N, is for nerpa: Nerpas are seals that only live in Lake Baikal. They are also the only kind of seal that lives in fresh water and not in salt water. They can stay in the water for 70 minutes while other seals can only stay in the water for 20 minutes! That means they can hold their breath for 70 minutes.

O, is for -ovna and -ovich: Russian have a strange way of naming. Each Russian has three names: a first name(whatever you want), a middle name(based on his or her father's first name), and a last name. A girl's middle name ends with "ovna" or"evna". A boy's middle name ends with"ovich" or "evich"! It's pretty interesting!

P, is for piroshki: Piroshki are small rolls filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese. They are often served with a soup called borscht. The soup is made of beet. Russian also like to eat blini(thin pancakes) and caviar(tiny fish eggs). Do you like fish eggs or pancakes? If you do, you could go to Russia!

Q, is for queen: In chess, each game piece has a name. The queen is the most important one. Russian people love to play chess more than any other people, so Russia is famous for producing world-famous players! I cannot be one of them, beacuse 1) I'm not Russian. 2) I don't know how to play!

R, is for ruble: Russian people use ruble as money, just like us using yuan as money. One ruble is as same as 100 kopecks. Coins come in 1 kopeck to 5 ruble and bills come in 5 to 1,000 rubles!

S, is famous for Saint Basil's Cathedral: Saint Basil's Cathedral was built in the mid-1500s for Czar Ivan the Terrible. It's located in Moscow. It's a beautiful building and very colorful. It's a symbol of Russia. Some people say that the designers were blinded after the cathedral was finished so they couldn't make something beautiful again!!!

T, is for taiga: Taiga is a huge forest. The temprature there is below freezing for more than six months! Because it's so cold there, only evergreen trees live there. Even though the taiga isn't that active and cherring, Russian people is still proud of the solemn beauty there. I think it's very magical and mysterious.