Author Archives: ofabi
Scarlet Sails show marks Russia’s high school graduation in St. Petersburg 2017.
The Scarlet Sails is an annual citywide celebration in honour of school graduates in St. Petersburg, a unique world-class event.
In late June, during the period of white nights, comes a grandiose holiday for all graduates - the Scarlet Sails, when more than 1.5 million people, the residents and the guests of the Northern Capital come to the Palace Square and to the banks of the Neva River to watch the performance.
The program of the celebration is very diverse. It includes a huge-scale theatrical show, which takes place on the Palace Square and the Spit of Vasilevsky Island. Only the most loved and anticipated celebrities take part in the concerts.
After the concert a spectacular event on the waters of the Neva takes place - a living fairy tale, a reality beyond all conceivable limits. At once, the dark sky is painted with bright colours from fireworks of incredible beauty, accompanied by the solemn sounds of a symphony orchestra.
The climax of the festival is the appearance of a beautiful sailing ship on the surface of the water with scarlet sails symbolizing freedom, love, and hopes for a bright future.
The City of Bryansk
Bryansk is a city in Russia, the capital of the Bryansk region, standing on the banks of the Desna River, about 380 km west of Moscow. Bryansk was first time mentioned in 1146. That time, the settlement was called Debryansk. The origin of this name is from Slavic word “debri” meaning “dense woodland” (the territory of present Bryansk was known for its woods).
The German army captured Bryansk in October 1941. The city was liberated in September 1943. Bryansk and surrounding lands were known for a lot of Soviet partisans (about 60,000) fighting against the German army. In 1944, the city became the administrative center of the region.
It is a large industrial city too. The largest industries are machine-building and metal-working. Also, chemical, power engineering, electronic, wood-processing, textile and food industries are developed. Over 1,200 plants produce diesel locomotives, train freight cars, road equipment, agricultural equipment, construction materials and other industrial output.
Nowadays, Bryansk is a very important industrial place. In 2012 the Russian-Orthodox Trinity Church has opened again. For the first time it has been built up during the 19th century but has been taken down in 1960. The Trinity Church has been built up again in 2010 and 2011.
The climate of the city is temperate continental. The winter here may include both long-thaw, and fairly severe frosts. The average temperature in January and February in the city is 6,1 C° below zero. Summer in Bryansk is usually warm and humid, but the heat wave almost never happens here. The average monthly temperature in July is +19,0 C°. If we talk about the average temperature, it is +6,1 C°.
Attractions in Tula
Tula Kremlin
Tula Kremlin, a stone fortress located in the center of Tula, is a monument of Russian defense architecture of the 16th century. The fortress was built to protect the southern borders of the Russian state from the raids of Crimean Tatars. The photos were taken by Dimon Porter Gazin. The length of the walls of Tula fortress – about 1 km, the total area – 6 hectares. Today, Tula Kremlin is a unique complex of monuments of history and architecture. In addition to the walls and towers, you can see two cathedrals: the Holy Assumption Cathedral (the 18th century), the Epiphany Cathedral (the 19th century), the shopping arcade (the 19th century), the building of the first power plant in Tula (the 20th century).
Arms Museum
Tula has been a weapons manufacturing centre for centuries, a legacy celebrated at this fantastically kitted-out new building that houses an impressive collection of metal weaponry and armoury dating back to medieval times. It’s impossible not to appreciate the delicate skill and artistry applied to some of the weapons. The museum also has a branch within the Tula kremlin ; one ticket gives access to both. The Oktyabrskaya museum has a miniature shooting range on-site and also offers weapon decorating classes with a master gunsmith; see the website for booking information.
Tula Samovar Museum
‘To take one’s own samovar to Tula’ is a Russian idiom coined by Anton Chekhov, denoting a pointless activity. Local production of this essential part of the Russian tea-making tradition was started in the late 18th century. This small museum showcases that history with a collection of samovars, including one that belonged to Stalin and a cute collection of mini-samovars. You can buy samovars at this small museum, although there’s more choice in the kiosk in Tula’s train station.
Pryanik Museum
Tula is renowned Russia-wide for its pryaniki (inscribed ginger cakes). The sweet-toothed can find out all about them at this one-room museum in a bakery that has been churning them out in all shapes and sizes – check out the monster 16kg loaf! – since 1881. It’s more of a prelude to shopping and eating at the attached shop and cafe (8am to 8pm) than a hugely educational experience.
Central Park
Approach this large, pleasant park from pr Lenina to see the absolutely huge Tolstoy statue – local wags have it that the writer was on his way to the vodka factory that was once housed in the brick building opposite. Bicycles and rollerblades (rollerblades/bikes per hour from R80/100, open noon to 9pm, last rental 7.30pm) can be rented in the park.
