The Goat that Ruined Everything

Normally, were I am from we do not have farm life roaming free at the beach so this is very humorous to me. After being dropped off by the shuttle van, on the road down to the beach, there is usually a family of cows taking up half the road. Arriving at the beach, I finally settled down on my towel when I heard cries of upset. I looked up to see a goat ruining everyone's day. First of all, this goats bag was draggin’- it hadn’t been milked in days, and it was a little perturbed, so it decided to cause trouble. First, it hooved across some sunbather’s towel. Next, it trampled on someone’s picnic, eating a few snacks on the way. Finally, it stomped onto some poor child’s sand castle. The boy cried in protest, but the goat took it one step further and decided to pee all over what was left of the castle. Crowds of people were laughing.

It was so funny I wished I had taken a photo, and I didn’t expect to get lucky when I returned to the beach a week later with Jon and the goat was back! More trouble for the happy beachgoers of Miass. After stomping across some towels, she then insisted on trying to snatch lunch away from a family. She wore out her welcome.

Towel Stomping

Innocent bystanders being persued for food (click to enlarge and see her facial expression)

First attempting to drink from a capped water bottle

Rudely taking a dump while asking for food

More Beach info:
OK, here are the rules of the beach. If you are a hot sexy person, you stand up for a while. Also, you will wedge your bikini bottom for a better tan if it is not already a thong. Your hair will be perfect and you will unlikely get it wet if you go in the water so as not to ruin it. By the way, everyone at the beach is gorgeous. It is like a magazine here.

At the beach they sell popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, drinks and chips. There are also some ladies selling hand crocheted beach hats and cones stuffed with caramel and peanuts. Also, there is shashlik man who basically he grills chicken kebabs and give it to you with sliced onion, bread and bbq sauce.

Hot People Standing Up with Wedged Bottoms

Mineral Museum

Geological map of the Ural Mountains- made out of minerals!

On Wednesday, Jon, Olga, Marina, Artem and I went to the Mineral Museum that proudly displays the incredible wealth of minerals that exist in the Ural Mountain area. The Mineral Museum was a science teacher’s dream. (I am a science teacher for those of you who don’t know.) I frolicked through the rock displays like a kid in a candy shop. My favorite was Chariote. They wouldn’t let us take pics on the first floor, which was the best. There were more minerals on the second floor and a taxidermy animal display on the third floor with some great nature photography and woodcarvings.

Mineral Sample

Another Nature lover carved this!

Ikebana with Sensei Marina

Marina did a special Japanese class on Ikebana and invited us to participate! Considering I didn't know Japanese or Russian, it was amazing how much I could understand based on demonstration alone.

In Kimono

Marina assists students

Leeza (in middle) and friends work on their arrangement

New friend Olga proudly showing our arrangement

Our class and finished products!

Camping at Lake Zuratkul

The day after the plane ride, we left for a camping trip at Lake Zuratkul (озеро зюраткуль).



View Larger Map


There were 8 of us who went on the trip, Artem and Marina (main characters in our blog), Co-worker Svetlana and her hysterical husband Yegor, and their fun friends Ulliana and Anatoli.

We arrived at camp just before sunset, which in the Urals is about 11:00 pm. The lakeside camping area we selected did not include the typical American set up of a fire ring, picnic table, and specific tent area, but it was free! The way it should be. Everything was done from scratch including gathering our own firewood from the forest. We were up till 3 but managed to get a fire-cooked meal of traditional Russian soup of meat,onion,potato and macaroni a clear broth complete with a salad of chopped cuke and tomatoes.



The next day, we awoke around 10. Feeling lazy, here are some ways we passed the time.

lounging and eating,

sharpening your ax,

translating a technical document from Japanese to English to Russian,

Or geeking out on your PDA.

We brought several American treats to share: Necco wafers, Fig Newtons, s'mores, and we roasted red peppers. The red peppers were a failure, as most russians perfer them crispy and cold instead of warm and sweet. Marshmellow roasting turned out to be a popular sport, for desert and even breakfast!

Marshmellows (humorously referred to as "marshmellons")

Other past times included swimming, chopping down dead trees, and teaching the card game "Spit".

On Sunday we went to see a Russian version of Story Land, made by hand from wood.


Check out more photos from this trip.

Biplane Ride

At 6:30 we met at the usual place to travel about an hour away to an airport. Well, really it was someones house. He had 3 planes. Two of them were missing propellers, so we took the one that did have one. Not to worry, this guy was a confident and skilled pilot. Our tiny tin can biplane was big enough for us to all fit on metal seats with no seatbelts. You simply hold on to bars on the wall. We took off in a field, the sound alone was an awesome roar. Before you knew it we were in the air. The pilot beckoned for people to come up to the co-pilot seat for a turn at flying the plane! The controls were dual, so he always had us, but, if you gave the steering handles a good yank, you could make the plane dip violently up, down or to the side. Everyone got a turn and everyone would scream like we were aboard a roller coaster. We were green by the end of the half hour ride. The view was amazing! We flew over the city and several lakes. It ruled!

Russian Banya (Sauna)

This might be the most exciting week ever, never mind the most exciting week in Russia. Wednesday night we had the amazing opportunity to go to a Russian Banya (or Sauna). We went by car with a large group of mostly the Flare Fitness community to Golden Sand Beach at Lake Turgoyak. There, we set up a picnic table laden with food, and entered a wooden cabin. Inside there is a wood fueled fire that heats the sauna stones to an unbelievable 100 degrees Celsius. I was amazed that this equates 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Shouldn’t we be dead? You go in, roast and sweat and purify your pores, then, run out to the beach and jump in the lake. Then repeat for as many times as you can before your skin becomes blotchy. It is truly exhilarating and I could’t stop smiling! If you want, they will beat you with branches. At first this seems abusive, but, upon trying it, I highly recommend it. They soak two kinds of fragrant branches (pine and birch perhaps?) and whack your skin, it actually feels good because of the moisture and it is said to increase circulation. It is like an aromatherapy massage.


Next we all gathered round for okroshka окрошка a cold chopped vegetable soup with kvass (basically a homemade O’Doules). Fruits, breads, other healthy snacks, and of course, tea! After food, then the music begins. Local talent Tania again was there. Her friend Natasha is a Russian teacher in Moscow who is here for the summer and brought with her 2 Moscow University Engineering students from Burma. They also wooed us all with their romantic singing.


Singing, food, swimming and the outdoors: this was seriously my calling. We had such a nice time and I was pleased to hang out with the Flare fitness people again, like Natalia, Liza, Mikhail, as well as Tania and Natasha. Thanks to friendships with the Burmese students, we were invited on another adventure the next day- a biplane ride!

A Day Hike in Miass

Every time I meet someone or learn something about Miass it is like receiving a gift. I could not be more grateful. Today, Artem took the office crew plus significant others on a hike. There were 10 of us. The day was an absolutely perfect summer day. We hiked a very steep trail straight up the mountain and were rewarded within an hour with a spectacular view. You might assume we drove there, nope. We simply walked to the base of the mountain. A mountain hike right outside your door. It reminds me of living in Boulder, CO or Anchorage, AK and even there people drive to the base of the trail. Notice the full bodied lake view from the top!

The employees from Artem’s office are all young and energetic. There was a great turn out for the hike, and people were pretty social. There is a balance between those that speak English well, and not much at all. Hopefully with this diversity, Jon will be able to practice more conversational Russian.
At the top, we bushwacked to two other spots that had great lookouts. We could see the end of town, two other lakes besides Turgoyak, and many small community gardens with дача “Dachas” or temporary shelters. People will stay in these houses for enjoyment and to tend to their garden, it represents self-sufficiency in being able to grow their own food, and also it is an inexpensive summer pastime.
View of Dachas

Teaching at Flare Fitness Center

It happened! I taught a yoga class in Russia and it was the best day ever! I had 9 participants and taught for an hour and a half.
It all started because Marina is friends with Liza (sounds like: Leeza) who is a yoga instructor at a newly opened fitness studio down the street from me called Flare. It is a cozy and charming studio just like ones back at home. It has one big room with 2 walls of mirrors, one wall of windows and one wall that is a tropical ocean mural. The added touch is the Asian style tea corner, perfectly placed because tea drinking is an important part of Russian culture.
On Friday, I did laundry at Marina’s house and Liza came over. She is tall gorgeous blonde and totally hooked on yoga. We have both been teaching for about the same amount of time. We had a great discussion only because Marina was a great translator about Iyengar, Jivamukti, Yogafit and YogaJournal. Liza told me “You will teach a master class on Saturday at 9:00 for two hours.” I felt a little pressure, but was excited to rise to this perfect challenge. My goal as a yoga teacher is to blend my 10+ years of experience into my Yogafit teacher training in order to share more of what I know.
Saturday was fantastic! Marina translated for me. I spent extra time at the beginning focusing on breath, taught a mixed level class and did a special tense and release relaxation at the end. The class applauded me and gave me roses and chocolate. They were so kind; it was incredibly touching. Then, the whole class stayed for tea and yoga discussion. We have ideas to teach a class on the beach at Lake Turgoyak. My studio, Zen Muscular Therapy and Wellness Center will be proud to have representation here in Russia!


Sign Reads: Flare Fitness Center

Silver Sands Beach with Mikhail

One of my fascinating yoga students was Mikhail. We instantly got along and it was easy to speak to him in English because he used to live in New Zealand with his daughters. He is in extremely good shape as he was formerly a competitive runner. He lives at the Silver Sands Campground this summer in a tent and for fun does things like make rafts to go whitewater rafting. Mikhail offered to bring Jon and I to a folk concert at the campground and we gladly seized the opportunity to check out the simple life. It was impressive.

Russian campers are quite communal. They all share food and cooking with the tents in the surrounding area. Mikhail was a celebrity; he knew everyone there as he gave us a tour. The campers shared food like cucumber and tomato salad with dill and a chicken veggie spread on bread. Then, I got a chance to take a spin in his inflatable Kayak.

After that, we spent a while talking and trying to figure out where this informal concert starring a Miass folk musician Tania, was going to take place. We finally found it and enjoyed the songs!