MONDRAGA
Mondraga was our first stop and also our first (and last) "uh-oh" experience. It was with chagrin that we viewed this obviously "built-for-tourists" village. Everything was new and a bit tacky -- or at least not historic and interesting. We wondered what the rest of the trip would bring. However, it turned out to be an okay informative side trip. We had a lovely view of a lake and a pleasant short hike before the entertainment began. There were performances and lessons in Russian folk dancing and we learned some Russian games.
To the left you see members of our group participating with our ship's own folk dance troupe in a traditional game.
A delicious outdoor shashlik barbecue lunch was served and we visited a vodka museum with over two thousand varieties of Russia's national beverage.
KIZHI ISLAND
Kizhi was certainly the most unique stop on our travels. Its distinctive and imposing wooden structures have earned it the designation of a UNESCO cultural heritage site. Here is the Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1714, Russia's largest wooden church. It was constructed without the use of nails and, improbably, without any plans! (Which Tom could really appreciate!)
We were absolutely amazed at the detail in the carved mushroom domes.
The Church of the Transfiguration was also known as the "Summer Church". It was impractical to hold services in such a large building during the fierce winters, so a smaller "winter church" was built about fifty years after the main church was opened. We were told that the present priest is a Frenchmen who has to helicopter in in the winter because the water surrounding the island is frozen solid and cannot be navigated for the long winter months.
As in other parts of Russia, we were invited to come back and visit during the winter months. We will probably pass on that.
Our guide for this part of our tour displayed the same wonderful humor and enthusiasm that we experienced from all of our local guides in the smaller cities and towns. As we recall, however, she was the only one who was a fan of Gorbachev. She affectionately referred to him as "Gorby" and said that he was vastly underrated by most Russian people, as he had done a lot to help the country and this area in particular.
The wooden farm house was also an imposing structure. It was occupied by fifteen people on the upper floors. On the bottom floor was the barn which was home to the animals and farm equipment. The heat from the bodies of the animals was an efficient method of helping to heat the home in the winter. Check out the ramp to the right side of the picture. This was used to transport things from the house in the winter. In the background you can see the chapel and the Church of the Transfiguration which dominated the landscape from any point on the island.
On our tour of the inside of the house we were able to see daily activities of the family including the young woman who was engaged in needlecraft. One interesting item was a large cradle for a baby that could be moved to whichever part of the large open room in which the mother was working by rotating the large arm in the ceiling from which it hung.
Here, as in other parts of Russia, we were introduced to the sauna which was located close to the water. In Russia the sauna is not a luxury but a central part of life. They are fairly rough built but spacious buildings in which family members can sit in the hot steam and then jump into the water or douse themselves with snow. A very interesting, and we are told, healthy ritual.
We already knew that the Russians are very hardy people compared to us but the sauna certainly underscored that. (As we write this we are complaining about 10 degree weather while it is 17 below zero in St. Petersburg.)
The windmill, built in the 1920's, rests on a base that can be rotated so that the blades are always facing into the wind. To the left of the windmill can be seen the steeple of a chapel where a bell ringer amazed us with his artistry. Kizhi Island is also the location of the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus which was built in the 14th century and is Russia's oldest church. According to legend the church was founded by a Roman Catholic monk named Lazarus, who converted many pagans because of his healing powers
This fireboat was moored near the town to provide some protection in the event of any fire that might threaten the buildings of the community. The presence of the fireboat heightened our awareness of how vulnerable those massive wooden buildings on this island could be.
Boarding the boat at noon, with images of Kizhi in our mind's eye, we prepared for one of the longer legs of our journey down the Volga, through 6 locks, and across Beloe Lake before reaching Goritzi, where we would arrive at mid-afternoon the next day. On the way we saw many beaches with people swimming in the river, families picnicking, and other activities of daily living.
