Travel to Russia
The adventure began on the train. For some reason, our border guards show more "care" for older Russians than their Russians. For example, they dropped off a grandmother whose passport expires in a day. Right at night they took off the train with all the things. She was driving home. Visited with children in Ukraine. It was very disappointing that we have such "good" border guards. Mommy, who was taking three children to relatives in Russia, also fell under the distribution. In her permit for the export of children, not everything was clearly written (it is understandable for a person in pagons, apparently, legally everything was fine). On the way back, our valiant ones again landed on a guy from Russia. Either his passport was in the cover, or the letters in it were small... Hmm... A sad picture...
In general, the trip was planned for work and with the aim of visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg. There I was met by acquaintances, they arranged a tour))) Moscow is very big and noisy. To communicate on the street, you need to shout over the streams of cars. For some reason, Red Square was also not very impressive. I still don’t understand why everyone is groaning and gasping there))) We staggered along the streets, parks, hung a little on the Moscow River and went home to my friends. Construction work is going on everywhere. But what surprised me was that even in the smallest village where there is a railway station, they have a platform for the train. That is, you calmly take and go into the train. No need to raise your legs in half-twine to climb the stairs into the car. Too bad we don't have that yet. Well, maybe in 50-100 years we will think of making such platforms for people. In the meantime, some grannies manage to substitute a bucket on a string to get into the car. Sad (((
I stayed for two days in Moscow and ahead of me was a flight to Syktyvkar. A strange town. . . Strange in that old wooden houses are intertwined with new, beautiful ones. Wooden houses I don’t even know what year they were made, they stand without a foundation, some are warped, some are partially sunk underground, there are large gaps on the walls. I can’t even imagine how to live in such a place, especially in winter. And the fact that they are residential, it was clear in the evening. Light was on in them. The windows are wooden, the roof is full of holes. . . tin. . . And they have practically no night. At 12 it gets dark and at 3 it gets light. We arrived at 3:50, it was as bright as day.
We also managed to get into the taiga. Its power and size could only be slightly estimated from the plane. It stretches wherever you throw your eye. I'm even afraid to imagine getting lost there. I love the forest since birth, as I grew up next to it, and the way to school every day passed through the forest. But my forest and taiga are like teeth in the mouth of an old woman and in the mouth of a child of 7-9 years old (well, when they have a shift and the x-ray shows teeth in two rows above and below)))
I flew from Syktyvkar to St. Petersburg via Moscow. The flight itself was something. The plane is not big, SU, it is SU in Africa too. . . but I didn't know that then. I'm deaf all the time on the road. I listened to the operation of the engines, they either hummed or not... it was terribly scary. Maybe just saving fuel. After landing, I almost kissed the ground. Even the rolls that were given on board could not distract from nervous experiences. I am not afraid to fly at all and do it quite often. But I have never had such a flight...
Later I told my friend in St. Petersburg, who met me. She asked:
– Did you fly with Aeroflot?
- Well, yes!
- Well, you're a kamikaze. Nobody flies them for a long time.
“Now it’s clear why the plane was half empty, and the ticket for it was cheaper than for the train. ” It seems that I didn’t dream about the malfunction of the plane and thank God that I flew alive)))
In St. Petersburg, we took the first available car from Yandex-drive and first of all went to Peterhof. Yandex drive is something)))) Here you are walking down the street, you find in the application of your phone a car that is close to you, you get into it and drive))) Then you leave it anywhere and go about your business. Well, naturally, they charge you for this service from the card and check for a driver's license. But the service is bombing. Too bad we don't have one yet. Very convenient and cheaper than a taxi.
Peterhof is very beautiful. A lot of statues, greenery, fountains, everything glitters and shines. And a sense of peace. I liked it there very much. After Peterhof we went to the old cemetery))) Where is the chapel of Blessed Xenia. It was unusual)) It turns out that if you go around the chapel 9 times and make a wish, it will come true. You will not believe it, but a herd of people who want one after another obediently walk in a circle and mumble their desires. Well, of course, I also joined the herd))) I wonder if it will come true or not. True, I already forgot what I was thinking. It was necessary to make a good memory)) Then we went to certain graves, put candles and coins. My friend definitely knew where to put what and what to ask for, she stocked up with candles and coins in advance. Well, I did everything right under her guidance))) You never know, suddenly it will help))) They say that people see ghosts in this cemetery. I looked and looked and saw nothing. Apparently, they were scared of me and hid )))
We also rode a boat along the canals, listened to a guide who talked about bridges, the Peter and Paul Fortress and heard a cannon. At every step in St. Petersburg there were flocks of Chinese. We stood in line at the Hermitage, wandered there for a couple of hours. We admired many exhibits, especially the bird that sings and turns its head.
On Nevsky Prospect you can eat inexpensively, but very tasty, which we did. Peter himself really liked. City Museum of Architecture. There is something to see. What is not a building is a masterpiece. But at the same time, he is somehow calm, not fussy like Moscow. Maybe because of the river or tourists who emanate happiness and admiration in huge doses. But I would definitely like to go there again.
