Terra incognita — unknown land (Latin)
Mouth already stuffed representation of some Western tourists on Russia (morning cleaning new foot bindings of the Kremlin stars and bears, drinking from a samovar vodka to the accompaniment of accordion and balalaika). However, many Russians have a very vague idea about the pearls of Russian tourism. For example we will not go far — less than 400-Ah kilometers from Moscow is situated the area of old, bearing the proud name of lake Valdai. Close? But for many terra incognita (see epigraph). «Why, heard. It’s somewhere on the border of tundra and taiga… I Think you can get there by rafting or all-terrain vehicle from the last stop, but it is better to parachute from a helicopter…». Fullness! Lake Valdai is much closer, dearer and better than the idea of it average citizen.
Get one thing straight — this is not another duty material, designed in any way to lure tourists to the Russian hinterland. Are you going to Turkey? In Tunisia? In the Maldives, the Canaries, the Bahamas (underline)? No one will take your passport and do not forbid to cross the Russian border. Go! But first, for example the well-known joke about the checkered answer myself — you need in Turkey or need a rest? You need to casually leave on arrival from holiday colleagues: «well, I was expecting more from Hawaii», or need to feel fitter, fresher and cleaner in body and soul by visiting the Valdai lake? A rhetorical question, let’s stick to the topic.
Valday! How much of this sound… No, you remember correctly, Alexander is about Moscow wrote, just better not say, sorry for the plagiarism. So what is this sound? The land of lakes, home of many Russian rivers (including mother Volga) and leaving in the Summer time the center of production of large and small jewelry bell industries. «And bell, the gift of Valday, is sadly ringing under the arc…». But the bells… At Valdai enough, and monuments, for example, the Valdai manor, and represents the true value of architectural ensembles, ranging from the Iversky monastery, founded, of blessed memory, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Nikon and to the many noble mansions of XVIII-XIX centuries. Lake Valdai… Places of ancient epics, steeped in centuries of legend and a sense of touch of the ancient’s shrines — all this at Valdai is available in abundance, and you will not be disappointed! But not only historical monuments of the glorious Valday — it is clear that from honestly earned vacation time do you expect GUESTS. And if you know it (rest) as a fusion with nature and the eternal values of all four elements (fire, water, earth and air) on the Valday — see Valday Park, meet valdayskie Zori, check out what it is, fishing in Valdai! Outset, the fire is not a fire in the hotel and a night bonfire on the shore of lake Valdai — introduced? A date with eternity — Nirvana and astral rest… But you will rest better where Nirvana! Put your hand on the Bible of Russian Tourism and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…
You can’t tell about the true beauty of scientific language, but not afraid of the words «flora and fauna» and try to describe the Valdai national Park — the country of forests, lakes, rivers, camps and comfortable hotels on the junction of the Valdai hills and North-Western lowlands within the watershed for a large area of over 4000 sq km Is where carousing — razzudis, soul, swing as a tourist! Just walk gently — in the Park from time immemorial accommodated more than 200 species of birds and animals, including wild boar, elk, brown bear, lynx and all known grey nurse Lesa than not the shelter of a hunter. Valday has always been famous for hunting. There are smaller animals — Arctic hare, Fox, raccoon dog, marten, ermine, European mink… No, lovely woman, on a fur coat to shoot will be difficult, do not force the husband to take the gun. However, he’ll take it when I go with friends on the famous Valdai hunting, taking care of pre-license. All this does not mean that when you exit from the hotel to the nearest spruce forest you will be attacked by the wolf, the raccoon dog, or, God save, the hungry bear-a rod. All wild predators is enough food in the vast depth of Valdai forests and misguided tourists in their diet are not included. Besides Zoological diversity a lot more available in the wonderful spruce, pine and birch forests along the banks of numerous lakes that you have seen in sweet dreams about a vacation, dear inhabitants of urban neighborhoods! Sleep in hand — a fairy tale come true, when you can feel on the tongue pleasantly sour natural taste of freshly picked strawberries. As well as blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, cranberry, cranberry — choose. And collect! And remember — mushrooms not less than berries, so leave room in the basket…
And Valdai are bream… Yes, again! Now the assumption the line was stolen, of course, he wrote about the suburbs. Well, first, far, secondly, indeed, fishing in Valdai unforgettable. Lake Valdai is teeming with bream and other representatives of the underwater Kingdom! And not only bream, and another of 40 types of delicious and healthy fish, including perch, roach, catfish and walleye — all will not list, take the tackle and on the Valdai. Want — catch to the shore, quietly whispering reeds, the float regularly dives… And something good on the boat to the middle of the lake — ripples on the mirrored surface, fog, next gently spreading on the morning dawn… the Wife is still the tenth sleep at the hotel sees, and you have future ear leads the rod… Lepota!
Nice Valday fishing, hunting, history! If you see keenly sticking out over the meadow grasses long ears, be sure it is not just the hare, and great-great-grandson of the oblique, Umarsultanov 4 may 1837 in the province of Novgorod Prince Alexander Nikolayevich (later Emperor Alexander II) during the Royal hunt. And all the famous historical figures at the Valdai club have visited many of the poet Gavrila Derzhavin, Alexander Radishchev (later wrote «Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow»). Alexander Ivanovich Herzen laudatory comments about the local splendor on the way to exile. By the way, Radishchev last time I visited the lake Valdai, returning from exile. That speaks of how great the routes were on stage Russian revolutionaries (sorry for the black humor). What can I say, the same Alexander in «Letter Sobolev» wrote:
The flexible peasant
(The and famous Valday)
Bagels for tea nakupy
And rather go.
These verses in school curriculum are not included. Nothing human the great poet was no stranger to. Man gentlemen, please note that serfdom was abolished long ago, so pliable peasants at the local bench was not the less an example. Do not forget about family values and that lake Valdai — not Thailand, but the best place for a family holiday. …Of the great later time in the love of the Valdai admitted Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Nikolai Roerich, and a famous writer, connoisseur of hunting and nature Vitaly Bianki, moshalasi Valdai Park and valdayskie Zori. One can see the tendency to embellish Valdai on the part of the author of this material, but do not believe all of the above pillars of world culture — just a crime. And if you tap the recent history, the residence of Vladimir Putin, which the journalists mistakenly called «Valday» or «Long Beard», actually called «Dinner» its adjacent lake, and with the accent on the second syllable. The history of this government giving begins with 1980, and her guests since then, many Russian leaders and politicians, and eminent foreign visitors, including Fidel Castro. All these people know a lot about the rest — absolutely no doubt. …One word — Valday!
Something we digress from the specific nature of the Valdai and the already mentioned four elements. Fire and forest land have already mentioned, now the water and air. Let’s start with water. Rivers and lakes everywhere in Valdai, Seliger one is worth — but it now won’t, is another story. And the water in them (the lakes) quite justifies the name of the place — «Valda» in old Slavic means «bright, pure». So if the chief promises to bring you to clean water — is it a ticket to the lake Valdai promises… don’t give up! But seriously, the samples of water in some reservoirs showed that it is almost identical to the Baikal. And this fact does not seem so surprising, worse than the Valdai lake? Except that the volume of advertising propaganda. So easy to cook fragrant fish soup, scooping up water from the lake will be healthier! About the air separately to tell. Clean, healthy, wholesome, heady — all these epithets are fully justified in relation to the air Valdai. What else can you expect from the atmosphere of this woodland? Let me give you the testimony of one of the locals, who cram nestled grill with a barbeque party with the most valuable information from the life of the natives. It directly refers to the definition of «intoxicating» is exactly the opposite. Grandpa was quite sturdy, he has declared his 75, but will not give. Right hand clutching a faceted glass of the famous Russian drink (to the kebab is not forbidden!). Obviously, his speech was the introduction to the next toast: «Yes we have the air such that the spawn of a hangover does not happen, is a fool two buckets in one sitting vyzhret…"(author's edition shows no change). Then grandpa added a few not very flattering of expressions about the environmental friendliness of modern cities, of which the literary was the epithet «dirtied». And concluded the speech by wishing to all mankind or drink, or live in Valday. Do not misunderstand — this is not a call to alcoholic tourism in Valdai, but only a conclusion about the purity of air seasoned for centuries national laboratory. So.
If shortly to sum up, there are few in Russia, and all over the world such Valdai. Air, water and earth Valdai give life, health and strength, and it is difficult to add anything. If this material convinced you, or at least planted the seed of doubt, to check its conformity with the truth enough to pack their bags (backpacks, bags, baskets, suitcases) and keep the only true course of a rest — in Valday! Park Valdai, Valdai manor, valdayskie Zori, amazing fishing in Valdai are waiting for you.
It remains only to clarify a little bit the geography of the Valdai national Park is located between Moscow and Saint Petersburg and you can reach it quite common modern types of transport, both personal and public car, bus and train. And terra incognita will not be…
Have a nice stay!
