Russian Travel Guide

RTG TV TOP10 Крепости и маяки Северо-Запада. Прогулки по воде

The secrets of bird nests on the White Sea

Different species of birds are unique from each other in the way that they look, the way that they behave and the way that they live. There is however one thing that most birds have in common and that is their home - a nest - the place where they will lay and protect their eggs. We here at the Russian Travel Guide set off to islands in the White Sea where we learned how oystercatchers decorate their homes, just where ducks find the down they use to cosy up their nests, what happens in the woodpecker’s hollow, whether or not a merganser can lay 14 eggs at once, what seagulls perched on rock are really squawking about and how often wagtails feed their chicks. Plunge into the unusual animal world where we will try to understand which of these feathered creatures is the best and most successful builder.

The Novgorod veche

Just what is the Novgorodian Assembly? It is a legislative body that can be compared to the modern-day State Duma. In Novgorod the highest authority of power was the people’s assembly, which was called the «Veche». There citizens discussed the most important issues concerning domestic and foreign policies – questions such as the crowning and expulsion of princes, instances of war and peace and unions with other states. Nowadays there is a bright theatrical show of the same name taking place in Veliky Novgorod. The modern Novgorodian «Veche» helps guests to immerse themselves in the past. There tourists can see how the old «Novgorodka» coin was minted, taste classic Novgorodian cuisine and try on outfits boyars once wore.