A better insight to murom

Previous page - Sightseeing in Murom

 

Breakfast at Hotel Lada

Ian slept well but I didn't. We squirmed past workmen on our way down the stairs to the restaurant. We produced our free breakfast voucher that we were given yesterday. We ate in the same room we had dinner in last night but, alas, the elderly lady wasn't in attendance this time. We were served curd cheese and cream, two fried eggs plus some small pieces of ham, then bread and marmalade plus a nice cup of tea. Very tasty indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 10 a.m we were waiting in the hotel foyer when Tanya arrived. We had our large and small rucksacks packed up and ready to go, not to mention the blue "food bag" plus the bag with Ian's furry Russian hat in it. Tanya suggested we walk to her parents' flat and leave the gear there whilst we she gave us a tour of Murom on foot. We were lucky the big rucksacks had wheels on them so we didn't have to carry them.

We briskly walked along rough and ready paths to the flat, wondering if the wheels on our rucksacks would come loose with the strenuous work-out they were getting.

Tanya's parents' flat was several floors up but there was a lift we were able to use so we didn't have to carry the huge rucksacks up umpteen flights of stairs (as is usually the case).

We spoke briefly to her Mum and we set off minus both of our rucksacks which was an absolute delight to us. All we carried was our I.D. some money and a water bottle each.

I wore my headscarf so I could go into churches. Never had we travelled so light in Russia.

Murom churches and folklore

Tanya took us into several of the churches we went into yesterday but having her with us made each stop very worthwhile because she explained a little about the history of the place and its various features.

She told us about local folk lore which was fascinating and she told us all about Chamomile Day which is celebrated on 8th July each year. You can read more about the story here Family Day – Chamomile Day.

Tanya suggested a place for lunch and strangely enough it was where we had been yesterday for lunch. This time though we had a far better meal. Tanya ordered the set menu for all three of us and we had a huge feast which cost far less than what we paid yesterday. We had soup & croutons, salad, a chicken and rice dish, plus a bread roll and a red drink that seemed to be cordial. It was extremely good value and only cost 100 roubles per person. This is the equivalent of $3.85 AUD each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanya told us the place used to be a prison! When we had finished our meal Tanya had a few words with the manager and explained we were all the way from Australia and could we please see the cell.

She obliged by un-locking the cell door and we walked down a few steps and into the cell proper. There were even stocks on the wall. Presumably there were cells elsewhere too but we never saw those.

You could eat outdoors under the trees and canopies or inside in a room that was very nicely decorated with an old rustic theme. We can genuinely recommend this restaurant but remember to ask for the set menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We wandered on further and stopped at a kiosk that sold bread baked at one of the monasteries. We were heading out of Murom in a few hours so we bought a loaf to share with the CouchSurfing host we would be staying with that night.

 

We strolled back to Tanya's parents place and her mum had laid on a lovely afternoon tea for us. This was especially kind of her seeing as she and her husband were in the middle of some major kitchen and bathroom renovations. We only had time to gobble a few morsels of food when it was time to hop into the taxi for our ride to the bus station.

We took with us a packet of sugary, fruit jelly lollies Tanya's mum had given us as a present. We decided to keep the lollies and only open them back in Australia.

 

Added later:

Fortunately the lollies weren't confiscated by Australian quarantine officers. They were absolutely delicious to eat and we wish we could buy them here in Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived at the bus station with only a few minutes to spare. We were glad we had purchased our tickets the day before. Prior to hopping on the bus we bought some more bottled water. We paid 17 roubles for 1.5 litres of water. It was the cheapest water we had bought in all of Russia thus far. The buses all seem to leave from the rear of the bus station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the bus pulled away from the station it began to rain and continued to do so for the whole two hour journey to Vladimir. Even so, it was still a great bus journey. Everything was so green. We wished we had such green countryside in Australia.

 

Next page - Unpleasant stay in Vladimir, Part 1

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