Blogs from Ufa, Volga, Russia, Europe

Look at the globe: Here it is, the Earth And on it, Bashkiria, No bigger than a leaf. Just one small birch leaf, One leaf on a tree. And the birch, the great Russia, Stands so green and tall. (poem by Mustai Karim. Translated by Arthur Shkarovsky) My life has been connected with Ufa since times immemorial, perhaps when I was seven or eight years old (let’s assume 1992-1993). Basically, there are three important cities in my life: Birsk, Ufa, and St. Petersburg. When I was a little child, mother took me and brother to the circus, of which I remember only taking photos on the clown’s lap. Our sister was too little back then. Also, my brother was having some medical treatment many years ago in a sanatorium, and I also remember visiting Ufa when ... read more

My firm initial intention was to write no single word about the two trips to the mount of Iremel. However, thinking it over and having browsed through the photos, I came to the justified solution that it is unfair to omit these trips because, notwithstanding the fact of Rather Bad weather during them both, the experiences are worth sharing. I did not like to write about the trip only due to the reason that the weather was not quite excellent and I (we) did not see any panoramas. I like panoramas very much, specifically when on a mountain top. Given no panorama, I’m dissatisfied. Mount Iremel is about 1650 m high and is located in the Urals. It takes only four hours from Ufa to Station Vyazovaya by train. There are plenty of trains in that ... read more

Hallo aus Ufa! Hier hab ich mal Pause von der Gruppe gemacht. Allen Schreibkram erledigt, Dias sortiert und am Mittag, als die Sonne wieder schien bin ich einfach vom Hotel aus los, um die nähere Umgebung zu erkunden. Ufa ist eine typisch kommunistische Stadt. Große Plätze, riesige, leider oft hässliche, öffentliche Bauten und jede Menge Heldendenkmäler. Mein Interesse galt vielmehr den Konsumgütern. Was können die Baschkieren denn hier alles kaufen? Ich war sehr erstaunt! Westmarken aller Art. Geschmackvoll eingerichtete Läden und bunte Basare. Voll Baff war ich von der Fisch-Theke im Supermarkt. Krebse, Karpfen, Tintenfische, Garnelen, Ale, Lachse, Kaviar und alles sehr lecker anzusehen. Liebe Grüße aus Ufa, der Stadt mit 1,2 Mio Einwohnern Andrea P.S. Die Stadt ist unter uns gesagt, ziemlich hässlich. Das liegt wohl an den Baschkieren. Die wurden gezwungen hier eine Stadt ... read more

Day 65, 4th August. Kalac na Donu - Volgograd - Primorsk Today was to be a day of great changes… We headed the 30 miles into Volgograd stopping for bread, cheese, eggs and milk on the way. Scott made a good roadside find; a Soviet passport complete with leather holder and 1,500 roubles! I don’t know what he’ll do with it. At the Volgograd sign we made a stop for photos, then headed for the centre, ending up right outside the Hotel Volgograd where we thought Toby may be. Rory checked, and he was there! Toby had had the chance to see some of the city yesterday and took us down to the steps overlooking the Volga river - it’s massive. There we had a beer and an unexpected round of decision making. Toby had bought ... read more