American impressions from the Russian province - Soligalich

[peacetraveler22]

Going through old photos from Russia, I began to feel nostalgic. I can't say why really, but there is something about the Kostroma region that I really loved. I think this is one of the poorest regions in the country, yet there is a sense of rustic charm that's soulful, and in cities like Soligalich, houses are well-maintained and colorful for the most part. I think this is very important for the psyche, to not live in trash, or be surrounded by decaying or collapsing buildings. To have some bright visual stimulation to contrast against the constant grey winter skies.

This was one of the final stops on the last big road journey in Russia, and I arrived here in an unusual manner. After the wonderful experience in the village of Astashova, I awoke in a frozen state from my sleepless night alone in the forest house, and got in the car to learn we were taking a rather exotic route to the next stopping point. Yep, an off-road winter adventure through the remote Russian wilderness. :)

1. I haven't processed my photos yet, so I'll use one of Sasha's for now. Basically, the journey to Soligalich was through a paved pathway in the forest. A sort of teleport that can be used only in winter and with the right vehicle. Twice our car got stuck in the marked tracks, and there were some questionable decisions about whether to cross certain frozen rivers, intense verbal battles, and motion sickness.  I'll write a separate story about this experience, because it was quite memorable and fun. :)




2. Immediately the town looks similar to a lot of provincial regions of Russia, with people walking on snowy streets, carrying bags and bundled up as Eskimos. I'm not sure what the main industry in this city is now, although I know it has a historic legacy in saltworks, providing salts to various parts of Russia and even Scandinavia.



3. Black salt is a specialty in the Kostroma region, and I tasted it during the meal with Nadia. The texture was a bit coarser than regular salt, but the taste didn't differ much to me. I loved encountering a strong woman like Nadia, and learning about her daily farming adventures. You can read her story and learn about her life in this post.




4. Roads in this city were in decent shape, better than other areas we traveled through in the Kostroma region. The population of Soligalich hovers around 10,000, at least based on the English language information I can find online. Not too big, not too small.



5. I couldn't understand what the image on the lower sign meant? My Russian friends on Facebook informed me the sign warns of "bumps" in the road, but is more commonly referred to by the vulgar name "tits." To me, it looks like a hat, and I would never guess the message the sign is intending to convey.



6. What I love most about Russian winter - frozen, snowy landscapes and rivers you can skate or walk upon.



7. No small town is complete without one or two statues of Lenin. :) Soligalich's town center is called "Red Square," but there didn't appear to be much administrative action going on during the work week. I saw almost no one coming in or out of the buildings.



8. Signs are plastered everywhere, all over the walls but at least they are artistic, and not just messy or torn papers tacked or taped all over city walls and bus stations. I hate this in Moscow, as it creates a very unpleasant and messy appearance.



9. It seems many businesses in Soligalich are tied to female names. I never noticed this in other regions of Russia, but several shops are called by female names. Most of them appeared closed for business, even though the signage on the door indicates the store should be opened. It's strange for me to not abide by your advertised operating hours, but I guess if it's your personal business, you can do as you wish. :) I've already been warned by many people about my upcoming expedition to Georgia that I should not expect anything to run on time, or as planned, even with tour operators. One friend informed me GMT stands for "Georgia Maybe Time." :)) So, I think this is just a cultural difference, where rules are not so strictly adhered to.



10. Store named "Victoria." Also closed in the middle of the day.



11. This vibrant blue color is woven into the fabric of many building facades, though I'm not sure it has any significance. I think this structure was part of an old church, but I can't find any English language information available about it online. This is a problem for Russian cities off the beaten tourist path, and unfortunately when I try to write reports a year after the journey I forget some details.



12. The main structure in the city is this abandoned shopping arcade, which is near collapse. Again, with the blue decorative touches, and perhaps it is now completely destroyed as it was on its last legs during our visit. Or, maybe it will remain there for decades, with no action by local officials to do anything about it.



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14. It was here that I encountered the lady on the top left, who used an old school contraption to calculate sales. I already wrote a post about this, but I was confused when she began to move the balls, as I thought she was ready to play a game with me. :) Then I later learned that this was an abacus, and it was commonly used during Soviet times, and is still alive in many provincial shops. :)) I've never once seen anything like this in U.S. stores - not in the 70's, 80's, 90's or today. So, for an American, it was something very unusual, and I even found other travelers who shared similar impressions after encoutering these devices in Russian stores. Look here, for instance.



15. As a winter tourist, options are often limited because many places are shut down. In summer, I assume this is some type of meat or barbecue stand, where you can sit and enjoy freshly prepared foods.



16. Can't recall what this building is? Same as all the others, very old yet colorful and I think it was still operating.



17. Neighborhood streets, sidewalks uncleared but roads are generally passable.



18. The landscape is quite nice, and the area clean and open. There are fewer fences here, and it makes a walk through the city much more aesthetically pleasing to not be staring at walls and barriers everywhere.



18. Some type of official government building. Btw, the city has an official website, soligalich.org, with "tourist" information. But it isn't user friendly, only in Russian, and generally doesn't tell anything useful or present any compelling reason to visit the region.



19. Some type of memorial site, presumably to soldiers based on the statue and photos displayed by the red star billboard.



20. As an adult, I still love playgrounds, especially swings. I go to them frequently late at night, and one is located only a few feet from the door of my house. I sit, launch myself upward toward the night sky, and clear my mind in the solitude of darkness, as the brisk breeze strokes my face, drifting upward and downward, in a sort of floating motion for brief periods of time. And at night, there are no noisy children there. :)) Options are very limited in Soligalich, just a random slide placed in the middle of a town square.



21. I'm always amazed that there will be one street completely clear in all of these provincial towns. This is probably the street on which some official lives, and preferential treatment is given to its maintenance.



22. Classic Russian architecture, with the domes and lace-framed windows. I like it. :)



23. During the walk, we had a debate about the restoration of old homes, whether they should be restored in classic wooden style, or made to look more modern? I argued in favor of keeping the traditional look, but my companion pushed for modernization in appearance and building materials.



24. My favorite wooden house, sort of like a log cabin in the Russian province. I think several families must live here, or perhaps there are individual apartments inside? It's unclear to me.



25. One other observation - many homes in Soligalich had holiday stickers placed in windows, even though we were there in March, long after the New Year's holiday had passed. What is the significance of having Ded Moroz, or Santa like stickers in the windows year round?



26. Gingerbread landscape, with snow-kissed entrances and triangular roofs.



27. When I lost sight of my companion in the distance, I sat and listened to these sparrows sing their tunes as the snowflakes began to fall at a heavier pace. My family collects bird houses, and they are placed all over the trees in my parent's yard. We just gave my mom a new one for Mother's Day on 8 May. They bring me back to childhood and there's something very calming about the hymns these creatures set forth and unleash in the open air.



28. Local resident on a mission for one of the basic necessities in life - water.



29. Along the way, I met this young guy and tried to chat with him for a bit but it was almost impossible due to language barriers. He was friendly, ready to show off his strength and wood cutting skills. :) Then, he offered to hand me this tool and put me to work.



30. The father joined after a few minutes, and they were surprised to see an American woman wandering through the streets of their hometown.



31. They tried to put me to work, but I could not master the wood-cutting skills, or properly handle this heavy tool. I made a valiant effort though. :)



32. Lenin changing a lightbulb. It's very amusing to see the placement of some of these statues, and what exactly is he pointing to? In some cases, it's a McDonald's, other times it's a light bulb, but I believe the inherent meaning is to point to the future. Yet so many of these provincial towns remain stuck in the past. As if almost nothing has changed over the decades, or since Soviet times. I think some people honestly prefer it that way.



33. As I departed Soligalich, I encountered this man again, almost done with his task, and I began to think about living in a place like this. Could I handle it, or even be comfortable in such an environment?



Sometimes success can become boring and monotonous. This describes my current mental state...ready for a drastic change, but not sure what it should be. So perhaps sometime soon, you will find me living in such a province, in another country, experiencing a totally different culture and way of life...if only for a brief period of time. I doubt it will be Russia, but it will be somewhere. Suggestions? :)

Have you been to Soligalich, or know any interesting facts about this city or region? Please share your impressions and thoughts.