Exploring Russia by River

Rating:
Summary: Cannot recommend this DVD....
Review: As the the previous reviewer stated, the video quality is poor and I think that is actually being a bit generous. The video quality on this burned disk is just awful, nowhere near what you would expect from even a cheap commercially pressed DVD, and frankly not even as good as a high quality VHS tape in my opinion. Honestly, when I first put this disc in my Pioneer DVD player I thought there was something going wrong with my player, but a quick jump ahead through the chapters verified the poor video quality of the whole disc. If you are looking for good sharp video images of Russian scenic and historic places, forget it, this is more like a rather poorly done home video. I cannot in good conscience recommend this to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: I really wanted to like this, but . . .
Review: When I saw that there was a DVD on Russian river cruises I immediately bought it, as we will begin to offer the river cruises to our clients this summer and wanted a "teaser" to excite people before they embark on their journey of Discovering Russia. The Russian river cruises between Moscow and St. Petersburg are quite popular as they give Americans an overview of Russia's two main cities, as well as a glimpse of the historic villages, all in a degree of comfort and security. Cruising on the rivers is slow and easy, and very relaxing. Because the ship is always close to shore, people are able to see much of the beautiful countryside and have ample opportunities to photograph many exquisite and colorful onion-domed churches. In addition, you don't have to pack and unpack each night, and the food and other facilities are far superior on board the ship than what these small towns have to offer.

Unfortunately there is little to recommend in this DVD. Major issues:
-poor video quality (seemingly from a hand-held unit)
-almost half of video was of a tired folklore show (with poor sound quality), and a vodka tasting (without any explanation of what different vodkas are being offered it becomes a vodka drinking, rather than tasting).
-no travel tips beyond the most basic (nothing, for instance, on weather, which can change immediately in the summer from sun to heavy rain, and then back to sun, or on the ever-popular questions regarding money-are there ATMs, should I use dollars or rubles or blue jeans)
-no tour of the ship
-inaccuracies in history (for instance, there was no Prince "Yaroslavl", there was a prince "Yaroslav")

Given the superficial nature of the work, the comment that life hasn't change in the last few centuries in the riverside towns was not surprising, but it is still completely inaccurate. Yes, when tourists get off their ships and see people wearing traditional dress, selling wood carvings and pickles, it appears that nothing has changed since the time of Ivan the Terrible, but this is about as accurate an indication of Russian life as Disneyworld is of American life.

I only recommend this if you are looking to get a very quick glimpse as to what some of the towns look like on a Russian river cruise; fortunately it is very reasonably priced so you can watch it just once. A trip to Russia will remain with you for a lifetime, and is well worth the expense and (at times) frustration, and the river cruises are an ideal way to see an overview of Russia. I hope that someday there will be a specific guide for Russian river cruises (as there are for the Trans-Siberian, something that far few Americans take than the river cruise).

Until that day, we are sending to our clients who take these cruises the book "Lonely Planet's Guide to Russia and Belarus" as it covers most of the towns that a traveller will see on the cruises in an efficient and enjoyable (although not totally accurate and up-to-date) manner. For Moscow and St. Petersburg, the DK series is quite good-many color pictures, good background on the major sights. If you want a coffee-table type book and you want to explore Russian towns more thoroughly, the best book is William Brumfield's "History of Russian Architecture". Prof. Brumfield has over the last thirty years created a remarkable record of Russian architecture, both old and new (for which he has been awarded by the Russian government and by our Library of Congress).

Rating:
Summary: I really wanted to like this, but . . .
Review: When I saw that there was a DVD on Russian river cruises I immediately bought it, as we will begin to offer the river cruises to our clients this summer and wanted a "teaser" to excite people before they embark on their journey of Discovering Russia. The Russian river cruises between Moscow and St. Petersburg are quite popular as they give Americans an overview of Russia's two main cities, as well as a glimpse of the historic villages, all in a degree of comfort and security. Cruising on the rivers is slow and easy, and very relaxing. Because the ship is always close to shore, people are able to see much of the beautiful countryside and have ample opportunities to photograph many exquisite and colorful onion-domed churches. In addition, you don't have to pack and unpack each night, and the food and other facilities are far superior on board the ship than what these small towns have to offer.

Unfortunately there is little to recommend in this DVD. Major issues:
-poor video quality (seemingly from a hand-held unit)
-almost half of video was of a tired folklore show (with poor sound quality), and a vodka tasting (without any explanation of what different vodkas are being offered it becomes a vodka drinking, rather than tasting).
-no travel tips beyond the most basic (nothing, for instance, on weather, which can change immediately in the summer from sun to heavy rain, and then back to sun, or on the ever-popular questions regarding money-are there ATMs, should I use dollars or rubles or blue jeans)
-no tour of the ship
-inaccuracies in history (for instance, there was no Prince "Yaroslavl", there was a prince "Yaroslav")

Given the superficial nature of the work, the comment that life hasn't change in the last few centuries in the riverside towns was not surprising, but it is still completely inaccurate. Yes, when tourists get off their ships and see people wearing traditional dress, selling wood carvings and pickles, it appears that nothing has changed since the time of Ivan the Terrible, but this is about as accurate an indication of Russian life as Disneyworld is of American life.

I only recommend this if you are looking to get a very quick glimpse as to what some of the towns look like on a Russian river cruise; fortunately it is very reasonably priced so you can watch it just once. A trip to Russia will remain with you for a lifetime, and is well worth the expense and (at times) frustration, and the river cruises are an ideal way to see an overview of Russia. I hope that someday there will be a specific guide for Russian river cruises (as there are for the Trans-Siberian, something that far few Americans take than the river cruise).

Until that day, we are sending to our clients who take these cruises the book "Lonely Planet's Guide to Russia and Belarus" as it covers most of the towns that a traveller will see on the cruises in an efficient and enjoyable (although not totally accurate and up-to-date) manner. For Moscow and St. Petersburg, the DK series is quite good-many color pictures, good background on the major sights. If you want a coffee-table type book and you want to explore Russian towns more thoroughly, the best book is William Brumfield's "History of Russian Architecture". Prof. Brumfield has over the last thirty years created a remarkable record of Russian architecture, both old and new (for which he has been awarded by the Russian government and by our Library of Congress).