Thread: Any Russians lurking about ??

Originally Posted by Traskrom

BTW this stupid hat in not for fun. If you sit in Russian banya (it is not sauna) where temperature is about 60-70C with humidity of 60-80% you will burn your ears off. I am also wearing gloves made from wool.

And don't worry. Jumping in to the snow it is easy. Even my youngest 6 years old son after banya doing it.

эй сосед!

Nice pics. Vodka and salty pickle together make a traditional and delicious (although sometimes dangerous) yummy. Specially i found myself looking at the last pic. It is ok but what are the black squares? Haven't ever seen such in local saunas here.
However, pardon my ignorance, i have to ask. What is a difference between banya and sauna. Those pics look like an usual sauna to me.

The banya was a focalpoint in growing up in a uke family as a child.
We had an apple orchard on the russian river here in Calif.
banya was all made out of river rock,a structure maybe 20x20 sq.
huge concrete tub filled with maybe a couble tons of rock with a large firebox under it.
My job as a kid was to stoke the fire early afternoon,before dinner the entire family would congrigate in the banya,strip down,throw buckets of water on the hot rocks.
We would cut fresh euciliptus (SP) branches and sort of beat each other with them to release the oils,is nothing in the world like it

Originally Posted by Sailor

эй сосед!

Very, very nice!

Originally Posted by Nightblade

Wow Superman,good to hear from you...so many things since last we chatted.Unfortunately the wedding got moved so I was not able to attend or get the model memorial made.

Sorry to hear that. Your idea was really great.
Just had a few cups of tea for you, my friend. (I really think they should get these smilies with tea pots instead of beer glasses).
In Russia we have banyas in our dachas or also public banyas. The banya is a place to meet, drink and just relax. Coming together is the main aspect of the whole thing. I remember back in the day we had our dacha (a house and an about 1400 square meter piece of land with all types of stuff planted. Potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries...you name it.) in a small town like 40 miles from St. Petersburg. We didn't have hot water at the house so we always went to a public banya. It's basically a 3-step thing and different from many private ones. First you got
the cool area where you can get dressed or get drunk, called the predbannik, with a door to the main room. The main room is not very hot, something around 70 degrees Celsius/160 Fahrenheit. In the main room is another door to a hotter room called a parilka with 95-100 degrees mostly. That's where the branches come in

Nice.....question though.Here in the states we tend to be a bit modest and wear swimsuits in saunas and the like.am I to understand that in Banyas everyone is aue natural ! Also I should like to inform you that I have now become a fine Kvas maker.I brought some to my Russian friends here in Denver and they loved it.I am even more a huge fan of Kvas than I am Tea...although it's almost a close tie. You are right...they need a tea smilies. I watched a good yet sad Russian film recently that my buddy Sasha told me about.It was called burnt by the sun.It took place during the Stalin years.Lot's of good insight into life at a Dacha. Especially the tea and Banya traditions. I could use a good Banya and some Kvas.....and some tea...and some good food and some nice Russian ladies and.............you get the idea !

was no modesty growing up as a russian kid,all the aunts,uncles everyone was neked.
hell the friday night bath was Boonya, me, my brother,maybe an aunt or two.all in the same tub.Of course we were all just kids.

Originally Posted by Sailor

эй сосед!

Nice pics. Vodka and salty pickle together make a traditional and delicious (although sometimes dangerous) yummy. Specially i found myself looking at the last pic. It is ok but what are the black squares? Haven't ever seen such in local saunas here.
However, pardon my ignorance, i have to ask. What is a difference between banya and sauna. Those pics look like an usual sauna to me.

Nice russian eh!

The main difference between banya and sauna is... temperature and humidity. Typical sauna would be around 90-110C with humidity of 10-30% at max. Banya is about 50-80C and 60-80% humidity. Both can be really hot, but when air is humid - it is better for the lungs.

Typical heater for russian banya is about 1.3x1.3x1.8 meters with 600-800 kg of stones with the small "steam" door inside the place, where you actually warming yourself. Adding water to the stones will generate steam, and then, using bath broom you should take steam and set on yourself. Bath broom typically made of birch, oak, and sometimes I add wormwood and mint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4QJ...eature=related