Press play, sit back, and enjoy this video of a cruise all along the canal of St. Petersburg, Russia. You can see many of the grand buildings and bridges on this boat tour, accompanied by Russian music along the way.

This is a fascinating profile of the coldest town on earth - Yakutia, Russia, where winter temperatures can reach as low as -65 or -70 degrees Celsius (about -85 degrees Fahrenheit). This is obviously in the northern Siberian part of Russia, where much of it is covered in permafrost, and people have to drive in pairs in case one vehicle breaks down! However, this is definitely an area of extremes as the summer months can hit a whopping 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees F). What an incredible fortitude these Russian residents have, and rather stoic outlook on life, given the conditions.

Here's a wonderfully detailed look at the shopping experience at some of the top markets in Moscow, Russia. The British host walks through the specific items available for purchase at his best picks, and also interviews international tourists for their thoughts on the Russian tourist experience. I really enjoyed this nearly 10-minute video, and it's a great primer for anyone heading to Moscow soon...

This tourism video for Kazan in the central European part of Russia is interesting in how grand it tries to be. The footage is indeed quite majestic, with sweeping vistas and aerial shots of both the landscapes and the local architecture. And it does make the area quite compelling. However, the voice over is rather over the top, acting as a bridge between geographic regions, cultures and religions; it almost claims to singlehandedly end wars with poetry! Nevertheless, despite the grandstanding, it does visually portray the region in a good light. Just be prepared to roll your eyes a little!

Here's an interesting travel article from two young people who took a trip to Moscow, Russia during their "spring break" over the course of 5 days. Focused on the more budget-minded traveler, the article covers both the city center of Moscow including the Kremlin and Red Square, as well as a couple short day trips outside the city. To read the full article, click here.