Ivan Tourgueniev (1818-1883) - Russian novelist and popularizer of Russian literature in the West

Cover from Russia ...

Cover from Kaliningrad, Russia ...

Sochi Winter Olympic Games ...

Myanmar-Russia Diplomatic Relations 2013 ...

Cover from St Petersburg ...

Cover from Russia ...

Postcard from Russia ...

A cover from St Petersburg, Russia ...

Thanks Andrey for this nice cover of Nicholas II ;-) The cover was sent on 13 July and took a month's time to reach Singapore.

Nicholas II was the last tsar (or czar or emperor, 1868-1918) of Russia. He was abdicated following the February Revolution of 1917 during which he and his family were imprisoned and executed by the Bolsheviks on the night of 16/17 July 1918.

The stamps were cancelled with special postmark with picture of Palace Bridge and view of Peter and Paul Fortress at the background.

From Russia with love ...

I received another postcard and cover from Russia.

Spasiba, Karmanovsky :-)

The postcard with night scene at Hermitage museum above was affixed with stamps of Vancouver 2010 and new year celebration. Stamps were cancelled with new cancellation (from 2010) from the special post office inside the Hermitage.

The cover above has a minisheet and two "stamp-holders".

The minisheet was issued in commemoration of 150th anniversary of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's birth. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in Russia in 1860 and died in Germany in 1904. This Russian short story writer and playwright was a physician by profession. His short stories and plays made him famous in his lifetime, when he was recognised as one of the national glories of Russia.

The stamps show scenes from one of his best-known plays : The Seagull (Чайка, 10P) and two of his short stories : The Lady with the Dog (Дама с собачкой, 8.00) & The House with the Mezzanine (Дом с мезонином, 12P).

Postcard with new cancellation from the Hermitage ...

Spasiba, Karmanovsky :-)

A few years back, i had the opportunity to travel to the Russian Federation, backpacking. Despite the complicated bureaucracy in visa application, Russia is worthwhile visiting as the country has so much to offer. Besides, it is nice to have visa from the Russian Federation in the passport :-)

The following pictures were taken in St Petersburg - beautiful morning scenery outside the train station & at the Hermitage museum.

The following pictures were taken in Moscow - with the statue of Vladimir Lenin & monuments of the Soviet era. With the fall of Soviet Union, not many Lenin's statues could be seen nowadays. Am I too tiny as compared to the statues? :-)

The following picture is the iconic St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

Also, not forgetting the banknotes used during the Soviet era ...

They were with Lenin's portrait on the banknotes.