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Catching Pike on the Volga Delta
The delta of the Volga River has been famous for its rich fishing waters for hundreds of years. Before flowing into the Caspian Sea, the delta turns into a true water maze made up of innumerous channels, forks and lakes. Here fishermen throw back pike that weigh less than a kilogram because, compared to the rest of their catch, the fish seems like nothing special. Astrakhan Oblast can surprise the most experienced of fishermen from Russia and abroad with its impressive number of big fishing trophies.
The nature of Karelia. The Kivach
The Kivach Nature Reserve, also called "mini Karelia," is relatively small — about 11,000 hectares overall of untouched, primitive nature with many species of flora, fauna and geology that can be found throughout the region. It is, however the reserve's impressive waterfall — which travellers have been visiting for 300 years — which has brought it the most fame. One of the first mentions of the waterfall is from the mid-16th century, although Kivach's history as a centre of ecological tourism did not begin until the 18th century with the visit of famous Russian poet Gavrila Derzhavin. He described the waterfall's beauty in his poetry, helping to spread recognition of this place all over Russia. Join RTG host Evgenia Altfeld and discover what natural treasures can be found in the Karelian nature reserve in the 21st century.
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The nature of Karelia. The Kivach
The Yuriev monastery
Monasteries serve as a stronghold of the Orthodox faith on Russian soil. Each monastery has its own unique history and for thousands of tourists, pilgrims and those simply seeking an escape from their busy everyday lives these places truly are holy. The most remote and hidden monasteries, some of which are even hard to reach, were built by people with no interest in a connection with the outside world, only in their connection with God. The peaceful environment of such places seems to be protected by nature itself. Other spiritual centres, on the contrary, were built by those who sought to be heard by the masses — no one other than the rulers of the Russian State. Such monasteries then became a solid foundation of princely power and their superiors played an active role in local political life. One such institution is the St. George Monastery. RTG TV host Alexander Uvarov v...
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