While it’s not cold in Ekaterinburg all year round, the winter here is certainly longer than in most parts of the United States. So naturally a large part of Russian culture involves finding ways to make the best of the cold weather. Think of ice skating, skiing and lots of warm drinks! We got our first snow this year in Ekaterinburg in October, and last week it got down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit! Luckily, the temperature is back up to about 25-30 degrees, but I’m always trying to find ways to have fun in the cold weather.
One of my favorite parts of living Russia is the tea and banya culture. The banya is a Russian sauna, or a hot steam room. Imagine a small room covered in fragrant wood panels with a small wood stove that gets really hot. Various types of saunas are popular in many parts of the world like Japan, Turkey, Finland and Russia. However, each country has their own take on the steam bath. The Finnish one, called a sauna, is the driest and hottest by temperature, while the Turkish one, called a hammam is the most humid and has a lower temperature. However, the steam itself makes it feel just as hot.
So, why would someone want to sit in a small, hot room? First of all, it’s very relaxing.
