Who put the lights out?

We awoke at 5:00 am for an early start and the apartment's lights had all blown - packing at speed in the pitch black is a major problem but feeding from the "Dennis Scott book of Boy Scout tips" we had brought a head torch - Bizarre but it did the job. The station was a challenge all over again, our lack of Russian being a major problem - Finally we reached the "correct" platform but were all alone except for a sleeping drunk. The drunk awoke and started shouting "SAPSAN" and gesturing to a hidden portion of the platform, we moved to what was actually the correct place and left the inebriate to slumber.

We arrived in Suzdal in the rain, got dropped off before our stop resulting in a long walk fully laden with little sense of direction and nobody who spoke English - Miraculously we found our accommodation. Suzdal is a tenth century city "the jewel of the Golden Ring" very popular with tourists in season (we are told). It does have lots of old buildings, churches and monuments dating back as far as the tenth century ….. They have been kept in their original condition; the place itself seems to be locked in time. The combination of continuous rain and nobody speaking our lingo made life difficult. Fortunately on the last night as we battled through rain, ankle deep in water, we happened upon a hostelry where the Russian proprietor spoke German and so does Heather - An excellent 2 course meal, washed down with 2 pints of beer each and only £10 in total (the best value so far) lifted our spirits and sent us home happy people. We returned for breakfast and were given a lift to the train, twenty miles away in Vladimir, saving certain confusion and heartache seeking a bus.

Auf Wiedersehen Suzdal