale project. Recommended to... I'm at a loss for words here. Not of tourists, not for business people but for .. Suppose this resource can be recommended if you are after the spirit of the place. The owners of Sovok of the Week maintain a list of resources of the same spirit.
  • Daniel Rancour-Laferriere, Slave Soul of Russia. I can't find the link to the text but you can buy the book here.

Moscow for tourists and expats

  • Just noticed www.passportmagazine.ru  A fresh compilation of practical resources of use for an English-speaking traveller. Embassies, airports, clubs etc.   An extensive list of active do-gooder organizations!  (Added April 12, 2007).
  • August 5, 2007   www.expat.ru seems to be emerging as a leading information resource. Especially recommended for accommodation searches.
  • NEW! Added March 21 2009 

www.CapitalTourist.Com
Hire us to support you on your Moscow trip and manage it safely.
Avoid any problem and unforeseen
circumstances on your Moscow journey.
Have fun not troubles.

Travelogues, blogs, photos

Backpacking, budget, alternative, adventure, eco-travel, travel with a cause

  • www.sv-agency.udm.ru - The "Svezy Veter" ("Fresh Wind") guys did an admirable job turning Izhevsk, Udmurtia, an industrial town famous for its Izh and Ural motorcycles, and Kalashnikov machine gun, into a Mecca for volunteer English teachers. I regularly hear good things from people who went to Izhevsk under their programs. All-around support: visa invitation, tickets, host family matching etc. etc. [CHECKED APRIL 2009. UP AND ACTIVE.]
  • www.bootsnall.com - Packed with independent traveller information. An example of how detailed and in-depth some of www.bootsnall pages are: through them I found Moscow's only laundromat (Vavilova 11, Tram #39 from M. Leninsky Prospekt or M. Universitet, open 7am to 10pm Mon. to Sat.). Lots of active boards, with frequent messages on Russian travel. [CHECKED APRIL 09]
  • http://ecotravel.ru/eng/  - Ecological Travel Center with focus on Siberia and Lake Baikal. Lost of organized eco/nature/volunteer tours.  [ACTIVE - APRIL 09]
  • http://www.we-friends.com/lists/Russia_Federation.shtml - As of April 8, 2009 about 40 offers of homestay accommodation in Russia and about 20 requests for accommodation.
  • www.miramed.org - An organization dedicated to preparing Russian orphans to independent adult life. Some volunteer opportunities. [ACTIVE - APRIL 09]
  • http://www.thebackpacker.net  - Quite a few entries on Russia. An informative site, no-registration BBS.. My major complaint is their beer board where Baltika No. 9 is recommended. Don't!! Read my Beer and Vodka page and be safe and well both during and after your drinking binge.
  • http://www.sv-agency.udm.ru - Svezhy Veter ("Fresh Wind"). Izhevsk, Udmurtia, the Urals Range. Teaching opportunities, real-life immersion tourism, informative interactive site, good feedback from my clients in Moscow on their way to and especially from them. [WORKING - APRIL 09]
  • Cycling Club - http://www.rctc.ru/index.html [ALIVE - APRIL 09]
  • http://www.geographicbureau.com/
  • http://www.globalfreeloaders.com - free accommodation, a few offers from Russia.
  • www.hospitalityclub.org - more free accommodation
  • WWW.TRAVELROOMERS.COM - another free accommodation site
  • More free accommodation sites: www.couchsurfing.com, www.globalfreeloaders.com, www.stay4free.com, www.place2stay.net
  • http://www.LostLuggageTales.com">Lost  - A compilation of resources for budget travellers.
  • http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/moscow.htm - Sleeping in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport
  • http://www.couchsurfing.com/   - a database of people who offer a free place to stay in exchange for same.
  • http://www.hospitalityclub.org/ - Hospitality exchange, no money involved.  LOTS OF ACTIVITY, RECOMMENDED
  • NEW   http://www.familytravelboards.com/  has just been called to my attention. Family travel, as the name suggests. Three generations, pets, scooters. I see these once in a while. These are almost always budget and time-consuming clients but I don't mind because working with family types is easy and relaxing. One exception was an American ex-military type who told his children to smile and be happy or else they won't get their ice cream. As a former Utilitarian after the John Stewart Mill sort I was overwhelmed by the simplicity of approach. Took me a week and a couple of bottles of vodka to recover.
  • http://www.thegreenguide.com
  • http://www.ecoclub.com

  • http://www.unotravel.com "Travel with a heart" concept.

  • http://www.unotraveler.com/  New site, mostly empty at the moment (Jan. 2005). Check back.

  • http://www.innsite.com/ - A directory of Bed & Breakfast offers. A few from ex-USSR countries, nothing from Russian so far but I'm sure it is coming in the next year or two. The time is right, the demand is there, and Russians are about to overcome their fear of opening their homes to "strangers". One of these days I'll compile a list of silly reasons why a starving babushka with a 4-room flat in the center of Moscow would not run a small B&B operation.

  • http://www.iwf.ru/index_en.shtml - A site dedicated to the concept of "deep tourism". Mostly in Russian and for Russians, who seem to represent a rather sophisticated market for things extreme and outworldly but have a few English pages. 

  • Hitchhiking in Russia:

    waytorussia.net - some general advice
    hitchhikers.org
    mosnews.com - a Moscow News article on Russian style of hitchhiking
    reitsma.ru  - a story by a Dutch hitchhiker in Russia\

  • www.bestofhorses.com has a few links to riding holidays in the Altai region. See my www.russian-horse-rides.com for more.
  • www.adventuretraveltips.com is a big compilation of verified links, about 10 of which related to Russia and a couple dozen more to neighbouring countries. To be reviewed soon.

Russian search engines, or search engines with good Russian content.

www.rambler.ru - of the the biggest
www.yandex.ru - Presently seems to be the market leader
www.list.ru
www.weblist.ru???

www.weblist.ru
www.stars.ru
www.www.ru - in English!!
www.google.ru - turn off cookies before going there or else you will be taken there whenever you want google.com

Cities and regions - see "outside of Moscow" page at www.cheap-moscow.com

Moscow and St. Petersburg

North-west of Moscow, including Tver, Novgorod, Rzhev, Pskov, Valdai, Staraya Russa, New Jerusalem, Volokolamsk, Torshok...

Moldova

Making contact: Russia-related forums

Health and safety
(the safety issue is periodically raised in Uncle Pasha's Message Board)

  • Petty street crimes, incl. money exchange - http://www.kidalovka.narod.ru/
    (in Russian, but a must to read nevertheless; on request I'll happily do a review with my clients..)
  • My own musings on the safety aspect of Russian travel. [to be added; the main idea is that Russia can be remarkably safe or otherwise, depending on who you are, the objectivist world-view fails utterly here; examples of my own and other's experience]
  • http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/scams.html - Tourist scam alerts, mostly apply to western Europe, but it would not hurt knowing them if you are on your way to Russia

Official and semi-official platitudes and truisms

Maps, schedules, pictures  ==>> WILL SOMEONE RECOMMEND A LINK TO A GOOD MAP OF MOSCOW?!!!
(Check out our own
VIRTUAL WALKS AND DRIVES IN AND AROUND MOSCOW)

Russian Language, Culture, History...

Russian Cinema
Hi, I found your page very informative.
I have a reference site dedicated to Russian Cinema:
http://www.geocities.com/rusatg/dir.htm
It contains rated listings of Russian movies, films for children, awards,
actors, directors and alphabetical catalog pages.
And I would like to ask if you would find it appropriate
to add a link to my site on your link page.

Pasha,

 I like your language link. Nice teaching tool. Here is my favorite Russian alphabet page link. Its a word game and requires a little thinking, but it makes it more fun to learn the alphabet. http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/russian/language/alphabet.html

 The bucknell page also links to signs you would see in Russian. http://community.middlebury.edu/~beyer/RT/pages/signs/signs.shtml

 My favorite big website for Russian is www.masterrussian.com

 John

Let me take this opportunity to once again urge beginning Russian students NOT TO BOTHER WITH SMALL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION. Just read what you see how you see it. Of it is "o", just read it as "o". "Pozhaluysta" is just that, not "pAzhal-sta". Often trying to be "correct" will take your attention away from things more important. Remember that most Russian courses are designed and taught by Russian teachers and professors, who are a pedantic breed ready to forego the communicative function of language for the sake of observing "rules".

 

Teaching English in Russia

http://www.eslcafe.com/  An extensive and growing compilation of resources on ESL teaching in Russia.

http://angl.by.ru/forum.htm  (in Russian, a good place to post your ad)

http://www.language.ru/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi  (same)

http://www.interced.ru/forum/  (same)

http://www.visarus.co.uk/community/index

"Russian brides"

  • http://happierabroad.com/  Famous Winston Wu's guide to international dating, with a lot about Russia and Russian women
  • www.tverangels.com - Good reputation, personally known to me. Located in Tver, away from Moscow's rush and greed, yet easy to access.
  • Elena's Models: www.elenasmodels.com.  Extensive discussion of Russian Brides scam. Lists of known scammers. (Speaking of scam, I've been getting a lot of scam-related inquiries as of recent and decided to make scam control services official - see Russian brides and scam control)
  • http://womenrussia.com/  - A collection of articles on Russian brides, written/compiled by Elena Petrova of www.elenasmodels.com
  • NEW!! Added August 20, 2008.
     
    www.russianwomenbook.com - Russian Bride Guide is a new book for any marriage-minded man who wants to find, meet, court and marry the perfect Russian bride. The husband and wife team of Olga Maslova, a Russian psychologist, and English author Stuart J. Smith used their own experience of a successful cross-cultural romance to write the truth to all who seek Russian women, while shattering the myths about “mail-order brides”.
     
    www.ladagirl.com - Ladagirl is a small UK based agency offering introductions to Russian women, translation, three way telephone calls and verification services and scam checks for American and European men.
     
  • RS Russia Today  -  General information on Russia geared towards Russian bride seekers: e-mail forwarding, flower and gift delivery, translation, how to bring your Russian bride home etc.
  • Background checks: Graham and Natalia (speaks Russian too) at Visaplus in London, Great Britain. http://www.visaplus.co.uk/

New, to be checked:

www.ruadventures.com
www.russianwomenbook.com
www.ladagirl.com

http://www.russiandatingcenter.com 
 

Russian food

http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/aferraro/

See www.unclepasha.com/vegetarian_russia.htm for Russian + vegetarian

Drink

The Russian page of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine has links to Russian wine-related resources in English.

Russian prices

Tickets and visa support

  • Jettrav@com2com.ru, www.jettravel.ru, Inexpensive and hassle-free to deal with. (095) 207-9008, 207-1800, fax 207-1876,    Sretenka 16, office 48, Moscow 103045. [E-MAIL NOT VALID - NOV. 2003]
  • Sharma Travel - In Ottawa I and my friends always bought from Sharma Travel - 36-174 Colonnade Road, Ottawa K2E 7J5, (613) 224-4447. They can get real deals.. [will anybody tell me if they are still alive?? - March 17 comment]
  • AS OF RECENT WE GOT INTO BUYING EX MOSCOW TICKETS ON YOUR BEHALF AT LOCAL PRICES PLUS $25 SERVICE FEE

   Olesya's page  www.russiangirlfriday.com/trans-siberian.htm

For a list of visa support agents see www.cheap-moscow.com.

Public transportation - live and up-to-date sites

Travellers with special interests

Adoption, helping orphanages

www.russiatravel.org

www.littlemiracles.org

See also my own little project somewhere at www.unclepasha.com/staritsa_eng.htm

http://www.russianadoption.org/

Another site with a focus on Russian orphans: http://www.orphanadvoc.org/ 

Charity

........

Mail order brides

See Olesya's Russian Women Page


Periodicals in English

New not sorted out:  (in the process)

www.destinationrussia.com - "Welcome to Destination Russia, the world's
Russia Travel information / news portal and the most comprehensive guide
to the Russian Federation."  [something non-descript, keep for the sake of link exchange]

www.Hotelsrussia.net - Hotels Russia provides online booking and
reservations for DISCOUNT Russia travel accommodation including hotels
and apartments across Russia  [same as above]

Minor search engines:  http://rank.stars.ru/

Major search engines: http://www.aport.ru/


Aviso Online Classifieds-Russia http://www.aviso.kiev.ua/aviso/eng/
AY Search Engine-Russia http://www.au.ru/
Azerbaijan Search Engine-Russia http://www.search.az:8101/
BR Search Engine-Russia http://www.br.by/
Brama Web Directory-Ukraine http://www.brama.com/index.html
BrightonBeachAve Search Eng-Russia http://www.brightonbeachave.com/
CIS Enterprises Directory Russia http://www.trifle.net/cis/e_index.html  irrelevant
Fair Index-Russia http://www.fair.ru/site/ dead
FarEastern Russian Index http://www.fareast.ru/  irrelevant, kill
Hayastan Search Engine-Russia http://www.hayastan.com/  - Armenian portal, English
Holms Search Directory-Russia http://www.holms.ru/  irrelevant, kill
Ivan Susanin Search Engine-Russia http://www.susanin.net/  empty, delete
Job Online BBS-Russia http://www.yourbbs.com/v2/?bbs=3836  dead
Kharkov Search Engine-Ukraine http://search.kharkov.ua/  dead. delete
Kopilka Search Engine-Russia http://chirinsky.virtualave.net/  delete, irrelevan

http://reenic.utexas.edu/reenic/countries - Brief reviews of CIS countries

Krygistan Online-Russia http://www.online.kg/   Live, English,
LinkMaker Directory-Russia http://www.ipclub.ru/linkmaker/  - Irrelevant to Russia but hosts catalogues
List Of Russian Webservers-Russia http://weblist.ru/   Dead May 2003
List.RU-Russia http://www.list.ru/   Live, search engine/directory, Russian
Mafias Top Rated Directory http://www.mafia.ru/top100/   Dead as of May 2003
Meta Ukraine-Ukraine http://meta-ukraine.com/defeng.asp  Ukraine, English
Newman Search Engine-Russia http://search.newman.ru/  remove
Ping Search Engine-Ukraine http://www.topping.od.ua/  Ukraine, Russian
Rahoo Search Engine-Russia http://yahoo.kts.ru/  Give a chance to open up (establish category) then remove.
Rambler Search Engine-Russia http://www.rambler.ru/  move to Russian search engines, in Russian
Reenic Directory-Russia http://link.lanic.utexas.edu/reenic/Countries/Kazakhstan/kazakhstan.html  Chang eto http://reenic.utexas.edu/reenic/countries/russia.html   University of Texas. Comprehensive.
RegionRU-Russian Directory http://www.region.ru/  remove????
Russia on the Net(Search Engine-Russia Only) http://www.ru/   Move under Russian search engines. English.
Russia Today Classifieds-Russia http://www.russiatoday.com/classifieds.php3  Alive, fairly weak, English

Russian Cities On The Web http://www.city.ru/   Alive. Add URL doesn't work
Russian World Directory http://www.serve.com/andrey/russian/business/add.html  Dead
RussianLondon BBS(Russian) http://www.russianlondon.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html  Irrelevant, remove
RussianStar Search Engine-russia http://www.russianstar.com/index1.htm  dead
Russkie Search Engine http://www.russkie.com/  Dead
Search Kit-Russia http://www.alf.ru/search/1.htm   \Dead
Sensa Ukraine Search Engine http://www.uazone.net/sesna/  Ukrainina search engine, English
Susanin Search Engine-Russia http://www.susanin.com/
   Russian directory
Tamapcmah Index-Russia http://www.kcn.ru/tatweb/grepsrch/srch.cgi/tatweb/tatweblist  Tatarstan, in Russian, run by the Kazan State University, slightly stale as most official projects (move under Regional)
UDM Search Engine-Russia http://search.udm.net/  Search of Udmurtia Region, the Urals, Izhevsk (that's where Sverzhy Veter operates and seems to be doing a good job attracting visitors to Izhevsk)
Ukraine Meta Search Engine http://www.meta.kharkiv.net/  Active, in Russia, based in Kharkov (Kharkiv)
Ukraine.com Web Guide http://www.ukraine.com/  No content, remove
Ukrania Resource Web Guide http://www.ukrania.com/  Alive and IN ENGLISH!!
Ukranian Homepage Directory http://search.uar.net/  Does not exist as of May 2003
Uzonline Search Engine-Russia http://www.angelfire.com/ak/Uzonline/
  Does not exist as of May 2003

Wanted.RU Directory-Russia http://www.hochu.ru/  - Mostly Russian (place under Russian search engines, recommended if you are looking for something exotic and very un-turisty, so 98% of you have no business here)
 

Yahtka Search Engine-Russia http://www.ulitka.ru/  - Mostly Russian, more of a directory than a search engine. Alive May 2003

Yandex Search Engine(Russia) http://www.yandex.ru/   - Mostly Russian language resources, alive May 2003
 

Zubr Search Engine http://www.zubr.com/eng/    - Alive as of May 2003, specializes in Belarus, in English   (move under search engines)

CIA World Factbook - Russia - http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rs.html
Presents general facts on the country and focuses on its economy, government, people, transportation, communications, and geography.  - Too perfunctory, remove.  (general info)

Russian News Network http://www.russiannewsnetwork.com. Statistical and historic briefs on CIS and Baltic states, in English. Don't expect to find "new" news there however.

.  - live and active as of May 2003, specializes in news coverage, English.

Little Russian Gate - http://home.earthlink.net/~bikbov/
Collection of Russian web sites, message boards guide.   An informative, cozy and totally non-commercial in feel. Don't be fooled by it, many powerful resources out here lack commercial lustre.  (classifications??, mark as my pesonal favourite)

Russian Phone Search - http://russianphonesearch.hypermart.net/
Searching phone numbers by address and addresses by phone number in Russia.  - Site alive. Anybody tried that service?

ASMO-Press - Encyclopedia - http://enc.ex.ru/cgi-bin/n1fsrc.pl?lang=2
Information about Russian manufacturers.  - Seems rather dead as of May 2003. Check back in a year.

Russian Cities on the Internet - http://mitglied.lycos.de/Cityweb/Worldwide/Europe/Russia/russia.html
Collection of links of Russian localities.  -  Many links outdated and in Russian only but could be an excellent resource if updated.

WorldSkip Guide to Russia - http://www.worldskip.com/region.asp?RegionID=ru
Links to news, information, products and services from Russia.  - does not open, remove

FreeGK.com: Russia - http://atlas.freegk.com/world/europe/russia/russia.php
Including map and overview of history, culture, economy and currency.      - too supeficial and  perfunctory, to be removed.

http://www.einnews.com/russia/classifieds.php3 - You can place your classified there. Not much Russian content, mostly spam, but shows up well.

CHECK:
Zamoskvorechye map
Map and description of Zamoskv.
Metro system, in English
Visa and registration issues


Septemer 26, 2007
August 5, 2007
April 12, 2007
Nov. 15, 2006
October 23, 2004

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Olesya's site:
www.russiangirlfriday.com

Marisha of Chisinau, Moldova:
www.marisha.net

contact info

 

 


Central & Eastern Europe & The Baltic:
www.euromost.info

Link Exchange  Requests to be included from the owners of RELEVANT and QUALITY resources welcomed. Please note that this is NOT a perfunctory links page for the sake of raising the rating but an attempt to compile informative or otherwise valuable resources. Lots of pointers to this page from my sites. Real submissions welcomed. Spam-like offers are NOT.

Visas & Registration  See www.cheap-moscow.com for Russian visa links. Positive feedback I come across on Russian visa support gets added there. TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR VISA SUPPORT NEEDS!!

 

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