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It was kind of a memorial trip. My friends and I used to visit Ladoga lake many times a long time ago and we loved the lake and nearby forest. The Ladoga lake was favorite place of my friend LG, who recently died from cancer. It was on Ladoga where he broke his toe during soccer game, and broke my nose with his head during another rough soccer game. We were pretty reckless. It was not just our group habit, it was generally accepted approach to life in Russia and still is. If you put a safety belt in car for example, the driver will feel insulted. Once our recklessness resulted in tragic death, on Ladoga lake also. We took abandoned boat and tried to sail on it to the city of Priozersk. Boat sunk and one guy, VM, drowned.

Trip to Russia 2004

Alex Mumzhiu
2006-03-22 19:00:59

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the large bottle of water and look for hidden place away from the inhabited places. After erecting the tent I make little fire and prepare food in the twilight. The twilight time is best, because the fire is visible during the night and smoke is visible during the day. So far I never was discovered by anybody during my camping. While camping in Balkans you always will find plenty of dry wood, but bushes are full of pricky plants and therefore sometimes impenetrable. Especially I remember one camping high in the hills above the Venice-Dubrovnik freeway. It was in the aromatic coniferous forest with beautiful view of the Adriatic sea below. None of five star hotels can be compared with good camping.

From the Venice I went along the Adriatic shore to the Dubrovnik through Slovenia and Croatia. From Dubrovnik I took the bus to Sarajevo, Bosnia; where I finished active part of my trip. From Sarajevo I took the train to Budapest and then to Moscow.

Highlights of my 2004 summer trip:

1. I love Karelian isthmus, land bridge between Ladoga lake and Finnish bay. However it is definitely the matter of personal choice. I love Karelia because I spent my youth years there. But objectively speaking, Karelia is the less developed and less touristy than other forested parts of European Russia. And the Northern parts of Karelia, which recently was prohibited area are the best. Finland is clean, safe, environmentally friendly and so convenient that you don't have to prepare your own food while camping. You can go to nearby McDonald's. I am not sure exactly why, but I have lost interest in Finland.

2. Odessa is my love. I rented one bedroom apartment near the "Privoz" market with tiny yard in front of it. It reminded me my grandmother apartment in Odessa. I would be ready to spent entire summer there, going to Luzanovka beach, or to Big Fountain beach, or to the limans... . Odessa also can be a good base for the exploration of Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. There is ferry to Istanbul two times per week http://www.tour.ukrferry.com It strikes me how little money I would need to have such a good time in Odessa. My apartment costs only $3 per night. It is pretty typical for Odessa. I found an apartment through "kvartirnoe bureau" at the train station. It would have cost even less if I stay longer. Food is very good, especially at the "Privoz" market. It is also dirt cheap, in dollar equivalent however. For the information of my American readers: Ukraine, unlike Russia, does not require invitation to get visa anymore

3. Dubrovnik, Croatia is amazing medieval city-island surrounded by tall wall. It is really great. It is sparklingly clean and polished and very touristy. It looks so "like new" that sometimes it is hard to believe that it is not a theatrical decoration.

4. Venice. It doesn't matter how many tourists are there. It is the most beautiful town in the world. I feel really sorry for these who have never been in the Venice.

Alex Mumzhiu
Washington, USA
Oct 22 2004
1pm

PS: In Budapest I bought the round trip train ticket to the Moscow. They sell only round trips. And now I have left ticket to Budapest valid for 2 months. It doesn't have passenger name on it. Is anybody wants a free ticket to Budapest from Moscow?