The nature here is so beautiful that the native inhabitants of these lands believed that everything surrounding them was animated with spirits. The mountains became shrines. The pines were idols. The forests, rivers and waterfalls were homes to mythological creatures. The poetry of this northern region to this day lives on in the ancient Karelian and Finnish runes and in Russian

Today it’s not just a local culinary tradition, it’s a dish that’s known all over the world. RTG host Igor Vukolov presents his recipe for the renowned Balik Ekmek that everyone can cook at home in The Geography of Taste.

Even today, in the era of digital technologies, these discoveries and achievements shouldn’t be forgotten. They’re simply fascinating. Watch the film “Living Steel. Diesel and Electric Trains of the USSR only on Russian Travel Guide.