IT'S TIME TO VISIT TSARKSKOE SELO or CATHERINE'S PALACE while you listen to one of my favorite Russian songs, which we didn't hear while we were over there! STENKA RAZIN caryotid This palace reminded me of Schoenbrunn in Austria

The reason you don't see to much of this palace is because restoration isn't complete.
These palaces were all destroyed by the Nazis and are in the process of restoration.
In all cases this has resulted in restorations, which although not the "real thing" are in MUCH better shape!

I think it is quite fitting that we visited her palace on July 22, 2003 on the
240th anniversary of her Manifesto about foreign visitors.

home back next page

Here are the words about Atman Stenka Razin. It is a great story. You will enjoy it.

Russian [phonetically]	English
Iz za ostrova na strezhen, na prostor ryetshnoi volný výplývayut raspyisnýe ostrogrudnýe tshelný.	From beyond the island to the river, to the wide plain of the river waves sail painted arrow-breasted ships.
Na pyeryednem Styenka Razin obnavshis sidyit s knyazhnoi, svadbu novuyu spravlyayet, on vesyolý i khmelnoi.	On the first one Stenka Razin is sitting with a princess in his arms, he is celebrating his new marriage and is merry and drunken.
Posadi ikh slýshen ropot: "Nas na babu promenyal! Tolko notsh s nyey provozhalsya, sam na utro baboi stal!"	Behind them there is a murmur to be heard: "He has exchanged us for his wife! He was only one night together with her, and in the morning he has become a woman himself!"
Etot ropot i nasmeshki slýshit grozný ataman, i on moshtshnoyu rukoyu obnyal persianki stan.	This murmur and this jeering comes to the ears of the grim Ataman, and with his mighty arm he circled the body of the Persian princess.
Brový tshornýe soshlisya, nadvigayetsya graza, buinoi krovyu nalilisya atamanový glaza.	His black eye brows came together and, like a rising thunderstorm, impetuous blood came rushing into the eyes of the Ataman.
"Fsyo otdam, nye pozhaleyu, buinu golovu otdam!" razdayotsya golos vlastný po okres	"I will give everything, and won't regret it, I'll even give my tempestuous head!" his mighty voice sounds across the river banks.
A ana, patupya otshi, nye zhýva i nye myertva, moltsha slushayet khmelnýe atamanový slava: tným byeregam.	And she, with downcast eyes, more dead than alive, silently listens to the drunken words of the Ataman:
"Volga, Volga, mat' rodnaya, Volga, ruskaya ryeka, nye vidala tý padarka ot donskovo kazaka!	"Volga, Volga, dear mother, Volga, you Russian river, you have not seen a present from a cossack of the Don!
I shtob nye býlo razdora myezhdu volnými ludmi, Volga, Volga, mat rodnaya, na krasavitsu - primi!	"And that no discord may rise among free-born men, Volga, Volga, dear mother, on account of a beautiful woman - take her!"
Moshtshným vzmakhom podýmayet on krasavitsu-knyazhnu i za bort yeyo brosayet v nabezhavshuyu volnu.	With mighty energy he lifts the beautiful princess high and throws her overboard into the approaching waves.
"Shtosh vý tshortý priumýli? Ey, tý, Filka, shut, plyashi! Griyanyem, bratsý, udaluyu na pomyin yeya dushi!"	"Why do you devils hang down your heads? Hey, you, Filka, come on and dance! Let us sing, brothers, an audacious song in memory of her soul!"
Iz za ostrova na strezhen, na prostor ryetshnoi volný výplývayut raspyisnýe Styenki Razina tshelný.	From beyond the island to the river, to the wide plain of the river waves sail the painted ships of Stenka Razin.
So now you know about life with a Don Cossack, the Atman Stenka Razin. Back to the top.

to see any image larger, just click it