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For most westerners, Russia is associated with its two
capital cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. This is the heart of
Imperial Russia, and these great cities become the focus for most
tourists. However there is much more to Russia, a country that spans
eleven time zones, 10,600,000 square miles, and two continents,
ending less than 3 miles from North America. Russia is by far the
largest country on earth, with forests the size of India and peninsulas
the size of Europe. These enormous tracts of land have been opened
to travelers and investors only in the last few years.
For instance:
 The Lake
Baikal region, centered on the largest source of fresh
water in the world. This region is to Russians what the Grand Canyon
is to Americans; add the ecological uniqueness of the Galapagos
Islands and you have one of the world’s natural wonders.
Samara,
recently visited by US Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans to observe
the possibilities of further cooperation with the business circles
of the Samara Region in the field of large- and small-scale businesses.
The city was founded in the 16th century around a fortress on the
Volga and Samara rivers. The Old Town is notable for its fine turn-of-the-century
buildings.
Novosibirsk,
a city in Siberia, has one of the foremost music schools in the
world, producing most recently Mikhail "Misha" Simonyan,
destined to become the greatest violinist of his generation. In
addition it is a showcase for what can be accomplished in the trade
arena: Eric Shogren, an American entrepreneur, has built up a multimillion-dollar
empire in Novosibirsk that includes a chain of pizza restaurants,
a bakery, a furniture workshop and the only Russian outlet of lingerie
chain Victoria's Secret.
Kazan,
founded in the 13th century by Mongols who had occupied Russia.
It was the seat of the mighty Golden Horde until conquered by Czar
Ivan the Terrible in 1552. Today, the city is a thriving Volga port,
and a unique blend of Moslem and Christian cultures.
Travel to many of the regions outside Moscow and St. Petersburg
is definitely in the “adventure” category—hotels
have limited services, transportation is not easy to book, and there
are few English speakers. It would be very easy to go to these regions
and see only a surface, without knowing that the beautiful interior
exists. However, our experienced partners can assist you with all
of your cultural and business travel needs in these regions, and
will make your trip as much of an adventure without drama as possible.
To discuss your plan of Discovering Russia, please call
us at 1-212-758-8230 or email us at info@DiscoveringRussia.com.
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