When Halloween falls on a Monday, the celebrations are all done before the big day so the week started off with a whimper rather than a bang! There were a few flurries but I can’t believe winter is really here so I am ignoring the white stuff and hoping for some slightly warmer weather.
This week was a good one for receiving “stuff”. My order for some duty-free liquor to stock up for visitors and the Xmas season arrived on Tuesday. Wednesday’s diplomatic bag brought the new winter coat that I had ordered from The Bay. Both shipments were much appreciated especially the coat; it came just in time as I am heading out to explore the Golden Ring this weekend and the extra warmth will no doubt be much needed.
Thursday was one of a few fundraisers for the Government of Canada’s Workplace Charitable Campaign; the GCWCC Silent Auction. Despite the fact that my SQ is bursting at the seams, I employed my normal shotgun approach and bid early and often on a range of treasures to encourage others to spend their money. Also as usual, the strategy also ensures that I get to spend some of my money!
I had the winning bid for a number of items including some beautiful lacquered items from Vietnam and a lovely pillow and footstool ensemble that will look great in my SQ! More importantly, we raised over $1200 for the charitable campaign.
Thursday night I was home packing for a weekend exploring in and around Vladimir and Suzdal, two of the towns of the Golden Ring; a “ring” of cities northeast of Moscow. November 4 th (Friday) is Unity Day in Russia and a stat holiday for Embassy staff so it’s a long weekend with lots of time for exploring at a leisurely pace.
The Embassy hosts lectures on Russian culture, traditions and history on Fridays at lunchtime. A few weeks ago, Elena, one of the guest speakers for the series, was waxing poetic about the Golden Ring so I immediately started planning an excursion with one of my colleagues.
The Golden Ring is made up of ancient towns that were sites of significant events in Russian history and many also played a significant role in the development of the Russian Orthodox Church. After a few false starts and with the help of the amazing Tatiana we had found an English-speaking guide to help us make the most out of our trip. He’s going to meet us at the train station in Vladimir and drive us wherever we need to go and explain the historical significance of the area.
Friday finally arrives and I have packed a knapsack instead of a suitcase. Okay so it’s a big knapsack (the one I used my five-week pilgrimage on the Camino) but its not full and it will be easier to carry up and down stairs in the Metro than a suitcase (I hope!). Our Metro maps/directions are accurate and we make it to the train station with plenty of time to spare before boarding our train to Vladimir.
We booked a first class compartment which is pretty nice – I’m sure you will agree. The compartment even has its own bathroom complete with a shower! Long-distance train travel in Russia might be a pretty good option if you are willing to pay a bit more for the “little” luxuries (and I am!).
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| 1st Class Compartment |
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| Our private bathroom |
We arrive in Vladimir
right on time and Sergey (our guide) is waiting for us on the platform as
promised. Our stuff stored in his trunk, we headed east out of Vladimir to our
first stop – the first stone town of Northern Russia and a UNESCO World Heritage
Site – Bogolubovo.
Bogolubovo (Beloved by God) was founded by Andrey Bogolyubsky, a key figure in Russian history whose significant contributions are, according to Sergey, largely overlooked. Andrey increased the importance of the northeastern Russian lands and was largely responsible for moving the capital of Russia north from Kiev.
Bogolubovo (Beloved by God) was founded by Andrey Bogolyubsky, a key figure in Russian history whose significant contributions are, according to Sergey, largely overlooked. Andrey increased the importance of the northeastern Russian lands and was largely responsible for moving the capital of Russia north from Kiev.
Sadly, like many strong leaders he pushed his peeps too far. The final straw was his
attempt to reduce the political powers of the upper nobility within his lands
who in response conspired to murder him.
Once in town, our first stop was the Bogolubovo Monastery; one of the oldest surviving medieval Russian Eastern Orthodox monasteries.
According to a legend,
Andrey travelled from Kiev to Vladimir. The horses that carried a stolen icon
of the Virgin Mary (later named the Our Lady of Vladimir) stopped at a steep
bank overlooking Klyazma River and despite best attempts wouldn’t continue.
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| Bell Tower |
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| Stair Tower (on the left) |
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| Summer Church |
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| Inside the Cathedral |
After a tour of this beautiful church turned museum, we headed across the
fields to check out the Church of Intercession on the Nerl at the confluence of
the Nerl and Klyazma Rivers which was also built by Andrey possibly to keep the
riff-raff moving their goods up and down the river out of the town and the
church there.
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| Church of Intercession on the Nerl |
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The Summer Church
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Apparently the knoll on
which the church sits is often completely surrounded by water in the spring
especially when there is a large snow melt. This likely means a return visit is
in order!
Next stop is Kideksha to see the Church of Boris and Gleb that was built in 1152. Boris and Gleb, two brother murdered by their older brother, were the first saints canonized in Kievan Rus after the Christianization of the country.
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| Church of Boris and Gleb |
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| The summer church |
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| The leaning tower ... |
Suzdal is however, home to 50 churches and 5 monasteries several of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Once the capital of Rostov-Suzdal principality, today Suzdal is a quiet town where time appears to have stopped. There are no train stations or industry (other than tourism) but there are plenty of small wooden houses (many with decorative carvings).
Sergey dropped us off at the hotel which is made up of a cluster of several buildings and quite spread out. No big buildings higher than three stories are permitted so it is a very different from Moscow.
Our room is compact but perfect to relax for a bit before heading out to dinner at a new restaurant in town that is dedicated to all things cucumber Restoran Ogurec. Apparently, Suzdal hosts an annual Cucumber Festival so this seemed the right place to eat.
The fare was traditionally Russian. I tried a salad and some beef stroganoff; both of which were quite good. For dessert, I opted for some chocolate ice cream but Eva was more adventurous and had the cucumber jam that was a soft very sweet pickle!
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| Cucumber for dessert |
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| Saviour Monastery of St Euthymius |
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| Bell Tower |
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| "Prison" |
While we were there we were treated to two “concerts”. The first was an extraordinary example of bell ringing. The bell tower has more than 20 bells with all the ropes gathered in a single area where the bell-ringer (zvonar) stands. Using both his hands and feet, he makes the clappers strike the sides of their bells in a complicated sequence producing beautiful music.
The second concert was a
small group of musicians dressed as monks chanting religious songs inside the
church. Both were hauntingly beautiful.
On our was to the Museum Of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life, we stop at a lookout where you can see onion domes and bell towers in almost every direction – Suzdal is definitely a town of churches. Sadly, many of them have been abandoned by the Orthodox Church and their previous glory has faded.
Soon enough we arrive at the open-air museum where ancient wooden buildings from all over the Vladimir region were gathered including the Church of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Resurrection.
On our was to the Museum Of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life, we stop at a lookout where you can see onion domes and bell towers in almost every direction – Suzdal is definitely a town of churches. Sadly, many of them have been abandoned by the Orthodox Church and their previous glory has faded.
Soon enough we arrive at the open-air museum where ancient wooden buildings from all over the Vladimir region were gathered including the Church of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Resurrection.
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| Church of the Transfiguration (winter) |
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| Church of the Resurrection (summer) |
The museum also includes
other buildings (homes, workshops, etc.) illustrating peasant life in this
region. The windmills are interesting as the top can be rotated using the long poles so it faces to catch the wind.
Next we take a short walk across the bridge and up the hill to the Suzdal Kremlin; the oldest part of Suzdal. Within the Kremlin’s ramparts there are a number of buildings and churches, including the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral with its blue domes spangled with gold.
Aside from the blue domes, one of the most striking features is the 13th century intricately gold inlaid doors. The Golden Gates, as they are called, were made in very intricate technique by fusing gold onto a black background of bronze. The spectacularly beautiful doors are covered in a series of reliefs, each telling their own story.
After our tour of the Kremlin, Sergey guides us to Market Square, gives us a
list of other attractions to see including the Intercession Convent and shows us
the way back to the hotel. A bit cold and hungry, our first stop was lunch.
Fortified with a bowl of borscht and some pelmeni – dumplings (the Russian equivalent of tortellini), we strolled the market square checking out the souvenirs and then headed back to the hotel for some R&R snapping pics of more beautiful churches on our way.
When we were hungry again we headed to the tavern we had passed where we had smelled meat grilling the night before for some shashlik (Russian shish kabobs) followed by an evening playing Heads Up!
Sunday, Sergey is there again and we throw our knapsacks in his trunk and head off to Vladimir. Our first stop is the Museum of Crystal, Lacquer Miniatures and Embroidery opposite the Golden Gate. The museum occupies the Old Believers Trinity Church and houses a rich collection of Russian handicrafts and folk art, lacquer miniature, rock crystal and glass pieces.
Next we take a short walk across the bridge and up the hill to the Suzdal Kremlin; the oldest part of Suzdal. Within the Kremlin’s ramparts there are a number of buildings and churches, including the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral with its blue domes spangled with gold.
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| Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral |
Aside from the blue domes, one of the most striking features is the 13th century intricately gold inlaid doors. The Golden Gates, as they are called, were made in very intricate technique by fusing gold onto a black background of bronze. The spectacularly beautiful doors are covered in a series of reliefs, each telling their own story.
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| Golden Gates |
Fortified with a bowl of borscht and some pelmeni – dumplings (the Russian equivalent of tortellini), we strolled the market square checking out the souvenirs and then headed back to the hotel for some R&R snapping pics of more beautiful churches on our way.
When we were hungry again we headed to the tavern we had passed where we had smelled meat grilling the night before for some shashlik (Russian shish kabobs) followed by an evening playing Heads Up!
Sunday, Sergey is there again and we throw our knapsacks in his trunk and head off to Vladimir. Our first stop is the Museum of Crystal, Lacquer Miniatures and Embroidery opposite the Golden Gate. The museum occupies the Old Believers Trinity Church and houses a rich collection of Russian handicrafts and folk art, lacquer miniature, rock crystal and glass pieces.
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| Golden Gate of Vladimir |
Next, we have a chance to check out the Cathedral of Saint Demetrius finished in 1191. The church is famous for its white-stone carvings - its walls are decorated with more than 500 reliefs most very well preserved.
A few steps away is the Dormition (Assumption) Cathedral a still-working church of 13th and 14th century medieval Russia. Originally built in 1158-1160, the 6-pillared 5-domed cathedral was expanded in 1185-1189 to reflect the increasing prestige of Vladimir.
It is the second largest
Russian church (Christ the Saviour Cathedral in my hood is the biggest!). The
outside is stunning but the inside even more so with restored 12th-century
murals of peacocks and prophets and very well preserved frescoes by Andrei
Rublyov and Daniil Chyorny, painted in 1408.
After guiding us to the crystal store, Sergey leaves us on our own to shop and
explore a bit more. I manage to find something I “need” before we head off for
some more sightseeing on our own.
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| Our guide Sergey, me and Eva at the Dormition (Assumption) Cathedral |
First up, a quick exploration
of the Golden Gate that was built at the western entrance to Vladimir in 1164
to decorate and to protect the city.
On Sergey’s
recommendation, we also visited the museum in the Water Tower to get a bird’s
eye view of Vladimir’s historical center.
Time for a very quick bowl of borscht before Sergey meets us to take us to the train station. Trains in Russia run on time and while we managed to get on board the train before the two-minute station stop was done, two passengers making the mad dash were left behind slack-jawed and cursing.
Time for a very quick bowl of borscht before Sergey meets us to take us to the train station. Trains in Russia run on time and while we managed to get on board the train before the two-minute station stop was done, two passengers making the mad dash were left behind slack-jawed and cursing.
Our first class
compartment was nice and clean but lunch was served in the dining car. After a
bite, we returned to our compartment for the short ride home.
Back in Moscow, a short hop on the Metro and we were soon back at our SQs after our introduction to the Golden Ring!
Another adventure completed.
Back in Moscow, a short hop on the Metro and we were soon back at our SQs after our introduction to the Golden Ring!
Another adventure completed.
