Россия (Russia)

[Anastasiya]

Have you ever been to Russia?
Anyway, what do you know about this country?..

Likes/dislikes, opinions, free thoughts are welcome =)

[grasscarp]

I have been twice to St Petersburg on business. Love it. Especially the Hermitage museum. I find it a very interesting country and have now been learning the language for 3 years.

[Anastasiya]

Why in 2 Topiks? To have more answers, of course.
It's interesting for me to get to know people's opinions about it, that's it)

[Anastasiya]

ChuckFickens )))))))))) lol))

[Anastasiya]

grasscarp, how's the language?) difficult to learn or not?
what's the most difficult?

[ABerrant]

"Why in 2 Topiks? To have more answers, of course."

However, that is a breach of the Site Rules...

"Avoid posting questions and answers more than once in the same or multiple categories. They take up room from other posts and will be deleted."

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Info/Rules/

[Anastasiya]

ABerrant, thanks for your care))
I haven't read the rules

[sandyRoe]

I think that Putin could some day turn out to be another Stalin.

[grasscarp]

The language is very difficult. That is because of the nouns which change endings according to whether the word is masculine, feminine or neuter or plural - plus what case it is like subject, object, instrumental, prepositional etc. The adjectives all change as well! If you can learn to read the alphabet you can at least read the words and some of it begins to make sense as some of the words sound like English words. I struggle a bit but am enjoying the challenge - and my work pays for the cost of the lessons!

[Anastasiya]

sandyRoe, why do you think so?..
btw, the current president is Medvedev, not Putin any more

[Anastasiya]

grasscarp, do you speak German, btw? There are countless endings there, too))

[mike11111]

I spent a month in Minsk (Belarus) in 1974 when it was part of the USSR. This was in the stagnant days of the Brezhnev era. It was very interesting but I wouldn't want to live there. The food was terrible. Things may have changed now, though. The language is somewhat complex, but by no means the most difficult in the world. Anyone who has studied Latin will understand the concepts. The alphabet is the simplest part - it can be learnt in a day. With very few exceptions one can tell the gender of a word by the ending, which does simplify things a little.

[gingejbee]

Been four times ( 3 in winter) including Trans-Siberian Express, Soviet Far-East etc. I like cold weather so -40C not a problem. Fantastic holidays, brilliant memories and lovely people. This was before all the "changes" - not sure I would want to go now. Learning the alphabet before going was a definite benefit!

[mike11111]

Medvedev is a puppet. Putin is PM and the real power in the country.

[sandyRoe]

Isn't Putin the power behind the throne? There are presidential elections soon and he could stand again. If elected, he could well decide that he knows what's best for his people and spare them the trouble of voting.

[DTCwordfan]

chuckfingers

[grasscarp]

I have studied Latin and French at school. Mike is right in that Latin helped me a lot. It also helped me learn Italian quickly when I met my husband.

[DTCwordfan]

was wondering from all the answers removed and the comment from Anastasiya, whether Chuckfickens had been put on the naughty step.

My trips have been to St Petersburg and Moscow on business and, for the former, as a postgrad student on a trip from the Helsinki School of Economics. A blast of a time back in 1981 but what I can remember is the bleakness of the countryside between the two cities as it was just emerging from Winter (30 years ago this easter weekend actually). And, yes, the Hermitage was rather special, even back then.