Day 3-11 Russia Trip Summer (2015)

Ufa, the exorbitant city, was marvelous. I stayed for 7 days and I summed up into one post to save up the time taken to story-tell. Well, the whole journey in the city would elate me in another level of traveling. Here the major experiences:

Russian Day and City of Ufa

Russian day, because We love our Country

It was june 12^th, for Russian it was the Russian Day, yes the name was pretty obvious A RUSSIAN DAY, Day for all Russian. What did they celebrate for? The day was to commemorate the sovereignty of Russia from Soviet Union. As all I know, Russia celebrated so many national days. They have victory day, Russian flag day, Russian day, etc, Whereas in Indonesia we only celebrate Independent day for national day as holiday. it is comparable with Nepal or India where they have so many celebrations every day, the difference is Russia celebrate it as National day, where in India and Nepal they do for mainly religious purposes.

The bashkirs

The celebration was held together with Ufa day, yes every city in Russia has the city day, and it could be holiday in every city. They love so much for their country and city. There were many stalls selling Bashkir souvenirs, foods (yes, The amazing shashliks were ubiquitous), art performances, concert, and the main celebration was the fireworks.

The party ended at 1 am when the fireworks were adjourned to play. When it ended, the main area was chaotic as everybody started leaving the place to home. Taxis were all booked, and what I and my friends did was to stay in nearest McDonald until 2.30am to get home immediately afterwards. That was likely bad idea as many people had the same idea, the order time took us about 45 minutes to get our foods. Thanks to Friendly Russians there, my Russian day was super, I was so elated.

My first night in Russia

Vodkas And Vodkas

Yes, I made same friends in Ufa. They were as nice as other Russians. Vadik and Lena, the young newly weed couple invited me to have a dinner to their apartment.  Vadik is a Russian man, and Lena is a tatar woman. They were learning English for their fun, they might travel to somewhere so they armed themselves with sufficient English to cope while traveling. The idea of the dinner was Indonesian food party, and I was in charge for all the dishes. I and my friend, shamil, a Bashkir boy who spook excellent English as he was graduated from English department and worked as English teacher, accompanied me to get the amenities for my dishes. I decided to cook Indonesian fried rice and Sambal Ati (Spicy chicken liver with tick indoensianized gravy). Fortunately, I found most of the ingredients for these big meals.

In the Vadik’s apartment, I prepared for the meals with the sophisticated kitchen utensils for me. Also the kitchen was amazing. For about one hour, I finished all the cooking and we were ready to eat. There was also Maxim, a young 20 years-old boy who wanted to study English but the laziest amongst others. 

Vodkas are integral part of life

Everybody was happy. For Maxim, that was the first time he could eat rice as he had not liked rice for ages. And for others, chicken liver was a something new, not common for Russian. The conversation was helped over the countless of vodkas, yes vodka is the integral part of their life, well, not exactly just mostly. Vadik once told me that Vodka was essential to keep the conversation flow, and to not get drunk, we had to keep eating the pirogis (Russian cake) and some foods to keep brain alive. Well, that worked best for me too, a bit just a small tipsy for 8 bottles of Vodkas for 4 people.

View over the green lush forest outside the city

River bank Beach

Friendly Monument, for Bashkirs and Russians

Post-Apocalypse of the Party

City Sightseeing

Bashkir State University

Kvas, slurppppp....!

One of Park in Ufa

Gigantic Bee

Needless to say, The city enticed me with its electrifying ambience. The city sits over the mighty Ural mountain giving it the pleasant temperature. However, Ufa is an industrialized city, so expect for the fumes emitting from the factories and mining industry. The city was well-developed ad it hosted more than one million people, a big city for vast Russian land. The most bizarre that I saw was the conversation of river banks to beach-like sunbathing area with umbrellas and mistletoes. The obsession over beaches was the same all over Russian. Summer time was always the most-awaited time. Ufa was amazing and magically whimsical, I don’t mind to go back again.

Happy Ufa Day

Sunny summer day, a perfect outing for Russian Day

City of Ufa perching by the bay of Belaya River (the white river)

From the picturesque of the Hilton-Inn Hotel view closed to Hall for BRICS 2015 Conference to dozen of parks to stroll to. Some shopping center for the shopping sprees and Amazing foods are ready to serve the visitors. Likewise in other parts of Russia, Sashhlik is the favourite with Kvas, and Kymyz, known as horse milk fermentation. Bee is the symbol of the republic as so many bees farming and Republic of Bashortostan is known for high quality honey. For Transportation, sadly There was not any Subway train, and it may not happen in near future due to its contour, but the transportation system was good with buses, Mashrustkas, Gazelles, and Trolleybus, choose what you like!

Russia Trip day 2+3 (2015)

Day 2 night

When I arrived, nobody was there or at least at the desk. I just didn’t care about it and I just dropped myself onto the bed. However, I heard some sounds of female speaking and that was from the kitchen. I was curious, and got up to get myself to go to kitchen, and yes Volodya was there with a nice girl, a guest too. 

“Zdravsvuyte vsyom! Hi guys!” I greeted them friendlily, yes I was always friendly.

“Zdravsvuy! Ty govrish po russki! Eto kurto! Hi! You speak Russian, that’s cool!” Said the girl.

so we talked a lot with three peo

ple, in Russian and English. The girl was Nastya, 26 years old from Krasnodar who was traveling to Moscow to meet her friends and later he would go to Saint Petersburg. She was working in Dubai that time, as fashion designer, but she felt that she didn’t like that because it was too hot for him when the summer arrived. 

“Oh Suku, nice to see you! Will you go to Saint Petersburg too?” She asked me. Well, she kept calling my name as Suku instead of Suko, well at least better that Suka.

“Yeah I would like to, but tomorrow I will go To Ufa, in Bashkortostan, but after that I will go to Saint Petersburg, we can meet there!” I replied excitedly.

“Ah, good just tell me, if the time permits, we will meet again.”

The conversation lasted for about 3 hours. I cooked them Indonesian fried rice too, and they loved it so much, or they pretended to love it, but that was their first time to eat fried rice, Asian fried rice, not Plov, Central Asian fried rice.

Nastya surprisingly didn’t speak well in English even though she had been working in Dubai for 2 years. She told me that every day she was talking in Russian with little English. She had a dream to visist Asian countries, like Thailand and Bali. She loved so much for beach, like other Russian. Meanwhile, Volodya was also telling about himself. He had lived in saint Petersburg before he moved to Moscow. He was graduated from university majoring in IT, but he decided not to work because he needed freedom. His blue eyes rolled left and right when he was talking, he told me that he had to stay in frukt hostel because he didn’t want to stay every day in Garden hostel as he was an employee and he had no right to stay in, not like his colleague, Gregory. He was from affluent family .

Nastya once told me,

“Suku is Indonesian people always smile they talk? Not like Russian, I don’t like this.” He appraised me.

“Well, Mostly, nastya! Just come and see, you will be happy to see us!” I convinced her.

Then I signed out the conversation as I was so sleepy, to be ready to catch my flight to Ufa next day.

Day 3

I woke up late this time, as 08.00 in the morning and I had to be airport before 13.20 in SVO to catch my flight to Ufa. I still have time and I checked to the outside, still nothing lived up. I continued slaying at bed until 08.30 until I really needed to carry the defecation on. I finished all the bathroom-toilet businesses, and started packing my bag as I didn’t want to miss my flight. Then at about 09.15 Nastya went out from her Ladies room, with Volodya. I greeted them and I continued to go to Kitchen for preparing my breakfast. I finished everything. Then I met again Georgiy, the Armenian  Russian guy I met before.

“Hey, my Azeri Brother! Were are you? I was waiting for you.” I teased him.

“No azeri, I am Armenian. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is Armenia! Hahahaha” He replied with little anger and he knew I was joking.

He had to leave to his work again. I was still unsure who he was, and why he was staying there while Volodya was working more than him and Georgiy looked more friendly and talkative than Volodya, more suitable to be hostel receptionist.

I went out to supermarket to stock some foods for my trip to Ufa, with was really unnecessary I finishe everything at 12.00 and got all my bags packed and ready to leave. I bid a farewell to Volodya and Nastya.

“Suku, send me some pictures of Boshkortostan, I would like to see it.”

“Konechno, of course! Hey, this is my whatsapp number! Keep on contact! Da Svidaniya! Bye bye!” I said good bye,

my broken lens camera, bye bye Garden hostel

Well, I kept in touch with her,not till now but she was really nice girl, or I was just too nice. Unfortunately, that was the last chance I met her and no picture or vkontakte account. But, I had her number (by the time I was writing this, I immediately messaged Natya, not reply yet).

Actually, there was nearer Metro Station, Krasnyie Vorota station. Actually, I was so worried about missing my flight. I had only 2 hours and 20 minutes from that time. I reached at the metro station to catch Aeroexpress to Sheremetyevo airport at 12.30. fortunately, I could catch the train at 12.30 and I arrived at the airport at 13.15 and proceeded myself to counter check-in. fortunately, I was still eligible to check in. really, I had no time to look or shop around. Time limit really killed.

I chose to fly with Aeroflot because I love it, even the price was higher that other airlines that time, I loved how skillful the pilots, yes Russian Pilots no wonder. I was just sleeping along the flight, nobody to talked to either. When the plane was about to arrive at 18.20, I saw massively sparse land with green lush beauty, Bashkortostas, the land of Bashkir (the native people). The view was so beautiful, with Ural towering the area made it more tremendously amazing.

Ufa international airport (UFA) was not big to easily get to know. The conveyor for baggage claim was so simple and no need to wait longer, I claimed my checked-in baggage. And as information I could to City by Bus. It was 18.20 and the sun seemed no to set anytime soon. I boarded to the right bus which would take me to the city for one hour, without traffic. Yes, the airport was terribly far from the city. Along the way to the city center, the video of green lush hills, big rivers, wide road, and blue sky were accompanying me during my bus trip which I was not pretty sure whether the bus would take me to the right place or not.

P.S For Ufa Trip (for about 8 days, I cannot write anything, I was just Amnesia about it. But trust me, the place was amazing, and I love it so much. People are as nice as before.

WELCOME TO UFA

I will update for day 3 to 10 in one post about Ufa.

RUSSIA TRIP SUMMER (2015) Day 2

Moscow is always electrifying for me

I slept around midnight after long conversation with Sergey and searched for new place to stay. I woke up at 04.40 Moscow time and Nobody’s still at their up-time. I knew that the usage of toilet would be very crazy in the morning, everybody would wake up at the same time and need the toilet at the same time. Imagine! For about 20 people with 2 toilets (toilets and bathroom were at one place), it would be a nightmare for me if I were at the urgent state. Surprisingly, the toilet was clean and good enough. I enjoyed my 30 minutes without disturbing. And then suddenly somebody knocked the door to let me do fast. “Damn, it is 5.10 and everybody has woke up” I said to myself. I got my defecation faster that it was supposed to be and got my body showered with hot running water. The place, even crowded, was convenient enough to take a shower. Unfortunately, I could not get that privilege at that time. I signed out from the bathroom and yes, everybody had woke up. I walked ambling pass them, and I met Sergey, yes he again. 

“did you find new place for you? I think this hostel is not good for you, you can see there! Many people waiting for toilet, only 2 toilets for 20 people. That’s awful. If it weren’t this cheap i would not stay here.” He said to me. Well, he was kind of right, everybody had no option but the cheapest place to stay. This hostel was for like dormitory for labors for construction rather than for travelers. I packed all my bags and ready to leave. But, I needed breakfast. I went kitchen and I met tall, kinky, white, quiet guy. He cooked Kasha, a Russian porridge. He stared at seconds at me then he continued eating. I boiled my Indomie and while preparing it I looked at him.

“Dobroe Utra! Good morning” I greeting him, and he was just nothing to respond. Well, I thought that I pronounced my Russian very bad so he didn’t understand. My indomie was ready and I brought my Indonesian tea with me which I shared with Sergey that time, nobody else in the kitchen, everybody was busy with toilet matters, Sergey, that time, had to leave at 10.00 so he had time no need to rush. He told me that I could with him again anytime I came back to Moscow, we exchanged our vkontakte account so we could reach each other easily, for Moldova purpose.

I bid a farewell to the receptionish who gave my money back for one night, as I paid for 2 nights stay. I walked across buildings to get my new hostel. It was said only 300meters away from Frukt hostel.

Hostel Garden

Садовая-Черногрязская ул., 5/9, Moscow, Rusia,

Well, that address was just right the corner. I tried to get my hostel. Again, I found trouble. The door was actually behind the building where I had idea how to reach at the first time. I found the way and the gate was locked and it required me to have an access key to open the gate or somebody opened it from inside. Standing for 5 minutes then a guy asked me where I needed to go, I told him I needed to go to the garden hostel. He opened for me and the hostel was convenient, it was just at the first floor, how convenient it was!

party alone at 8-beds dorm

I knocked the door and the receptionist opened for me, and the receptionist was the tall, kinky, white, quiet guy I met in hostel. I was surprised how could he worked in this hostel but he loved in different hostel. That was long story I already got the answer but the answer for not from day 2. He could speak little English, so we talked in Russian-english. The hostel charged me 750RUB (well, almost triple than frukt hostel), but the condition was totally different with frukt hostel, the hostel was clean, very nice and nobody stayed there, I was the only guest that time. I paid him and gave the deposit I should give for 100RUB. I got my bed in 8-beds mixed dormitory, and the condition was amazing, like the hostel in Yerevan, very good. 

So time to work on my visa registration! Well, actually NO!! What?? Yes another problem arrived! I moved to pricier hostel because of this matter. I asked him, his name is Vladimir, yes Vladimir, very Russian name, about visa registration, what was the answer? He had no idea about that. Oh I got another problem, he had no idea he just browsed how to do it and asked me to do. I told him that the hostel had to do it, but he refused to do, he just gave me the confirmation of stay and the phone number of the hostel, I needed to go myself to the immigration, which is about 500 meters away from the hostel.

After long argue I still did not get the answer, there was another guy, a Caucasus look. He asked me and, yes he was more fun that Vladimir, but more aggressive.

“Hey Man, what’s your problem? We cannot register your visa, you must do it by yourself, Volodya must stay here, he cannot leave the hostel.” He said

“Okay, then You go with me as you are working too in this hostel to the immigration!” I insisted

“No man, I cannot help, I need to go to do another work, so you must do it yourself! We never register the visa here.” He answered. My hope was gone. Then I asked Volodya to print me the map to go to Immigration office also to copy my passport and visa and all the papers needed, he at first asked me for 100RUB, I said no to him, well I was quite rude with higher voice. I got all the documents and ready to proceed to Immigration office ALONE.

It was sunny summer, at 11.00 weather was good, around 16 C. everybody looked so happy and Moscow was amazingly beautiful, yet I couldn’t enjoy it as I needed to get this thing all done. This time, it was easy because the building was a single building and number attached on the wall written immigration office. I entered the building, and it sounded nothing, no activity. There was an old security asked me what I needed to do. I said to him Visa matter. He let me in.

Then somebody pointed me to get to room at left. I entered and surprised, so many people here. They were all Russian bringing pasports, a lot of foreign pasports with them, I assumed they were agents to register for some fee. I should have contacted them so I had more time to explore the city. There was no good queue system, everybody could go anytime they wanted. I let them do it first I read all the information written there. And everything was in Russian and I understood nothing.

The lady at the vacant counter called me, because nobody else waited and it was about for lunch time. She was typical Russian lady, no smile, cold sight , and unfriendly at all.

“I need to register my visa, here all the papers for you to check!” I surrendered my papers to her.

She spoke Russian that I didn’t understand at all

“RUSSKIY NYET, NYE PONIMAYU! NO RUSSIAN, I DON’T INDERSTAND!” I told her

Well, she then said something that I interpreted that I had to leave, he asked me to go out, he kept gave my papers back. I really had no idea what she said, she might have said that not me to go, but the owner of place that I was staying to register my visa.

I walked without result, but the weather was really good, I couldn’t be that sad. But I was still that sad because I worried if I didn’t register my visa I would be deported and paid hefty fine or I could not enter Russia for 5 years. I still walked and walked, then I stoped in MTS, an cellular provider to buy SIM card. The seller was a pretty girl, she looked like from the far east part of Russia. She told me that the card could work in entire Russian Federation, with internet data plan and I got one free SIM card. I paid for 500RUB and another 500RUB for top up. She was really helpful to set up everything and register to the system. And from that time , I had Russian phone number. I walked back home, still sadly.

Volodya then told me that I didn’t need to register if I stayed less 7 days. I told them that I would stay for 30 days n Russia, and he then he told me, not 7 days in each city. I was quite unsure about what he told me, but at that time was a bit relief, worry-free about my visa. I went to my bed and enjoye the good bed for a while and I met the another guy.

“hey!” I greeted him

“Hey, where are you from? Sorry I speak bad English.” He taked to me like a swag, Russian swag. I cooked my another Indonemie as walking that “far” took all my energy.

“You don’t look like a Russian, are you from Azerbaijan or Dagestan?” I asked him, not seriously, just for fun.

“No Azerbaijan bro, I am Armenian, My home town is in Artsakh, you know? “ he again talked like swag

“Artsakh, of course, that’s Nagorno Karabakh. I was there last summer, it was Azerbaijan right? So You are Azeri, not Armenian! Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijan land! Hehehe “ I made fun of him. (P.S. I had no any intention talking about this, if somebody feel offensive, I am sorry, but I am neither in Armenia nor Azerbaijan part, that’s was fully to tease him, nothing else)

“No, Artsakh is Armenia! You are so funny bro, I am Georgiy, nice to see you!”

Then I went for small nap after so tired as I had a rendezvous with my friend in Red square at the evening.

Finally I met my friend, Daria. She had worked in Jakarta for a year before he moved to Portugal and back to Moscow. We were good friend back in Jakarta, till date anyway. We talked a lot about our updates. She took me around the red square (well, I had been there, twice on winter) but summer was very good, Beautiful view. I enjoyed so much the company and Moscow at night. But, I was another sad, my camera was broken, the lens, because I unintentionally dropped my camera and it was broken. I could not snap good pictures of Moscow, but I still managed to get some. I had another problem to fix this, as I had no budget for that, WHY PROBLEMS KEEP ON COMING?

blurred!!! me and Dasha

We finished at 22.00 we bid adieu and I forgot my wallet, I was so shocked, and I was so helpless. All my money and cards were there, how could I was so careless. I was unsure that I left my wallet in hostel. But I tried to convince myself that the wallet was in hostel. Darya paid for my metro ride for 50RUB, thank you. What a long day, which actually very short. I run to my hostel and fortunately my wallet just laid peacefully, as nobody stayed there.

Day 2 continued and day 3 next :