Samara-taste of the real Russia

For a taste of the real Russia – this is it. This is Russia not
from a hotel room, or with a noisy crowd of English-speaking tourists
who all come from where you come from, but staying in a comfortable
place – you live, eat and talk with a real Russian family. (
www.StayInSamara.com/family.html)

Mikhail and his wife, Lina, daughter Anya, Babushka, cats Dimka and
Black, and Dick the Dog, offer accommodations for the single traveler
or a couple. You room in their large house, and can also pay a little
extra for breakfast and/or supper. Mikhail offers service as
interpreter, guide or chauffer, or you can go out on your own. He is
fluent in English and Lina can understand you if you speak more slowly
than seven words a second. All your needs are taken care of and
anything unexpected or unusual can be handled easily

The house is gated and guarded by Dick the dog. You are located by the
sprawling Zagoradny Park and a short walk from the wide Volga River.

After breakfast, walk down the street (avoid Dick the Dog –
he’s the watchdog, but he’s a nice guy at heart) to the
convenient bus stop. From there, you can explore Samara, one of the
most exotic, off-the-beaten-path places on the planet. To get around,
there is a variety of city busses, mini-buses, trolleybuses and tram,
even a subway. You can hail a ride from the curb - many cars, not just
taxis, will stop for you. And, yes, there’s a McDonald’s
if you absolutely must have salt and grease.
Unique Qualities:
At the park there are semi-wild horses and many rides, such as the
Ferris wheel, bumper cars or pedal boats. In the summer evenings, the
pathways of the park are full of strollers – old, young, lovers,
children, sightseers. Kiosks offer ice cream (seems to be the Russian
national food), beer (Russian beer is on a par with the German) and
outdoor cafes grill chicken and shaslik (pork or lamb on a stick
– shish-ka-bob).

Samara is a big city and has everything to offer that any other big
city has – from sports to culture to casinos. If you like to
watch the young ladies, you may think you have died and gone to heaven
– walking down the sidewalk in Russia is like walking through
the pages of an Elle magazine.

Towards downtown, there is the “embankment.” At the
water’s edge, there is a long sandy beach, for swimming, sun
tanning or girl-watching. You can rent a bicycle or roller-blades, or
just stroll along the wide seaside asphalt pathways. Want to take an
excursion down the Volga for an hour, a day or a week? There are
commercial ferries to all points on this waterway through the heart of
Russia or you can hire your own small boat.

The embankment is alive day and night, with open-air bars and cafes
featuring fresh-grilled chicken and fish. As the sun goes down, a
festive air of music and dancing permeates the atmosphere and you want
to stay in Samara forever.
www.StayInSamara.com/samara.html

"Jim" wrote


shaslik (pork or lamb on a stick


I used to eat a lot of roadside shashlik in Russia and enjoyed it, but I was
never quite sure what meat it was.

Years later I read that it usually dog. I honestly read that. Dunno if it`s
true though.

Been to Samara and would agree that it`s an interesting place and worth a
visit.


--
Regards,
Vince

Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk