:: Foreign Affairs ::

Today's post is in honour of Ananova's "we're not racist but we like laughing at silly foreigners" policy.

The size used to gild every available surface in Russia's imperial palaces was made from an unlikely combination of sturgeon and vodka according to a Guardian article. Since isinglass is one of my favourite words in the English language (together with "plinth"), I wasn't overly surprised. However, I regret not having visited Oranienbaum Palace when I lived in St Petersburg.

Eastern European resilience was again tested when a man survived fighting off a bear and shooting himself. I can only think that this was the result of an drink-fuelled wager.

And finally, I leave you with the sad news that brandy-bearing St Bernards are becoming obsolete and that a contingent of Austrian GPs in South Yorkshire is to be provided with dialect training...