I realise that I haven't ever given you good people an in depth description of the town in which I'm living. Apart from my detailed account of the mud I think I've been very miserly in my portrayal of my temporary home. So, for your pleasure, I will now paint a picture in your minds eye of the town that is known in these parts as the Dallas of Siberia....
Take a stroll down the main streets of Tyumen on a fine, sunny day and you will be witness, first of all, to some of the most erratic and, well let's be honest here – dangerous driving that man could ever hope to see, but secondly, after crossing the road you can then thank God personally for getting you across it alive by visiting one of the many cathedrals that adorn the streets of this typical Russian town. There are no shortages of Cathedrals here, they are all traditionally white with green and gold onion-domed tops, and look very quaint and historic. I think you may see a picture of one such cathedral in an earlier entry in this here blog.
So, what can one do in the town when the sun is shining and spirits are high? Well, it appears that at every opportunity the residents leave the town, and journey for about 30 minutes in a car to one of the small villages outside the city where they most likely have a Dacha. This is a small country house where they grow vegetables and fruit, have a banya, and generally have a knees-up Russian style. They like to go to the forest and swim in a lake or have a barbecue. So, usually, if you walk around the city at the weekend it's very quiet. Unless you pass by a summer tent, in which case you'll find all those folks who don't have a dacha drinking beer and singing karaoke. I could make a comment here about class distinction but that would be cynical of me.
I'm not sure what you imagine a Siberian town to be like if you've never been here. I imagined it to be very Eastern European but the ground on which I walk is in fact part of Asia, or, as some folks here like to call it, Euro-Asia. But this particular city is quite Western looking, with patches of Eastern Europe dotted around. For example standing outside the glamorous Quality Hotel you would not be surprised to see a poor Babushka begging for money or selling mushrooms.
As you move out of the centre of the town and the wealthy area in which I am lucky enough to live, you see more traditionally Soviet style buildings and shops. In the centre there are about 2 or 3 large shopping centres complete with food court and cinema complex, but further afield you get markets and old apartment blocks, which all look identical and which house the majority of the people. So really it's a mish mash of different styles, there's modern luxury apartments, soviet-style rabbit hutches (which remind me of modern Manchester city centre accommodation, complete with standard balcony), and really old wooden one storey houses, which are few but which are colourful and individual.
I will think of more interesting things to tell you next time, but really, it's a very simple place with not very much to do, especially in summer, unless you like swimming in the lake (as for me well I seem to have enough problems with the water that comes through the taps so I wouldn't risk jumping in the lake).
Join us next time for part 2: Tyumen and it's inhabitants........
Take a stroll down the main streets of Tyumen on a fine, sunny day and you will be witness, first of all, to some of the most erratic and, well let's be honest here – dangerous driving that man could ever hope to see, but secondly, after crossing the road you can then thank God personally for getting you across it alive by visiting one of the many cathedrals that adorn the streets of this typical Russian town. There are no shortages of Cathedrals here, they are all traditionally white with green and gold onion-domed tops, and look very quaint and historic. I think you may see a picture of one such cathedral in an earlier entry in this here blog.
So, what can one do in the town when the sun is shining and spirits are high? Well, it appears that at every opportunity the residents leave the town, and journey for about 30 minutes in a car to one of the small villages outside the city where they most likely have a Dacha. This is a small country house where they grow vegetables and fruit, have a banya, and generally have a knees-up Russian style. They like to go to the forest and swim in a lake or have a barbecue. So, usually, if you walk around the city at the weekend it's very quiet. Unless you pass by a summer tent, in which case you'll find all those folks who don't have a dacha drinking beer and singing karaoke. I could make a comment here about class distinction but that would be cynical of me.
I'm not sure what you imagine a Siberian town to be like if you've never been here. I imagined it to be very Eastern European but the ground on which I walk is in fact part of Asia, or, as some folks here like to call it, Euro-Asia. But this particular city is quite Western looking, with patches of Eastern Europe dotted around. For example standing outside the glamorous Quality Hotel you would not be surprised to see a poor Babushka begging for money or selling mushrooms.
As you move out of the centre of the town and the wealthy area in which I am lucky enough to live, you see more traditionally Soviet style buildings and shops. In the centre there are about 2 or 3 large shopping centres complete with food court and cinema complex, but further afield you get markets and old apartment blocks, which all look identical and which house the majority of the people. So really it's a mish mash of different styles, there's modern luxury apartments, soviet-style rabbit hutches (which remind me of modern Manchester city centre accommodation, complete with standard balcony), and really old wooden one storey houses, which are few but which are colourful and individual.
I will think of more interesting things to tell you next time, but really, it's a very simple place with not very much to do, especially in summer, unless you like swimming in the lake (as for me well I seem to have enough problems with the water that comes through the taps so I wouldn't risk jumping in the lake).
Join us next time for part 2: Tyumen and it's inhabitants........
posted by Girl Least Likely To at 7:45 PM
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