As we drove to the village ... Nizhny Novgorod
What is snow for us, what is heat for us, what is pouring rain for us, when. . . Well, the Vorobeichikovs really need it : )
Nizhny Novgorod since childhood has remained in my memory as an elegant and beautiful city, and for some reason festive. Three years ago (in 2016), my husband and I spent two fun weekends there (notes about this trip - "Nizhny Novgorod. A hat acquaintance on the weekend", at that time it was one of the rare cases of childless loitering, which probably increased the sharpness of perception : )). We decided to repeat the raid on the city that had charmed us, but already in an expanded composition - with children (daughter 9 years old, son 7.5). You can read about the idea and the beginning of our little family trip in the previous chapter - were driving… Vladimir”. In this part, I will also not reprint historical references and descriptions, if you are curious about the mentioned objects, follow the links indicated. There is also no enumeration of everything, everything I saw, I will focus only on the most striking places for us. Brief historical background about Nizhny Novgorod D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%9D%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4#%D0%98%D1 %81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F" target="_blank">here.
Views from the walls of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin (light mansion in the center–< small> the hotel where we stayed)
FromVladimir we left at seven o'clock in the morning. 240 km to Nizhny on a good road and in a good car is a trifling matter. I planned a lot of plans for walks around the city, however, as always. I know that the full volume is never fulfilled, but, so to speak, the reserve makes it possible to vary in all unforeseen situations.
Let's go quietly. It’s cloudy… sometimes it’s raining… it somehow becomes sad… And then it starts to rain, no, it’s not rain, but how is it with Butusov “It’s like someone opened all the heavenly taps…”.
The weather deteriorated before our eyes, the downpour ended, then it began with renewed vigor, then subsided again, but did not stop... My husband and I were silent, as it turned out later, we were silent about the same thing: "Immediately turn towards Saransk, without stopping by to Nizhny, or take a chance, after all. . . And it’s somehow a pity to end the planned trip abruptly. . . But I don’t really want to get wet either. . . ”On the outskirts of the city, we stopped to study the precipitation map, and it seems like Yandex promised some enlightenment in the shroud of rain by the middle of the day. And the picture of the movement of clouds was a little encouraging: the clouds on the map strangely walked around the city center without entering it.
Since the hotel had a cancelable reservation until 19:00, we decided, nevertheless, to call in the city. But Limpopo Zoo, sometime next time. This is how it always happens, children suffer first of all, in this case the children's program was mercilessly curtailed, although I myself was not averse to visiting the zoo, I liked it according to the description and reviews.
And for a timid wet start of a walk around Nizhny Novgorod, we went to show the children < strong>cable car, the rain is not a hindrance to the cable car, and the wind is not strong, the cabins are closed - we won’t get wet. And we'll see.
The cable car itself is not new for our guys, oddly enough, they still remember about a bus on a string to Tahtali Mountain in Turkey five years ago. Yes, and with my daughter this April, we took a ride on the cable car in the Sochi Arboretum. Our parental idea was to show the Volga, its power and width, using an unusual way of moving.
The rain tested us for strength. Everything seemed to be over. And when they came to the station, it began with renewed vigor. Yes, we did not see postcard views, as in clear weather, but there was another... rainy charm.
And even a kind of attraction of fear or something, when something suddenly appears from the gray mass and moves towards you...
Just an oncoming booth, but how spectacular! Or you are about to crash into a support pole...
Adrenaline! Looking ahead, I’ll say that this crossing for children was, perhaps, the most vivid impression of Nizhny Novgorod. Usually they have to pull out at least some brief summary of what they saw, but here all the ears were buzzing to the grandmothers.
While we were returning to our shore, the rain stopped once again. How long? Or maybe this is the beginning of the promised end of the bad weather… Eh, it wasn’t there, let’s go to check in to the hotel, and then we’ll think about where to get wet next...
After a painful choice from the variety of hotels in Nizhny Novgorod, a small hotel was booked, affordable in price, but at the very foot of the Kremlin - Baguette Hotel 2*. Since this hotel is not in the catalog of the site, I will put in a word about it here. If not very interesting, feel free to scroll to the end of the italic text.
The location of the Baguette Hotel 2* is superb - the very central center! And Rozhdestvenskaya Street with a renovated embankment nearby, the Kremlin, and there are the Bolshaya Pokrovskaya and Chkalovskaya Stairs. . . But the trouble is with parking, there is no one of your own, where can you find a place in the district. And the streets are narrow, but with a large difference in heights. By evening, however, employees of institutions and offices are leaving, and the choice of parking spaces becomes huge.
A small mansion, clean, tidy. There are water coolers on the floors. Please note that there is no elevator and the stairs are quite steep. Although after the Nizhny Novgorod steeps, an additional couple of flights of stairs will not even be fixed in the mind : )).
The number suited us just fine. After the inspection, they gave the go-ahead and by the time we returned, it was understaffed for four. The children sat on the sofa.
The bathroom is cramped. Shampoo and shower gel in sachets available, liquid soap. My growing hotel connoisseurs were indignant at the lack of dental kits – who, if not them, definitely need them, they are tired of their brushes : )). They did not find a hair dryer, but we had our own, so they did not become interested, perhaps on request. Or maybe it was in the cupboard under the sink? Of the provided benefits of mankind, we only needed a TV: somehow via satellite, from two remote controls... figured it out, and a kettle. The room has air conditioning, safe, refrigerator and microwave (more photos in the album).
If you stay for a few days - things are necessary. The closet door was a little annoying to close, you need to use force.
In general, the room is clean, but the condition itself is somewhat shabby: stains, scuffs on the carpet and walls, loose furniture. It's time to think about cosmetics. But for the cost of living we paid, everything suited us.
Yes, there was still a moment, there were mosquitoes, but if they bit us, then imperceptibly, or we turned out to be inedible : )). But in the morning they interfered with sleep...
The navigator led the way to the place of our lodging for the night along the Nizhnevolzhskaya embankment. Well, you can't just drive past Chkalov Stairs : ))
Although it's gloomy in the sky, it doesn't pour from it yet. And it pleases.
Seeing this grandiose structure, my daughter asked in horror: “And we will go there? ". “Why not, ” my father replied, which shocked me. I thought that he was mocking me, knowing my special affection for all sorts of scrambling and climbing. It's me who always pulls him up the towers and stairs! And here, you see, it took to catch up last time, then we simply did not have enough time for the stairs. That's how it happens, it seems that you know a person for more than a dozen years, and you can already hear what was said by the look, and you can even predict what you haven’t thought yourself yet... And here is what a ferdibobel - to the monument to V. Chkalov go up, count the steps, you need to know for sure how many there are - 560 or 443 : )) . My attempts to protect the family from this event did not lead to success, the forces were unequal - one against three. And we went, and some of them galloped! But the climb was not as difficult as I thought. This, probably, repeated training affects)). Yes, by the way, according to our version, there are 438 steps. What are your options?
At the top is a standard photo shoot against the backdrop of the Volga and walls Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. And... a new turn from my husband (something became active today): “Let's go along the Kremlin wall, since we are nearby. Remember how fun it was then. The kids should love it. " Yeah, fun... Then I was accused by him of attempting the premeditated murder of my own husband through exorbitant physical exertion : )). Three years ago, we walked the route from Ivanovskaya Tower to Dmitrievskaya, as if upward, overcame many steps and quite steep ones, well, it was hard. In addition, the ascent through the Ivanovskaya Tower was narrow and winding, as befits medieval towers. Here are some photos from the past.
In the Ivanovskaya Tower
A section of the wall now inaccessible to tourists
And now everything has changed: entry and exit is only through Dmitrievskaya, that is, you go back and forth, and only to the Northern Tower (if I identified it correctly), the most interesting the segment is closed for restoration. I already read that a comprehensive reconstruction and restoration has begun in the Kremlin, timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the city in 2021. No special obstacles were found along the current route. Boring. Our child, of course, found entertainment.
No, not an umbrella in his hands, but a squeaker : ))
And the views from the Kremlin walls are invariably good! Can you spot the differences between 2016 and 2019?
That's right - views of Strelka, there was no cargo port there, but a stadium appeared.
2016
2019
While the children mastered military equipment. . .
. . . I once again peered into the faces of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, natives of Gorky and the Gorky region. A unique panel was opened in May 2014, and work on it was finally completed a year later, in time for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.
Thank you!! !
Life goes on. Moving on…
By the way, while we are in the Kremlin, as it is now fashionable to say, a life hack (the children taught me a word) for guests Nizhniy Novgorod, and for local residents walking near the Kremlin walls:
If you want a tasty and inexpensive meal, then go straight to the administration of Nizhniy Novgorod, which is located on the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin – is very convenient for hungry tourists)). We accidentally found out about this place, we asked Yandex where to eat while walking around the Kremlin, and he showed us the “Kremlin Dining Room” right here – in the Kremlin. But we couldn’t find it right away, there were no identification marks in the area, Yandex circles us around the building, but it’s clearly not a canteen... but the administration : ))
Enter the building, in the lobby to the left, in front of the turnstiles down the stairs. And voila! (more photos in the album, with price tags)
Affordable, tasty, nice! It is difficult for me to feed the children on the road, they seem to prefer simple food: without sauces and additional inclusions, but go get one in food establishments, solid fries and nuggets : )). Canteens help out, but not all are so tasty. It so happened that we had either lunch or dinner there. And the whole family unanimously decided that we would not go further along the route until we had breakfast the next morning in the "Kremlin dining room". So they did.
But there is a big minus of this cafeteria – is closed on weekends! Weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm, Fridays until 4 pm. But if you are brought to the city on weekdays, then keep in mind : )).
Yandex did not deceive: the weather cleared up, the sun played hide-and-seek with us, now hiding, now looking out from behind the clouds. The mood naturally took on a joyful mood, and we went to roam around the city. In general, our walks are not particularly original. Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street with obligatory horse races, funny signs. . .
. . . and curious childhood observations.
Views from the Lykova dam.
Zelensky congress from below and Koromyslov Tower of the Kremlin, wrapped in legends.
Zelensky Congress from above and Nikolskaya Tower.
The dilapidated steps in the Pochaina ravine. . .
. . . along which the navigator paved the shortest walking path to our Baguette Hotel 2*.
And steep steps to the Kremlin walls from the church Nativity of John the Baptist.
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky.
And again the views, only already sunny.
The Nizhne-Volzhskaya embankment was completely reconstructed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. We got drunk there late in the evening without children. Yes, it happens, and they run out of seemingly inexhaustible never-ending forces, the generator of indefatigable children's energy is turned off, and the children simply pass out even before the light heads touch the pillows. The revelers had enough strength for a single shot.
In the morning, we were visited by ambivalent feelings: it seems like we need to go, our mothers phoned, they say, when we will be there, but we didn’t want to leave Nizhny Novgorod so soon. We fell in love with him, but there is still a lot of unexplored and unexamined left. Okay, moms will understand and forgive : )).
Three years ago, my husband and I hung around in the Strelki area, but then this place was inaccessible to ordinary tourists, there was a cargo port.
2016
Accidentally or not so accidentally, but in 2016 the organization went bankrupt. In the process of preparing for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the area was cleared and even during the dismantling of the port facilities, structures of historical value were discovered - warehouses. Initially, this entire structure was the pavilion of the 15th All-Russian Industrial Exhibition held in Moscow in 1892, the curious can look here. And by 1896 it was already transported to Nizhny Novgorod, where it served as the frame of the glass main pavilion of the 16th All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition. This exhibition was the first and last held in a provincial city of the Russian Empire. And thanks to her, there were large financial investments in the improvement and development of the infrastructure of Nizhny Novgorod. If you are interested, you can learn more about this read here. In 1900, the metal structures were purchased, bricked up and used as warehouses.
Surely there is some kind of official entrance to this not so seriously, but, nevertheless, fenced area. But we did not find him, there were no people in the foreseeable area, and we crawled through a hole in the fence. Hooligans! I confess that our actions led my daughter to some bewilderment, but our son was very pleased : )). After some time, people began to appear from somewhere... Perhaps they went through our paths, but rather, through some kind of gate, well, it cannot be. To be honest, we were not very interested in the warehouses, there was a stupid desire to look at the very confluence of the Oka and the Volga. You can still see it from the walls of the Kremlin. And then my “I want to! ".
Well, there is, of course, nothing special. Unless we - adults - speculated among ourselves about the greatness of the two rivers, about the history of the Russian State in general and Nizhny Novgorod in particular, about long-standing events and ups and downs of recent decades... Children have their own vision of this issue : )). “Not a step back, not a step in place, but only forward and only all together! ".
Let's look at the beauty of Nizhny Novgorod from the other side. Oh, and a handsome Nizhny Novgorod!
It is strange that such areas are empty.
But it seems that some progress is planned in the field of improvement of this piece, the 800th anniversary of the city is not far off (2021). And now, I read, warehouses and adjacent territories are used for holding all kinds of art festivals.
Being on Strelka, you can't just walk past the majestic Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. We visited the temple on our last visit, then there were still fences around, closed territories. Now, against the backdrop of an open and ennobled space, it is even more solemn.
Of course, we ran past a modern attraction - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Before leaving the city, we decided to entertain our backbiters offspring, add "childish" to our tour, and went to Children's Railway.
Train departure times: 10.00, 11.00, 14.00, 15.00.
Ticket price: up to 5 years old – free, from 5 to 10 years old – 105 rubles, from 10 years old – 155 rubles. During our visit there was only cash payment.
My husband and I were interested in watching children doing adult work.
The younger the child, the more serious the approach, the older - the... no, not irresponsible, but a more relaxed worker : )). The guys perform all actions (locomotive control, coupling and uncoupling of cars, duties of conductors) independently, but under the supervision of senior mentors. The train makes two stops of 10 minutes each, where the change of locomotives takes place, you can watch this process. Only this is not announced in any way, and most passengers remain in the cars. But our cubs, to be honest, the whole event was not particularly impressed. No, our perpetual motion son announced that he was not averse to driving a train, and even, perhaps, to learn this business, just a little bit... But who will take him here, but he himself did not remember the way : )).
That was the end of our little family trip. Or rather, we went further to Saransk, but this is just a way home, not a journey. And we will definitely return to Nizhny Novgorod, I don’t know when, but for sure! Agreed characters : ))
Summing up. Well, what can I say… The usual set of words: I liked it, cool, great : )). Both the adults are happy and the children are safe! Of course, it’s difficult with children, I won’t hide it, especially when there are more than one of them : )). And what to do... That's right! To combine necessity with usefulness and pleasantness – to escape from everyday life, have fun for yourself and your children, along the way learn something new in this life, repeat the forgotten, and at the same time send the children to the village for the holidays. Such a "journey between things" turned out : )).
