Russia river cruise - trip report
Jul 8th, 2007, 08:03 AM
#1
Russia river cruise - trip report
I�ve already posted my photo link but thought I�d start a new thread for my trip report. In case you missed it:
http://kbutler8.photosite.com/Russia/
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This was a trip of serendipity. My sister (Kathye, with an �e�) and I had planned for China this year when two friends we�d met on a 2002 trip to Spain and Portugal (Kathy, no �e,� and Chuck) invited us to join them on a Russian river cruise.
The Kremlin Wall over the Great Wall? A felt boot factory in Yaraslovj instead of the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian? The VOLGA River rather than the Yangtze and Li? Sis, are you sure? She was. And so we went.
China still beckons, but our trip to Russia was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Here�s our story...
We flew United out of Washington/Dulles and were delayed two hours at the gate because of thunderstorms, causing us to miss our connection with Lufthansa in Frankfurt. We had two options: wait six hours for the next Lufthansa flight to Moscow or... take Aeroflot (the United agent assured us they hardly ever crash anymore). Comforted (right), we went with the Russians and had no problems. I think it was my first flight ever where none of the announcements were made in English, but that was ok since we knew the drill: fasten seatbelts and get off when everyone else does.
The food was the worst I�d ever had on any airline, but they did smile when they gave it to us. I�m not sure what the bread was made of, but a mixture of cardboard and styrofoam seems more likely than anything in the wheat category. Still, they got us there safely.
Passport control was next, and while the Russians may have caught on quickly to free-market reforms, they have a ways to go with crowd control. Apparently, no one has mentioned those ropes you can use to line people up in an orderly fashion. Instead of a queue, there was a mob of thousands (well, maybe about 100 - don�t you drop a couple zeroes before doing conversions? or is that just with money?) crushing toward about five passport control desks. And to make matters worse, each dour officer scrutinized each and every passport for at least 5 minutes. Newsflash: hordes of people are probably not clamoring to enter Russia illegally, but you�d have thought they were. Welcome to Moscow.
Since we�d missed our flight and changed airlines, we were worried Intrav (the tour company) wouldn�t be there. But the orange Intrav sign we saw as we (finally) reached the front of the mob was the best sight so far. Once through the passport formalities, Intrav personnel took care of the rest - got our luggage and transferred us via van to the ship, the Glushkov. We�d made it. YAY!
Ship accommodations: our room, second category from bottom, was fine. Yes, it was small as expected, but it was well-designed. Two lower bunks with a table between. Plenty of shelf space on one side of the room. Two small closets, each with a draw and shelf space. And a small bathroom but with plenty of hot water and good water pressure in the shower. Fresh bottles of water in the small refrigerator (new bottles appeared every day and were also available at breakfast and handed out on the bus whenever we had tours). Don't drink the water, we were told. And candy on the pillow ever night. Doesn�t get much better than that!
Tomorrow - MOSCOW. To be continued. (Oh, and by the way, my name's Karen for those you who don't know me from the Asia board.)
http://kbutler8.photosite.com/Russia/
-------
This was a trip of serendipity. My sister (Kathye, with an �e�) and I had planned for China this year when two friends we�d met on a 2002 trip to Spain and Portugal (Kathy, no �e,� and Chuck) invited us to join them on a Russian river cruise.
The Kremlin Wall over the Great Wall? A felt boot factory in Yaraslovj instead of the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian? The VOLGA River rather than the Yangtze and Li? Sis, are you sure? She was. And so we went.
China still beckons, but our trip to Russia was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Here�s our story...
We flew United out of Washington/Dulles and were delayed two hours at the gate because of thunderstorms, causing us to miss our connection with Lufthansa in Frankfurt. We had two options: wait six hours for the next Lufthansa flight to Moscow or... take Aeroflot (the United agent assured us they hardly ever crash anymore). Comforted (right), we went with the Russians and had no problems. I think it was my first flight ever where none of the announcements were made in English, but that was ok since we knew the drill: fasten seatbelts and get off when everyone else does.
The food was the worst I�d ever had on any airline, but they did smile when they gave it to us. I�m not sure what the bread was made of, but a mixture of cardboard and styrofoam seems more likely than anything in the wheat category. Still, they got us there safely.
Passport control was next, and while the Russians may have caught on quickly to free-market reforms, they have a ways to go with crowd control. Apparently, no one has mentioned those ropes you can use to line people up in an orderly fashion. Instead of a queue, there was a mob of thousands (well, maybe about 100 - don�t you drop a couple zeroes before doing conversions? or is that just with money?) crushing toward about five passport control desks. And to make matters worse, each dour officer scrutinized each and every passport for at least 5 minutes. Newsflash: hordes of people are probably not clamoring to enter Russia illegally, but you�d have thought they were. Welcome to Moscow.
Since we�d missed our flight and changed airlines, we were worried Intrav (the tour company) wouldn�t be there. But the orange Intrav sign we saw as we (finally) reached the front of the mob was the best sight so far. Once through the passport formalities, Intrav personnel took care of the rest - got our luggage and transferred us via van to the ship, the Glushkov. We�d made it. YAY!
Ship accommodations: our room, second category from bottom, was fine. Yes, it was small as expected, but it was well-designed. Two lower bunks with a table between. Plenty of shelf space on one side of the room. Two small closets, each with a draw and shelf space. And a small bathroom but with plenty of hot water and good water pressure in the shower. Fresh bottles of water in the small refrigerator (new bottles appeared every day and were also available at breakfast and handed out on the bus whenever we had tours). Don't drink the water, we were told. And candy on the pillow ever night. Doesn�t get much better than that!
Tomorrow - MOSCOW. To be continued. (Oh, and by the way, my name's Karen for those you who don't know me from the Asia board.)
Jul 8th, 2007, 10:54 AM
#3
Amused by the passport scrum. I went in and out of Russia by train, and it took a full three hours to leave (and another three to get into Mongolia). I think six different uniformed people came through on the way in! At least we were sitting down while we waited instead of trying to stand in line. (But the toilets were locked.)
Jul 8th, 2007, 11:18 AM
#4
MOSCOW
Highlights: Red Square, Tretyakov Gallery, and the Kremlin
Lowlights: Traffic, distance from boat to center of town
The drive from the river dock to the center of town took over an hour, not because of the distance but because Moscow’s traffic rivals that of the D.C. beltway. After Intrav’s obligatory morning bus tour with a restroom stop at squat toilets (a first for many of our traveling companions), a $4 nesting dolls purchase, and a look at a convent where well-to-do husbands in the old days sent their wives when they wanted to get rid of them, we concluded the morning with a ride on the Metro.
(There were five buses, by the way, for our boat of 220. We stayed with the same bus and tour guides throughout our Moscow stay and again in St. Petersburg. It worked quite well. Each bus had two guides, and they typically broke us into two groups while touring - thus the groups were a reasonable size. Intrav was extremely efficient with logistics.)
Metro stations in Moscow are a tourist sight in their own right - clean and decorated with Socialist Realist art. Quite impressive. We rode to the stop near Red Square, and while the rest of the group headed for the National Hotel for lunch (tough steak we later learned), Kathy, Kathye, and I broke from the group to find a small cafe and explore on our own. Although it was hard to do on this kind of trip, Intrav was great about giving a little free rein for those who wanted some independent time. We found an exclusive cafe a friend of Kathy’s had told her about in Gum’s Department Store (an upscale mall that would be more at home in Beverly Hills than Moscow) and enjoyed some Coke and pastries for about $30.
Then, we passed through the arches under the red steeples, past the beggars - and popped out into Red Square. I’m not sure what I was expecting... but it lived up to any preconceived notions I might have had. It’s huge - larger than any European square I’ve seen (and I’ve seen quite a few). It’s wide open - not cluttered with souvenir stands and restaurants - and covered with gray paving brick. St. Basil’s - the colorful onion-domed cathedral memorable during the Cold War as the backdrop on the evening news when broadcasters were in Moscow - stands flirting in the distance, brazenly beckoning. There were a lot of people, but not huge crowds - plenty of space for strolling.
We spent the extra 100 rubles ($2.50) to see the inside: small chambers covered with faded frescoes and icons, and soaring ceilings. Some find it a disappointment; I thought it lovely. The highlight was a men’s quartet chorale group. Absolutely beautiful - voices reverberating in the soaring chamber.
Then it was back to the boat for dinner. Meals, all-inclusive except alcohol and soft drinks, were good. Lunch and dinner were full-service; breakfast was a buffet. There were two dining rooms on board - you were assigned to one upon arrival.
I do tend to go on and on, so I’ll stop here for now. More Moscow later...
Highlights: Red Square, Tretyakov Gallery, and the Kremlin
Lowlights: Traffic, distance from boat to center of town
The drive from the river dock to the center of town took over an hour, not because of the distance but because Moscow’s traffic rivals that of the D.C. beltway. After Intrav’s obligatory morning bus tour with a restroom stop at squat toilets (a first for many of our traveling companions), a $4 nesting dolls purchase, and a look at a convent where well-to-do husbands in the old days sent their wives when they wanted to get rid of them, we concluded the morning with a ride on the Metro.
(There were five buses, by the way, for our boat of 220. We stayed with the same bus and tour guides throughout our Moscow stay and again in St. Petersburg. It worked quite well. Each bus had two guides, and they typically broke us into two groups while touring - thus the groups were a reasonable size. Intrav was extremely efficient with logistics.)
Metro stations in Moscow are a tourist sight in their own right - clean and decorated with Socialist Realist art. Quite impressive. We rode to the stop near Red Square, and while the rest of the group headed for the National Hotel for lunch (tough steak we later learned), Kathy, Kathye, and I broke from the group to find a small cafe and explore on our own. Although it was hard to do on this kind of trip, Intrav was great about giving a little free rein for those who wanted some independent time. We found an exclusive cafe a friend of Kathy’s had told her about in Gum’s Department Store (an upscale mall that would be more at home in Beverly Hills than Moscow) and enjoyed some Coke and pastries for about $30.
Then, we passed through the arches under the red steeples, past the beggars - and popped out into Red Square. I’m not sure what I was expecting... but it lived up to any preconceived notions I might have had. It’s huge - larger than any European square I’ve seen (and I’ve seen quite a few). It’s wide open - not cluttered with souvenir stands and restaurants - and covered with gray paving brick. St. Basil’s - the colorful onion-domed cathedral memorable during the Cold War as the backdrop on the evening news when broadcasters were in Moscow - stands flirting in the distance, brazenly beckoning. There were a lot of people, but not huge crowds - plenty of space for strolling.
We spent the extra 100 rubles ($2.50) to see the inside: small chambers covered with faded frescoes and icons, and soaring ceilings. Some find it a disappointment; I thought it lovely. The highlight was a men’s quartet chorale group. Absolutely beautiful - voices reverberating in the soaring chamber.
Then it was back to the boat for dinner. Meals, all-inclusive except alcohol and soft drinks, were good. Lunch and dinner were full-service; breakfast was a buffet. There were two dining rooms on board - you were assigned to one upon arrival.
I do tend to go on and on, so I’ll stop here for now. More Moscow later...
Jul 8th, 2007, 11:32 AM
#5
A couple of things I forgot: the drive into town, although slow, was fascinating. Lots and lots of rundown apartment buildings. The Stalin-era ones typically had ornamentation/carvings on the sides. The Kruschev ones were truly the ugliest - no architectural interest whatsoever. Poorly kept. Then suddenly you'd drive by a gorgeous train station that wouldn't look out of place in Paris. All of it fascinating.
Jul 8th, 2007, 04:30 PM
#6
MOSCOW - continued
Next day was an early morning departure for our tour of the Kremlin and Armory Museum. The latter was a feast for the eyes: all the trappings of royals - gold and silver and gowns and armor and gilded carriages. One of the royal family members (Catherine?) had something like 5,000 gowns (she never wore one twice) - and as many shoes as Imelda Marcos! It was an amazing place. We had early admission as part of our tour - but if you don’t, I'd recommend arriving early (or maybe waiting until late in the day). It was packed by the time we left to see the cathedrals.
Here’s where being with a tour group wasn’t the greatest. They split us up and took each group into a different cathedral where we got a 10-minute (slightly boring) overview of the inside. They usually tell me more than I want to know - maybe I just have a short attention span. Anyway, I wish we’d left the group and taken a quick peek inside several of the churches, instead. It’s so easy to let yourself slip into the herd mentality. (The guides overall, by the way, were excellent - my previous comments notwithstanding. All were locals who spoke good English, had a good sense of humor, and sprinkled in an occasional personal story to make the narrative more interesting. Intrav did a great job with the guides.)
Then it was back to the boat for lunch. That afternoon we had free time, and a bus dropped us off at Arabat Street where we strolled and enjoyed the street scene - vendors, musicians, shops. We veered onto a side street to check out an onion-domed church - where, unbeknownst to us until fellow travelers pointed it out later, an open coffin was on display, apparently for an evening wake.
Dinner that evening was in town at the Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel. It was quite good (salmon) and included wine. Afterwards, we were treated to an opera performance (“opera light,” as we referred to it - which was just as well since I’m not much of a fan) at the Kolobov Novaya Opera House. It was fun - and the hour and 15-minute show was plenty for me. Kathye only caught me dozing once.
On our final day in Moscow, we spent the morning at the Tretyakov Gallery, with its amazing collection of Russian art - from 14th century religious icons to 19th century Impressionism and much more. I consider it a must-see, ranking with Red Square and the Kremlin as top Moscow attractions.
That evening we said good-bye to Moscow and began our river voyage.
My only regret was missing the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum (maybe next time?).
To be continued...
Next day was an early morning departure for our tour of the Kremlin and Armory Museum. The latter was a feast for the eyes: all the trappings of royals - gold and silver and gowns and armor and gilded carriages. One of the royal family members (Catherine?) had something like 5,000 gowns (she never wore one twice) - and as many shoes as Imelda Marcos! It was an amazing place. We had early admission as part of our tour - but if you don’t, I'd recommend arriving early (or maybe waiting until late in the day). It was packed by the time we left to see the cathedrals.
Here’s where being with a tour group wasn’t the greatest. They split us up and took each group into a different cathedral where we got a 10-minute (slightly boring) overview of the inside. They usually tell me more than I want to know - maybe I just have a short attention span. Anyway, I wish we’d left the group and taken a quick peek inside several of the churches, instead. It’s so easy to let yourself slip into the herd mentality. (The guides overall, by the way, were excellent - my previous comments notwithstanding. All were locals who spoke good English, had a good sense of humor, and sprinkled in an occasional personal story to make the narrative more interesting. Intrav did a great job with the guides.)
Then it was back to the boat for lunch. That afternoon we had free time, and a bus dropped us off at Arabat Street where we strolled and enjoyed the street scene - vendors, musicians, shops. We veered onto a side street to check out an onion-domed church - where, unbeknownst to us until fellow travelers pointed it out later, an open coffin was on display, apparently for an evening wake.
Dinner that evening was in town at the Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel. It was quite good (salmon) and included wine. Afterwards, we were treated to an opera performance (“opera light,” as we referred to it - which was just as well since I’m not much of a fan) at the Kolobov Novaya Opera House. It was fun - and the hour and 15-minute show was plenty for me. Kathye only caught me dozing once.
On our final day in Moscow, we spent the morning at the Tretyakov Gallery, with its amazing collection of Russian art - from 14th century religious icons to 19th century Impressionism and much more. I consider it a must-see, ranking with Red Square and the Kremlin as top Moscow attractions.
That evening we said good-bye to Moscow and began our river voyage.
My only regret was missing the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum (maybe next time?).
To be continued...
Jul 8th, 2007, 05:06 PM
#7
chica - Thought i responded to your question earlier, but I don't seem to see it. We used Intrav and the ship was the MS Glushkov (which I think I mentioned, but it's buried in the text somewhere).
Jul 9th, 2007, 04:43 AM
#10
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Your description of passport control in Moscow made me laugh. Can you believe they haven't heard of such ropes in France either. CDG is pathetic - a huge crowd, no guidance by anyone so most people were in the wrong "queue" anyway and only one person looking at passports. Where are we??
Jul 9th, 2007, 03:07 PM
#13
Weather was great! Mostly sunny days, temperatures in the 70s to around 80. It was rainy/overcast only a couple of times. Evenings/early mornings were cool. I get cold easily and took clothes for layering, including short-sleeve tops, a couple of cardigan sweaters and a lightweight Gortex parka, plus pants and capris. Worked perfectly for me.
Regarding the cell phone, I don't know. We didn't have one and didn't need to make calls, so we didn't inquire.
CDG is the same for passport control? I'd forgotten that (been awhile since I've been there). Even Luang Prabang, Laos, and Siem Reap, Cambodia, were more orderly! We just stared at the mob in bewilderment - I'd never seen anything quite like it. And people were posturing to sneak in front of others who had been there first. It was unreal!
And thanks for the support - I'll be writing more soon!
Regarding the cell phone, I don't know. We didn't have one and didn't need to make calls, so we didn't inquire.
CDG is the same for passport control? I'd forgotten that (been awhile since I've been there). Even Luang Prabang, Laos, and Siem Reap, Cambodia, were more orderly! We just stared at the mob in bewilderment - I'd never seen anything quite like it. And people were posturing to sneak in front of others who had been there first. It was unreal!
And thanks for the support - I'll be writing more soon!
Jul 9th, 2007, 03:30 PM
#14
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Fabulous reading...please continue.
We are going to be staying at a hotel in Moscow for 4 days as part of the GCT trip. I think I am glad due the traffic issue. How did you feel about taking the subway on your own? Was it easy to navigate? Did you feel safe? We have about 1 1/2 days of free time and I plan to take the subway whenever I can. Thanks.
We are going to be staying at a hotel in Moscow for 4 days as part of the GCT trip. I think I am glad due the traffic issue. How did you feel about taking the subway on your own? Was it easy to navigate? Did you feel safe? We have about 1 1/2 days of free time and I plan to take the subway whenever I can. Thanks.
Jul 9th, 2007, 04:25 PM
#15
I wish we had stayed at a hotel while in Moscow/St. Petersburg rather than having to commute by bus into town. It would have given us more independence. The advantage to being on the boat the entire time was we didn't have to pack and unpack. That was a real luxury! I suspect you'll enjoy being in town, though.
Regarding the subway, we didn't do it on our own - were with the group. But it looked like every other metro station (except prettier!) in every other country, so I'm guessing it would be pretty easy. Good luck!
Regarding the subway, we didn't do it on our own - were with the group. But it looked like every other metro station (except prettier!) in every other country, so I'm guessing it would be pretty easy. Good luck!
Jul 9th, 2007, 05:29 PM
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It is no real problem taking the metro in either Moscow or St Petersburg. Plan your trips, count the stops. The stations are only a short walk from the river ports. The station for Moscow North River Port is at Rechnoy Vokzal at the north end of Green Line, nine stops would take you near Red Square. In St Petersburg the metro is a short walk to Proletskaya station, towards the left, as you exit the ship. From the metro station it is 5 stops into the city. Watch what you are doing on the escalators as some are long and move fast.
Jul 10th, 2007, 06:18 AM
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Keep going. This is fascinating, and we have debated the merits of taking one of these cruises vs. tackling St. Petersburg and Moscow on our own (hopefully accompanied by out Russian speaking daughter-in-law).
Jul 10th, 2007, 02:08 PM
#19
julies - I can see advantages to both. On the river cruise, all the logistics are taken care of, so it's easy. You're with a group, though, so you're bit insulated and have fewer opportunities for serendipitous encounters and discoveries. Then again - you get to see places like Uglich and Yaraslovj and Kizhi Island, which you wouldn't likely do on your own. Plus, you have the camaraderie of your fellow travelers. So both have their advantages. I'll go into this more as I continue... (hopefully later this evening!).
Jul 10th, 2007, 04:26 PM
#20
ON THE MOVE...FIRST STOP: UGLICH
We left Moscow under cloudy skies, excited to be starting a new phase to our adventure. We quickly settled into life onboard ship, with just enough to do to keep things interesting but not so much to do that you couldn’t relax (the latter being hard for Type A me!).
That evening was the captain’s welcome reception - with vodka and champagne and hors d’oeuvres and casual mingling (none of which my sister and I are very good at - although after a little champagne, we get better at the mingling part). I tasted the vodka (we were in Russia, after all) - but was kind of turned off by the smell, which reminded me of something I’d rub on my finger before trying to remove a splinter. It burned all the way down. A small sip was plenty.
Also that evening (and every evening) there was ENTERTAINMENT(!) in the “Sky Bar.” The Russian folk music performance, like those that followed, was cheesy but fun - something I thought my parents would have liked. (I was enjoying that thought until I suddenly realized I was fast approaching the age they were when they did this kind of traveling - ouch!)
Besides the evening extravaganzas (ok, "extravaganza" is overstating it - there was one singer, one keyboard player, and one guitarist - but they were VERY enthusiastic)... anyway, besides them, there were lectures (all excellent) on Russian history, culture, and politics presented by a Moscow professor and a professor from the University of Arizona, Russian language classes (very basic), and lectures by the gift-shop girls on such topics as lacquered miniatures and Russian traditional costumes, plus a cooking class AND... “Stretching with Andrew” in the Sky Bar every morning at 7:00. (Somehow, we never made it to stretching with Andrew!)
The crewmembers, by the way, were all native Russians - several of them college students. Their English was limited - except for Dmitry, the tall, slender dining room waiter who took bar orders with an affectation of suave sophistication (a bit much for a 21-year-old!). His English was excellent, and he’d have made a great character actor in an old-time B movie. We learned toward the end of the cruise that he was an engineering major - never would have guessed it.
The next day we slept in, enjoyed our usual breakfast of fruit, cereal, and pastries (there was more, but what more would anyone need?), and spent the morning organizing our stuff, browsing the two small gift shops, and watching the shoreline go by. The locks we passed through were also an entertaining spectacle. All in all it was great!
That afternoon, after breezing through Ten Centuries of Russian History with Professor Margarita in an hour (really!), we arrived at Uglich.
Uglich? UGLICH? Who’s heard of Uglich? Well, I certainly never had, but visiting an actual small town in honest-to-goodness rural Russia, touristy though it was, turned out to be a great experience. Full of history, too.
Back in 1591, after Ivan the Terrible’s death, his only heir, 10-year-old Dmitry (hm... no relation to the waiter, as far as I know) was banished to Uglich - and one day turned up dead in the town square with his throat cut. It was first thought he’d been murdered, but a tribunal later ruled he’d fallen on his knife while having an epileptic seizure. (Sounded like Maury Pauvich stuff to me: kid has seizure, falls on knife, slits throat. Yeah, right.) Anyway, it made Uglich famous and started a power struggle that ultimately led to the “Time of Troubles.” History aside, Uglich is great.
We walked off the boat, past literally a hundred or more small souvenir stands (with nesting dolls, jewelry, scarves, lacquered boxes, fur hats, Soviet military paraphernalia, etc.), and joined a short walking tour. A couple of lovely old churches (Transfiguration Cathedral and Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood) with brightly colored exteriors, onion domes, and beautiful interiors (frescoes/icons), but not that well kept up, were the main sights.
After the tour, we were free to stroll - the best part. We browsed a couple of shops (I bought a Chaika watch - $24 and quite lovely), strolled past some small wooden houses, checked out a church on the edge of town that seemed closed for repairs (or beyond repair, we weren’t sure which).
At one point, an exuberant blonde boy, about 10 or 11, kept jumping in front of me wanting his picture taken. He was quite the ham, so I obliged - whereupon he promptly held out his hand and asked for $1. Live and learn.
There were also quite a few old women selling bouquets of wildflowers for a dollar (a common sight throughout Russia, it seemed). There was a sadness about them, but a sweetness, too. My sister and Kathy bought flowers a couple of times. And I took some pictures (see my photos).
By this point, it was time to return to the boat to set sail for Yaraslovj...more to come.
Hope some of you are hanging in there with me!
We left Moscow under cloudy skies, excited to be starting a new phase to our adventure. We quickly settled into life onboard ship, with just enough to do to keep things interesting but not so much to do that you couldn’t relax (the latter being hard for Type A me!).
That evening was the captain’s welcome reception - with vodka and champagne and hors d’oeuvres and casual mingling (none of which my sister and I are very good at - although after a little champagne, we get better at the mingling part). I tasted the vodka (we were in Russia, after all) - but was kind of turned off by the smell, which reminded me of something I’d rub on my finger before trying to remove a splinter. It burned all the way down. A small sip was plenty.
Also that evening (and every evening) there was ENTERTAINMENT(!) in the “Sky Bar.” The Russian folk music performance, like those that followed, was cheesy but fun - something I thought my parents would have liked. (I was enjoying that thought until I suddenly realized I was fast approaching the age they were when they did this kind of traveling - ouch!)
Besides the evening extravaganzas (ok, "extravaganza" is overstating it - there was one singer, one keyboard player, and one guitarist - but they were VERY enthusiastic)... anyway, besides them, there were lectures (all excellent) on Russian history, culture, and politics presented by a Moscow professor and a professor from the University of Arizona, Russian language classes (very basic), and lectures by the gift-shop girls on such topics as lacquered miniatures and Russian traditional costumes, plus a cooking class AND... “Stretching with Andrew” in the Sky Bar every morning at 7:00. (Somehow, we never made it to stretching with Andrew!)
The crewmembers, by the way, were all native Russians - several of them college students. Their English was limited - except for Dmitry, the tall, slender dining room waiter who took bar orders with an affectation of suave sophistication (a bit much for a 21-year-old!). His English was excellent, and he’d have made a great character actor in an old-time B movie. We learned toward the end of the cruise that he was an engineering major - never would have guessed it.
The next day we slept in, enjoyed our usual breakfast of fruit, cereal, and pastries (there was more, but what more would anyone need?), and spent the morning organizing our stuff, browsing the two small gift shops, and watching the shoreline go by. The locks we passed through were also an entertaining spectacle. All in all it was great!
That afternoon, after breezing through Ten Centuries of Russian History with Professor Margarita in an hour (really!), we arrived at Uglich.
Uglich? UGLICH? Who’s heard of Uglich? Well, I certainly never had, but visiting an actual small town in honest-to-goodness rural Russia, touristy though it was, turned out to be a great experience. Full of history, too.
Back in 1591, after Ivan the Terrible’s death, his only heir, 10-year-old Dmitry (hm... no relation to the waiter, as far as I know) was banished to Uglich - and one day turned up dead in the town square with his throat cut. It was first thought he’d been murdered, but a tribunal later ruled he’d fallen on his knife while having an epileptic seizure. (Sounded like Maury Pauvich stuff to me: kid has seizure, falls on knife, slits throat. Yeah, right.) Anyway, it made Uglich famous and started a power struggle that ultimately led to the “Time of Troubles.” History aside, Uglich is great.
We walked off the boat, past literally a hundred or more small souvenir stands (with nesting dolls, jewelry, scarves, lacquered boxes, fur hats, Soviet military paraphernalia, etc.), and joined a short walking tour. A couple of lovely old churches (Transfiguration Cathedral and Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood) with brightly colored exteriors, onion domes, and beautiful interiors (frescoes/icons), but not that well kept up, were the main sights.
After the tour, we were free to stroll - the best part. We browsed a couple of shops (I bought a Chaika watch - $24 and quite lovely), strolled past some small wooden houses, checked out a church on the edge of town that seemed closed for repairs (or beyond repair, we weren’t sure which).
At one point, an exuberant blonde boy, about 10 or 11, kept jumping in front of me wanting his picture taken. He was quite the ham, so I obliged - whereupon he promptly held out his hand and asked for $1. Live and learn.
There were also quite a few old women selling bouquets of wildflowers for a dollar (a common sight throughout Russia, it seemed). There was a sadness about them, but a sweetness, too. My sister and Kathy bought flowers a couple of times. And I took some pictures (see my photos).
By this point, it was time to return to the boat to set sail for Yaraslovj...more to come.
Hope some of you are hanging in there with me!
