Joshua K. Hartshorne, a contributor in this month’s Go World Travel made my day with this great
cultural piece on bachelor parties, the Russian way. Who knew? The title let’s us
know we’re in for a ride,
“How
to Survive a Russian Bachelor Party with Your Kitchen Intact.” The first rule, which should be the first
rule to any party, (aside from house warming parties) is to avoid throwing the party at your own apartment.
The second rule: Don’t combine alcohol with fire. This of course is only the beginning to this story.
Having a good bachelor party in Irkutsk involves your hanging with the guys at the banya, a Russian
bathhouse resembling a sauna. The air in a banya is very humid compared to the dry air found in a sauna and banya
are also well stocked with birch sticks. The sticks are used to take turns hitting each other.
Joshua obviously wasn’t too hip to this idea so they switched it up a bit, but none the less, the party remained
entertaining.
Can’t say how much this is a great, great cultural goodie to read if you have the time, not to mention all the
useful information he provides on Irkutsk, Russia.