Wednesday, March 26, 2008

CultureGrams

I found this great website I thought you'll might like: http://online.culturegrams.com/
It has information from a lot of countries ranging from interesting facts, recipes, history, politics, and basically anything else you want. There are three sections: one that focuses on the 50 US states, a kids sections (my favorite, easy on the brain and very colorful), and a world edition. Here are some interesting things from the Kid's Section on Russia.

Did you know?
  • Russian men were forced to shave off their beards or pay a beard tax when Peter the Great ruled the country during the 17th and 18th centuries.
  • Because of a Russian tradition, if someone steps on your toes accidentally, you have to step on theirs as well, or you’ll get in a fight.
  • Valentina Tereshkova, from Russia, was the first woman to travel in space.
  • It’s unlucky in Russia to shake hands through a doorway.
  • St. Petersburg was built on top of a marsh, so more than three hundred bridges had to be made.
  • Nerpas, which live in Lake Baikal, are the only freshwater seals in the world.
  • Russia is important to the world’s energy supply because it has the world’s largest natural gas reserves, the second largest coal reserves, and the eighth largest oil reserves
And the same section from the World Edition:
  • New Year's Day is the most popular holiday in Russia.
  • When entertaining, Russians put more food on the table than they can eat to indicate abundance.
  • Urban apartments are small and it is common for a family of three or more to live in a one- or two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a bathroom.
  • Victory Day (9 May) commemorates the end of World War II and is deeply important to most Russians.

  • Go check it out yourself. It really does have everything you want to know (and, of course, some things you don't) about Russia.

    1 comment:

    Bimini said...

    Lies!!!! There are some subspecies of the Ringed Seal that also live in freshwater....