In most countries (Specially western) there are abounding criteria why you should not travel to Russia; the main cause without delving into this issue is the hidden propaganda of travel agencies (speaking of wholesalers); simply because the Russian state closed the door to many financial groups and vulture funds so that they do not take advantage of Russia’s new economic and political system after the collapse of the USSR. Behold here we list the reasons why you should not travel to Russia and give them their true version.
After reading this article, tell us if you should not travel to Russia ?
1- In Russia there is no security.
NOT TRUE. In Russia the crime rate is between the lowest worldwide, comparing to countries like Mexico that all Western agencies paint as a paradise destination, here never shootings or kidnappings or robberies occur. Russian laws are very harsh on issues of insecurity, and for the peace of mind of the citizen before that of the tourist in every corner there are policemen even within the platforms of the subway, besides in Moscow for example there are more than 170,000 surveillance cameras.
2- The Russians drive dangerously.
NOT TRUE. Russia is the largest country in the world and there are areas that are not yet prepared for normal vehicle traffic due to extreme geological and climatic conditions, but in the areas of large cities and tourist areas there are very modern and free roads. Severe laws apply to the issue of drivers who are dedicated to the transport of tourists, for example, they cannot do so using a foreign driver’s license, and there are always road controls to verify that the laws are respected. For us, we chose cars and drivers caring all details of security.
3- The Russians are always drunk.
NOT TRUE. Culturally in Russia is badly seen drinking outside the house, that’s why there isn’t the culture of the corner bar as it will not have clients. According to statistics of last year’s alcoholism bass by more than 40% after applying very strict rules related to the sale and consumption of alcohol, for example, a policeman can take you to the police station for drinking alcohol in the street, even if you are a tourist. Some Scandinavian countries are copying the Russian system to solve the problems that are causing them excessive alcohol consumption and especially among young people.
4- The Russians are not nice and never smile.
NOT TRUE. You simply have to understand Russian culture to understand the aspect of the daily life of its population, as many other countries in the world say that “If I smile to you without knowing you I will look like an idiot” On the basis of this belief, the Russian is always serious until there is trust or the other party breaks the ice, it is a way to avoid ridicule and also to avoid some misunderstanding.
5- The Russians rob you in the shops
NOT TRUE. In Russia is implementing the card payment system even for sums that don’t exceed half a dollar. Also, the Russian people have a deep-rooted culture that is based on sharing; so sometimes some tourists did not have enough cash and took the item they wanted to buy without paying it in full; and that is that behind the hard look of the Russians their kindness and generosity. In Italy and France, they really steal you and in Mexico they rob you and hopefully they leave you alive.
6- Russians are not cults
NOT TRUE. In Russia, education is the obligatory principle of the whole nation; education is public, free and of quality compared to many advanced countries.
It is true that there is also private education but this does not make it much better than public. That is why it is difficult and unacceptable to say that the Russians are uneducated. The land of Pushkin, Dostoyevsky and Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholojov (Nobel Prize for Literature 1965) among many others cannot be a land of uncultured.
7- Beware of hygiene, in Russia there is no
NOT TRUE. Most of the photos you see on the internet of people lying on the ground drunk, dogs wandering the streets or even in the subway and dirt everywhere is pure Western fantasy; portraits taken from the last years of Soviet republics tens of years ago; all the tourists that we have attended the first thing that we review is always the cleanliness of the streets, metro, and where they have a walk, you will not see any of those scenes of the photographs, and we talk not only about the center of the big cities, but also in the periphery and the small towns. Being clean is part of Russian education and not only today, but always.
8- There’s not much to see in Russia
NOT TRUE. With a history of more than 1000 years, more than 4 historical wars, a mixture of ethnicities from all over the country (Over 186 ethnic groups), more than 5 major religions and border with 18 countries with different cultures (Asian and European); All this has given a historical heritage of the most variable that the visitor can imagine. Tourism is concentrated in Moscow, St. Petersburg and part of the gold ring, but Russia is much more than this and to see only a part you have to spend more than a month traveling between the different areas.
9- In Russia there is no good gastronomy.
NOT TRUE. Based on the previous point, imagine the variety of dishes that exist in Russian cuisine, from the spiciest to the most avant-garde, from salads to desserts, made with local or imported products under a very strict regime, for example, in Russia it is forbidden to import genetically modified products. So, when you’re in Russia take advantage and visit typical food restaurants, and if you don’t know where; the guide will take you to corners that only Russians know.
10- Visiting Moscow or St. Petersburg is very expensive
NOT TRUE. Plane tickets to get to Russia have the same costs as reaching any European country and cheaper than reaching Latin American countries, for example. The hotels there is all the variety like any other country, depends on the capacity of each person from 8 Dollars for a hostel up to 300 Dollars for a Luxury collection in the heart of the city, among these 2 examples there are thousands of possibilities.
Food prices judging with a lot of travel experience are lower than most European capitals. Public transport is so cheap that it seems like a joke compared to Paris, Madrid, Barcelona or any other European city. The taxi there are a variety of applications that in the end sometimes come out cheaper than public transport, which you can’t believe if you don’t try it.
So, it’s not expensive to visit Russia at all.
Conclusion:
An intelligent traveler should not listen to intentional propaganda in order to discredit a tourist destination simply because international agencies have not been able to dominate their market. Most of the tourists are witnesses of this text and all were surprised by the difference between propaganda and the truth.
Come and enjoy one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but to make the most of the time in its entirety, we recommend you always hire professional guided tours.
After all, are you sure you should not travel to Russia ?
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