I have to say, however, that my reluctance was tempered by the fact that I knew I wouldn't be facing the challenge alone. I've just had a thought, an idea for a tv program: "Celebrity Walking on Ice". Celebrities are equipped with normal footwear and are then challenged to walk unassisted 100 metres along a footpath covered in packed snow, which has frozen into solid and very slippery ice. I know a few celebrities that I would like to see undertake the challenge: it could be quite amusing.
Anyway, emerging from the building it was soon clear that it was going to be a challenge.
Eventually we boarded a trolley bus, surviving the automatic doors which endeavoured to trap me half in and half out of the bus, and headed for a destination which as yet remained a mystery to me. Whilst on board the bus there occurred something quite strange. At one of the stops a gentleman got on board and he clearly knew Eugenia. They spoke for a few moments and then she introduced him to me. The gentleman in question was Igor Gavrilov, Founder and Director of the Yaroslavl Jazz Research Centre. Now you may remember from an earlier post that one of the few things I knew about Yaroslavl was that there was a Jazz Centre. I knew this for two reasons, the first being that Eugenia had performed there. She has a wonderful voice, as you may discover later if technology and copyright allow. The other reason was much more tenuous. Some of you know that I am a massive fan of a band called Leonid and Friends, a Russian band of outstandingly talented musicians who play music in tribute to such bands as Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears and Earth, Wind and Fire. Through the Facebook Official Fans of Leonid and Friends I had read many interesting posts by Cyril Moshkow, and had become a Facebook friend of his. Now Cyril had told me that he would actually be arriving in Yaroslavl on 5th January to meet up with his friend and colleague, the Director of the Jazz Research Centre, and now here I was having a conversation with that very person. At this point there should be some strange, unearthly "what a coincidence" music playing in the background.
Eventually we disembarked from the trolley bus and said our goodbyes to Igor. We headed across the road to a very imposing building which looked like a cross between a fortress and a church. It was in fact the Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy Muzhskoy Monastery which was now a museum. We entered a small ticket office and Eugenia bought tickets which gave access to the main building.
Aren't smartphones wonderful? Not only can I write my blog on my phone but I can also take reasonably good photographs. In fact the camera on this Samsung S9 takes better photographs in poor light, without flash, than any camera I have ever known. It was getting towards the time of day when I would have abandoned my 'normal' camera, but I was amazed at the capabilities of the smartphone camera to capture images in increasing low light. Here are some of the results:
Did I mention that I like cupolas.
As dusk fell we left the monastery, comparing the picture on the reverse of the 1000 ruble note to the reality in front of us.
Then we walked, at every turn there seemed to be another wonderful building.
Eugenia was a brilliant guide, proud of her city and its history. I didn't know that Yaroslavl had been capital of Russia for a time, and learned about Yaroslav himself, and the story of the bear, which is now an emblem of the city (Those hints are really prompts to encourage you to research Yaroslavl's history yourself.) As we walked we approached the Strelka, a promontory which juts out into the mighty Volga.
In the half light the river looked even more impressive, it's far bank indistinct in the murky distance to the naked eye but not the Samsung S9, giving the impression that its width was unlimited. I had met the Volga before, and dipped my fingers into its waters at Volgograd, icy cold. Perhaps it is because I was born in a town at the mouth of a river that I love them. I remember the first time I visited Paris, and was asked by my hosts what I would like to see most in the city. I replied, "The Seine". The Neva, in St.Petersburg and the St Laurence , in Quebec held similar attractions, almost spiritual. So now the Volga lay before us, but it was inaccessible.
Perhaps tomorrow. We continued past more cathedrals and walked down wide boulevards, beautifully decorated with new year decorations , passing the eternal flame burning in memory of those Yaroslavl citizens who had perished in war.
Eventually we approached an open square, and long before we entered it we could hear the sound of live music.
In front of another large church a large stage had been constructed, and on the stage were a trio of female singers dressed in traditional costume, belting out popular Russian songs. The appreciative audience jumped up and down in time with the music and were clearly enjoying themselves. The city was still celebrating New Year and the square was partly taken up by decorations and partly by a market. It was very busy and the atmosphere was tremendous. But we did not have time to dally, because Eugenia had booked a table at a restaurant in the city and we needed to get there. More walking, more support.
The city streets were very busy with crowded pavements and traffic filled streets: the atmosphere experienced in the square seemed to be filling the whole city.
Eventually we arrived at Mamuka, a very popular Georgian restaurant. There was a small queue at the cloakroom just inside the entrance, the place was very busy, so it was just as well that Eugenia had booked a table. The waitresses were dressed in flowing and very stylish red robes, and one of them guided us to a table almost hidden behind a row of large earthenware vessels. I have eaten Georgian food once before, in Moscow, but this menu was far more extensive, and I needed advice. My brain was tired, because I hadn't slept for a long time, and as a result I can't remember the names of the dishes we sampled, but they were delicious. (Perhaps Eugenia can remind me?) I enjoyed a refreshing pint of beer too - I think it was German.
After the meal it was time to head back to the apartment, again by a very reasonably priced taxi. We would meet up with Eugenia in the morning for another day full of new experiences.
In the meantime, for the first time in several days, I slept like a log in a very comfortable bed, aches and pains forgotten.
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