ANNA: That is a great response. I have seen pictures of St. Petersburg which looks beautiful. I would like to visit the home of my great-grandparents, Brest-Lovisk which is in what is called Belarus now. What do you know about that region? I am happy to hear Russia formed an economic alliance with them. I watch RT a lot and there is so much that is appealing to see in Russia. I am anxious to go.
I live near San Francisco but we have particulates in the air that affect people and develop allergies. The water from the tap is not very good so I buy bottled water. I feel sorry for your Jewish friend in southern Ukraine. I have watched on TV the lunatics in Kiev authorize the Odessa attack by the Right Sektor.
Q: "What are some of the best cities to live in?"
A: ok, there is such a thing as "adaptation", but you do realize that humans are no more omnipotent than animals? I mean lions live in Africa, tigers live in Asia etc. Each species has chosen its territory. Moving somewhere based on exclusively economically beneficial dreams always has its pitfalls. I have one acquaintance from Southern Ukraine (Sephardi Jewish heritage), who married an Ashkenazim from Saint Petersburg. She was excited when moving there; now after years of living there... she is sick all the time: numerous autoimmune and allergic reactions (blames it all on climate). Is it happiness? When you feel like cr*p and spend half of what you (or your partner) earn on toxic pills, that don't really cure you, but only sweep your symptoms under the carpet? I know many other examples of people, who moved to "unsuitable" areas.
My point is: if you're from Northern countries (Canada, the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Northern US) or are of Northern heritage don't move South, not far South at least. And vice versa. It doesn't matter whether you're a redneck or a billionaire. Environment has its own agenda, you know.
What if you're sensitive to fluoride? - did you know, that Moscow's water is full of it?
What if you're sensitive to iodine? - then "exotic" Sochi or Sevastopol won't be that suitable for you either.
Don't bend under any kind of manipulation.
Big cities = air, water, soil etc pollution. Always. Everywhere. Be it London, NY, Moscow, St Petersburg, Paris or Oslo.
Unpopulated areas (e.g. Siberia) = untouched Nature. There are downshifters there. And I sometimes feel like many of them are much *mentally and physically* healthier than we - pseudo-civilized barbarians living in toxic boxes. They don't spend their energy on the jobs/activities they hate to "earn" money, which is spent on all that cr*p most people don't really need, but deliberately enslave themselves with.
some of the most european-like places in russia are st petersburg, vyborg, kaliningrad, you might want to visit kazan too, and moscow ofc, but i suggest going to spb first, it's the most beautiful one imo
For the first visit: Moscow plus Golden Ring ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Ring )
For living: depends on how much money you can earn there. Moscow is most expensive city for living.
St. Petersburg
the Krim Peninsula
eww russia
Depend on that you want. There is almost all.
