Today we had minus 45 degree Centigrade and the Orthodox Church’s Epiphany holiday (wiki). Well, it is the day, when Orthodox priest bless the river waters and it became sacred. It is believed, when people sink in the blessed waters, they clear themselves from sins.

Irrespective of the cold weathers, believers or wanna-be believers come to the ice swimming pool and sink three times into the cold water of the Lena River. Looks chilly and exciting, though all action takes place inside the heated tent.

See 22 photographs taken in Yakutsk, Russia’s Siberia, on the Day of Epiphany. Enjoy and come one day to try it! Usually, it happens on every January 19th or a day before like today.

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*Click the picture to see it in the full size.

This is our New Year tree on the main square called Lenin in Yakutsk, Siberia / Russia. A photo was taken at 12:10 pm.

Cold? Foggy? Looks festive? Ho ho ho, this is our winter holiday mood. That’s the coldest city on Earth!

As far as you know, Russia celebrates the Happy New Year holidays mostly. According to the Russian Orthodox Church calendar, Christmas takes place on January 7th. Actually, it’s not a big event. Worshiped by church goers only, though it is a good reason to have a day off.

So, when you see a tree, that looks more like a Christmas one, you know now, it’s the New Year tree.

Have great holidays, folks! Though I know your Christmas is already over.

Last months I was pretty much busy with the arrangement of travels, expeditions and tours across the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), but, praise god, I’ve never forgot to take my camera along.

So, here is some picks of winter travel photographies. In the following set you can see Russia’s Siberian city of Yakutsk, street photographs, the ice road across the Lena River, trucks stuck in the ice, the man cutting ice cubes for drinking water, fogs, city monuments, the Christmas / New Year tree, kids, etc.

Lenin Square in the above photo.

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So, what is it like to live in Russia’s Siberian city of Yakutsk on a day after the End of the World?

Frankly, it’s a regular winter day in December. Foggy and cold a little. In a daytime we had minus 45 degrees Centigrade. We say it’s extremely cold, when it is already below -50C. Today it was like that, so it was a regular day.

Below, see 11 winter street photographs taken in the downtown of Yakutsk, Russia. On Lenin Square. Shopping women, a group of joyful teenagers, happy young ladies… What else? Ah, yeah. Fog, fog, fog. And a sense of the extreme cold weather.

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Today is the third day of snow in Yakutsk, Russia. It seems it won’t melt till the next year’s spring. Winter arrived to our place!

Walked around the city and took a few pics. Enjoy!

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In February, as you might already know, I experienced just a magic reindeer sledding expedition across valleys and rivers of Oymyakon, East Yakutia, Russia’s Siberia. With the Even nomad family of the Cherkashins. Well, it was a sort of expedition to me, but not to reindeer herders. They considered two-day travel as a regular neighbourhood visit.

No more words from me. Enjoy 70+ photographs.

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Hereby, I am publishing Yegor Makarov’s photographs of Yakutian horse riders from different horse trekking expeditions across the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia’s Siberia.

Yegor Makarov is a successful businessman, who lives and runs the Muus Khaya entertaining complex in Yakutsk, Russia. His big addiction is to travel across his vast homeland, and he is a big fan of the Yakutian horse, Yakutia-orginated horse breed.

Currently, he is making a documentary and a book about the Yakutian horse. Meanwhile, he shares his passion with you.

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Snow storm in Yakutsk, Russia. April 17, 2012. Photo by Ajar Varlamov.

Yes, it’s April and this is a controversial spring in Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia. A couple of days ago, there waw no snow in the city, it melted and left much mud and puddles after. Today snow got back in a great amount. Cool!

See what we had in previous years:
- Video: Snow fall on May 3rd, 2011.
- Slideshow: Snowstorm on April 26, 2010.

Enjoy more Ajar Varlamov’s photographs.

It’s already a good tradition. Annually, Mammoth Yakutsk Off-Road Club arranges the spring race, that officially opens the season for the club’s all-terrain events. It happens in April, when snow is still on the ground. This year was not exception.

Last weekend, the club held the snow race tournament called «Spring Melting.» Participants were devided into different categories depending on a vehicle type and they needed to compete who would come to the finish line first.

Ok. No more words, take a look at my following photographs.

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Enjoy Ajar Varlamov‘s photographs of spring. Yes, spring finally arrived in Yakutsk, Russia, and snow started melting fast.

The temperature in a daytime might be already zero! In the city, snow is already seen hardly.

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