08 June 2009
07 June 2009
Photos!
I finally managed to upload some photos to flickr (but they are still not organised, so not public) and put some of them on the blog. So have a look at some older posts to discover what's new!
06 June 2009
05 June 2009
"Remont"
is a word we come across a lot in Russia. It means "repair" and can be used in all kinds of contexts (mobile phones, cars, shoes, buildings, churches). This is a picture of the cathedral in Rostov Veliky's Kremlin (one of the "Golden Ring" Cities around Moscow), it was in "remont" when we were visiting.
04 June 2009
Impressions from Moscow
After four days in Moscow, here are couple of picture impressions of it.
Arrival at Leningrad voksal, one of the nine train stations, after the night train where we met Oleg.
Russian (Moscow and St. Petersburg) metro, where we spent several hours in the middle of all the people. The metro is beautiful and impressive. Stations are 50 to 75 meters underground so they can be used as shelters in case of war.
Red Square and Kremlin, the basic Moscow. We went there the first day and also to near the university where we have a panoramic view of the city.
An excelent contemporary dance show where Jolanda took us.
Jolanda, friend of Thomas (Eva's brother) and who lives in Moscow for five years now studying cinema. She was our saviour in the big city reliefing us from all the stress we were gaining there. Спасибо!
Arrival at Leningrad voksal, one of the nine train stations, after the night train where we met Oleg.
Russian (Moscow and St. Petersburg) metro, where we spent several hours in the middle of all the people. The metro is beautiful and impressive. Stations are 50 to 75 meters underground so they can be used as shelters in case of war.
Red Square and Kremlin, the basic Moscow. We went there the first day and also to near the university where we have a panoramic view of the city.
An excelent contemporary dance show where Jolanda took us.
Jolanda, friend of Thomas (Eva's brother) and who lives in Moscow for five years now studying cinema. She was our saviour in the big city reliefing us from all the stress we were gaining there. Спасибо!
03 June 2009
Internet places - a nightmare
We decided not to take computer, not even a small one, with us for the trip. We do not regret and would do the same if we would start now. Taking small computer means one more thing to take care, that should not receive shocks; means an extra transformer/cable/weight; means an extra worry when leaving luggage on place you don't trust so much; means a feeling of obligation of writing/using it whenever possible which could mean carrying it whole day in small bag (even when battery run out).
But on the other hand our experience with internet places is far from the best. While at our hosts we can use the computer, we tend to minimize the time there as we want to share the time with the hosts and also because either only me or only Eva can be at the computer. But usually is from our hosts computers, which are fast and more virus free, that we access our banking to see how much money we have left.
Internet places, I wrote already about them once, are usually not friendly places. Either the computer have virus and are slow or hang (like where we are now in Moscow), or the owner of the place is by your side playing games and smoking, or the keyboard works badly, or... Well, we are loosing the patience on the current one. Kids running around while playing some games, computer that constantly hangs, half of the features that do not work... And this after more than one hour of way from our hosts to this internet place, as moscow is enormous...
But on the other hand our experience with internet places is far from the best. While at our hosts we can use the computer, we tend to minimize the time there as we want to share the time with the hosts and also because either only me or only Eva can be at the computer. But usually is from our hosts computers, which are fast and more virus free, that we access our banking to see how much money we have left.
Internet places, I wrote already about them once, are usually not friendly places. Either the computer have virus and are slow or hang (like where we are now in Moscow), or the owner of the place is by your side playing games and smoking, or the keyboard works badly, or... Well, we are loosing the patience on the current one. Kids running around while playing some games, computer that constantly hangs, half of the features that do not work... And this after more than one hour of way from our hosts to this internet place, as moscow is enormous...
02 June 2009
01 June 2009
What you do when travelling?
(question from a CSer) For me (probably us) is mainly to get lost in the streets, try to see a bit the main monuments. Sometimes to see a temporary exhibition going on, someother times trying to find things (bar, places) we like and which are not in the guide book. So, basically, walk.
When we are monte in the countryside we like to explore a National Park by bike or hiking or kayak.
With Couchsurfing also talking with the host is an important part, to talk about everything and nothing, to experience their house, meet their friends, cook for them. This includes to go to supermarket, buy a SIM card, understand how the country where we are works.
When we are monte in the countryside we like to explore a National Park by bike or hiking or kayak.
With Couchsurfing also talking with the host is an important part, to talk about everything and nothing, to experience their house, meet their friends, cook for them. This includes to go to supermarket, buy a SIM card, understand how the country where we are works.
Russian train experience
Train left on time - 22:02. First carriage was 3rd (plaskartny) class. We got the wagon edge upper berths. Russian third class has not closed spaces of 6 beds. Two lower ones where we sit during the day; two upper ones where all matresses and blankets are during the day and two on the other side of the corridor (russian trains are larger than europeans ones), being the lower one transformed on 2 sits and table during the day. The luggage can be put under the lower sits or on a shelf above the upper berths.
The side berths is 180cm long which makes turning and staying with straight legs a bit unconfortable for me. After checking the tickets for second time (first time with passport at entrance of the train), the wagon responsible distributes a bag with towel and bed sheets. This responsible can also serve tea from a wooden fire heater at one edge of the wagon. We can all use this hot water, and we plan now to buy a small mug to make tea/coffee ourselves.
Tickets are quite cheap in third class, we paid 575R each (about 13EUR) for night train to Petrozavods (about 600km).
More train experiences will go in other posts. Last night on the train to Moscow we talked for a while with a Russian guy which at some point, while Eva was on the toilet, told me 'Maybe you want now to make the berth to your lady?'... And Eva got her bed nicely done by me.
The side berths is 180cm long which makes turning and staying with straight legs a bit unconfortable for me. After checking the tickets for second time (first time with passport at entrance of the train), the wagon responsible distributes a bag with towel and bed sheets. This responsible can also serve tea from a wooden fire heater at one edge of the wagon. We can all use this hot water, and we plan now to buy a small mug to make tea/coffee ourselves.
Tickets are quite cheap in third class, we paid 575R each (about 13EUR) for night train to Petrozavods (about 600km).
More train experiences will go in other posts. Last night on the train to Moscow we talked for a while with a Russian guy which at some point, while Eva was on the toilet, told me 'Maybe you want now to make the berth to your lady?'... And Eva got her bed nicely done by me.
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