Russian life: Banya and Trains

Part 1: Banya

The Russians have a long tradition of sauna use which they call 'banya'. There are public saunas with either common rooms or private rooms for rent, but the ultimate bayna experience is at a private home. I was invited on my last day in Noybarsk to celebrate a coworkers promotion at another coworker's cottage where he had built a banya.

The banya itself is heated by wood fire in a brick stove (they import oak from the south because it burns better than the local pine).

One goes to banya to clean and sweat out all the grime. The Russians beat/slap themselves and each other with 'brooms' made of oak or birch leaves on branches. It's painfully refreshing and great.

The postcard hanging above me reads, 'Go to the banya after work.' Great advice.

After spending time in the heat, one cools off by showering cold water, jumping in a lake, or rubbing snow on oneself.

But the real banya experience is in the food. Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and greens are put out with freshly grilled kebabs. They also serve sala which is (as well as I can figure out) seasoned lard. It's surprisingly delicious. And in true Russian fashion there are bottles of vodka shared. I was told that at banya you either drink or bathe, not both (I think they don't want the inebrieated to pass out in the heat). Though that rule seemed to not be held to fast.

All in all, the banya experience is one not to be missed.

Part 2: The Train

What the airplane ride or roadtrip is to Americans, the train expedition is to Russians. I rode the rails from Noyabrsk to Pit-Yakh the other night. There were a few mishaps. 1. I over packed and had to ditch a bag last minute. Which was sad and means all my books are in Noyabrsk (why do I insist on traveling with a veritable library? I honestly left 15 books behind).


2. I missed the train. I was late getting to the station, and confused about which train was mine, so I was standing on the platform trying to board a train that wasn't mine while my train left the station. So I had to pay a taxi the same price as the train ride to drive me 20 minutes to the next station. Ridiculous.

3. I ended up in the ladies' section. I finally boarded the train and was shown to my compartment, where the lady who was asleep in there informed me and the conductor that she had a ticket for the women's section. The conductor said, 'well he has a ticked for your neighboring bed, so he's staying.' Awkward. Good thing I just fell asleep quickly and the lady was gone before I woke up.

There you have it. Banya and trains. Happy December all.