The diary of a traveller, entry 27. Vladimir

28. Nov – Vladimir

Said goodbye to Nizhny and my favourite host family yet which was a bit sad! Grandma gave me a big old kiss and Irena walked me down (actually made the sign of the cross as I got in the car which was a bit over the top but touching nonetheless). Definitely one of my best stops so far. Kind of place I’d actively make an effort to go back and visit again.

On the train heading to Vladimir now – not too far I think (about 3 hours which is a stone’s throw in this country). Everyone in the carriage is either asleep or listening to loud, bad music on their head-phones.

Made it to Vladimir – my last stop before I rendezvous with Sam in Moscow for a more traditional holiday. I’ve got a very nice cozy little room to stay in with more books in it than all my other apartments combined. If I had a little more than 3 days here this could be a good way to improve my reading. My hosts seem nice – Ivan is about 30 and his parents Elizaveta and Evgenii are in their 50s I guess. I have a lot of churches and museums to get through so better head off now.

I went to the Golden Gate museum which was a small but interesting museum of the city’s history. It’s getting pretty dark and cold here. I might have to buy some more clothes as people are constantly telling me. I bought some gloves. Black. Leather. Then went to the Assumption Cathedral (Успенский Собор) where I saw the frescoes done by Andrei Rublev in 1408. That was awesome! The cathedral has a great setting detached from the main road in a little square. Bright neon street lamps lead to the entrance and the back of the city sprawls out behind it. On the way back I called into an unassuming café on Moskovskaya for a coffee. Things seem to be a lot cheaper in Vladimir than in some of the other places – like Irkutsk and Novosibirsk for example.

Back at the flat now. (I missed my stop by some distance on the bus ride back and ended up walking for about 30mins – probably not a good idea in this cold). Had some food and a chat with Ivan. He’s a very smart guy I think – but glum as they come. Seems to act as though the whole weight of the world was on his shoulders. We spoke a bit about Russian poets and writers and he made the usual pretentious claim that it’s all untranslatable. He could receipt passages of Mayakovsky by heart which was quite impressive. Elizaveta is an editor of books – reviews the spelling and grammar content for articles being published through the university press. Apparently just completed 150 pages in 2 days – makes me feel quite embarrassed seeing as it takes me about 150 days to finish 2 books these days.

(c) Richard Breeson

The diary of a traveller, entry 26. Interesting guy Maxim Gorky and how to become free from the group tour in a Russian museum...

27. November

My watch stopped working at some point yesterday. Very annoying. I am the kind of person that starts to hyperventilate if they don’t look at their watch 300 times a day.

Irena and Grandma spend a long time fussing over me to make sure I get the right tram into town. Which I do. Was quite sweet really. Nice tram! Actually had heated seats. After a bit of searching I finally manage to locate the Maxim Gorky’s house and the museum therein. It was fairly interesting and similar to the Dostoevsky house I visited in St. P. Nice old dear showed me round the rooms speaking rapid Russian which I struggled to keep up with. Haven’t ever read any Gorky but maybe I should – seems like an interesting enough guy. After that I wandered back to Minin Square opposite the Kremlin and had a look around the market nearby. Couldn’t find a cheap watch to replace mine (which has stopped) so bought some shashlik spices instead. Then called into a smart café nearby for a coffee and a slice of salmon quiche which was really tasty. Neither is going to help me tell the time of course.

Later in the afternoon I visited the State History museum which is set in a big old former Russian aristocracy pad. Basically the antithesis of the Gorky House in every sense. Probably the kind of thing he was writing indictments about in fact. After paying the inflated price for my ticket for being foreign I suddenly found myself swept up into this massive tour group of old crusties (trans. pensioners) who entered the museum at the same time as me. I tried to detach from the group and wander around the museum by myself (as I am used to doing in museums) but some unpleasant little attendant told me to get back in the group and not to break rank again. I explained – in pretty good Russian I think – that I wasn’t part of the group. I then proposed that I wander around the museum at my own pace. But this proposition was met with a negative response. As it was, our tour guide, Olga, was actually very good. It was basically like going round the equivalent of an old English stately home – National Trust or suchlike. The type of thing Jane Austen fans and old people love. There were lots of ‘ooohs’ as we entered the ball room. In fairness it was pretty impressive – evocative of Tolstoy & co. The best thing was how good the restoration job was. Especially the paint-work. They had really managed to recreate what I assume was the original opulence of a place like that. I suppose people get a vicarious thrill from that kind of place: imagine themselves teleported into that lifestyle somehow. Beats grim reality in fairness. I would have liked to have learnt more about the building’s history. Like what happened to it under the Soviets.

On that note I called in to a café on Pokrovskaya with a CCCP theme. Actually a nice plain kind of place – not contrived and good value. The décor included a bust of Uncle Joe and loads of photos of all the major players including that freaky one of Lenin when he was a baby (even then it looks like he’s wearing a wig). Ordered Siberian beer and dried calamari.

Back home at the flat Yuri treated me to a slide show of every photo on the family computer. When we’d gone through those he fetched the old physical photos albums and we went through all of those. Pretty exhausting looking through 600 photos of people you don’t know but it was a good way to practice Russian. Lots of holiday shots from a place called Krim – near Yalta I think.

The diary of a traveller, entry 25. ' Different cultures and all that'

26. November

Such a nicer place to be staying than the last one! Irena washed and folded all my clothes and I don’t even think she will be charging me for this kindness (a la Irkutsk). Alena came by for breakfast and we had a nice brief, chat. Although I’m not really sure about this fad of serving plain pasta with a frankfurter for breakfast. But then again, different cultures and all that. Had a chat with Yuri over breakfast about whisky (I like this man) and now setting off into town.

Alena gave me the number of her friend who wants to meet me and practice her English. I like it here. Makes me feel all the more sad that I the trip is coming to an end soon. Today the temperature is about 1 or 2°C. If it’s like this in Moscow I will be a happy bunny. Wandered down the pedestrian only Ul. Pokrovskaya which has lots of cool looking bars and cafes along it and some random statues too. Headed into the Kremlin which has a real mix of buildings – though mostly government and administrative I think. 

Passed about 6 weddings having their photos taken then visited the Church of Archangel Michael which was small but beautiful. Lots of classical icons – I wished I could have taken a few photos but I suppose it’s a good thing that I can’t. 

Then found the State/Fine Art museum. Had the largest collection of famous works so far but not as big as the museum in Novosibirsk. Saw some great paintings by Repin, Levitan, Rodchenko, Larionov, Kandinsky, Goncharova and Malevich. Now in a bar on Pokroskaya where they brew their own beer. Tastes pretty good. The Italian themed sausage I ordered was delicious.

Ilya Repin

I met up with Alena’s friend who wanted to chat in English for a bit. I think she’s a teacher here. Sorry to say her English wasn’t amazing. But the main problem was that she was just really boring which is a shame. Nice enough girl though – we walked around for about an hour down streets I’d already visited until I made my excuses and went home. My legs are knackered now.

Back at the flat I met Irina’s Mum (Alena’s grandma). She is a great grandmother already but seems to be completely together upstairs. I like Yuri a lot – he’s a positive guy. I’m sorry to say the family-TV-watching-session, which I was invited to partake in, wasn’t my thing at all! We watched some sickening concert by an apparently famous Italian-Canadian+something-else diva backed up by an equally famous Russian composer and full orchestra. (No idea who they were). I think it was live from a concert hall in Moscow. Imagine Celine Dion but even more smug (if that’s possible) performing a repertoire with the Russian equivalent of Andrew Lloyd Weber. I mean, I wasn’t expecting the Sex Pistols, of course, but even so. They seemed to love it though to I slapped on a fake smile and grinned through it. They kept asking me to translate the English lyrics which I politely declined to do. Even if I could have I wouldn’t have wanted to.

(c) Richard Breeson 

The diary of a traveller, entry 24. 'I have to say I am feeling nostalgic and sad already to almost be at the end of the trip...'

24. November

Don’t feel like I’ve really done justice to Yekaterinburg but it’s difficult when you’re staying so far away from the centre and with a pushy host. Got pilmeni for breakfast which only served to highlight just how good yesterday’s lunch was. After some difficulty I finally managed to locate the baggage room at the station (kept mispronouncing ‘камера храрения’ every time I asked for directions). Baggage safely stored I set off back into town.

Ate a tasty pizza! Success! (Although it’s taken me the length of Siberia to get one). After that I went back to the café I visited on my first day. It’s called, imaginatively, New Bar or Art Bar – not quite sure which. Anyway, I like it here. 3^rd floor loft open plan; complete with a drum kit (and wifi) but with a surprisingly unpretentious feel. Kind of place I would like to hang out with my mates.

Back on the train now. Journey has been great so far. I have made friends with a charming devushka called Natasha. On her way back to home and husband in St. Petersburg after visiting family in Ekaterinburg. Intelligent, quiet and reserved. Taught herself English with incredible results – puts my Russian well and truly to shame (just in case it needed to be any further). 7 years of med school and now a psychiatrist but looking for a career change. The wages for doctors in Russia sound appalling! When you think about how well paid doctors are in the UK relatively. We continued talking for most of the evening until she got sleepy and I got hungry.

Visited the restaurant car and had what has to be the smallest cheese sandwich you can possibly get for 2 pounds. Reminded me of my friend Hugh’s idea to open a pub where the portions were so small they made the patrons feel like they were giants. I drew a to-scale drawing in my journal – length and width: approximately equal to that of an average male index finger.

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25. November – Nizhny Novgorod

Coming to the end of my last long train journey in Russia. Just 3 ½ hours to Nizhny Novgorod. And I have to say I am feeling nostalgic and sad already to almost be at the end of the trip. The trains have been brilliant. Everyone has run to the minute. Makes me despair for the state of trains in my home country. The equivalent distance of the entire length of Britain in a comfortable sleeping compartment here in Russia costs less than the 200kilometers 2.5hr journey (if you’re lucky) from London to Lincoln sitting on the floor of a cramped vestibule. 

I met my new host, Alena and her teeny tiny husband Andrew (presumably Andrei), on the platform of Nizhny Novgorod station. They live near the Kremlin in central Nizhny but I am to stay with her parents not far from the centre. Not seen much so far but I am very grateful that the weather is nothing like as vicious as it was in the Urals. 6°C apparently. With 3 bedrooms this is the biggest flat I’ve stayed in so far. Got a feeling I’m going to like it hear. Time to venture out and have a wander. Need to find somewhere with internet to book accommodation for Moscow.

It takes about 25 mins walk to get into the centre of town. Went down Ul Gorkovo and to the edge of the Kremlin. Lots of nice smallish roads to wander down. Have all day Friday and Saturday to explore so no rush yet. Especially liked Ul Alekseevskaya where there were lots of uber-trendy cafes – think this could be a cool city to hang out in. Passed about 4 sex shops but no internet cafes. But despite that I still got a good vibe.

Headed back to the flat about 8. Still no sign of my hosts when I got back but they finally made an appearance about 9.30pm. Irena and Yuri – both are delightful! Guessing they’re both in their mid 50s. They fed me bread and cheese with homemade apple juice from their dacha. Think Yuri is an academic – not sure about Irena.

(c) Richard Breeson

The diary of a traveller, entry 23. On the way to Europe

23. November

Another culinary delight for breakfast. This time it was micro-waved, powdered mashed potatoes. Totally smothered in butter again of course. Quite disgusting. Today Andrei has organised a big excursion for us outside of the city to the old part of Yekaterinburg and to the monastery erected at the sight of the mineshaft where the Romanov’s remains were found. Slightly macabre.

Well it was a long old day and I saw lots of interesting things but I won’t be too sad to say goodbye to Andrei. He’s the most irritating host I’ve had so far – would much preferred to have explored Yekaterinburg myself. Anyways, first stop on our grand excursion was a little town called Nevyansk (Невянск). It has a leaning tower which is apparently quite famous. The town used to be famous as a large producer of cast iron (brought to mind that wonderful sequence in Andrei Rublev where they cast the bell). It was founded by Peter I in the early part of the 18^th century. There was an English clock mechanism in the top of the tower. Nice. There was also a smallish cathedral nearby which we had a quick tour off (an unknown man gave me a candle to light which was nice of him – I think I put it in front of the saint who represented grammatical understanding and knowledge).

After that we went to a Russian ceramic pot museum and shop which was everything you would expect from a Russian ceramic pot museum and shop. Highlight of the day was lunch which was delicious homemade pilmeni in a small village outside of the town. There was a blazing fire in the fireplace and also a small Old Believer’s church in the garden.

We drove on and got to the site where the Romanov’s bodies where found around 5pm. It is now a complex in the middle of the woods for the Church – monasteries, seminaries etc. Quite a nice spot actually. So bloody cold that we didn’t stay long though. I think it is more humid here in the Urals perhaps. The last stop was the Europe-Asia border which is a geographical border based on the gradient of the Ural Mountains I think. Took a photo.

(c) Richard Breeson,

photos are taken from Richard's archive

Hint: 5 Russian children's songs to sing even when adults

Russian animation is another pride for Russians since childhood. We grow up watching cartoons, we learn what is good and bad through cartoons, we develop our music taste listening to the cartoons' songs and then, becoming older - still remember all of them!

Would you like to learn some? Here are 5 very famous and beloved songs! 


1. 'Ничего на свете лучше нету..." \\ 'There is nothing better in the world...' (from the cartoon: 'Musicians of Bremen')

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2. "Спят усталые игрушки..." \\ 'Tired toys are sleeping ...' (from the children's program 'Good night, kids) 
this is a song for a good night for few generations of Russian people

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3. "Кабы не было зимы ..." \\ 'If there were no winter ... ' (from the cartoon 'Winter in Prostokvashino') 
the cartoon, the song and the voice - all create unique, cozy and warm Russian winter

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4. "Луч солнца золотого... " \\ 'The ray of the golden sun ... ' (from the cartoon 'Musicians of Bremen') 
this ballad has become a song of love

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5. "Пусть бегут неуклюже ... " \\ 'Let them run ...' (from the cartoon 'Cheburashka and Gena the Crocodile') 
it is our birthday song! 

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Poster. Kitchen and food

useful posters to learn Russian

borrowed from УРЯ 

продукты 

кухня