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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Sep 12, 2011 02:00 PM From Russia with love... In Moscow again!
It was 11 am when I landed in Moscow SVO airport. They have excellent airport to city train but it costs 320 roubles. The alternative for the backpacker is to take the city bus to Rechnoy Vokzal subway station for 28 roubles and go onward by subway (28 roubles to any station).
La Place Rouge était vide... - do you remember this lovely song of Gilbert Becaud?
I have been to Moscow 6 or even 8 times but it is nice to stroll again around to the old, well known places... Memories...
...on irait au café Pouchkine Boire un chocolat...
No chocolate, sorry, but I was sitting today on the Red Square eating chocolate icecream... And later I went to the Old Arbat to say good evening to my favourite Russian singer Bulat Okudzhhava...
In the middle of the night I will fly by low cost airline plane through the Polar Circle to Murmansk. Brrr...
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Sep 11, 2011 02:00 PM To Barnaul. Remember the fourth Lenin!
I spent the night in the regular Russian family flat. Ksyusha invited me and we were talking about the world all evening. Great people!
Then I took the bus to Barnaul - The capital city of Altaisky Krai. Some 100 kms before Barnaul the sun was shinning again. I left the backpack in the hotel and took a long walk around the town, visiting nicely decorated orthodox churches, parks and climbing the hill for the great view of the Ob river.
On this hill I found the first monument of Lenin. OK. The second one was on the main street - Lenin Prospect. They say it is the Lenin-Torreador (he is keeping something like the muleta in his hand).
The third Lenin Stays on the Sovetov Square - this one is not so important. But the Fourth one - At Oktabrya Sq is very important for the budget traveller - right next to Lenin there is a bus 144 stop. This bus goes to the airport and costs only 25 roubles (in the hotel they offer the taxi for 400 roubles) So remember: Lenin no.4 for the airport - I do fly tomorrow!
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Sep 10, 2011 02:00 PM Escaping the rain...
Russian Altai, Lake Teletskoye. The overnight stay in the private house in Artybash cost me 350 roubles - It is hard to find something cheaper. For the internet service in the post offices they charge 1 rouble per minute.
We have the rain from the morning today.
The main attraction of the Lake Teletskoye surrounded by the thick taiga are the boat excursions. I want to take the one to the Korbu Waterfall. The say that it costs 1000 roubles per person and takes 3-4 hours.
Will they depart today?
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Sep 09, 2011 02:00 PM To the second Lake of Siberia
I am still in the Russian Altai. It is worth to turn from M52 highway to Chemal - 36 kms each way. This small village is beautifully located on the high bank of the rapid Katun River. There is a little orthodox chapel built on the rocky island and the Altai Cultural Center located in the traditional ai houses. They charge 150 roubles for entry in the center but it is worth...
In the afternoon I decided to go via Gorno Altaisk to Lake Teletskoye - second lake in Siberia after Baikal. The bus ticket from Gorno Altaisk to Artybash on the lake costs 270 roubles. Unfortunately the weather is changing. I was still lucky to have such a sunny period before.
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Sep 08, 2011 02:00 PM M52 highway to Mongolian border
Altai Republic. Few kilometers south of Aktash I saw for the first time snow-capped peaks of the Altai. It was Mt Aktru - 4044 m above the sea. The views here remind me Canadian Rocky Mountains. The mountains are in the beautiful autumn foliage. What a colours!
After some 60 kms from Aktash the landscape changes - it converts to the steppe, with herds of sheep and horses. Finally we reached the last Russian settlement before the Mongolian border - Kosh Agach - dusty place, with gravel side streets and granite Lenin monument. "End of the world" - this is the feeling here. Why they drink so much? - this is the second question related to the local people.
I decided to turn back - there is nothing interesting before the border... We made a little detour (8 kms each way) from Aktash to Krasnye Vorota - the stone gate on the bumpy, gravel road to Ulagan. Quite nice place. But the local people say that the Ulagan area is last safe in all Altai...
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Sep 07, 2011 02:00 PM Rivers, rapids, great mountains
Russian Altai... What a lovely sun! I was driving up the Katun River enjoying the panoramic views.
I recognized that the driver has a gun with him. Why? Altay is famous for the armed people. It is safer to be armed - he said.
Walking to the gorges for the great pictures, enjoying meetings with a local people. It was 6 pm when I found an overnight stay in the private house by the river in Aktash. I prefere such accommodation to the hotel. Not only because it is cheaper - it gives me a chance to socialize with the locals, to understand better their life.
Tea, the Russian bath - banya. An the rest...
What a day!
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Sep 06, 2011 02:00 PM Gorno Altaisk
Long distance bus took me from Barnaul to Gorno Altaisk (almost 5 hours, 450 roubles). It was lovely, sunny day when I reached the capital city of Altai Republic. They still call the main street Kommunisticheky Prospekt! The cheapest "Hotel Magistralnaya" recommended in the LP guidebook does no exist! I found abother one: DoMostStroy - opposite to Park Pobedy. It is cosy, but crampy mini hotel - I pay 500 roubles for the bed in the twin room. So far I am alone...
In the afretnoon I took a local bus (47 r) to Aya Suspension Bridge on Katun River - great landscapes remind me Polis Pieniny Mountains. Tomorrow I plann to rent a junk car with local driver and head to Chuysky Trakt. I have great weather!
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Sep 05, 2011 02:00 PM Four buses and two flights - I am in the far Siberia!
Early morning I took a bus from Gdansk to Kaliningrad (still 50 zlotys) From the Kaliningrad station (do not be confused by the Moscow time on the clock - Moscow time is I hour ahead) I took the city bus 144 to the KGD airport (36 roubles, 40 minutes). The flight to St Petersburg took me slighly more the an hour. Second flight to Barnaul took 4,5 hours. We landed at 4 am local time. 6 deg Celsius only! First city bus to the town goes at 6.30 am (25 roubles). I am again in Siberia!
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Sep 04, 2011 02:00 PM New voyage!
My old backpack is ready! I go solo to Russia - a country whose tourist value are still little appreciated. My new route can be described as "two in one": first I go to the little-known Russian Altai Mountains, and then - via Moscow by low cost flight, crossing The Arctic Circle to Murmansk. After that I plan to move by train to Karelia, with the intention of getting to the infamous Islands Solovetsky in the White Sea. Maybe it will be also possible to visit the manasteries on Ladoga and Onega Lakes... Travel route is shown on the map. The weather will be very important in this journey. So please my friends: keep your fingers crossed, lets sun shine there for me!
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Sep 01, 2011 02:00 PM The traveller in Wojtkowka
Among the guests who have visited Wojtk?wka this season I had distinguish Gdansk-based traveler, geographer, africanist and organizer of many high-altitude mountains expeditions - Mike Kochanczyk. His broad knowledge of the world makes our discussion very interesting. We were talking about the expeditions to the farthest corners of the globe. Mike is a very kind and well-wishing man who, like me, willing to help others to prepare for their trips around the world.
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