Countryside Expedition

Who doesn't like a countryside adventure? It's one time when you feel a different life. Something purer, something gentler, something more natural. Here I have pictures from a Russian countryside, Russian typical countryside houses and small roads that connect to the neighboring town. Bolgar is a small town with few grocery stops where mostly people get their daily supply, a meat factory, few bakeries, one small primary school, a small middle school where all kids of the town and the neighboring villages go until they are 17. Once they finish middle school, they move to the cities for their university which then leaves the town almost a ghost town with no people around, except for some elderly.

Bolgari is one of the neighboring village where an Archaeological complex is situated in. And another one Podivanovo which is a lot smaller than Bolgari. There are no major transportation, just bikes. Some people from the two villages just go to the town on foot. We did the same, from morning we went to Podivanovo, passing by Bolgari (outside the reserve) going to Bolgar then back again. We walked altogether about 7km, which is not too bad as for a countryside walk. I don't mind as long as it's not in dusty city roads full of fast moving cars. In fact I enjoyed it. It was about 40C hot. We were there exactly when heat wave struck Russia. While walking, each of us consumed about 2 liters of cold bottled water.

The starting point. Bolgari (where we stayed) is located in between Podivanovo and Bolgar town. 

There is a spring in Podivanovo where people from the cities come to visit in summer. We saw 2 cars with families leaving as we got there. There was nobody in the entrance gate so we just entered without paying.

Since there was nobody around, we took time to take a look what they got inside.  We found a well. This is where they get their drinking water from. 

As we approached the vicinity of the village... that's how it looked like. A wide road without asphalt. Few houses and no people visible.

This was the only shop in the place. We got ourselves ice cream, finished it there, bought water again and we proceeded walking .

 Below are typical Russian countryside houses. Unlike in the cities, people mostly live in blocks, apartments, condos or villas in some part where richer people live. Countryside houses have their own charm.

 

I like the simplicity of life in the countryside. The houses though not modern and concrete, are not so simple. There is a good organization in this small village. Every house has its number and its own small mailbox outside. There is a gate made of wood as well, designed in traditional Russian way.

 Leaving the village of  Podivanovo. It was empty still, no people around not even stray animals. It was hot and very quiet. We continued walking to the next 5 kilometer destination.

There was nobody...nobody...but me. (Oh, not to mention my Hubs who was making the pics :)

As we approached the town of Bolgar, the view started changing. Houses were seen with little difference, asphalt, road signs and most of all People...there were people around :).  It is the center town where we can get meat, cheese, bread and other kitchen necessity. We made sure to get our supply for the next few days we'll be staying. I wouldn't be fun walking 7km a day just to get a pack of milk or a loaf of bread for instance.

At the town proper, I've spotted a bank and I guess the municipal hall.

Culture is important, even more History. The small town has a small museum. We didn't go inside though.

These figures from Communist times were on the walls of the town's hall of local administrative building.

Historical statues commemorating the execution of Red Guards who have executed by the White Guards during civil war in Russia, 1918

 

The Red wall commemorating the people and soldiers in Bolgar and the surrounding Regions who have fallen during the WWII. 

On our way back, again cars, people were diminishing hehe. The farther we walk from the center town, the emptier (is there even such a word :) roads became.

And check, we collected dust from 3 small towns. Oh yeah, Keds and Sebago, dirty as they are, have been travelling and learning a lot  again :)

 But this one's my favorite discovery of the day. I found an ice cream in this package.
Ta - daaaaa .... Back to USSR?! Sentiments or Nostalgia? I don't know how exactly how they feel about such but I was happy to find it and I enjoyed refreshing myself with it :)