The vastness and greatness and diversity of Russia is by itself amazing...but Čukotka has its own place for awards...ill give you some basic facts about it, which make it so fascinating for me...
Chukotka is the most northeasterly region of Russia and, since the sale of Alaska to the United States, has been the only part of Russia lying partially in the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered on the east by the Bering Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean, and to the north by the Chukchi Sea and the East Siberian Sea, which are part of the Arctic Ocean.
So, first of all, its an xxx uttermost point of something, and you know that such points on Earth give me a great thrill...second...its just across Alaska...take a look at this map here
Its just hard for me to make a clear picture of how close these two places are...maybe if it was in the sense of power, i could put Russia and USA together...but when it comes in the terms of geographical placement, i just cant, i cant cant cant imagine that from Russia, i can have a view over the United States....it just...gives me shivers and goosebumps...you know that im fascinated when from the place im staying i can observe a different country....but an entirely different continent???? Its like watching Africa from Gibraltar...its just so insane...in the most amazing way possible!
So THATS why Čukotka gives me such desire to explore it and learn so much more about it...
oh and one more thing which makes it so intriguing....if you want to get to Čukotka, you wont be able to do so by car or bus or any other road-transport vehicle..why? Coz Čukotka is roadless and air travel is the main mode of passenger transport.Coastal shipping is also taking place, but the ice situation is too severe for at least half the year.
It feels like the most deserted place on Earth...cut out from everything else.
Do you know that after i learned about Čukotka, i was so obsessed and fascinated by it, that i even dreamed about...i dreamed how i was travelling by train thru the severe Siberian conditions, and how eventually i ended up somewhere in the US and i could immediately feel the change, since the whole atmosphere felt hot but dreary and as if i had woken up from a dream (even though i was still asleep actually).
Funny thing is that i dreamed i had travelled by train, even though as i already mentioned, you cant get to Čukotka in another way but plane. Another thing is, i didnt end up in Alaska but something like Texas or Arizona or so...im not sure, but it definitely wasnt Alaska, since I love Alaska, and i would have felt good if it was Alaska, and the weather conditions in Alaska are way much more different than from the ones that were where i ended up.....weird, eh?
As for the stamps...ive definitely put Russia in my top list when it comes to stamps...lovely and amazing...my particular interest is on the stamp on the very right. It belongs to a set of 4 stamps issued in 2008, called Decorative Applied Arts of Dagestan....as a part of Russia, Dagetsan is also intriguing to me, but not so much coz of its geography, as much coz of its history and politics and culture...and coz i just dont really know much about it anyway.
1 comment:
Beautiful card, i love the colours on that one!
Did you know that Canada was also trying to buy Alaska? Yup, it's true. Canada and the USA both were trying to buy it, but the Russians were an ally to the US during the CIvil War, while the British were pretty much enemies; Russia was wary of selling Alaska to a British colony.
And so, they sold it to the USA and the US saw it was doing business with their ally.
But ya, Alaska could have been part of Canada. Coulda, woulda right?
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