Anyone who has ever been to Russia is very familiar with the Slavic passion for drink. Indeed, it is almost impossible to get in and out of the country without some friendly Russian sharing this passion with their new found friend: you!
There is simply no avoiding it. “I don’t want to drink,” is met with peer pressure far more intense than that experienced at an American high school dance with a smuggled bottle of Jack Daniels.
“But,” you are told by your new Russian buddy, “We drink to friendship. Friendship!” Realizing only a complete ass would turn down such a heartfelt toast, you acquiesce. Immediately thereafter, the horizontal surface upon which you took your first shot becomes a dangerously slippery slope, at the bottom of which you find yourself vomitous and eventually, deathly hung over.
The usual suspect in this obligatory Russian demise is vodka. Strangely, this Slavic turpentine rarely seems to have much of an effect upon your new Russian friends; not only are they less drunk than you, but the following morning they have almost no hangover.
How to Drink Vodka and Stay Sober is a wonderful post I ran across on Russian Blog (thanks to a tip from carpetblogger in Azerbaijan). It should be required reading for anyone applying for a Russian visa.
The post walks you through the pre-drinking stage (eat raw eggs), the drinking stage (post-shot herrings and sardines) the morning after (pound some pickle brine) as well as a number of other strange, but apparently effective cures.
Cheers!