PETUSHKI – NIZHNIY NOVGOROD

Raining again. It seems the rain will always be our companion. Andrey is showing off riding his bike on the rear wheel. We are driving to Nizhniy Novgorod, ex-Gorky, and around 6PM we are finally there. The first thing awaiting for us is a fantastic sunset we watch from the hill where the old Kremlin and Chkalov monument are located at. The “Rossya” hotel we are staying at is getting ready for its reconstruction, but we are happy we got here before it began. The spirit of the old Soviet days is still dwelling here, which is quite an often thing for buildings in Russia, especially beyond its two capitals. In Riga, for instance, VEF Culture Palace still keeps it up. We get out to see Pokrovka, the biggest pedestrian street in town, where tiny authentic wooden houses mix up with chic stone buildings. Architecture here is rather Slavic, also round cupolas of Orthodox churches are emphasizing the feeling. We stop at a local rock café where Chkalov band is playing tonight.