Blogs from Centre, Russia, Europe - page 36

Europe » Russia » Centre » Yaroslavl September 6th 2005

A new day, new people to meet. Viktor gave us a history lesson, which started with us telling him about our first impressions of Yaroslavl ("amazing architecture, feels very different to England, hard to find your way around") and finished with a one hour lecture on how the city was founded, and the history of some of the churches and towers. In 1010 Prince Yaroslav the Wise built a fortress on the spot where he killed a bear, and in the 16th century it was Russia's second city after Moscow. It was interesting to hear about what the place we live in was like 995 years ago, but after two hours of speaking and trying to understand Russian we were all exhausted. Another 'crazy crazy landlady' chat in the break over cups of tea, then two ... read more

Back to school.

Europe » Russia » Centre » Yaroslavl September 5th 2005

Dawn, Precious, Sarah and Chris W

Campo

After a breakfast of blini s medom, or pancakes with honey, I followed the map to Yartek for my first day of lessons. Before they started the class compared notes on our landladies. We can't quite understand why they behave towards us as English grans do with toddlers, but we're here to learn about Russian culture - and for all of us all the attention is very welcome! Chris J got his verbs mixed up last night, and instead of saying he wanted to go to the bathroom for a shave he said he wanted to go to the bathroom "to smash things"! I told them that I had got out of the shower this morning and put my towel on the line to dry, got dressed, and when I turned round Tamara Aleksandrovna had taken ... read more

Will you not have a cup?

Europe » Russia » Centre » Yaroslavl September 4th 2005

Church of Il'ya Prorurka

Campo

I was allowed a lie-in until 9. Syrniki - cheese pancakes - awaited me in the kitchen for breakfast, and after a day here my Russian felt ever so slightly more confident. Tamara Aleksandrovna is very warm and friendly, but all the same it is very difficult to communicate with someone of such a different age and culture, in a language I have only been speaking for two years. On a scrap piece of paper she drew me a map of how to get to Yartek: walk along ulitsa Tolbukhina for two blocks - cross the road and turn right at the traffic lights - walk six minutes down ulitsa Svobody (Sva-bo'd-y) towards the tower - then across Ploschad' Truda (past the statue of the naked netball players) - across the main road - follow the ... read more

Missed a bit.

Europe » Russia » Centre » Yaroslavl September 3rd 2005

Tolbukhina.

Campo

I set my alarm for 7 o'clock, to have a lie-in and relax before the day started. At 7.05 Tamara Aleksandrovna woke me up for breakfast. Still rubbing my eyes and not sure of where I was, I went into our kitchen, which is only just big enough for 2 people, with a table in the corner overlooking the rooftops. She had already put my pancakes with honey on the table, along with coffee made by heating milk in a saucepan. I struggled with my Russian, had a shower under yellow water and got ready to leave for a meeting at 10. Upon leaving the flat my landlady (who I had met precisely nine hours ago) noticed that I had some toothpaste on my lip, took out a handkerchief, licked it and rubbed it off. It ... read more

Jonny from the block.

Europe » Russia » Centre » Yaroslavl September 2nd 2005

Tolbukhina kitchen

Campo

The flight from London to Moscow was comfortable. At Moscow Domidedovo airport the 15 'RLUS' students met and introduced ourselves. Then we left for Yaroslavl. It appears to be just a short distance from Moscow on a map, but in reality it is a 6 hour coach trip along the same wide, connifer lined road. While it was light I got to know three of the people I had met at the airport, Chris, Jamie and another Chris. We stopped at a roadside café about half way and each bought a bottle of water - in Russian of course - which at the time seemed like the hardest thing in the world to do. After that I slept until we arrived. At the language school we were taken upstairs into a room of 15 women, all ... read more

Brief history of Russia

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynas...more history

Forum Topics for Centre

U.S. citizen obtaining ...Posts: 5

Moscow or Saint Petersb...Posts: 14

he most distant region ...Posts: 3

Kamchatka travelling su...Posts: 2

Holiday to Russia- Were...Posts: 18

pepper spray in russiaPosts: 2

Irkutsk/Lake Baikal Tim...Posts: 5

Trans-Mongolian StopsPosts: 6

St Petersburg for New Y...Posts: 11

That Dreaded Russian Vi...Posts: 9

Destination brand image...Posts: 3