Early Mornings, Churches and Mosquitoes: Vladimir and Suzdal

We were up early on Tuesday to catch the 07:15 train from Moscow to Vladimir. Once in Vladimir, three hours later, we jumped on an ancient bus and made our way to the town of Suzdal, 36km away. Around 12,000 people live in Suzdal, so it felt a lot more relaxed than the busy streets of Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

Upon arrival, we headed for the Kremlin, passing several street stalls and shops along the way. The Kremlin is comprised of several houses, some churches and the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral. The blue domes of the Cathedral are impressive, but its interior is most notable. The walls are adorned with gold decrotions and many paintings, while the ceiling includes intricately detailed golden chandeliers and views of the domes.

Later, we walked across the river to the Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life, which includes a number of wooden houses, two windmills and two churches. The buildings have been transported from other locations, and I’m pleased someone collected them, as they were a pleasure to see. Next, it was time for lunch. We ate in a Russian restaurant full of other tourists. The food was excellent, and we had our first experience of Russian honey beer, served lovingly in a one litre brown plastic bottle!

Once back in Vladimir, we made our way to our hostel. After a rest, we went out for some evening sightseeing. Vladimir has a number of standout buildings. We first saw the Golden Gate, in the centre of the city, and then the Kremlin. There’s a viewpoint listed in the Lonely Planet guide we have, but the described spectacular views of the Oka Valley were largely non-existent due to the dark night sky and the fog. Our view of the brilliant Assumption Cathedral, however, was unobstructed.

Due to the appalling bed, and my face being eaten by mosquitoes during the night, we were at the station well ahead of schedule for Wednesday’s 06:53 train to Nizhny Novgorod.

G.