Hotel Volna Nizhniy Novgorod

Petit passage a Nijni-Novgorod, ville historique de Russie (3e capitale apres Moscow et St petersbourg). A notre sortie du train notre hote Evgeny (=Genia, tout les russes ont un surnom pour racourcir leur prenom) nous attendait. Arrivé chez eux sa femme Macha (de Maria) avait preparé un delicieux diner. Ce couple est tres interessant et tres chaleureux, ils nous expliquent tout ce qu'il faut ...

... de la place, le sul que j'avais trouve proposait des chambres a 5000 roubles (140 Euros), j'ai senti une pointe de lassitude poindre, avant de finalement trouver un hotel tout pourris, pour seulement 2000 roubles, c'etait ca ou bien je tentais la gare (option non retenue). Le lendemain, visite du Kremlin de la ville, le temps ne s'ameliore pas et j'ai gagne un etat grippal.

... Sunday. Sunday came and so did the train. It wasn't as bad as we thought it would be, we even met a lady who was a dog trainer (for shows and stuff like that). She had 3 small dogs with her, very hyperactive little things i must say. Anyways, we have arrived in Yekaterinburg and due to slight train issues will be here till the 7th August. So the blog for Yekaterinburg will follow soon. Hope everyone is well Mark and Peter

... http://wikitravel.org/en/Nizhniy_Novgor od http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizhniy_No vgorod http://www.waytorussia.net/TalkLounge/

Nizny Novgorod was not stop we planned in the beginning, but was recommended by people we met and Tim wanted to see the Volga of the Boatmen. It was a very nice town with lots of nice looking churches and a kremlin on top of the hill. A girl in Mcdonalds seemed surprised that tourists would come to Nizny Novgorod but its a nice spot. We arrived in the morning and booked the train to go that night (saves accomodation!) so had a day to wander.

... During the communism era, the city has lost a touch with the outside world as it hosted some of the Russian key industries (engineering, R&D, automobile and airplane industries). This is somehow visible in the overall industrial ambience.

... gentlement were producing them. Surely the Russians had a secret stash of eunuchs!), I assume heightened by the unique acoustics of the church dome. They had CDs of their performances for sale, of all things, but I was too afraid that a recording wouldn't capture how incredible it really was, and that I would spoil the perfect memory, that I didn't buy it. Well, I guess I'll have to start going to church more often! And stop reading philosophy, before I develop an anuerism.

... and the room went from one extreme in temperature to the other. The scenery out the window was much the same as last night. I had not got bored of starring out the window though and did so for the first part of the day. I was surprised to find out a third of the worlds tree existed in Russia. The Mongolian traders were very noisy shouting banging doors and their favorite activity opening our door and starring at us. At first we thought they had just got the wrong door ...

... the week after we have our exams, and the week after we're in Moscow, then home! We move in with our host families on October 16! This past weekend we went to Vladimir and Suzdal, both ancient cities. Vladimir was the first capital of Rus, if you don't count Kiev, which is now part of the Ukraine. Vladimir is a beautiful city. It's based on tourism. Suzdal is basically a museum, full of old churches and monastaries. Many churches have been transported ...

Somehow, after all this time, the last half day on the train feels the longest by far. Suddenly, time is standing still and time is dragging. Once we're through the Kirov Pass, I'm not waiting for the next stop any longer, I'm just wanting Moscow to arrive as soon as possible. Each stop of the train seems to last forever, whereas before they seemed all too brief. I feel a bit absurd actually, because ...