Snapshot from Tatarstan

[peacetraveler22]

I don't know much about the Tatars, but I began to go through old photos I took in Kazan last year and noticed I have a lot of shots of locals walking the streets. I guess their appearance is highly unusual to me, even exotic to some extent. Here's just one example. About this girl (woman?), I know nothing, but find her intriguing. :)

What do I need to know about the Tatars, and this Republic of Russia? My host in this city spoke very little English, so it was difficult to learn a lot about the region from the native showing me around. Please share any interesting facts or insights. I struggle to understand why cities like Kazan are so much nicer than other parts of Russia? Is it because the region is rich in oil, and has more resources? Kazan is now my second favorite city, only Peter is more aesthetically pleasing. Both have very friendly locals, and Kazan has more English speakers than any other city I've visited. I guess because there are so many young students there, but it makes navigation in the city much easier for a foreign tourist like me...

Comments

Re: Сабантуй

[pro100-petrov.livejournal.com]

It is Sabantui, a national tatar festival.

[mytb.livejournal.com]

This is exactly and typical tatar girl.
If you interesting about this girl you can ask her your questions I think. Here is her profile on vkontakte (it's russian facebook) - https://vk.com/id69661643

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Wow, you internet detectives never fail to amaze me. How did you find her VK page, based on this image alone? Just curious. There is some type of app, or software that scans the web for similar images of a person posted in a photo? I know VK and have an account there http://vk.com/id153673589, but I use it much less frequently than FB.

[ufanur.livejournal.com]

btw, Lobachevsky worked at the university

[zx-ready.livejournal.com]

Russians. Georgians have food and wine, and resort capabilities similar to Balkans/Crimea. No more than this. No industry or science or good edu. Just another Montenegro, but without EU support. Almost all ex-Soviet republics are shtholes today. Except maybe Turkmenistan (because of natural gas, but with NKorean - style govt). Belarus and Kazakhstan are OK, because they are "friends" and sponsored by Kremlin in various ways (and Kazakhstan have quite good govt by MiddleAsia standards too.) Balts on EU/USA payroll, they only way of living, Estonia slightly better than other two - they get money from Swedes too. All others - from Ukraine and Moldova to Tajikistan and Armenia lost a lot. If there's a thing with which all Russians agree - from left to right - we don't wants to feed anyone no more.
Still Georgia is nice place to visit.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I've been to all the Baltic States. I liked each of them. Nice places to visit, esp. in the rural and village areas. Some really nice landscapes...

[ria9.livejournal.com]

It is very convenient place for local people. For registration of passport, to make an appoinment with a doctor and much more you can online. Tatarstan is a region with advanced IT technologies. A lot of good things was made before Universiade
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Summer_Universiade

[zx-ready.livejournal.com]

Ha-ha, you are sooo polite, Shannon. Russian pop and movies is incredible sht.
Maybe main reason for Soviet nostalgia - culture was brilliant, we simply don't have nothing comparable these days.
https://youtu.be/-IXjLrUcXTE

RE: Каждый русский немножко татарин.

[ria9.livejournal.com]

another proverb. worse Jew only Tatar )))
so themselves Tatars speaks praising their own cunning

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

For me, lyrics are most important in music, so if I can't understand what the singer is saying, I rarely relate to a song. My Russian is very, very bad. This is the primary reason I've never listened to Russian music. It's not about politeness, just practicality. :)

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

findface.ru I suppose.

Anonymity is gone.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Very creepy!

[moskitow.livejournal.com]

I'm from Bashkortostan, it's not far from Tatarstan and we have lot's of tatars. I used to have a boyfriend who was tatar. He was tall, blond with blue eyes. Tatars could be very different. One of my friends is Mishar tatar, they somehow are different and have a different dialect. I grew up with Sabantuy, Kurban bayrami, Uraza bayram, all the national dishes. They have "chak chak", it's like a cake, looks like this http://www.vkusnoteev.ru/product/p69.jpg. It's so good. Also they make red cottage cheese that I love and haven't tried for a long time.

[zx-ready.livejournal.com]

Sorry Shannon, what's you actually say -_"I don't like music at all" No problem, about third of people are deaf to music. Words in songs - like screenplay in movies - yes, important, but magic lies elsewhere.
Sad time for me, BTW. Prince was a true genius. Totally unknown in Russia. Greatest performer of all times, hands down. I listen "Question of U", drink vodka and cry. Bowie's death was already too much for me, now I'm completely devastated...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I wrote a whole post dedicated to chak chak. :)) I ate a lot of the Tatar dishes during the visit to Kazan. Also, some type of delicious pancake thing that's placed in a skillet and cooked over hot firewood. Very good! About chak chak, you can look here http://peacetraveler22.livejournal.com/135080.html. It's an old post, but I still communicate with the lovely owners of the museum.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Well, I also like the music, but I'm a poet, so words are more important. Just a matter of personal preference. Yes, it's tragic about Prince. :(( I saw him perform in concert several times. A true genius. What a pity that he isn't well-known in Russia, and that so many other horrible Western bands/musicians pushing shitty tunes are worshiped.

Re: A recent video from Kazan :)

[karbunkul-lug.livejournal.com]

Did you like original song?

[zx-ready.livejournal.com]

Wow! I'm a musician, hi!))
Yes, Russian taste looks strange. But explanation is simple.
Rock records slips through Iron Curtain mostly thanks to merchant sailors, with average price about month salaries per vynil. So who could afford it? Golden kids of Party elite. But this kind of people don't want anything "dirty". So average Soviet rock fan was pressed to listen Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Yes, ABBA, and other more pleasant - sounding groups. Even Zeppelins was a kind of "guilty pleasure" and very rare.
Also our folk music have very different roots. Unlike Europe, where music was mainly for dancing and celebrations and performed by men, in Russia folk songs are strictly for women, who gathered together in someone house, for knitting. They singing while sitting, without any instruments, so Russians are very into simple, choir-like melodies, but deaf to rhytmic things or musician work. So no wonder - only one Prince song more or less known here is "Most Beautiful Girl In The World".
P.S. Still wonder why you visit us so often. Is it a kind of challenge for you? Russia is extreme, very different and of enormous complexity. Maybe one of most complex societies in the world. Sometimes I think you are just a butterfly... but very brave one))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I visit Russia for the exact reasons you state - because it's a complex and interesting country, and I'm never bored there. In travel, I like to experience new sensations, be exposed to different mentalities and customs, and try to make sense of it all. :) For an American, Russia is exotic on many levels, but I've been there so many times the past few years, that it's time to move onward to other interesting places. After Georgia, I want to go the "stan" countries. Not sure which one I'll pick first...probably Uzbekistan. I'm very much a free-spirit, and yes, a butterfly to a certain extent. I don't like to be caged, and prefer to roam about...I write about music a lot in this blog. It's my second greatest passion after travel. Here's my main post on the topic - http://peacetraveler22.livejournal.com/32708.html.

Re: A recent video from Kazan :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No, it sounds like awful dance music in some seedy disco. :))

Re: A recent video from Kazan :)

[karbunkul-lug.livejournal.com]

Тhe sound of the nineties

Re: A recent video from Kazan :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

In the 90's, I was listening to grunge music - Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains....:) I was never into the dance/nightclub scene, not even in youth.

Re: Каждый русский немножко татарин.

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Татары , которые живут в татарстане не имеют никакого отношения к татаро-монгольскому игу

[zx-ready.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks! It explain a lot))
Like almost all Russians, I prefere Britons. But I eat music by megatones for decades, so know much about American music too. Up to The Carpenters and Andrews Sisters. I maybe only guy here who listen Tom Petty and John Mellencamp.
So you walks on rocky roads for life - good, I like it)) Thx for response, shiny, just don't drink much in Georgia - local wine kicks like a mule!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Visit the blog more often. :)