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                                     WELCOME TO MASLENITSA (or PANCAKE WEEK)

(My Impressions on the Famous Russian Holiday)

By Irina Makarova

11th Year

Maslenitsa is the only purely Russian Holiday that dates back to the pagan times. Moscow jungles with bells, sings with garmoshkas and glares with gaily-painted dresses. The people are letting the long-annoying winter out and the long-awaited spring in.

The counters in the Maslenitsa Fair are groaning with various viands. There are the fat samovars with tea, bunches of sweet scented baranki, nuts and honey pies, salteries, various fish, caviar – choose and eat anything however much you like.

But the essential element, of course, is bliny (pancakes).

Blin is a symbol of sun. It is as round, gold and warm as the sun. Bliny are served hot with either butter, or sour cream, or caviar, or mushrooms, or honey – to any exquisite taste!

Where else will you take a horse-drawn sledge ride that will take your breath away?

Or turn round on a giant carousel?

The Great Maslenitsa will reel you round in a dancing fairy-circle and your feet won’t help keeping still to the gaily songs.

Clowns will make you laugh to tears! The show goes on and on. And whoever does not want to slay a mere spectator may take part in this picturesque masquerade – dress oneself beyond recognition, and dance with a bear!