The North Ossetia is not what you expect! | Vladikavkaz & remote villages

The North Ossetia is still considered one of the most mysterious and less explored areas of Russia. Such less-than-known territories are usually covered with many myths and stereotypes. They say that the regions of the North Caucasus are the most criminal in Russia. All the people here can confess only Islam. A woman has no rights, and it's not safe to travel here as a solo woman, as there is kidnapping of girls and brides. There is also a stereotype that people here eat Ossetian pies all the time. Let's see if any of this is true. Shalom or hello from Vladikavkaz, the capital of the North Ossetia or Alanya Republic of Russia. This is the main street of the city, Prospekt Mira. And surprisingly, the architecture here looks like you are in St. Petersburg, but high mountains that you see from everywhere in the city and this fast mountain river flowing here remind you that you are in the North Caucasus. Look whom I met. My friends from Vladikavkaz, Artem and Mayor Bek. Why is there such a stereotype that it is dangerous here? What is it related to? Well, most likely, it is related to the times of the 90s, and now the Caucasus is a completely different place, we live in the world. In fact, many tourists who come to us say that it is much calmer and safer here than in some cities in the center of Russia. Is there such a thing that you need to wear certain clothes? Well, I would not say that we have such a severe dress code, the only thing we ask for is some monuments of architecture where they are associated with our past. Well, if you are a girl, there are no such prohibitions, it's just that it is not customary for guys to wear shorts. Why do all Caucasians have a beard? Yes. Well, you really come to the Caucasus and everyone has it. In fact, this is also a stereotype. Here, on a bicycle, this adult young man is 7 years old, also without a beard. He is Russian, probably. No, he is a lion with a mane and without it. What is the difference between Ossetia, Alanya, and all other republics in the Caucasus? We are different, in fact, in that in the Caucasus we are the only Christian, we are surrounded by the Muslim world. Our state, Alanya, was the first to accept baptism. Let's go explore. He grew up in this house. Now it's not only a museum, but also a theater, where there are some plays here. One of his most famous plays is Princess Turandot. Princess Turandot. Well, this house is one of the oldest in the Caucasus. What is interesting, how did Yevgeny Bogdanov get here? Bagration Bogdanov, he, Bagrat, he got a job at a tobacco factory, which was located here, on the first floor. He also lived here, on the second floor, but he also married the young 18-year-old daughter of the owner of the tobacco factory. And they fell in love with each other, got married. In fact, this is Yevgeny Bogdanov's mother. And the tobacco factory, by the way, was inherited by Bagrat, his father. He was a great entrepreneur, because the tobacco factory began to flourish even more with him. Actually, there are lots of famous and outstanding people that come from Ossetia. I have a theory that it's the local nature that might inspire Ossetians for different arts, creativity, and new discoveries, as they say that landscapes are really fabulous here. Well, let's go and see. On our way to the mountains, we visited a landmark named Dergavs, or a city of dead. It's a necropolis where people were buried from 15th to 19th centuries. In the 18th century, there was a cholera epidemic, and sick residents voluntarily left their homes and went to ancestral tombs to wait for their death. For now, you can look inside of these tombs. There is lots and lots of bones, like a pile of bones. This human skull looks awful, and there is a mess, because in one tomb like this, there are about 100 people, and there are 95 tombs overall here, so about 10,000 people are buried like this here. In this tomb, I saw a body, like a mummified whole one. Soon, they want to close all of this, because there are acts of vandalism. People do some weird things here. I think it's the right thing to close all of this, because why do you need to see this? So many tourists here. Ossetia So, basically, this place is a huge cemetery, that's it. But the views... The views of the real Ossetia. So, we arrived in the mountains, finally, also with another friend of mine, Camilla. Hello! What is this place? This is the Medogrobinskaya Valley. Here, a little further in the gorge, there is the highest waterfall in Europe. In Europe, for a second. The Great Zeingala. And this is an amazing lake, where the whole gorge is reflected. Do you live in Ossetia since childhood? Yes, I was born here, in Vladikavkaz. And I lived in Vladikavkaz until I was 17. And then? Then I went to Italy, lived there for a while, and came back home, because my homeland was waiting for me. I wanted to go home. Do you like it here more? Of course, of course. This is my homeland, this is my native land. I can't live without this air, without this food, water, without these people at all. Wherever I go, I always want to go home as soon as possible. And why did you miss it while you lived in Italy? Most of all because of the water, believe me. Because of the water? Simple water. Just the taste of tap water. Why? Because it is the most delicious on the planet Earth. I haven't tried the tap water yet. You haven't tried the tap water? People, she hasn't tried the tap water! And why else did you miss it? Well, of course, pirogi, of course, cheese. Although it's not bad in Italy either. Ossetian cheese is indeed very delicious. Well, Italian viewers probably didn't like my friend saying that the Ossetian cheese is better than Italian. But you can come here, compare and decide for yourself. And another thing that the North Ossetia is famous for is Ossetian pies made with this Ossetian cheese. Kamila invited me to her relatives to learn to cook Ossetian pies with Fatima. My gold is in this house, where you are now. This house is at least 160 years old. And here we have, naturally, according to tradition, there was an Ossetian stove. And this stove has been working since 1976. When, for example, I do something myself, your thoughts should be bright, positive. Because when a person does something positive, the pies turn out to be just lush, good. Well, a person, while talking, because of the fact that there is dough, also wants calmness. How often are pies made in Ossetian houses? Often. Only for some weddings and so on? No, no, this is a desire of the soul. For example, I want a pie today. Why should I buy it for him? We want pies very often. Why so? We have often at home, especially when large families, and when there are small children, they do not only with cheese, they do with cabbage, with potatoes, with beets. How long do we wait to cook an Ossetian pie? Well, in an Ossetian stove, as a rule, if it is not a pie with meat, it is cooked for 10-15 minutes. But why was such a speed needed? Because when a guest came to the house, to the Ossetians, it was necessary to quickly cover the table. And here is a fast dish, relatively fast, this is an Ossetian pie. So good. Now I know the secret of delicious Ossetian pies. It's the love and hospitality of the one who makes them. By the way, after that I've got to experience even more of Ossetian hospitality at the local wedding. Ossetian wedding Namaste. According to the local tradition, the bride and the groom can't see each other on the wedding day. A tradition is that the best friend of the groom walks the bride out of her house and leads to the elders of the village to get a permission to get her to the house of her future husband. I don't understand what's going on. They're arguing about something. So I was told that the elder people can't come to an agreement whether they should give an agreement to marry her or not. Ossetian wedding The bride is supposed to show her sadness for leaving her parents' house. Overall, she must act very humble this day. Then the kids of the village stand in front of the car and don't let her go because they don't want the bride to leave the village. But then someone throws money and candies on the ground and kids get distracted. After that the elders of the village also try to stop the car. But eventually they have to let her go. And we followed the bride. Ossetian wedding Now we came to another village which is a home of the groom. And the bride is going to come here soon. But as it turns out, the groom is going to leave soon and they're not going to see each other. It's my second Caucasus wedding when the groom and the bride are completely separate. I finally found the groom. He's here. Marik, why is your bride somewhere there and you're here? What's going on? And how did you make the proposal? What do you mean? These are your parents? No, they're not my parents. They're my elders. Who are the elders? My uncle, a relative, a neighbor. They come to her and ask for money. Okay, I wish you a happy, long and sweet marriage. Thank you. That's it, run, don't be late. Are you ready for the wedding? Yes, we are. I wish you a happy, long and sweet marriage. Yes, we are. And then the bride stood at a pedestal for the rest of the evening looking at the floor and guests took pictures with her, while others had so much fun at the wedding. Did you have fun? Of course, I had fun. Why doesn't the bride have fun? The bride is so sad and constantly crying that I have a feeling that she will be forcibly married. No, she will definitely not be forcibly married. First of all, probably, she is still worried that she has left her father's house. And she is worried about the new family. First of all, she is worried and worried about how it will be. She doesn't know. This is a new language for her. Secondly, of course, she is tired. Because the dress weighs about 20 kilograms, a national dress. And, accordingly, she is on her feet all day. She is already tired, exhausted. It's also stuffy. And when they take a picture with her, I hope she will have a little more fun. Well, and plus, if you delve into our story, then there was nothing special for the woman. A lot of responsibility, a lot of duties and a lot of deprivation. And before the wedding, wasn't it something fun for the bride? No, it was something fun. But, as a rule, the bride didn't even know who she was going to marry. Of course, they could ask you if you wanted or didn't want. No one always asks. You know, you don't know, you want, you don't want. Only if you understand that there is a family, you understand that there is a father. But now, from the past, there are no more such seasons. Of course, there is no more. Only by love, only by desire. Only so. Of course, there is still a time when the bride will be torn. Friends are not like that. Now, as a rule, this happens when the bride has been communicating with the groom for a long time. Well, the girl communicates with the groom. And he understands that he cannot financially make a big wedding. And he steals it and makes a big wedding. But she agrees to steal it. She agrees, yes. It turns out that there is no tradition here to shout bitterly, and the groom and the bride kiss. No, of course not. If you take even our national dances, a man and a woman do not touch each other with their hands at all. Where a man and a woman touch each other in dance, a man has very long sleeves. And also a woman. Her hands are completely closed, but there is still such a long sleeve on top. So that they do not accidentally touch each other in any case. Thus, he will not violate the tradition. Kvas, which is fermented rye drink. And this one is so, so good. But it has alcohol, so be more careful than with kvas. Thank you very much for coming to us. This is called Khazar Mahai. And what is it? That is, a piece of home. Well, there is not a piece, but three pies, three ribs. A piece. Yes, a bag of water, a drink. Do they give it to all guests? It is true that Ossetians eat Ossetian pies all the time and no events in life can go without them. But other stereotypes seem to stay only stereotypes. As the North, Ossetia turned out to be a cozy and a safe place. And bride's kidnapping happens here only with her agreement. And finally, Ossetians are incredibly hospitable, so you want to come back here. In short, the North Ossetia is as familiar as it is unknown.