Lenin & Tsar Alexander look-alikes in Red Square
My trip to Russia started out disastrously: my famous purple luggage, stuffed to the gills with colorful outfits, was lost in transit. We had to fill out 5 different forms at the airport – our first introduction to the bureaucracy. To add insult to injury, my first few days were packed with action – 3 interviews, 2 shoots and no clothes to wear! I was ready to cry; good thing Kat came to the rescue with on-the-go styling skills which included combining her own clothes with whatever I had in my other suitcase (pink underskirt and 5″ heels). Luggage was found 2 days later safe & sound.
Interviewed by lookatme.ru in Moscow
Shopping in Moscow
One thing I noticed is that the deeper we delved into our Russian trip, the more difficult it became to be beautiful – or just clean for that matter. My nails began quickly filling up with dirt, hair grew back in places it shouldn’t be, soap & harsh water made skin break out. The minute we were ready for a shower hot water was shut off. For a week. Luckily, we had a flight booked to Izhevsk…
Kat posing in front of a Russian car like it’s some kind of a Porche :)
Upon our arrival we were immediately informed that there is no water of ANY kind, haha. My hometown, a smaller industrial city by the Ural Mountains on the border of Europe & Asia, is a good example of how most Russia outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg is: simpler people living simpler lives. A lot has changed since we left; malls were built, our dad re-married and had a baby (Masha is now 2 years old and looks strikingly like Kat!), and my best friend converted to Islam.
Zemfira & her family. I stick out like a sore thumb, haha.
Zemfira & I knew each other since kindergarten. At 5, we were bitter enemies and I fed her spoonfulls of sand. By the age of 7 we got over our differences, became best friends and stayed that way for life. Her becoming muslim came as a shock – if for no other reason than I remember us running around in short skirts and splashing around in city fountains all our childhood! Now Zemfira dresses conservatively, long gowns covering most of her body. At first I wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but after talking to her it became clear that our friendship would not be affected one bit. As long as she is happy, I’m going to support her choice.
During our 10-day trip, we got to visit many fascinating places, including Russian countryside. In search of adventure and hot water, we headed down to a tiny village of Gozhnya. Grandparents bought a shack there in 1981 and most of our childhood summers were spent there. The place is etched in my memory as a green, idyllic paradise.
Me & Rita
I recognized aunt Rita from afar – a be-speckled woman in her 60s who had born 5 children in her life, pushing a baby stroller topped with a sack of chicken feed. Rita has been our neighbor for years; she is an Udmurt and speaks Russian with a funny accent. Now that her children all moved out, she is left alone to take care of the house, garden and the animals. We were invited inside her home for some home-made cheese and very strong tea. While we were eating, Rita poured us a huge jar of morning milk “to go”. She refused to take any money for it.
Fresh milk from the cow
Inside Rita’s home: onions weaved into long ‘braids’ to use throughout winter.
One advantage of living in the country is that water comes from a hole in your own backyard called a well. It’s been a while since we experienced a real banya – Russian steamroom/sauna were everyone beats each other with hot birch branches, haha. Here’s me, Kat & Arseny after banya. It was Kat’s idea to cover Arseny’s speedo with the branches, haha!
I had to borrow a swimsuit from my aunt – judging by the pattern, it’s from the 70s!!!
Cousin Ilya holding a turkey (who knew they were so soft & warm?!)
Russian table
It’s hard to believe that for 10 days our diet included non-stop kielbasa, cheese, bread and a lot of tea (3-4 times a day). I was mystified how Russians manage to stay so thin eating 25% fat sour cream daily – I didn’t know that even existed!!
Living in Russia is not a piece of cake. Customer service can be poor, bureaucracy out of control, and most everything you do requires dealing with an obstacle of some kind. But thanks to everyone’s kindness, we managed to have a great time. Everywhere we went, we were greeted with a smile, warm hugs and more tea. Thank you everyone for making this trip an unforgettable experience.
Next week: Things I brought from the motherland!
Absolutely amazing Doe! <33
My favorite part of the post is where you and Kat cover up the speedo with branches. XDD
epic!
I'm glad you had such a magical time in Russia! <3444
xoxo
Looks like you had quite a trip. Was it harder having your unique style there than here in America?
I think I’ve enjoyed this entry out of all the ones about your trip to Russia the most. You did get your luggage back, right?
gorgeous pics your hair looks super shiny and red, beautiful. Loosing your case! my worst holiday nightmare and you still look fabulous ^O^. Did you get it back?
You would love to meet my turkey, Jake. He has amazing feathers and colors. And is very friendly. I think you’d hit it off famously!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/princesspoochie/3264889249/sizes/l/in/set-72157605618976881/
Luv
Poochie
Haha. Sour cream goes up to 40% over here xD
Absolutely amazing Doe! <3
I'm glad you had a great time in Russia :D
that looks like so much fun :D
What beautiful pictures! All your family members are absoluely lovely.
I think you always look so cute, love that you like me love colors! :D
Fabulous pictures! And amen to the difficulties of keeping up the usual beauty routine while traveling – when I’m on a trip, I usually try to spend as little time as possible in front of the mirror. I always feel then that it’s likewasting time which I could otherwise use to explore my surroundings and just enjoy myself (:
Such a brilliant article! Really enjoyed reading and looking at those photographs. Thanks!
Your just as gorgeous in a borrowed bathing suit and no makeup and you are in any of your photoshoots.. I wonder how many women would kill for your bone structure.. I know I would, just tell me who Im killing and its done.. lol.. I love your blog!!!
Oh yeah, I did get my luggage back eventually! Let me tell you, it was like a nightmare coming true.
♥ Aether
There are a lot less ‘freaks’, even in Moscow. But I rocked my style with confidence anyway. People stared a little but it’s ok. I do think that driving is a better option than taking the metro though, when you’re fully dressed up. Just a mental note for the future…
♥ Princess Poochie
Jake is a sweetheart! This is the feathered gentleman that I got to meet:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/limecrime/expeditions/turkey.jpg
♥ Iren
40% sour cream?!?! I would die. Haha.
♥ Padmita
That’s what I did on my trip to DisneyWorld – enjoy myself and not worry about how I look. Result? No good pictures to remember the good times!! Hahaha. I learned my lesson – from now on, mascara & lipstick at the very least when I go out!
♥ Shannon
No need to kill anyone – I’m still wearing the remains of makeup in that picture. I’m naturally very blond, so no eyebrows/lashes. My sis is lucky to have such gorgeous brows & lashes naturally, I have to paint mine on, ha!
I loved reading this! It’s so interesting to read about the Russian way of life outside the big cities.
Is the lookatme.ru interview already out somewhere?
I really love your posts on Russia! I love hearing about the culture and (the most important part of traveling in my opinion) the food! Russia’s definitely one of the countries I most want to visit, so I’m enjoying the pictures to tide me over until I get the opportunity! Can’t wait to see your souvenirs.
The whole thing is so familiar. I hail from a city miiiiles away from Moscow & St. Petersburg so I can relate to that. Every time I go to visit, something’s changed – like last time I went to visit a place I used to play in as a child (a little clearing near a railway line, with a tree I used to swing on) only to discover a supermarket had been built there ;_;
Sounds like an incredible trip! I’m loving these posts on Russia, it’s wonderful to get such a unique perspective on another culture.
Glad to hear you got your case back! That’s got to be my #1 worst nightmare. Did you know they auction off the ones that are never claimed?!
First time comment. Couldn’t hold back when I read this article, ha ha!
Ironically, I’m actually in Moscow at the moment, and I can relate to how the elements are starting to make it harder to keep up appearences.
And I’ve actually noticed how my personality has become harsher living among Russian people in Russia, rather than my family, and generally the Russian community as a whole, home in Australia.
Did you see the cheese that was 55% fat? I honestly don’t get how anyone could eat that.
You look amazing even without make-up! (photo in swimsuit)
Looking at the picture of the Russian table spread reminds me so much of Brazil. We usually have it set up the same way with almost the exact same foods, drinking afternoon tea/coffee is a must back in my home town.
Thanks, what a great read :-) I hope I can travel in deeper than the cities when I go to Russia – I want to experience such a different way of life like you did.
And, most stupid compliment ever: you have a good shaped head!
It looks like you’re wearing – gasp! – jeans in that picture with your aunt Rita! I never thought I’d see the day, ha! Your trip looks like it was really fun, and you look gorgeous in that picture with “Lenin and Tsar Alexander”!
♥ Rebecca
Haha, yes! Those are in fact jeans. Our shack has been abandoned for nearly a decade – the locals found their way inside and stole everything they could – so we went in to see what’s left. I’ll post a video of us breaking in into our own shack – eye-level weeds everywhere, insanity. So yeah, I’m very glad I actually wore jeans.
Aawww… this makes me incredibly jealous, Russia is one of my favourite places yet to discover…
Btw, what’s wrong with you people? How can I be the first one to mention how CUTE your cousin is? Not that the rest of your family isn’t (you’re all adorable), but geez, I had a crush! :P Oh, and I’m also shocked by those jeans!
I am glad that you where able to get your luggage back and wear your awesome style.
Wow, amazing pictures! I so want to visit Russia some day.
The first picture is the coolest! It’s really interesting to read about your visit to your homeland! ^^
I halfway wanna higher resolution copy of you with Lenin and Alexander….I KNOW its something I’d be showing the kids at school when talking about the Changes from Russia to the USSR and how the people feel about it today.
Must. Go. To. Russia!
You look SO MUCH like Kirsten Dunst in the banya picture!
Anyways, it definitely looks like a memorable (in the good way) trip, although turkeys still do freak me out… I can’t wait to see you breaking into your own shack, though, that must’ve been so funny!
I love the first picture, too– all of your hair in photos you’ve posted recently, like how it’s been sort of casual curly… I love it! Have you been doing the straightener-curling or something else?
:Gasp: I hope you got your pretty purple luggage back!
It’s interesting what gets renovated, removed or built when you go visit someplace you haven’t been to in a while. I went back to the navy base I lived in before I moved to the suburbs and they had torn down the beautiful brick townhouse I lived in! They had added a lot of new buildings as well and were renovating the theatre. It was so odd to be in a place I once called ‘home’ for a year and see it so different. I was very teary for awhile as it wasn’t the place I once knew.
Is your hair naturally curly or do you curl it? I’m asking because as I read further from the first picture your hair gets less curly. I have stick-straight-will-not-curl-for-anything German hair. It annoys me to no end some days when all I want is a head full of curls!
you’ll have to direct your newly-Muslim friend to look up “Hijab Style” on the internet… it’s a lovely blog written by a terribly fashionable Muslimah in London, but she gets contributions from all over the world! I’m not Muslim myself, but I can see myself wearing some of the styles she shows off…
I LOVED this post! I am fascinated with Russia and want to go there someday. Beautiful pictures =)
Thank you so much for sharing this account! I’m first generation American via Poland and have spent a lot of time traveling between the two. I can absolutely relate to so many of your experiences!
Wow, now that is what you call an adventure!
Amazing! I love hearing about the culture. I’d really like to go to Russia, but I think I’d have to do a bit of travelling to other wussy traveller friendly countries first so I don’t get too much of a shock.
First off I feel you about the eyebrows/lashes! I’ve worn mascara since I was 10 (snuck my moms) and have to apply it a special way to cover the entire lash so it doesn’t look like magical floating lashes ha ha! My eyebrows are a pain too.
I wish I could have joined you on your trip it would probably been a lifechanging experience for me. I think the bikini is cute on you, the bottom doesn’t seem to fit right but the colours are fitting. As for that turkey: NOO don’t make it cute! I already can’t eat pig because i made friends with one once and was then offered it’s dead cooked self as dinner on a later occasion! If this keeps up I’ll be a vegetarian.
Also,I’m amazed how much more accepting and resiliant you are than me. Maybe it comes with age? (I’m 19)If my friend converted to Islam the sheer shock would be traumatic. I don’t know what I’d do It’s not so much about a certain religion but such a drastic change in a persons beliefs about the world in any way makes me feel like I don’t know quite who they are any longer. This happend to me before and contributed to the end of a 9 yr. friendship. My semi-feminist friend got a boyfriend who bossed her around and she slept with purely to make HIM happy. Nothing mattered to her but his concerns anymore. They even made me feel like I was ruining their relationship no matter how respectful and tolerant of the relationship and even supportive of her I was. Her life changing decisions made me feel like she’d died because she’d thrown away all her former beliefs and opinions, she had someone elses mind now. I’m also still trying to be accepting of another childhood friend who i found out recentlyhad a child at 18 and was pregnant at 17. It’s hard to see her as a mom with her fiance and baby while I still feel like a teen, though she is 3+ months younger.
Wow, spectacular! You should direct your Muslim friend to ‘stylecovered.com’
its an amazing high fashion blog all about modest fashion.
Being muslim myself and loving eccentric fashion I’d love to see you do your own take on dressing as a Muslim woman. I’m sure you’d do wonderfully :)
i really enjoyed this post! what amazing photos!!! im so glad you didnt lose your suitcase for good…what a tragedy would that be!!! Russia really looks idyllic through “your eyes” (aka photos) :P
looking forward to see you Russia finds!!!
Thanks for this article ! it’s very interesting ! I want go to Russia and know more the country !
I love the photo where you shop in Moscow, very colorful shop ! *_*
Do you went to France Doe ?
Russia is such a mystical place, it seems to draw me in. I hope we get to see more and more photos.
Oh thank you for that report! I really felt like going to Russia now also! The photos are AWESOME!!! and you have a handsome cousin :-)
You are absolutely stunning! Can’t believe you’re 28, you look complety unravished by time! What kind of skincare do you use? :)
That sounds like a bad start but I’m glad the people and experiences made it worhtwhile! And you serious look great all the time.
You’re so pretty, even without make-up! Actually, in the bathing suit photo you look like Kirsten Dunst.
These pictures are so beautiful. What an incredible trip! And Julia (above) is right. You look like Kirstin Dunst in that swimsuit photo. I never knew enough about Russia to want to go before, but these pictures make me think I should visit some time.
Awesome photos. I also love hearing about your travels to Russia.
I was also pleasantly surprised that turkeys are soft. Their heads especially. I got to pet one for the first time a weeks ago because I spent the afternoon at a farm sanctuary. The sanctuary provides lifelong homes for abused, abandoned and unwanted farmed animals. Many were rescued form from factory farms. I got to pet and interact with turkeys, goats, llamas, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens etc… and I was amazed at how friendly the turkey was. When we were in one of the barns, the turkey just followed us around and you could tell he enjoyed the pets. Unfortunately the turkey was very overweight since he was meant for slaughter before he got rescued. His weight causes him to be very top heavy.
I love how your hair matches the red walls behind you in the first picture. It looks so cool!
Thank you so much for sharing all these pictures and details from your trip with us, even the rotten stuff like losing your luggage. I hope it all came back to you safely!
I especially love the picture of yoru cousin holding the turkey…it’s just so sweet! I had no idea turkeys could be soft and cuddly…all the turkeys I have ever encountered (read: been chased by) have been quite aggressive :P
This updates have been lovely, and you are so beautiful in all your bright and pastel outfits! So gald they found your luggage, it’s a nightmare.
I loved this post!! I love your Russian and outfit posts, and your make up tutorials, well, I love all your post btw! haha! but it really liked this post, I really wanna go to Russia once, I love travelling and I’d love to visit Russia once, I’m sure you had a great and nostalgic time too, once I also went back to my grandparents house where I spent all my summers with my sister when we were small and it felt weird and a bit sad too, everything looked smaller and it brought me a lot of memories, time goes by so fast, but it is good to come back again and understand more about your life and the way it is turning, those moments will never come back, but ok, just wanted to tell you that I loved this Russian post about your trip and thank you for sharing it, have a nice night, kisses!