World Events

My trip to Russia was planned and then, unexpectantly, I found something even more spectacular. It was just before Christmas and with our lack of snow, it seemed like a neat idea to see if I could find a webcam live on the Internet where there might actually be snow.

Webcams, if you are not familiar, are digital cameras permanently connected to the Internet that take pictures on a regular basis and make them available to anyone visiting that website.

Where would one go to look for snow? How about Russia?

I did a quick search and found the site http://www.livecam.ru where I ran into the map above. Terrific! What would be the best place to check for snow? I figure the further north the better. I've never heard of Apatity so what better place to start? It's located at Latitude:67.56, Longitude:33.4 (well up there!) Looking out a window in Apatity, one sees:

Now, isn't that a nice setting, just in time for Christmas?

The story gets better. I decide the next day to check the camera again to see if some snow had fallen overnight. Had I clued in quicker to the concept of timezones, I could have checked before going into work and then later that evening... Alas, I had forgotten to write down the address of the website and hadn't bookmarked it with my browser either.

I did remember that the URL ended in RU since it was a Russian website. I also remembered that it was a simplistic address relating very nicely to the concept of a webcam and so fired up the computer, logged on and tried http://www.webcam.ru which, of course, was the wrong address. Instead, I ended up at a different website where most everything was in Russian. The very first link ??????-KremlinKam certainly looked familiar and, sure enough, it took me to KremlinKam and this wonderful live picture.

Fortunately, I didn't have to struggle for long with the Russian language. There was a button that turned the page into English where I found the most delightful link. There are links to panoramic movies in and around the Kremlin.

Within the content of the three panoramic movies are 49 points of interest in the Kremlin, Red Square, and Maneznaya Square. Once the movie is loaded, it plays slowly in a 360 degree panorama. Underneath the movie are the points of interest that can be seen. If you recognize the landmark, as it passes, great. But, it gets even better. Click on the name of the landmark and the movie quickly rotates and then zooms in on the structure.

If you and your students are having difficulties getting that Russian fieldtrip approved, take the next best route.  Visit Russian virtually using webcams!