Culture & Customs

It was a busy week in Russia: another round of pension protests, a pilgrimage for the Romanovs, and oh, the devil is working his magic.

Shed a tear for our last World Cup TWERF, in which we finally learn about the Romanovs and feel the wrath of nature.

What’s out of this world? Russia’s performance in the World Cup, a Russian cargo ship, and showers in Samara!

As Americans celebrate their Independence Day, Russia may have gained a new national holiday as well: the day they beat Spain in the World Cup.

An office worker gives up his job to walk all 3,645 kilometers of Europe’s longest river. This is his story.

Things worth knowing on the travel front.

A short look at one very avid football (soccer) fan, who rode his bike all the way from Egypt to Russia for the World Cup.

Long before seasonal eating, kombucha, kimchi and other such things became a fad in the US, they were popular and well known in Russia. For the recipe we feature sour cherry vareniki (mmm!).

The life of a beloved princess changed immeasurably when her husband, an heir to the Russian throne, was murdered by terrorists.

This week Russia lost but isn’t out yet; football fans, amazingly, spread cheer across Russia; and a storm reminds us of the world outside.

Russia wins its first two World Cup games and Jeff Monson is running for CIty Council in Krasnogorsk. Does life get better than this?

Is it football or soccer? Either way, TWERF prepares for the start of the World Cup by examining Russia’s chances (not great), while still paying attention to a few other stories before the madness begins.