Our Newsletter this month will continue to highlight items of interest in Russian culture and seasonal news. There is no doubt that Russian winter has a well deserved reputation for being extremely harsh. I would like to point out that much of this reputation stems from two world renowned Armies that chose to invade rather than go as invited guests. In reality winter in St. Petersburg is very beautiful and entirely manageable if one dresses in layers and wears gloves and a hat. It is a very good time to visit the various palaces and museums as the droves of tourists that flock there in the summer are absent and one feels as though each visit to a site is a very private affair.

The days are short, but the hours at the famous sites are the same as in the spring or summer, and the beauty of the snow more than makes up for the brief walk to the front door of the museum or palace.

The Russians realize that many folks are not enamored of snow so they go out of their way to provide special musical festivals and cultural events for the hardy tourists ready to brave the elements. To me the air seems fresher and the wine tastes better in the winter, and I look forward to our February visit.

January is a very significant month historically speaking, and our tour director, Anastasia, has cooked up some important events for our newsletter that have occurred in January over the past century or so.

I hope you enjoy these newsletters as much as I do.

Michael E. Donnelly, Ph.D. President