Valday 2- the hilly upland of glacier origin between Moscow and Saint-Petersburg.

Valday, the 1st of May

Valday Hills Part 1 Here: possible accommodation, prices.

As I have already written Valday is an area between Moscow and Saint-Petersburg on the M10 highway.

lunch at Priut Okhotnika (Hunter's Retreat)

Valday 1 - the hilly upland of glacier origin between Moscow and Saint-Petersburg.

Although the distance form Moscow to Saint-Petersburg is only 700 km, the trip from Moscow to Saint-Petersburg by car may take from 10 to 14 hours. All because of horrific traffic jams first in Moscow, then - in Vyshny Volochok, less - in Saint-Petersburg. The highway connecting the two capitals is surprisingly narrow - only three driving lanes.

However, driving along the M 10, the connecting highway, is relatively safe. One can get a better understanding of Russia, enjoy the views and, the last but not the least, visit  the Valday Hills.

Last weekend's Saint-Petersburg

Saint-Petersburg, my hometown.

The Dostoyevsky's related sights. 

The area of Sennaya Ploshchad' (Sennaya Square) and Vladimirskiy Prospect are the places densely inhabited by Dostoevsky's characters. He himself rented the apartment where he died near Vladimirskaya underground station. The apartment now houses his memorial museum.  Location of the museum here. 

The supposedly Raskolnikov's house where he plotted the murder is not far from Sennaya Ploshchad' station. Actually, if you start walking from Sennaya Ploshchad' towards Nevsky Prospect along the Griboedov Channel you will see the setting of Dostoevsky's novels.

Nowadays Sennaya Ploshchad is the city centre. However, in the 19th century it was a remote area where working class people or poor intelligentsia settled. The tiny crooked street (pereulok Brinko) adjacent to the square, mentioned in the novel Crime and Punishment,  was inhabited by prostitutes and low working class. Raskolnikov used to go there to feel even worse.

On my way from Sennaya Ploshchad' to Saint-Isaak Cathedral. 

Lions' Bridge (suspension)  over the Griboedov Channel.