Amidst overcast skies, our leisurely Sunday urban hike in Vladivostok charted us from the top of the Primorskiy peninsula South to the very tip where a lighthouse was accessible by foot. There were great views of the city and the Golden Bridge from the shoreline.
Photo, above: Bombed out cars, buses, metal shrapnel, rusted everything waiting for weeds to infest them like modern-day Mayan ruins are prevalent along the road
Photos, below:
- Along the same road, luxury high rises and private villas scramble to be completed first along the narrow coastline
- Yachts parked along the west side of the peninsula
- Soviet artwork at the Swim Center
The width of the path at the narrowest spot was merely a meter wide, with shores of the water on both sides lapping gently like a puppy’s breath. A wedding party made a special effort, spike heels and all, to make it to the very end of the peninsula.
Our walk, about four miles in each direction, gave us an up-close-and-personal view of life in an up-and-coming Russian city. Everyone wants to enjoy life, life life freely, and have peace. We’ve enjoyed our stay in Russia, and although brief, it gave us a glimpse of a very misunderstood country.
For my foodie friends: a walk down the street from our hotel yielded a chance surprise. The environment was elegant and the food was, as we have found, carefully prepared, presented, and excellently proportioned to a small audience. This starter was herring, beet and vegetable salad, with a kicker. Like dry-fried beans, the dry-fried beets had a great texture complementing the fresh ones! They were crispy on the outside, and dissolved to a chewy, macaroon texture inside. Dinner for two with entree, salad/dessert, and wine was only $50!
We are preparing for our travel to Tokyo, Japan. After an overnight stay in the city, we will be heading out to the countryside to Kusatsu, an area with hot springs, on the way toward Nagano City west of Tokyo. You’ll be hearing more soon!
Travels with Myself and Others 