Summer 2013 – from the Black Sea to the Elbrus
Finally came back to Moscow after 23 days of continuous travel. From
Moscow we started on July 23 and travelled to Odessa by train. 25 hours
journey was pleasing enough. We halted there for a few hours, went to
the port, remembered about my last trip in 1988, when we went there to
attend All Soviet Conference. Then we moved to Vilkovo by bus. It took
some 4 hours. Vilkovo is known as the Venice of Ukraine. It is a small,
beautiful city on the Danube. On the other side of the river is
Romania. Here the Danube diverts into 11 parts and falls into the Black
Sea. We reached there around 5 p.m., rented a room, put the luggage and
went for a boat trip to Danube. Next morning we went to the Delta Danube
to see birds. Swans and pelicans were swimming there. After 5 hours
boat trip we came back and went to the nearby beach Primorsk – some 15
km from Vilkovo. In the afternoon we had a walk on the bank of the
Danube. Next day we went for a one day trip to Belgorod Prednestore and
Kulicheva.
Next morning we missed the bus to Izmail, so went to Odessa from where we moved to Simferopol by bus. We reached there at 1.30 a.m., spent a few hours at the station and in the morning moved to Saki. But the kids wanted to go to Evpatoria, so we moved there. Evpatoria is a 2500 years old city founded by the Greeks. In fact there are many cities in Crimea found by the ancient Greeks. There almost every day we took sun bath, swam and walked along the city. First few days were hot, but the last two days water was really cold – around 12C. One day we also made a trip to Sevastopol. Here we visited Inkerman – famous for wine. The word Inkerman means fort city. There are huge ruins of the old forts. We also had a boat trip in Sevastopol. During the boat trip we saw a school of dolphins and loading of cruise missile to Russian War Ship. We came back to Evpatoria late night. Totally we spent eight days in Evpatoria. On 5th August we travelled to Kerch by bus. It tools some 7 hours. Leaving the luggage at the hotel we went to see Kayarsk lake which turns pink. We also visited cape A Pooh – a really beautiful place, just because only a few people can go there due to its unusual position. Next morning we visited a tomb of an old ruler and moved to Russia by ferry.
We were supposed to go to Krasnodar to catch the night train to Sochi. But we couldn’t find any suitable bus from Port Kavkaz to Krasnodar, so went to Sochi by bus, which took 12 hours. In Sochi everything is on construction. Everyone is getting ready for coming Winter Olympic Sochi-2014. So we went to the park Riveria and Park Dendarii to spend the day. At night we took the train and after 12 hours journey reached Kislovodsk. It is a small health resort in Caucasus. We stayed there for two nights. First day we went for a city trip, where we saw many places related to the Great Russian Poet Lermontov. Next morning we went to the Elbrus, the highest peak of Europe. First we mounted the hill Chiget some 3100 m. It is on the border with Georgia, so the highest point was not allowed. Then we mounted the Elbrus, which is 5600 m high. We went to the 4200 m point. I am always afraid of height and didn’t think I could make it. But Seva and Kristina encouraged me and finally we nade it. We also visited the Narzan Valley. It was really a good trip.
Next morning we went to Maikop by bus. From there we moved to Kamennomostskii. It is a beautiful small town. That very day we visited Hadjogskaya tesnina – where the river Belaya is flowing through the hills. Next day we went to see the Rufabgo waterfalls. There were four of them. We made it on foot. Next day we made another trip to Mishoko falls. It is totally wild, almost no man was there. At a time we lost the way, had to climb to the hill top taking unknown way and finally got out of it. It took almost 8 hours instead of supposed 3 hours. The next day was our final day of the summer trip. We went to the Plateau Lagonaki – a very beautiful hill tracks in Adygei. The owner of the guest house where we stayed showed us many beautiful places. At 7.15 pm. He took us to the train station and we left for Moscow. After a total of 32 hours journey we reached home safe and sound on Thursday 5 a.m. August 15, 2013.
I was initially very skeptic about the trip. Though my wife and the kids are making such trip for last five years, it is the first time I joined them. These trips are known as wild trips, when you don’t have concrete plans, except the general sketches. We knew that we are going to Vilkovo and spend sometimes in Crimea as well. Elbrus was also in our plan as well as Kamennimostskii, but we didn’t fix anything. Just go on and sometimes we in places where the night caught us and made whole night journey by bus or train. It was a new experience for me, as I like certainty; I like to know where I am going and what I am going to see as well. So my participation in this trip was always under question. Plus, wherever I go, I like to take photos. To get better photo you need to study the place, but when you are going somewhere for one or two days, it is not possible. It was also a barrier for me. But finally all comes out well. I enjoyed the trip, took some 150 Gb of photos (roughly 6000) – hope I could manage some good ones from there. As usual, I like to talk with people. And everywhere, when there was a chance, I talked with common people. I wanted to know about their present life and that of the past. And everywhere I saw some nostalgia for the Soviet era. In most places life has changed drastically. If most of them, I talked with, are living now better life, they are not happy with the prospect of the society as a whole, small cities are under threat, no job, no security, people mainly young ones, are heading for the big cities to earn their livelihood. No new fabrics, new mills – only recreation centers are growing like mushroom. Looking at the abandoned houses, mills etc. I told my kids «Да, счастливая жизнь для простых тружеников кончилась с падением Советского Союза» (Yes, happy life for ordinary people ended with the fall of Soviet Union).
But I don’t want to finish this note in a pessimistic way. I strongly believe not everything is lost and with a better social oriented economy the life of common people could be improved, even could be made better than it was during the USSR. Finally I hope, I could work out some of the photos taken during the trip soon and share the beauty of the Sea and Mountains with my FB friends.
Have a nice time.
Moscow, August 16, 2013.
Next morning we missed the bus to Izmail, so went to Odessa from where we moved to Simferopol by bus. We reached there at 1.30 a.m., spent a few hours at the station and in the morning moved to Saki. But the kids wanted to go to Evpatoria, so we moved there. Evpatoria is a 2500 years old city founded by the Greeks. In fact there are many cities in Crimea found by the ancient Greeks. There almost every day we took sun bath, swam and walked along the city. First few days were hot, but the last two days water was really cold – around 12C. One day we also made a trip to Sevastopol. Here we visited Inkerman – famous for wine. The word Inkerman means fort city. There are huge ruins of the old forts. We also had a boat trip in Sevastopol. During the boat trip we saw a school of dolphins and loading of cruise missile to Russian War Ship. We came back to Evpatoria late night. Totally we spent eight days in Evpatoria. On 5th August we travelled to Kerch by bus. It tools some 7 hours. Leaving the luggage at the hotel we went to see Kayarsk lake which turns pink. We also visited cape A Pooh – a really beautiful place, just because only a few people can go there due to its unusual position. Next morning we visited a tomb of an old ruler and moved to Russia by ferry.
We were supposed to go to Krasnodar to catch the night train to Sochi. But we couldn’t find any suitable bus from Port Kavkaz to Krasnodar, so went to Sochi by bus, which took 12 hours. In Sochi everything is on construction. Everyone is getting ready for coming Winter Olympic Sochi-2014. So we went to the park Riveria and Park Dendarii to spend the day. At night we took the train and after 12 hours journey reached Kislovodsk. It is a small health resort in Caucasus. We stayed there for two nights. First day we went for a city trip, where we saw many places related to the Great Russian Poet Lermontov. Next morning we went to the Elbrus, the highest peak of Europe. First we mounted the hill Chiget some 3100 m. It is on the border with Georgia, so the highest point was not allowed. Then we mounted the Elbrus, which is 5600 m high. We went to the 4200 m point. I am always afraid of height and didn’t think I could make it. But Seva and Kristina encouraged me and finally we nade it. We also visited the Narzan Valley. It was really a good trip.
Next morning we went to Maikop by bus. From there we moved to Kamennomostskii. It is a beautiful small town. That very day we visited Hadjogskaya tesnina – where the river Belaya is flowing through the hills. Next day we went to see the Rufabgo waterfalls. There were four of them. We made it on foot. Next day we made another trip to Mishoko falls. It is totally wild, almost no man was there. At a time we lost the way, had to climb to the hill top taking unknown way and finally got out of it. It took almost 8 hours instead of supposed 3 hours. The next day was our final day of the summer trip. We went to the Plateau Lagonaki – a very beautiful hill tracks in Adygei. The owner of the guest house where we stayed showed us many beautiful places. At 7.15 pm. He took us to the train station and we left for Moscow. After a total of 32 hours journey we reached home safe and sound on Thursday 5 a.m. August 15, 2013.
I was initially very skeptic about the trip. Though my wife and the kids are making such trip for last five years, it is the first time I joined them. These trips are known as wild trips, when you don’t have concrete plans, except the general sketches. We knew that we are going to Vilkovo and spend sometimes in Crimea as well. Elbrus was also in our plan as well as Kamennimostskii, but we didn’t fix anything. Just go on and sometimes we in places where the night caught us and made whole night journey by bus or train. It was a new experience for me, as I like certainty; I like to know where I am going and what I am going to see as well. So my participation in this trip was always under question. Plus, wherever I go, I like to take photos. To get better photo you need to study the place, but when you are going somewhere for one or two days, it is not possible. It was also a barrier for me. But finally all comes out well. I enjoyed the trip, took some 150 Gb of photos (roughly 6000) – hope I could manage some good ones from there. As usual, I like to talk with people. And everywhere, when there was a chance, I talked with common people. I wanted to know about their present life and that of the past. And everywhere I saw some nostalgia for the Soviet era. In most places life has changed drastically. If most of them, I talked with, are living now better life, they are not happy with the prospect of the society as a whole, small cities are under threat, no job, no security, people mainly young ones, are heading for the big cities to earn their livelihood. No new fabrics, new mills – only recreation centers are growing like mushroom. Looking at the abandoned houses, mills etc. I told my kids «Да, счастливая жизнь для простых тружеников кончилась с падением Советского Союза» (Yes, happy life for ordinary people ended with the fall of Soviet Union).
But I don’t want to finish this note in a pessimistic way. I strongly believe not everything is lost and with a better social oriented economy the life of common people could be improved, even could be made better than it was during the USSR. Finally I hope, I could work out some of the photos taken during the trip soon and share the beauty of the Sea and Mountains with my FB friends.
Have a nice time.
Moscow, August 16, 2013.
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