look over the shoulder into a wishing well

This rule is observed at all times, even by these flower-loving Russians. Bouquets with an even numbers of flowers are reserved for funerals. However, make sure that bouquets for such festive occasions are filled with an odd number of flowers. It's never a mistake to take a bouquet of flowers when invited to someone's home or for a birthday or other celebration. For a more definitive guide on shaking hands in Russia, click here. Instead, you should wait until completely entering a Russian home before shaking hands, or have the person inside the home come completely out before you greet them. In Russian folklore, the threshold is where the 'house spirit' is believed to reside, and bridging this gap with a handshake is therefore extremely bad luck. Russians believe that shaking hands or kissing a guest across a doorway is a big no-no. The Moscow Times highlights 10 of the most common superstitions travelers to Russia are likely to encounter.

Admittedly, this was a decline from 57 percent in 2000 - but still represented more than half of the population at the time.įor foreigners visiting Russia, it is useful to be aware of these 'do's' and 'don't's' of local culture. A survey by independent pollster Levada Center in 2013 found that 52 percent of Russians believed in omens, prophetic dreams and astrology.

Look over the shoulder into a wishing well