One Journey From Smolensk To Moscow

Good Day! My name is Ksenia, I have been willing to participate in this project since long ago, but it always seemed that no bright days happened. But last week, on January, 11th, me and my husband left Smolensk for Moscow and I decided to describe it.

Long long ago Radischev’s “A Journey From St. Petersburg to Moscow” was not very optimistic, since then something’s changed, something’s not. But our journey was a success.

The night before the journey I was thinking what to write about, what pictures to take, but the only law that truly acts in Russia interfered – the law of unintended consequences.

Of course, we were late, dawdled over bags, took our dog to granny… Stop! Let’s put it one after another!

I was woken up by the alarm clock earlier than usual, I set it half an hour ahead but it didn’t help me to feel satisfied. Outside I saw pleasant darkness with magical lights of windows. When I was a child I liked to take binoculars and watch how others live.

The first thought coming to my mind – I need some time for writing a couple of posts for my blog. The couple turned into 4 + surfing some sites + social nets… After all this I really had to hurry. What we saw – a heap of bags, packages, a rucksack, in the box – a portable TV set, a camera in the case, a laptop in the bag. It seemed we were going to the North Pole or to a tour round the world.

We are still sleepy

Finally we got packed. Neika, our Labrador, was joyfunny awaiting for some changes. But we took him to granny, on the picture he looks sad, but in fact he’s happy to be at granny’s: she feeds him 5 times a day and let him walk whenever he wants, scratches and flatters him…

Granny offered to take some potatoes, some cans, some marinade…. I joke we look like shuttle traders going from Belarus ))

Final preparations usually take most of the time: filled the wiper, dropped in an automotive shop for batteries…

The car doggie also prepares for a long journey. 9-42 and we are still in town..

The weather was not bad, though the sun showed up only once. Pipes of the native city…

When you go from Smolensk to Moscow you feel some emptiness, especially when you go along the railway. As if you can hear the echo of the war that killed the huge part of Smolensk population. As if it’s not the central region bordering with Europe but severe Vorkuta tundra…

Abandoned villages are another thing making me sad: all these shabby houses, overgrown gardens, broken fences… Of corse I understand it’s natural for the globalized community, and I would never want to live in a village myself… But still…

And the names of the villages we met on the way were far from optimistic: Zamoschye (like “Sickly”), Staroye Koryavino (like “Old Crooked Village”, Durovo (“Foolish”), Chernovo (“Black”)…

It’s an hour and a half since we started our journey. 370 km to Moscow. We are listening “New fairy-tales” by D. Bykov.

The road was rather smooth but once we ran into some hummock and jumped about half a meter high! I wonder why in such situations even very civilized people can’t help swearing? It’s funny but in 5 minutes I recieve an SMS joke: “A group of Russian tourists lost in the jungles was found thanks to swearing parrots”.

Landscapes were vivified by road police. Though they didn’t stop us.

The monument to Partisans in Gagarinsky district

On the way we saw many signs “Caution! Deer!” But we didn’t see any but this one, a little bit burnt.

Entering the Moscow region, almost on the border is the source of the Moscow river. Near that little chapel is a fountain where people throw coins in summer, in winter there’s no water, but money have remained ))

Also there is a bridge there all in locks, probably just-married couples love this place.

14:40 We stopped at a filling station, there is a cafe there too. The local star is a parrot who’s name is Roma, we gave him 10 roubles for seeds.

To Roma for food

I didn’t like cafes but now I start to conceive a liking for them…

Making faces

Last summer we were at the wedding as guests and the toastmaster offered a contest – he picked the most interesting things people had brought with them and then announced a winner. As far as I remember the winner was a man who had half empty Maggi soup package or handcuffs in a bag of a decent shy girl. In our glove compartment we have plenty of interesting things too )