Egads it's cold!
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2009
1
111
143
Trip End
Dec 31, 2009
Syktyvkar, North-West Russia, Russian Federation
Monday, October 12, 2009
Syktyvkar is the capital of the Komi Republic, and it’s a pretty large city, about 260,000 people. But there really isn’t much to do here. I’ve asked all the different translators I’ve met what is fun to do here, and they all say "Disco". Not being the disco-type person myself, I haven’t been yet. Though I think I might try out the one called Relax when I come back next time. They are supposed to have a billiards room and dart boards and a restaurant. But Syktyvkar is pretty much a true communist Russian city like I’d imagined. Lots of drab looking concrete buildings, very dirty old cars, roads that are pot-holed at best, and everybody dressed in black or gray… It’s not a touristy, colorful city. It exists only for industry. And I was here for the first snow of the season yesterday…which doesn’t help very much! At least it didn’t stick.
The hotel here is THE nicest hotel in Syktyvkar…though there aren’t too many here for it to compete with. Most of the front desk staff speak at least a little English. The rooms are sparse but comfortable. It’s in a good, safe location. And breakfast is included. My only problem is that they make you pay for internet by the MB here. The first full evening here, I bought a 100MB package and ended up using it up in less than an hour after downloading all my emails from the previous 5 days and checking a few sites. They do have free Wi-Fi in the lobby…but that means being in the lobby. So it doesn’t look like Jacqui is going to come to Russia with me when I return in a month or so.
For some reason, I haven’t been too hungry since I’ve been here (maybe its my body being angry for all the food I forced upon it on the Scandinavian cruise). I’ve only been eating a medium sized breakfast, a fairly small lunch, and then skipping dinner. For lunch today I went to the supermarket and bought some salami, cheese, bread and small box of cookies and I didn’t even finish off half of it. We’ll see if I’m hungry at dinner and then I can just eat some more of what I’ve got in the fridge here.
Comments
I vote train...
Can you get to Rome by train from there? I think that would be the best way to go.
Louise
Got a business class seat!
I booked a business class seat on Czech Airlines through Prague. It was only $100 more than a coach seat!