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Published: August 25th 2016
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We spent two days in Veliky Novgorod. It proved to be a rather beautiful place smaller and rather different than St P'sburg. We arrived there mid morning by train and walked our suitcases from the station to the apartment address. This seemed to be part of a fairly rundown apartment block with no visible sign of Prusskaya Apartments. We were rather early so sat on the concrete steps and waited for something to happen. Eventually a couple emerged who had been renting there and assured us we were in the right place. The owner would be arriving in an hour. So we wandered off with our bags and found a great cafe on the corner which served us coffee and delicious macaroons. Eventually the owner turned up and was very pleasant and helpful but had no English. So my Russian was stretched a bit! But we sorted everything out eventually. inside the rundown exterior was great, equipped with everything one could possible need, a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom with shower with all bells and whistles.the huge contrast between inside and out I'd probably quite common in Russian Living I think. It was good to be in a place where
ordinary Russian not very well-off folk were living all around us, young and old. The shared areas such as the stairways and halls were very worn and dreary, the walls festooned with ancient and modern wiring, the bare concrete stairs worn and chipped away. But inside the flat was all spick.
veliky Novgorod is said to be the birthplace of Russia and so has an ancient walled Kremlin which was quite close to the flat, just a short walk across the lovely green park.. The park was so green , the sun shining on the grass through the tall trees was just beautiful. The Kremlin was surrounded by a high thick battlement wall, like Berwick ramparts, but made of Terracotta brick With towers various. Inside were many buildings including a cathedral with glittering gold and silver onion domes. On the far side of the Kremlin enclosure lay a wide wide river with a long sandy beach and a crossing bridge leading to further parts of the town. There were steamers on the river giving excursions to Lake Ilmen. Loudspeakers vied with each other to announce their treats. Stalls with ice cream, burgers, corn on the cob, kvass and brollies
spaced out on the beach made it Frimton on Sea....almost.
We enjoyed our gentle time there. We met a lovely young Russian couple who tried, unsuccessfully, to help us find the traditional musical instrument museum. And then the next day after poking in and out of alleyways and back gardens we actually did find the museum. That was a treat. An oldish woman, dressed in traditional dress with kerchiefed head summoned up all her English and explained the history of the development of the place by a dedicated guy called Potenchkin (I think) and showed us archaeological finds of instruments from 14th and 15th century. Then a young guy, archaeological historian, came out of the back room and demonstrated guslis and guduks in various traditional styles. Very impressive. The museum was inside an old building with an interior created by the musicians.
The other striking event was in the main central square of the town on Russia's National Flag Day. Lots of young people, and old, marching with flags and brass band, carrying horizontally a huge flag,. The Russian flag is of course quite new as the old Soviet flag disappeared in the nineties.kids names were read out
and they trotted up and were presented with some token for some reason. Speeches various ensued, all about proud citizenship.
Most of the people we have encountered have been friendly and quite smiley, contrary to What we had been led to expect. However there have been a few exceptions: the large dyed blonde woman overflowing the tiny pre toilets cubicle,saying Pay, pay in Russian... Very grumpy, wanting 18 rubles (about 20p); the waitress in the rather posh restaurant where we had lunch one day, totally blank faced and unhelpful..not rushed off her feet by any manner of means; the woman in the bank who we asked to change a 5000 ruble note into smaller notes, who just said "Nyet. Nyet". With no explanation or elaboration. The prison warder-type woman in the Erte exhibition in the Hermitage who accosted me as I took a photo and said "Delete, delete."
Now we have come by de luxe overnight train to Moscow...and it's vast!
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barbara riddick
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musical instrument museum
The musical instrument museum sounds amazing. If you get time in Moscow go to VDNK.