The Barents Sea coast is marked by rapid northern rivers that flow into the sea. It is here that giant Atlantic salmon come to spawn. They stubbornly swim against the strong flows of rivers on the Kola Peninsula in order to lay their eggs. However reaching this difficult destination has proven more of a challenge for fishermen than for the fish. Fishermen are forced to overcome some serious obstacles as the Barents Sea coast is located beyond the Arctic Circle and there is no road across the tundra. The only way to reach the salmon living in the rivers of the Kola Peninsula is by helicopter, and getting the chance to travel to this harsh region is the dream of almost every real fisherman. Here you might catch the biggest fish you’ve ever caught in your life, but then must release back into the sea.
For almost 250 years the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist has stood on one of the islands of the Neva delta in St. Petersburg. The elegant church on Kamenny Island is reminiscent of the gothic style with its pointed arched windows, doors and bell tower, along with its open-style brickwork. Such architecture is untypical for St. Petersburg churches, nevertheless the church’s appearance is heavily associated with the personality of the founder of the city itself, Peter the First. In the past, many of the parishioners of this church were those considered arbiters of the fate of the Fatherland such as famous Russian poet and playwright Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin and respected and undefeated commander Alexander Sergeevich Suvorov. The cathedral also shares its history with who is perhaps Russia’s most revered and beloved poet, Alexander Sergeevich Pus...