June 28, 2016

Altai


Altai

Name: Ekaterina Novikova

Age: 28

Profession: Journalist, photo-editor

City/Region: Altai Republic

How long have you been doing photography? What style or genre most interests you? 

I have been interested in photography since my childhood. It was my father who taught me how to use a camera. I tried to work as a photographer, but about five years ago once I got  a job proposal from a big Russian news agency and started my career as a photo editor there. But I still love to take pictures. I am deeply interested in documentary photography and photojournalism.

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for?

I took pictures of Altai republic while traveling there by car. Altai is considered to be one of the most beautiful Russian regions. It is situated far from Moscow, in Siberia. Traveling to Altai can be a fascinating journey. While traveling along the Chuysky road (one of the most beautiful roads in Russia) you see nature around you change from filelds to mountain passes and later to plains on the border with Mongolia. I spent some time near the village of Chemal, where I explored the famous Katun River. Now there are lots of hotels and guest houses on its banks, in the beautiful pine forests. Chemal  is a popular tourist place – many hiking trails and river trails begin there. Some people think that Altai is a very special place. Russian legends say that a mysterious land of White water (Belovodie) is hidden somewhere in the Altai Mountains. Many occultists, philosophers and scientists have tried to find it. They say that Belovodie is a land of freedom and happiness. Russian artist and painter Nikolay Roerich explored Altai and painted some of his beautiful landscapes there. They say that Roerich found Belovodie and understood the meaning of life. Now many people visit Altai to relax, to see beautiful Siberian nature and wildlife, to understand its customs and traditions.

What is something about your city that only locals would know?

While visiting the village of Chemal you may see a very unusual thing there: a ferris wheel. You don't often see such things in a small village hidden in the taiga. 

You may also buy very tasty and very cheap herbal and berry tea at the small market in Chemal. Lots of herbs and berries grow in the taiga, so it may be a very good present to bring back from Altai. 

Altai honey is well known throughout Russia. Now they produce honey with berries – it is fantastic!

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city?

Altai landscapes are worth seeing but you should definitely find a way to reach the mountains. It is also interesting to see the Katun River. Its water has a strange turquoise color, which is why it is often called Katun turquoise. 

There is one more unusual place near Chemal village: Patmos Abbey, situated on tiny Patmos Island. It appeared there in the nineteenth century. Now some monks live there. To get to Patmos, you must cross Katun river by walking on a beautiful bridge.

Anything else you would like to add?

I love traveling around Russia because I am sure that there so many wonders even where we don't expect to find anything interesting. I am sure that in the Altai the greatest wonders are not high mountains or buildings, but its pure nature and the beauty that surrounds you. When you get there, you can feel this beauty and approach it. I think that now we live in a very cruel world, but sometimes we need to relax and to have a short break, to get closer to nature, to simplify life, to see and to feel the beauty of our world. Altai is a place where you can feel it in a very special way.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/katerina_novikova/

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955