June 3 and 4, 2017
Vladimir, Suzdal and Yaroslavl are part of Russia's so-called Golden Ring around Moscow.
Suzdal was the capital of the Rostov-Suzdal principality a 1000 years ago, when Moscow was still a bunch of cowsheds. It was able to avoid state-sponsored industrialization of the 20th Century as a result of of it being bypassed by the Trans-siberian railway in 1864 - and so, misfortune turned to fortune. Today, it has over 300 architectural monuments and buildings conserved, with the town frozen in time, and the only industry being the tourists who come to the place.
Vladimir has been around since the 12th Century, when the Mongols conquered it, when the Prince of Vladimir became a vassal of the Khan. It used to be the centre of power of till 1325 when St.Peter moved the center to Moscow.
Yaroslavl was founded in 1010, and till the 17th Century, Russia's second largest city, on the banks of the Volga.
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| KFC, Pizza Hut, MacDonald's - there is an overwhelming American feel to the brands in Russia! |
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| Ticket Inspector with a scanner - Technology has enabled illiterate people to have jobs. Or has Technology has turned people into an illiterate lot? |
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| A proud mother with her daughter, and an onlooker (father perhaps?) |
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| Moscow to Vladimir : My train ran at speeds over 165 kms/hour |
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| If only we had similar wheelchair access at all public places! |
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| I LOVE VLADIMIR |
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| Holy Assumption Cathedral |
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| Trams with their electric wires dot the cities and towns of Russia |
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| Golden Gate (Trinity Church Museum) |
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| Sound & Light Show at Golden Gate |
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| Water Tower |
From Vladimir, a bus goes to Suzdal, and takes about 1.5 hours
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| Spaso-Evfimiyev Monastery Museum Complex |
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| Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius |
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| I toured Suzdal entirely on a bicycle (Photo near the Museum of Wooden Architecture |
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| Lazarus Church |
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| A dog sitting with his friend on a horse carriage waiting for tourists |
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| At Museum of Wooden Architecture |
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| Shrine near Suzdal Kremlin |
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| Epiphany Church |
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| St.Michael the Archangel Church |
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| The Historical City Centre (view from Bell Tower of Cathedral in State History Museum) |
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| State History Museum |
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| Church of Ilya, the Prophet |
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| Dormition Cathedral |
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| River Volga Embankment |
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| Tsar Putin is everywhere! On t-shirts, coffee mugs, riding on bears! |
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| I love Yaroslavl! |
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| A bust of Yaroslav the Wise |
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| Yaroslav on a horse with the city's Coat of Arms at the back |
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| In the Museum: 1990's to date: Pepsi, Konica, Football, EU Hockey League, Dollar Exchange |
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| Museum of 1920's to 1990: Lenin, a uniform, Kremlin, black & white photographs, and the Red Star |
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| A waitress at Restorant Milli taking my order on an android phone and trying to translate things for me in English! |
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| Nastoika! Rasberry, Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Cranberry Liquers |
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| Yurma Soup with Siberian fish and Chicken Balls with slices of Omul, Muksun and Cisco fish! |
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| I have to give the complete description of the most delicious meal in years! This was Pork Shank, marinated in honey and soy brine for 3 days, languishing for 10 hours at a temperature of 90 degrees. Baked on coals and then honey-glazed, simply melting in the mouth, filling my senses with smoky flavors, served with Siberian Cabbage Salad. |
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| Yaroslavl Station at night at 9 p.m. |
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| My train to St. Petersburg: I traveled economy, but it seemed like a prince's train. Observe the metal engraved glass holder, the cup, and the neatness of the coffee cup! |
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| Midnight: a co-passenger glancing out the window of the train at the passing pines: "The moon was shining sulkily because she thought the Sun had no business to be there after the day was done" - Lewis Caroll |
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