The Amateur Traveler talks to Francis Tapon about European Russia west of the Ural Mountains. Most people only know 2 cities in Russia – Moscow and St Petersburg. In St Petersburg he recommends the Hermitage and the Peterhof. Moscow is so central culturally to Russia that the trains all run on Moscow time across the 9 timezones of Russia. Francis extends the suggested itinerary to include Kazan and Kaliningrad. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan which is a mostly Muslim area of Russia. Kazan is over 1000 years old. Kazan is right by the Volga river with a large mosque and classic cathedral. Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave in what used to be East Prussia.