Foto: The rainbow in the Altai Mountains (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Russia - We return to the hotel a little too late for checkout, but it turns out to be no problem. We say goodbye to the owner and drive out of Gorno-Altaisk into the Altai Mountains. As soon as we hit the road, it starts to rain. A pity for the view with those clouds. Fortunately, there are also dry spells. The Chusky Tract runs straight through the Altai Mountains. The road winds through the green hilly landscape and largely follows the Katun River. Left and right, mountain streams feed into the river. Along the way, we frequently see signs offering rafting trips on the Katun. In Ungunday, we do some shopping. We buy a few rolls for a late lunch and pick up some food for dinner. We want to spend the night, a bit off the main route, on the banks of the Karun River. Katarina had marked this place yesterday as the most beautiful spot in the Altai Mountains. We have no idea if there are cabins there or if we can camp. Just outside Ungunday lies another attraction. The hotel manager mentioned that Putin’s dacha is located nearby. Apparently, you can simply drive there. We take the turnoff. A wide two-lane road leads into the valley. Nothing indicates we’re approaching Putin’s villa. After twenty kilometers, there’s a sign and a ribbon stretched across the road. Further on, there’s a gate. In the distance, we see the villa. Putin’s villa. A guard hesitantly comes out. “Putin?” we ask. “Nyet, nyet,” he replies, probably meaning that Putin isn’t there right now. We drive back the same way. At kilometer marker 680, a mountain stream flows into the Katun River. We take a side path to look for a campsite. It takes some effort to find the entrance. At the gate, a man tells us there are no more cabins available. When we point to the tent, it’s okay. At the end of the grounds, close to the river, is a beautiful spot. Several people are camping here. We unfold the tent. Soon, we start chatting. Alex and Anja come by. They invite us for Russian whiskey. Anja has clearly had too much already. Here we also meet Tanja and Alexander. They are here with their two sons. The oldest son, Maxim, speaks a bit of English. He can translate a few sentences. While I’m briefly chatting by a campfire with another group of Russians, I see Alexander staggering toward us. It turns out he has practically finished an entire bottle of vodka. Anja—just as tipsy—is wobbling behind him. This won’t end well on such uneven ground. Alexander falls and ends up passed out among the rocks. Anja pulls at him. I help him back up. His wife rushes over to help get him to their tent. The conversation with Anja and Alex is difficult, but with all the booze, it’s quite fun. Alex wants to prove he can still drive. We advise against it. Apparently, it’s quite normal to drive after drinking here. We gather that they work hard all year and only drink during vacations. At the end of the evening, we head back to our own tent.
Saint Petersburg
Russia - Crossing the bridge, we arrive at the Ivan Gate, which gives access to the fortress. It was here in 1703 that Peter the Great gave the order to build the city of Saint Petersburg. Over the years, the bastion also served to imprison and torture numerous ...
The far east Vladivostok
Russia - The traffic on the way to Vladivostok gets busier and busier. Fortunately, the road also improves. The final stretch is even a four-lane highway. We enter the city via a long bridge. Vladivostok is much larger than I had imagined. In the city center, ...
The Hermitage
Russia - Today is the first Thursday of the month, which means all museums in Russia are free. That includes the Hermitage. At the entrance, it’s clear many people are aware of this—we join a long line in the inner courtyard. The ticket counters are about ...
The Kremlin and Red Square
Russia - The Kremlin in Moscow is the geographical and historical heart of the Russian capital. The name Kremlin comes from the Russian word кремль (kreml), meaning fortified city center. While in Dutch the term usually refers to the Moscow Kremlin, other ...