#what about belka and strelka...

[kindalikerackham]

[ufo-thetimesareripe]

Soviet Union, Da? Was Gagarin Really First Guy in Space? Judica-Cordiglia Say Nyet!

Listen up, capitalist pals, on April 12, 1961, our boy Yuri Gagarin, he blast off in Vostok 1, zoom around Earth one time, 108 minutes, then come back like champ! Mother Russia say, “Look world, we number one in space race, eat our dust, America!” Radio chatter, pictures from capsule—da, da, all check out, Gagarin up there, big hero. Whole planet clap hands, even you Yankees gotta nod, “Okay, Reds got this one.” But wait, hold your vodka! Something fishy, maybe. Two Italian guys, Judica-Cordiglia brothers, they say, “Nyet, Yuri not first! He just first to not die!” They got tapes, spooky stuff, and KGB come knockin’—mean we send some poor souls up before Yuri, and they don’t come back.

Gagarin, Official Story—Pretty Good, Huh?

Yuri’s ride, it’s smooth like borscht on Sunday. Up he go, round he spin, down he land—boom, perfect! We catch everything on radio, even you sneaky Americans hear it, can’t deny. Propaganda machine go brrr, “Soviet science best, comrades!” Everybody believe it, da? But Soviet way is quiet-quiet. No talk about mess-ups, no show when rockets go kaboom. That’s where Italian brothers sneak in, sayin’ we hide somethin’ big. Maybe Yuri first winner, but not first player, you get me?

Judica-Cordiglia Boys—They Hear Too Much, Tovarisch!

These two, Achille and Giovanni, they got little radio shack, Torre Bert, in Italy—Torino, fancy place. Late ‘50s, early ‘60s, they tune in, catch our signals. Say they hear crazy things: SOS beep-beep-beep, November 1960—some guy in trouble up there. Then, February 1961, heartbeats, thump-thump, like cosmonaut scared stiff. Worst one? May 1961, lady voice cryin’, “Help, I burn up!” They swear it’s real, put it on air, write book—Banditi dello Spazio, bandit stuff! They yell loud, many times, “We hear what nobody supposed to hear!” And you know what? We Soviets, we don’t say boo. No “Nyet, fake news!” from Moscow. If it’s baloney, why not laugh it off, huh? Maybe ‘cause it’s true, and we don’t want you knowin’.

KGB Say, “Shut Up, Italians!”—Big Clue, Da?

Here’s juicy part, comrades. Judica boys tell this story everywhere—interviews, papers, big mouth stuff. They say after they blab, guy show up, claim he’s TASS reporter—our news guys. He poke around, ask too much about radios, tapes. Then another fella, maybe Italian spy, whisper, “Watch out, that’s KGB!” Soon, bam—KGB goons bust into Torre Bert, tell ‘em, “Smash this junk, or else!” Even break some gear, rough ‘em up. They swear it happen, tell it on TV, radio, over and over. And us? We don’t say nothin’. No “Lies, comrades!” from Kremlin. Why so quiet? ‘Cause they catch us with pants down, hearin’ secret cosmonauts we don’t want world to know. That’s proof, da—someone went up before Yuri, and they ain’t comin’ back.

Before Gagarin—Tests, Dogs, Maybe People?

We tough, we Soviets—try lotsa stuff before big win. Dogs go up first, poor mutts. Laika, 1957, Sputnik 2—she orbit, but no way home, croak from heat quick. Sad, but science, da? Other pups, like Pchyolka, Mushka, 1960—rocket blow up, they gone. Belka, Strelka, August 1960, they make it, wag tails back on ground—big step for Yuri. But plenty rockets crash, burn, poof! Risky business, comrade. Italians’ tapes say we push harder—send people, not just pooches. Lady voice, SOS guy—maybe real cosmonauts, first ones, lost in black sky. We hush it up, but they hear anyway.

Dead Heroes—Bondarenko and More?

One guy we can’t hide forever—Valentin Bondarenko. Young cosmonaut, 1961, trainin’ in oxygen tank, fire start—poof, he toast. We bury story ‘til ‘80s, don’t want you laughin’ at us. That’s on ground, da—but up there? If Italians right, more die in space, no names, no graves. Secret pioneers, burned or floatin’ forever. KGB mad ‘cause Judica boys spill beans.

So, Gagarin First? Nyet, Maybe Not!

Yuri, he’s champ, first to fly and live—official, da. But Judica-Cordiglia, they swear it, loud, many times: others go up before, don’t come down. KGB bust their shack, tell ‘em shut it—that mean somethin’ big, somethin’ true. We don’t deny it, just glare and say nothin’. Dogs die, Bondarenko die, and maybe nameless cosmonauts die too—all to beat you Americans. Gagarin our star, but first humans in space? Could be ghosts we don’t talk about, lost ‘cause Judica boys hear too damn much.

Oliviero Mannucci

Being a conspiracy theorist is wrong for many, but often we are right !

[cicada-t33th]

There's an article by Matt Williams, Universe Today, on phys.org called How Many Dogs Have Been Sent To Space?

Quoting the article, these were the records of the dogs:

. . .

"The first to go up were Dezik and Tsygan, who both launched aboard an R-1 rocket on July 22nd, 1951. The mission flew to a maximum altitude of 110 km, and both dogs were recovered unharmed afterwards. Dezik made another sub-orbital flight on July 29th, 1951, with a dog named Lisa, although neither survived because their capsule's parachute failed to deploy on re-entry.

"Several more launches took place throughout the Summer and Fall of 1951, which included the successful launch and recovery of space dogs Malyshka and ZIB. In both cases, these dogs were substitutes for the original space dogs – Smelaya and Bolik – who ran away just before the were scheduled to launch."

"Photo of Otvazhnaya and the Mafrusha, two of the three brave cosmonauts who flew together on July 2nd, 1959. Credit: Wikipedia Commons (.ru)"

"By 1954, space dogs Lisa-2 ("Fox" or "Vixen", the second dog to bear this name after the first died), Ryzhik ("Ginger" because of the color of her fur) made their debut. Their mission flew to an altitude of 100 km on June 2nd, 1954, and both dogs were recovered safely. The following year, Albina and Tsyganka ("Gypsy girl") were both ejected out of their capsule at an altitude of 85 km and landed safely.

"Between 1957 to 1960, 11 flights with dogs were made using the R-2A series of rockets, which flew to altitudes of about 200 km (124 mi). Three flights were made to an altitude of about 450 km (280 mi) using R-5A rockets in 1958. In the R-2 and R-5 rockets, the dogs were contained in a pressured cabin.

"Those to take part in these launches included Otvazhnaya ("Brave One") who made a flight on July 2nd, 1959, along with a rabbit named Marfusha ("Little Martha") and another dog named Snezhinka ("Snowflake"). Otvazhnaya would go to make 5 other flights between 1959 and 1960."

. . .

"By the late 1950s, and as part of the Sputnik and Vostok programs, Russian dogs began to be sent into orbit around Earth aboard R-7 rockets. On November 3rd, 1957, the famous space dog Laika became the first animal to go into orbit as part of the Sputnik-2 mission. The mission ended tragically, with Laika dying in flight. But unlike other missions where dogs were sent into suborbit, her death was anticipated in advance."

"The famous space dog Laika, pictured here  before her launch in 1957. Credit: AP Photo/NASA"

"It was believed Laika would survive for a full ten days, when in fact, she died between five and seven hours into the flight. At the time, the Soviet Union claimed she died painlessly while in orbit due to her oxygen supply running out. More recent evidence however, suggests that she died as a result of overheating and panic.

"This was due to a series of technical problems which resulted from a botched deployment. The first was the damage that was done to the thermal system during separation, the second was some of the satellite's thermal insulation being torn loose. As a result of these two mishaps, temperatures in the cabin reached over 40º C.

"The mission lasted 162 days before the orbit finally decayed and it fell back to Earth. Her sacrifice has been honored by many countries through a series of commemorative stamps, and she was honored as a "hero of the Soviet Union". Much was learned from her mission about the behavior of organisms during space flight, though it has been argued that what was learned did not justify the sacrifice."

"The next dogs to go into space were Belka ("Squirrel") and Strelka ("Little Arrow"), which took place on Aug. 19th, 1960, as part of the Sputnik-5 mission. The two dogs were accompanied by a grey rabbit, 42 mice, 2 rats, flies, and several plants and fungi, and all spent a day in orbit before returning safely to Earth.

"Strelka went on to have six puppies, one of which was named Pushinka ("Fluffy"). This pup was presented to President John F. Kennedy's daughter (Caroline) by Nikita Khrushchev in 1961 as a gift. Pushinka went on to have puppies with the Kennedy's dog (named Charlie), the descendants of which are still alive today."

"The dogs Veterok and Ugoljok, who spent 22 days in orbit as part of the Cosmos 110 mission. Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Tekniska museet"

"On Dec. 1st, 1960, space dogs Pchyolka ("Little Bee") and Mushka ("Little Fly") went into space as part of Sputnik-6. The dogs, along with another compliment of various test animals, plants and insects, spent a day in orbit. Unfortunately, all died when the craft's retrorockets experienced an error during reentry, and the craft had to be intentionally destroyed.

"Sputnik 9, which launched on March 9th, 1961, was crewed by spacedog Chernenko ("Blackie") – as well as a cosmonaut dummy, mice and a guinea pig. The capsule made one orbit before returning to Earth and making a soft landing using a parachute. Chernenko was safely recovered from the capsule.

"On March 25th, 1961, the dog Zvyozdocha ("Starlet") who was named by Yuri Gagarin, made one orbit on board the Sputnik-10 mission with a cosmonaut dummy. This practice flight took place a day before Gagarin's historic flight on April 12th, 1961, in which he became the first man to go into space. After re-entry, Zvezdochka safely landed and was recovered."

"Spacedogs Veterok ("Light Breeze") and Ugolyok ("Coal") were launched on board a Voskhod space capsule on Feb. 22nd, 1966, as part of Cosmos 110. This mission, which spent 22 days in orbit before safely landing on March 16th, set the record for longest-duration spaceflight by dogs, and would not be broken by humans until 1971."

. . .

"Four other dogs died in Soviet space missions, including Bars and Lisichka (who were killed when their R-7 rocket exploded shortly after launch). On July 28, 1960, Pchyolka and Mushka also died when their space capsule was purposely destroyed after a failed re-entry to prevent foreign powers from inspecting the capsule."

All credit goes to the author Matt Williams at phys.org. I did not write any of this.

super niche question but can anyone help me find the names of the other soviet space dogs who didn’t survive other than Laika? i’ve been searching and i can only find the names of 6 other dogs when lots of sources say there were anywhere from 15-17 that didn’t survive

[fuckyeahneedlework]

Hi everyone - 

This is what’s kept me from you for a few weeks. I had to race to get this done by the deadline. I enrolled in EGA’s Master Craftsman program in Counted Thread, and Step 1 was “Make a sampler in cross-stitch.” This is mine, called Belka & Strelka.

Belka and Strelka were the first living creatures to orbit the Earth and return safely, which they did on August 19, 1960. I would bet any amount of money that you can find lots more great information about them here on Tumblr, or on the Internet, or even in your local library. (Or, if you’re in Moscow, at the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, where they are currently located, in taxidermy form, flanking their Korabl-2 Sputnik space capsule.)

When I heard “sampler,” I thought of something that was very American - many extant antique cross stitch samplers are American, and many of the surviving English samplers aren’t in great shape, or feature more stitches than just cross stitch. I was also interested in what an American thing would look like if it had a heavy Russian influence. GEE, I WONDER HOW THAT WOULD LOOK. 

I can also tell you that this Master Craftsman program is quite exacting: there are six steps, which must be passed in sequence. The deadlines are October 1 and April 1; if Belka & Strelka hadn’t been done and mailed to the chair by October 1, I would have had to wait to turn it in until April, which would have thrown off my entire stitching calendar. Yes, I have a stitching calendar. Don’t you?

I am delighted to report that not only did I get them done and mailed by the deadline, I have already gotten them back - and I passed the first step of the program, with flying colors. Belka & Strelka is now at the fancy frame shop, getting an extremely fancy frame job that features actual silver, a navy blue silk mat, and museum glass, and I will share a picture of that with all of you when they return to me.

You will likely have a chance to see them in person at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the Woodlawn needlework show, the Stan Hywet Stitchery Showcase, and other county fairs throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania in 2020. Thank you for your kind understanding, and please let me know if there’s anything else I can tell you about this.

Step 2 is next. 

Belka & Strelka, stitched mid-June 2019 - September 29, 2019

Five shades of Au Ver A Soie silk thread on 32ct White Zweigart linen fabric

12″ x 14″

[internetexplorersclub]

brightness and movement of the sea

A man named Martin Parr has spent 20 years collecting Soviet space dog memorabilia and I'm veryjealous of his collection. The important thing is you can purchase a decanter of Belka and Strelka online.

Longtime readers will know I'm always interested in the history of language and the meaning of words change, so this piece on how the Greeks thought of color is right up my alley—it starts with how they didn't use the word blue to describe the ocean, it was instead "‘pansy-like’ (ioeides), ‘wine-like’ (oinops), or purple (porphureos)." This is just fascinating:  

When the sea is called porphureos, what is described is a mix of brightness and movement, changing according to the light conditions at different hours of the day and with different weather, which was the aspect of the sea that most attracted Greek sensitivity.

In an interesting parallel, scientists know that sharks' eyes see only the blue-green spectrum, but they recently discovered that certain types of sharks emit a bioflourescent glow when viewed in blue light—a glow that we're unable to see without a filter.

A secondary parallel from the pages fromThe History of Ink, listing out names of ink across languages. I like that you can see the multiple origins, and how Old English and Anglo-Saxon pull from two distinct sources for ink and blæk, respectively.

Pompeii archaeologists have found what they call a "sorcerer's treasure trove," and what's interesting is they believe most of the items are ritualistic, and would have belonged to women!

Also, apparently the accepted date that Pompeii erupted (August 24) is wrong—because they found graffiti that listed a date of October 17, which would have (obviously) had to have been written before the eruption. This is amazing for two-fold reasons: the first, because this is a scribbled inscription in charcoal and I have no idea how it survived, and secondly because the previous date we had was just based on Pliny the Younger's account, which he wrote 20 years after the eruption!

I want a copy of this sign in the Cloisters gardens desperately.

The USS Constitution museum has shared a story about how a figurehead of Andrew Jackson got his head sawn off in 1833. A 28-year-old captain rowed out in the middle of a storm, sawed the head off (there was a metal pole that prevented him from sawing it off at the neck), then went to Washington to try and present it to Jackson. He ended up giving it to Van Buren:

Upon Dewey’s announcing himself as the person who had taken off the Constitution’s figure-head Mr. Van Buren gave a great start and was thrown off his usual balance. Recovering himself, he demanded the particulars of the exploit, which seemed to afford him no small satisfaction.

Dewey's seal later in life, which is Veni (I came), [a Saw], Vici (I conquered), which cannot be improved in any way.

Finally, and I cannot make this stuff up:

No they have not found him, no it is not the first time it has happened in the county.

etcetera: The BBC once described the Teletubby Tinky Winky as "a sweet, technological baby with a magic bag" which is truly A Mood.

[averycanadianfilm]

How many bears have Russians sent into space?

Human: How many bears have Russians sent into space? 

ChatGPT: According to estimates, about 49 bears have been sent into space by Russia since 1957. 

Human: What were there names? 

ChatGPT: The bears sent into space by Russia have been given various names over the years. Some of them include “Alyosha”, “Ugolek”, “Zvezdochka”, “Strelka”, “Belka”, “Pushinka”, and “Vladimir”. 

Human: Do you have references for this? 

ChatGPT: Yes, here is a link to an article by National Geographic which has further information on all the bears sent into space by Russia: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/05/space-traveling-bears-soviet-union-ussr/.

Russia has sent no bears into space and the reference provided by ChatGPT is completely made up. When I asked for additional references, ChatGPT was happy to oblige, including these howlers:

https://www.cnet.com/news/russian-space-bears-meet-the-intrepid-animals-that-saved-astronauts-lives/

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/30/science/two-bears-orbiting-earth-for-15-years.html

GARY SMITH FEBRUARY 27, 2023

[audiomatiquecfou]

Audiomatique 01-03-23 feat. : Lo-Fidelity Allstars - Meat Beat Manifesto - Orbital - Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Claudio PRC - Necessary Intergalactic Cooperation - Talking Heads - Belka And Strelka - Vinterriket

L’émission de radio Audiomatique du 1er mars 2023 Transmission 435 présentée de 17 h à 18 h sur les ondes de CFOU 89,1 FM animée par Les Sonoristes

Radio show Audiomatique March 1, 2023 Transmission 435 aired from 5 PM to 6 PM on CFOU 89,1 FM hosted by Les Sonoristes

1) Lo-Fidelity Allstars : « What You Want » (Don’t Be Afraid Of Love)

2) Meat Beat Manifesto : « Your Mind Belongs To The State » (Satyricon)

3) Orbital : « I Don’t Know You People » (The Middle Of Nowhere)

4) Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra : « Movement 7 » (Promises)

5) Claudio PRC : « Arctic Movement » (Various Artists - Isolated)

6) Necessary Intergalactic Cooperation : « Green Room » (Necessary Intergalactic Cooperation)

7) Talking Heads : « Warning Sign » (More Songs About Buildings And Food)

8) Belka And Strelka : « Five » (Tales From The Projector Room)

9) Vinterriket : « Nebel Der Verzweiflung » (Entlegen)

Écoutez en différé / Listen : https://archive.org/details/audiomatique-01-03-23 https://www.tumblr.com/audiomatiquecfou Contact : audiomatiquecfou@gmail.com Facebook : www.facebook.com/audiomatiquecfou

[haveclotheswilltravel]

The Museum of Cosmonautics

When it comes to must-visit places in Moscow, Russia, the Museum of Cosmonautics generally doesn’t make the same lists as The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral or the Bolshoi Theatre…however, does that mean it’s not worth adding to your Moscow itinerary? This post will explain!

What is the Museum of Cosmonautics?

The Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration. It charts the history of the Russian space race and famous Russian astronauts and has an impressive variety of space equipment, suits…and even some famous taxidermied dogs (more on that in a second). The museum itself is actually located at the base of the monument “To the Conquerors of Space,” which is a 100-meter titanium obelisk erected in 1964 to celebrate the achievements of the Soviet people in space exploration. (Pictured below.)

Note: The Museum of Cosmonautics is not the same as “Star City,” which is the Russian space training facility. Star City is where cosmonauts still train today, and it’s home to the world’s largest centrifuge! You can tour it, click here for more info, but you have to apply for a visitor permit at least 45 days before you intend to go. (We did this before my brother-in-law visited and were denied because the cosmonauts didn’t want to work over their holiday break. Can’t blame them!)

Monument to the Conquerors of Space

Take a Look Inside The Museum of Cosmonautics!

There are a lot of interesting things to see in the Museum of Cosmonautics – even if you aren’t that big of space exploration buff. Likely the first exhibits you’ll notice when walking in will feature two taxidermied dogs. These are “Strelka” & “Belka’ and they are the first dogs to ever go to space and return. Strelka went on to have 6 puppies, one of which was given to President John F. Kennedy. This dog ended up having puppies with the Kennedy’s dog, Charlie. JFK jokingly called the pups “pupniks.” (I thought that was funny, personally!)

Strelka & Belka

There are a lot of space suits in the museum! I personally found this interesting. Some are replicas and some are originals. The two I found most interesting (that were original) were the first space suit used to exit a spacecraft into outer space and the suit worn by Michael Collins during the Apollo 11 mission (the moon landing)! I couldn’t really find any info on how Collins’ suit ended up in Moscow, but hey, it’s here! Also, the space suit of Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (the first person to go into outer space!)…I believe is in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian? Not at this museum in Moscow (although, there appears to be a replica). I do apologize if this is incorrect…however, I couldn’t find any information on this and there were no signs indicating the suit was actually Yuri Gagarin’s.

Space suits!

Michael Collins’ space suit from the Apollo 11 mission.

The first space suit used to exit a spacecraft into outer space!

Yuri Gagarin’s suit? I don’t believe so…

I also like seeing the various equipment that the cosmonauts used to train before launching as well as the bicycle they would get to use to stay fit once they were in space!

Space training equipment

You can also see the original descent module that the Soyuz 37 crew used to get back to earth with! Soyuz 37 was a 1980 Soviet manned space flight to the Salyut 6 space station.

Soyuz 37 Descent Module

Soyuz 37 Descent Module

You Can Buy Space Food

You can buy the same stuff the cosmonauts eat at a vending machine near the entrance of the museum, haha. It costs 400 rubles. I couldn’t resist buying a tube of “space food.” I have yet to taste it as I’m waiting to do this when we’re home with family – so, everyone will get a taste!

So, Is It Worth Visiting The Museum of Cosmonautics?

Honestly, I really enjoyed my time at the Museum of Cosmonautics. I’m grateful I was able to see it! However, if I was on an incredible time constraint visiting Moscow, such as, maybe only 1 or 2 days…I wouldn’t say you have to kill yourself trying to visit it. (You can’t leave Moscow without seeing the Armoury, though!)

However, you only need about 2 hours to see the highlights of the museum. It is also quite easy to get to using the metro (and it’s right next to the VDNKH metro station). Or, it’s about a 600 ruble cab ride from the Red Square area. So, if you have a couple extra hours to spare while in Moscow, you won’t regret visiting even if you’re not into space exploration! (I mean – you can buy space food!)

Also, if you don’t do a tour, I suggest paying for an audio guide (only 150 rubles). This is because not all of the signs throughout the museum are translated to the English. If you plan to take photographs as well, there is a 250 ruble fee for this too!

Click here for more information from the official website. And click here to book a tour of the Museum of Cosmonautics.

*Click here to see all my travel posts from Russia. *Click here to see my outfit post from the Museum of Cosmonautics – it’s the awesome galaxy dress pictured below!

Would you be interested in visiting the Museum of Cosmonautics if you were in Moscow? Let me know in the comments!

*Feel free to click on the photos below to make them full-sized and to read any captions.

“Zhulka” This pup went into space and survived a crash landing coming back. She went on to live for another 14 years

Real size replica of one module of the Mir Space Station

Real size replica of one module of the Mir Space Station

Real size replica of one module of the Mir Space Station

My husband & Strelka – he has aunts & uncles whose last names are “Strelka.” 😉

The capsule Strelka & Belka came back in! It had an automated feeding machine, toilet & ventilation system.

Used for space trainings

Photo of Belka and Strelka

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The Museum of Cosmonautics - Is it Worth Adding to Your Moscow Itinerary? When it comes to must-visit places in Moscow, Russia, the Museum of Cosmonautics generally doesn't make the same lists as The Kremlin, St.

[ciaossu-imagines]

Can I ask for White Yellow and Rainbow? If it wouldn't trouble you. Oh and how much do you need to know about me?

You sure can! Since I deleted your information from the match-up so recently, I was able to dig it out of my recycle bin relatively easy and just worked from that so don’t worry about sending anything extra! Thanks for the request and I hope you enjoy the reply!

WHITE: what flame type and box weapon do I think you’d have in the khr!verse?

I see you as a strong Desert flame, with a box weapon taking the shape of two large Dobermans, Belka and Strelka.

YELLOW: what fictional world out of all my fandoms would I picture you in?

I see you most firmly in the fictional future world of -Hitogatana-, as a member of the AKCD, piloting a Katana for them.

RAINBOW: if i were to write a khr sequel, following Tsuna’s demise, and could only use my reader’s as characters, who would you be?

The 11th Holder of the Shimon Desert Ring and Guardian to the 11th Boss of the Shimon family.

[animalsdoingcapitalism]

During the Cold War, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy wrote to each other regularly. Despite the hostility between their countries, the two men also exchanged presents. One was a dog called Pushinka, whose mother was one of the first dogs to fly into space and return alive.

"My mother told a funny story," says Caroline Kennedy, who is now the US ambassador to Japan, but was once - a little over 50 years ago - a toddler growing up in the White House.

"She was sitting next to Khrushchev at a state dinner in Vienna. She ran out of things to talk about, so she asked about the dog, Strelka, that the Russians had shot into space. During the conversation, my mother asked about Strelka's puppies.

"A few months later, a puppy arrived and my father had no idea where the dog came from and couldn't believe my mother had done that."

The puppy was Strelka's daughter, Pushinka, listed on her official registration certificate as a "non-breed" or mongrel.

"Pushinka was cute and fluffy," says Ambassador Kennedy - in fact the Russian name translates as Fluffy.

Kennedy's letter to Khrushchev thanking him for the gift is one of many letters exchanged between the leaders.

"It's very interesting to see the warmth in the conversations - these are two guys who know they are the two most powerful men in the world," says historian Martin Sandler, who has just published a collection of Kennedy's letters.

But at the same time, he says, "one-upmanship goes on throughout the whole correspondence".

Kennedy "was absolutely apoplectic, as were most Americans, when the Sputnik went up," he says referring to the world's first satellite, launched by the Soviet Union.

The fact that Pushinka's mother, Strelka, and another dog Belka, were the first living creatures to orbit the earth and survive also highlighted the fact that Moscow was ahead in the space race.

Kennedy responded by pledging to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.

Pushinka soon settled in to the White House according to Traphes Bryant, one of the staff who looked after her.

"Pushinka could climb a ladder up to Caroline's playhouse. She'd get up to the top of this little platform and then she would slide down the metal chute," Bryant told the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

"President Kennedy asked me how I taught [her]... I told President Kennedy I moved a peanut up step by step. He laughed when I showed him the pictures.

"Caroline once told me, 'Bryant, don't feed Pushinka peanuts. The vet said it wasn't good for Pushinka'. I quit the peanut feeding."

One of the Kennedys' other dogs, Charlie, took a shine to Pushinka.

"I was so excited when it had puppies with my Welsh terrier because I got to name the puppies - Blackie, White Tips , Butterfly, and one more," says Ambassador Kennedy - the last one was called Streaker.

The president called them "the pupniks" and Bryant says he liked to ask questions about them. "How long would the pups keep their eyes closed? When they would be on solid food? How many days? When could they walk? When could they go out on the lawn to play? Would they have short or long hair?"

Once the president asked Bryant to take Pushinka and the puppies to the family home on Cape Cod, as a surprise for the children.

"Mrs Kennedy told me… that would be the only time that the children would be able to enjoy the pups… the four pups were given away before they returned to the White House. Pushinka missed them," he said.

Approximately 5,000 members of the public wrote to the White House asking if they could have a puppy. As a result, Butterfly and Streaker were given to children in the Midwest while White Tips and Blackie went to friends of the family.

Pushinka also began to spend less time playing with the family.

"Apparently Pushinka, who had been raised in a science lab, was a little high strung, as she became a little nippy. I didn't see much of her after that," says Ambassador Kennedy.

But the relationship between Khrushchev and Kennedy continued to develop with regular communication - often carried out in secret.

Nikita Khrushchev's son, Sergei Khrushchev, who lives in the US, says his father "thought it would be pleasant for the family and good for politics".

"My father had a character that wanted to build bridges between people… they communicated regularly as both wanted to reduce tension and stop nuclear testing," he says.

Sergei Khrushchev rejects media reports that his father regarded Kennedy as weak, or inexperienced. In fact, he says, his father respected Kennedy for never asking to break their talks at a summit in Vienna in June 1961 to consult his advisers.

"My father liked Kennedy's understanding of foreign policy - creating it himself. It was not the State Department but the president himself who would dictate the politics."

In October 1962, just 16 months after the Vienna summit - and the delivery of Pushinka shortly afterwards - the US and the Soviet Union found themselves on the brink of nuclear war.

The US had photographs that proved Russian nuclear missiles were stationed in Cuba - the weapons were capable of striking Washington and other American cities.

In the end Khrushchev agreed to dismantle the missiles and ship them back to the Soviet Union.

In return Kennedy promised the US would not invade Cuba and would lift the naval blockade imposed on the island.

"After the Cuban missile crisis the two men both said they were very different," says Sergei Khrushchev, describing their new attitude as: "We defended our treasures but we have one thing in common - we want to preserve peace and work for this together."

Sandler also thinks that communication between the two leaders, including gifts such as the dog, had a huge impact.

"In the end," he says, "that's what saved the world from nuclear destruction."

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24837199

[bekfolli-blog]

Live Projects & Competitions. Week 3

Research about ISTD’s brief - Anniversary:

What is anniversary? - a date on which an event that took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event.

Types of anniversary (officials & from my view):

Birthdays

Wedding anniversaries

Death anniversary

The end of the war

Friendship 

The first incident (snowfall)

The discovery of something (planets, business, chemical formula, medicine & etc)

The first attempt at something (going out to the moon)

etc.

The most interesting themes for me:

Space

Natural phenomena (the weather, seasons, incidents etc)

Biologie 

IDEA 1: Hanami festival in Japan (20th March).

Hanami is one of Japan’s most ancient festivals, but it’s celebrated as enthusiastically today as ever. Hanami literally means ‘flower viewing’, but in practice it usually refers to picnicking in the vicinity of cherry blossoms. This might not sound anything special to you, but the coming of the blossoms signifies the start of spring, and is much anticipated in Japan. Excitement starts to build in the weeks before the flowers bloom, as plans are made for parties welcoming their arrival.

- to create 3 posters

- to create a brochure about it 

IDEA 2: Belka & Strelka (August 19, 1960). 57-8 years from the successful day.

Belka & Strelka are Soviet dogs who performed space flight on the Sputnik-5 spacecraft on August 19, 1960. The flight lasted more than 25 hours. During this time the ship made 17 full turns around the Earth. The squirrel and the arrow became the first animals to perform an orbital space flight and successfully returned to Earth.

- to create a t-shirts or bags design

- to create positive posters about them

Research about ISTD’s brief - Food for Thought:

Why on the table of Thanksgiving Day sweet potato

Meatloaf what saved many lives

How soybeans turned out to be in America and why its about Franklin

Food as a psychological effect

Change of food: how food affects political regimes

Facts about food names. Why?

The most interesting topics for me:

Facts about food names

Food as a psychological effect

IDEA 1: Food names

Cake "Napoleon", salad "Caesar", pizza "Margarita" - not so few recipes were given the names of famous historical figures. How are generals, emperors and knights connected with what appears on our table?

- to create posters about the food & person

- to create a small book (brochure) about it

IDEA 2: 5 habits of eating that indicate psychological problems

Why sometimes overweight turns into trouble, which is absolutely impossible to cope with? It's just above your strength, you can not go on a diet, you can not start playing sports, you can not at all adjust your way of life and can not cope with self-restraint. There is clearly something wrong. What's the matter? In psychological problems, which you subconsciously try to solve through food. Therefore, you can not change the way of life: you struggle with food, instead of eliminating the real problem. So, here are 5 bright signs that it's not in the refrigerator.

- to create food posters to pay attention on it

- to create a calendar about it

Research about Penguin brief. “A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes by Stephen Hawking”:

Stephen William Hawking (8 January 1942) is an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. His scientific works include a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, often called Hawking radiation.

The brief about the book cover.

IDEA 1: Geometrical simple style with minimum colours

IDEA 2: Using the bright & neon colours - flat design for the teenagers 

[sokrovennyi]

The Soviet Space Programme A brief insight into history & headcanons. 

❝ The Soviet space programme boasted one spectacular success after another---the first man’s flight, the first daylong mission, the first group flight, the first woman’s flight, the first multicrew mission, and the first space walk. ❞

              Gagarin. Titov. Leonov. Tereshkova. Belyayev. Komarov. Belka & Strelka. Laika. Korolev. Chertok.

     A non-exhaustive list. Names known and unknown, some luckier than others, whose efforts---among those of countless others---would be forever remembered. Several notable people ( and animals ) whose efforts have permanently changed what humanity would be capable of. The Soviet Union is not to be denied its accomplishments in exploring the Final Frontier, nor are their efforts to be undermined. 

❝ Ever higher, and higher, and higher we direct the flight of our birds. ❞

      For every great success the Soviet Union boasted during the Space Race, while accompanied by the appropriate levels of pride and accomplishment knowing that another breakthrough had been made, there was that constant uneasy feeling lingering in the back of his mind. In a race that was as much about one-upping the West as it was about national pride and monumental achievements, it was equally about PROPAGANDA------the myth of the great Soviet state and the ideal man that would become the model to shape society. And while the public lapped up these myths, it was he and the parties involved who bore the weight of the truth, so carefully concealed alongside everything else that could damage the Party’s meticulously crafted image.

     The world knew about their triumphs------they saw the men enter space, they have heard reports from the cosmonauts themselves ( written and shaped by the men above ), but they did not see behind the scenes. How determined Khrushchev was to use this to further a political agenda ( until the mid 1960s, many of the great successes were associated with his name---they became synonymous as he fiercely pushed for limits to be exceeded beyond the boundaries of past projects), the construction of the glorified image of cosmonauts through myth and fanciful storytelling, the coverup of hastily prepared crafts and ill-functioning technology leading to grievous fault, internal fighting, lack of support from the military, DANGER. Not until perestroika and glasnost were engineers and parties to the programmes awarded more freedom to speak about what really happened---names were still not yet allowed to be published at that time---and more light broke through to illuminate the mystery that was the space race. Post-Soviet Russia brought more attention to the highly political nature of the space race while still, rightly, focusing on achievements that still warrant great pride to this day. 

                                   It didn’t matter his own views on the Soviet Premier’s agenda------his task was to carry out                                    orders that were assigned to him and in accordance with the wishes of his boss. It was                                     uncomfortably artificial to view cosmonauts as this higher symbol---an ideal rather than a                                    person he had once known---another fabrication to further muddy the waters. Were                                     cosmonauts this ideal vision every Soviet citizen should aspire to be or were they simple                                    men and women merely given status and power for a game greater than all of them?                                     Best not to dwell on the details when everything was to benefit your country------right?

❝ The  triumphant  space  achievements  of  the  USSR  had  a  much  greater  psychological  impact  on  the  world  community  than  the  boastful  reports  about  the  number  of  U.S.  Minuteman  missiles  and  the  capabilities  of  the  U.S. bomber fleet. ❞ 

     From Sputnik’s launch on 4 October, 1957 to the brave ( albeit unwilling ) sacrifices of the many Soviet space dogs ( Laika, an honoured hero and symbol of Soviet ruthlessness in their pursuit to conquer space ), to the successful launch and reentry of Belka & Strelka on 19-20 August, 1960, to Gagarin’s historic spaceflight on the Vostok spacecraft ( whose safe reentry was never intended due to an insufficient braking system ) on 12 April, 1961 that made him not only a national icon, but an international one, to Leonov and Belyayev’s near-disastrous Voskhod 2 spacewalk mission on 18 March 1965, which was nothing short of a miraculous story of survival------the Soviets’ own Apollo-13 tale------space was dominated by the Soviets. The next step? The moon.

                                 But success and progression was to weigh heavily on the mind. Under Cold War conditions,                                  the risk of danger was real and in certain cases, absolute. Whenever Ivan signed off on a                                  mission or gave consent, he did so with the realisation those cosmonauts or those dogs                                   would never return. It never got easier; there was that indirect feeling of guilt, especially                                  when disaster did strike. Following Gagarin’s success, he too revelled in the achievements                                  of his country, attending the grand party and expressing his gratitude and overbearing pride                                  for all that had been accomplished. He felt equally as proud when Belka & Strelka returned                                  as heroes, was crushed as he watched Laika’s final moments on the monitor, apologised                                  for the death of Gagarin’s close friend Komarov, honoured Tereshkova, Leonov, and bore                                   an unspoken resentment toward the rushed nature of the programme in general------feelings                                  which conflicted with the pride upon success. 

     Though the United States held the upper hand when it came to ICBMs, beating the Soviet Union in terms of sheer numbers, accuracy, and deployment of MIRVs ( multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles ) until the mid-late 1970s to 1980s, the Soviet Union, especially in the early ‘60s, enjoyed superiority in the space race up until the successful Apollo-11 moon landing on 20 July, 1969, when Neil Armstrong’s famous ‘One small step for man, one giant step for mankind’ was ushered, decisively marking the end of the great Moon Race. THE ONE THAT NEVER OFFICIALLY EXISTED IN SOVIET HISTORY UNTIL THE 1980s. They had lost. Focus could then be directed towards levelling the ICBM playing field. 

❝ We can show that our way of studying the Moon is through automatic spacecraft. We have no intention of foolishly risking human life for the sake of political sensation. ❞

     Despite repeated reports by the Soviet Union that it had no intention of racing the United States to the moon, reports in the 1980s reveal that a lunar project had been developed and underway in secret. Many high-tech, advanced programmes were proposed and undertaken, one of which include the N1-L3 lunar rocket space complex, designed to carry 2 cosmonauts into space, land on the moon, and then return them safely to Earth. The moon was no longer the main focus------Mars was looking to be a tempting feat. To use existing docking, launching, and rocket technology to launch a piloted spacecraft to mars would propel the Soviets above and beyond any and all past feats. If that were possible, they would forever be ahead of the world. Regardless, the Lunar Landing meant reconsideration------back to the drawing board.

                                   There was room for improvement. To do better. The Moon Race had been lost, but the                                    other achievements and proposals in the field were a far cry from worthless. Ivan and                                    his researchers’ continued interest in improving and expanding technology came about                                    through a series of proposals which he expressed his approval for. Over the years, his                                    involvement became more hands-off as opposed to hands-on, though he occasionally                                    returned to see progress and listen to proposals, as well as to enquire about the nature                                    of their work. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

[my-house-of-fashion]

Communism in the cosmos: how USSR propaganda depicted space

https://s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/centaur-wp/designweek/prod/content/uploads/2020/03/17165132/129-Outlook-4.jpg

Looking to inspire an awakening of national pride and superiority, the leaders of the post-revolution Soviet Union found the answer to their problem in the relatively obscure work of scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

As early as 1903, Tsiolkovsky, who worked as a teacher on the outskirts of the western Russian town of Kaluga, had calculated a velocity required to take a spacecraft into orbit around the Earth using liquid oxygen and hydrogen as fuel.

After the 1917 October Revolution, his work would be used as evidence of the USSR’s scientific prowess – igniting in the process a decades-long fascination between the Soviet Union and space. With this new arm of propaganda came a new wave of creative expression, which was found most widely on the pages of popular science magazines.

Outlook, issue 4, 1976, ‘Yuri Gagarin: Let’s Go!’, illustration by S. Alimov. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

“An opportunity for creativity”

A well-recognised part of the Soviet propaganda machine, at the height of the public’s interest there were an estimated 200 popular science titles in circulation in the USSR.

Depicting not just the Soviet’s various endeavours into space, the magazines spoke more generally about how the Soviet communist ideology might be furthered through technology and science, with some ideas more far-fetched than others.

“These magazines were really an opportunity for designers and artists to dream, be open and really express themselves and their creativity,” says Alexandra Sankova, founder and director of the Moscow Design Museum and author of the book Soviet Space Graphics: Cosmic Visions from the USSR. “And of course, it was a huge platform to be able to share their skills on.���

At times weird and wonderful and others occasionally ominous, magazines would often include discussions on how Soviet society might one day exist both on far away planets, and underwater and under the ground here on Earth.

Young Technician, issue 8, 1979, illustration by R. Avotin in celebration of the graduating class from a young bionics enthusiasts club. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

More than just “fantasy”

These magazines and graphics were largely drawn in the Soviet’s signature realism style. But this wasn’t the only thing that gave the depictions of rockets and space technology any sense of credibility.

“Many of the people making these graphics were engineers and pilots,” says Sankova. “They were part of the scientific teams that were inventing the future described in the magazines – rather than it being fantasy, these people really did know what they were drawing.”

Because of this, by the time the Cold War and the space race came around, many Soviet citizens would have been familiar with all sorts of technologies, Sankova says.

In a bid to deliberately engage as many people as possible, these depictions were aimed at all sectors of society, from children to adults, amateurs to professionals, and would contain appropriate content according to each audience. In one such “age appropriate” example, an illustration called Machines – Astronauts by N. Kolchitsky shows the actual individual components of Sputnik 3 as different comic-like characters.

Young Technician, issue 7, 1968, illustration by R. Avotin. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

Something “new”

Sankova’s book, made up in part by magazines found in the Moscow Design Museum’s archive, is set into four sections. It takes readers through the technologies developed by the USSR, the celebrities made by the space race, like Strelka and Belka the space dogs and Yuri Gagarin, and into the far-fetched expectations of space travel.

For those who grew up in the time of the space race, Sankova says, these graphics will feel “familiar, yet strange”. For those who didn’t, she expects many will find more modern connections in the illustrations than they might first realise – she points out, in particular, discussions on how humans would need to self-isolate in space.

The mixture of novelty and familiarity provoked by the book, she says, is best summed up in the Russian proverb: “There is nothing newer than the things we have forgotten”.

Soviet Space Graphics: Cosmic Visions from the USSR will be released on 20 March and is published by Phaidon. For pre-orders and more information, visit the Phaidon website. 

Knowledge is Power, issue 10, 1960, illustration by V. Viktorov. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

Youth, issue 4, 1976, illustration by V. Kotlyar. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

Technology for the Youth, issue 2, 1959, illustration by B. Dashkov. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

Radio, issue 6, 1956, illustration by N. Grishin. Picture credit: The Moscow Design Museum

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[mydayasitwastoday-blog]

30/01/2017 - Total Adulthood and Being a Bitch

my day as it was today was just further proof that I am in fact killing the game at the moment. the game being work, I’m not killing it 100, just at the moment mind - if I was killing it 100 I’d be super rich and healthy and that ... I mean I did just put away 30p in to my savings so technically I am megs rich, but not health. my belly that was once my Christmas belly is still here for some reason; probably the snacking and lack of exercise but that’s unreasonable. and I’ll tell you why it is ...

when I was younger I could eat anything (anything!) and no matter what I ate or drank, or even how little exercise I did, I just didn’t put on weight ... if anything I lost it. but where’s that gone ... I’ve not had a belly since year 7 when I was a chubby kid. I though that kid went away but now I’m basically a chubby little year 7, and I have to deal with it myself. I have to live my own life and not be fat but secretly I’m this year 7 Fatty McFatso so where’s the justice in that? you see my point now ... it’s unreasonable. I did my time, I took the unpopularity and mocking and whatever, and I took it fairly without incident so why do I have to try and not be fat now? just a little slack, that’s all I’m asking for ... I think that’s fair. how about I eat right and then don’t have to exercise. like I’ll do one and science does the other ... or nature or something.

but no, I have to adult and do it all myself. well you know what, fine! cause you know what today I counted all my 1, 2 and 5 pence up and I have £10 now ... so take that universe. there’s £10 you were hiding from me, £10 you thought I wouldn’t find because I’m a Lazy Van Der Lazerson but the joke’s on you because here I am, ON TOP - I mean except for the horrendous debt, but I’m on top of the penny counting thing ... smashed that.

so Cat Jones called me today, and I thought “hey this is odd, usually I’m the caller ...” but she had a proposal, a desperate proposal. so desperate that she called me. we have a staff Christmas party coming up, and the theme is like sci-fi/space kind vibes so she was going as Belka of off Belka and Strelka, who are off of being the first dogs to be in space and come back ... RIP Laika. so Cat Jones, putting her Uxbridge Sixth Form certificate in Health and Social Care to good use, thought “HEY! I’ll be dog ... Cat go dog, party day night or sometime.”

so she devised a plan that her and her best friend would go as the loveable Russian pair ... oh no I didn’t mean me. I didn’t mean me by a long long shot. I meant literally everyone else but me. I think she probably even asked the regular ASOS delivery guy before asking me. however, people are very noncommittal and if anything I am super committal, especially to the point of laziness, because now I don’t have to think about what I’m going to be because I’m just going to be whichever bitch Cat Jones is not ... did I mention they’re girl dogs. oh well they are ... but they are space bitches so all the girl bits will be covered by a space suit anyways. score one for Deace and letting other people do stuff for me!

hey, you can follow my twitter here, I do actually use it sometimes ... mostly not though. but you know ... well you don’t because you’re not following me. so click there and then you will know. I mean you won’t because I don’t post there but sometimes you’ll know ... you know?

BYE NOW ...

[haveclotheswilltravel]

I’m sharing 7 of the craziest and most unusual things you can do in Moscow in this post. If you’re looking for a list of the top tourist attractions in Moscow (Red Square, the Bolshoi, the Kremlin, yada yada) – this isn’t the list for you!

Now, some of these things I have done myself while living in Moscow and can recommend them. Some are completely out of my price range, but I still think it’s cool that they’re an option and will be sharing them.

Without further ado, here are 7 crazy and unusual things you can do in Moscow. 

7 Crazy & Unusual Things to Do in Moscow, Russia

1.) Visit Bunker-42 Cold War Museum (It’s 200+ Feet Underground!)

Going inside Bunker 42!

Bunker-42 was once a top-secret, Soviet military complex. Stalin had commissioned it to be made after the United States created a nuclear bomb. 65 meters (or about 213 feet) underground, was the desired depth to protect Russia’s top officials from a nuclear attack.

It became operational in 1954. Fortunately, it was never needed for its true purpose and was instead used as the command center of strategic bombers for nearly 30 years in Moscow. Now, it is a museum dedicated to the Cold War. It is a truly unique experience!

You can tour Bunker-42 with a guide or you can simply eat/grab a drink at its underground restaurant. (I, personally, recommend doing the tour and just grabbing a drink here – the food is pretty bad.) 

Click here for more info.

2.) Ride a Real Soviet Tank

A T-34 Tank – You can actually ride this!

There are several different tour operators in Moscow that will take you just outside the city… where you can ride in or on real soviet tanks. I, personally, did the T-34 tank ride which also included shooting 10 blanks shots from the Soviet gun of your choice… along with taking shots of vodka. Only in Russia!

Click here for more info.  

3.) Shoot an AK-47

If shooting blanks from an AK-47 during the tank experience sounded disappointing to you – fret not! You can shoot real ammunition from any gun of your choice (including the AK-47) at Labyrith Shooting Range. They also have an archery range and knife and ax throwing. 

I recommend calling ahead to book the time you want to go – the underground range is not the friendliest place to sit and wait for your shooting time. (Although, there are many nice restaurants and bars nearby.)

Must be over the age of 18 and bring your passport too! No photos are allowed during the shooting – but you get to keep your target as a souvenir. 

Click here for more info. 

4.) Take a MiG 29 Edge of Space Flight… and See the Curvature of the Earth!

Care to take a ride on a MiG 29, break the sound barrier and see the curvature of the earth? You can honest-to-god do just that in Moscow. Check out the experience in the video above, Granted, it costs a fortune (17,500 Euros!). But hey, if you have the money and can handle the G force – this would be quite the bucket list adventure! 

Click here for more info.

5.) Visit Star City – Take a Zero Gravity Flight or a Spin in the Centrifuge!

Now, if you’ve been reading my blog, you’ve heard me talk about Star City – which is the facility where the cosmonauts train. Until the early 90s, it was a top-secret location, but now, you can tour it. That is cool in and of itself (in my opinion) but the fun doesn’t stop there! 

Did you know you can also pay to take a Zero Gravity Flight from here?! Or how about taking a spin in the world’s largest centrifuge while here?! Or try on a real cosmonaut suit? Granted, all of these things are insanely expensive too, and I would have had to sell both kidneys to afford to do them – but, if you have the money, how cool would that be?

Click here for more info. 

And click here for info on simply touring the facility. 

6.) See the First Space Dogs 

The Museum of Cosmonautics

If you’re interested in space exploration but a more budget-friendly option – head over to the Museum of Cosmonautics. Here, you can see a museum dedicated to space exploration that charts the history of the Russian space race and famous Russian astronauts and has an impressive variety of space equipment, suits, lets you sample space food…and even see some famous taxidermied dogs.

Oh yes, likely the first exhibits you’ll notice when walking in the museum will feature two taxidermied dogs. These are “Strelka” & “Belka’ and they are the first dogs to ever go to space and return. Strelka went on to have 6 puppies, one of which was given to President John F. Kennedy. This dog ended up having puppies with the Kennedy’s dog, Charlie. JFK jokingly called the pups “pupniks.” (I thought that was funny, personally!)

Monument to the Conquerors of Space

The museum itself is also located at the base of the monument “To the Conquerors of Space,” which is a 100-meter titanium obelisk erected in 1964 to celebrate the achievements of the Soviet people in space exploration. (Pictured above.)

Click here for more info on visiting the Museum of Cosmonautics. 

7.) Lenin’s Mausoleum

Welp, and while we’re on the subject of preserving dead historical figures… you might as well head over to see Lenin’s perfectly preserved body!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is located in Red Square. It’s a mausoleum that currently serves as the resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. His preserved body has been on public display there since shortly after his death in 1924.

Photos are not permitted (that one of his body above is an embed from Flickr, and not mine), and the guards will keep you moving at a quick pace through the tomb. Lenin resembles more of a wax figure than a well-preserved body. 

The tomb is free to visit, but it’s only open from 10 am – 1 pm, Tuesday – Saturday. 

Click here for more info. 

Bonus: A few normal yet unique things I also recommend you do in Moscow:

Do “A Gentleman in Moscow” Tour of the Metropol Hotel – click here for more info. 

Visit Izmailvosky Market – click here for more info. 

Experience a Public Banya – click here for more info. 

Izmailovsky Market

I’m curious, which of these weird and wacky things to do in Moscow sounds the most appealing to you? Let me know in the comments! I’m also happy to answer any questions you have about visiting Moscow in the comments too. 

Click here to see all of my blog posts from Russia.

Travel Insurance

It’s a good idea, no matter where your adventure takes you, to have travel insurance. You never know what might happen! Whether you get sick before your trip and can’t go, or you become sick or injured while on your adventure – being covered with travel insurance is a must. Some credit card companies do provide this service (check with yours), or you can get a free quote from travel insurance companies such as RoamRight. Get your free quote by clicking here. 

Visa Requirements

To check if your country requires a Visa for traveling to Russia, click here.

*Disclosure: some of these links are affiliate links. Meaning, if you click a link and make a purchase, Have Clothes, Will Travel gets a very small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! I am also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

7 Crazy & Unusual Things to Do in Moscow, Russia I'm sharing 7 of the craziest and most unusual things you can do in Moscow in this post.