The weather in some parts of Russia is currently leaving a little to be desired. If that’s the case, there’s always a timeless solution: head south. Flying there is always an option, of course, but sometimes the journey itself deserves a little thought. So if you feel like indulging in a particularly Russian experience, consider taking the train.
And if you do, make sure to join one of the most iconic rituals of a long Russian train journey: drinking hot tea from a glass in a podstakannik - the traditional metal tea glass holder.
A page from history:
Tea drinking in Russia was once a ceremony of its own. Women traditionally drank from porcelain cups, while men often used glasses - not exactly the most comfortable thing to hold when filled with hot tea. The podstakannik came in handy: practical, but soon decorative too, with elaborate engraving and ornamentation. With the expansion of the railways in the late 19th century, it found its perfect setting - keeping glasses more stable on moving trains - and eventually became a cultural symbol of Russian rail travel. They’re still made today, while Soviet-era examples have become collectors’ items.
Today, the trains are different, the journeys are faster, but tea in a podstakannik still hits exactly the same. So plane or train? Your choice. But only one comes with tea served like this.
#DRculture