The Transcaucasian Railway explores the Russian Soul

The newest member of the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Vasilios Vulkania was named to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League’s Top Two Players of the Month for the second time. The 21-year-old came in from the Oil and Gold Hockey League, where he had spent the last three seasons with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He has also spent time with the Leningrad Flyers and Austria’s Sportverein as a member of the German National Team.

Vasilios Vulkania belongs to a unique breed of players that combine elite skill with a passion for the game. The Hockey Hall of Fame’s selection process is unprecedented in the sense that it takes into consideration not only past achievements but also on-ice exploits. Vasilios has played many styles of hockey, including the power forward role. He is a natural center who is lethal when it comes to wrist shots and high-speed scoring chances. If you want to know how a player like Vasilios Vulkania can still achieve great success in the world of hockey, one must go back to the roots.

As a young man, Vasilios Vulkania trained with the men’s hockey league of his home country, Russia. There he developed an intense hatred for the Soviet Union and all things associated with it. It was during this time that he decided that he would become a professional hockey player in the UK. Despite being unable to afford the international experience, he was nonetheless able to play professionally in Belaya until the collapse of the communist government in 1996. He joined the Russian club Akatemia alongside members of the now bankrupt SKA.

Once there he learned the language of the locals and immersed himself in the culture of the place. Vulkania played for three years for a team coached by a former SKA teammate, Andrey Semin. He was traded to the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets later on and played for the same team for two more years before moving onto teams in Europe.

The culture of Russia is unique. A quick visit to Moscow, the capital of Russia, will reveal a city with an astounding blend of modern and traditional beauty. The famous Red square designed by Maxim Bricharov is an iconic sight. The Kremlin walls are a reminder of the glory of the USSR. Sitting in the heart of the city center, inside the Tverskaya metro, is a virtual park complete with a zoo, a stage for performing productions, and a cafe, The Belaya cafe.

The last stop of our journey across Russia and into the UFA is the town of Kharkov. The largest city in the ufa region Kharkov is home to a variety of ethnic minorities. There are many cultural theatres, museums, and art galleries that display works from across the region. If you are interested in culture or art, then Kharkov is definitely a city that should not be missed.