Hmm getting off the train at 5:30am *yawns* hooray were in Murom (where the heck is that?), luckily our honcho Nick was waiting and we jumped into the van to for a three hour nap to Suzdal.
Wow, Suzdal what a random place, the ancient capital of Russia. Completely frozen in post soviet period, a really quiet place though still frequented by tourists. We arrived at our hostel; Gozilla's, which was really swanky for a hostel with all the required mod cons you would want though of course Aimee's wifi still didn't work...no surprises there.
Much needed shower, hot and excellent water pressure...then off to find brekkie. Nick took us to a little cafe with tiny portions sizes, I don't think they were prepared for our Aussie appetites...I had a hot sandwich for my first course which was the closest I had had to a toastie with ham, cheese and tomato. For our second course the girls tried to order a hot sandwich though after our first course they were out of cheese!!! With Nick still nursing his first course which was tiny we all finished number three feeling pretty damn satisfied.
Heading off to explore Suzdal which has around 28 or more churches in this tiny town from the lookout you can see almost the entire city and all of the turrets and points from the churches. The colours of Russia still amaze me, I imagine the houses to be all brown and depressing but even in Suzdal this almost untouched city the houses are pink, yellow and bright blue, even mint green. Wood was certainly the cheapest material at the time these houses were built and at -20 degrees in winter they still push through and survive.....plucky little houses.
Every city that we visit in Russia has a different feel, a different emotion to represent it's part in history....for me I felt like it was a sad sort of place but with complete determination behind it. Trying still to pick itself back up after being somewhat left behind as it was.
We visited the little markets where the Babooshkas were selling their produce...amazing apples!! The girls bought their Ushankas and of course the one that I wanted was 3000 rubles...NO WAY! But they have funny slippers to buy in the shape of army tanks, hand painted slippers that have a seperate plastic bottom so that you can wear them outside, I bought my Matrosha doll for AUD$8...BARGAIN! We went to a beer house and taste tested some tasty honey wine after 10 different types some of us stumbled and giggled our way back to the hostel for naps. For dinner we found this funny little place that had two very different menus, more European dishes and then Sushi? Nick said that Russia has only really had Sushi for the last 2 years roughly and so it's still a very new concept for a lot of people.
I should mention that Suzdal is definitely the coldest place that we have been weather wise, 10 degrees, wind and rain...brrrrrrr but also has the comfiest beds and heated floor tiles :)
The following morning we visited the oldest church in Suzdal and enjoyed the even more freezing winds that plagued us out in the open....it made for some pretty interesting photography though as you will see. Today we headed to Moscow, ready for a new round of culture shock. I have no idea what to expect following the small cities we have visited, but I'm excited to see what the legendary city has to offer.
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