Safari Park!

One of the places I wanted to try to go see, but Lonely Planet said you needed a guide to go, was the Safari Park where two tigers live.

Well SRAS must of known we would want to go- so they organized it for us!

It's about 1 to 1.5 hours car ride outside of Vlad. So you need an organized group or to rent a car to get there.

On one side they have bears, an otter, a badger, foxes, raccoons, and wild cats in one enclosure, and birds of prey in the other.

I took a few pictures on this miserably cold November morning of the bears climibg trees, figuring they would be behind cages when we went (foreshadowing).

The Russian guide lectured to us (it sounded like what not to do), but we didn't really understand everything he said, but just shrugged and figured all would be ok, you know cages?

THERE ARE NO CAGES!

THERE ARE BEARS AND FOXES AND WILD CATS AND A VERY FRIENDLY OTTER RUNNING AROUND FREE.

This is the "lean towards the bear for a picture, but really hope they don't charge me" smile!

Suddenly the Americans were joking that we should of paid a bit more attention to that speech....

We couldn't pet the bears, but they were happy and playing and ignoring us. If we had come in April, they would of been litter and you could hold them!

The otter and the badger were very friendly towards the group and kept running towards us and through the group.

HI!!!!

The otter really just wanted out of the cage...

Then you go into the next cage and there are birds of prey. This part was a little sad- they din't have enough room for the size of the birds. I hope they rotated them so they could all fly in the large cage that smaller cages were a part of.







Then we had a quick lunch break, before going to explore the other side.

While we were waiting, the wathogs(?) were making the most pitiful noises ever.

Which we figured out why, once we were in there. Apparently with every tour, they get milk. 

We walked through to see the two tigers, which were in separate cages from each other. I did wonder if the cages had US regulation hights or what the Russian regulation (i know, funny) was...but the tigers were acting like cats too much to care...AKA the were totally just sleeping.

Then on the same side as the tigers, there were.....deer. Cuz that makes sense. I mean the tigers couldn't get to the dear, but still.

This time the deer were anxiously looking at us when we walked in.

We give them food/breadcrumbs.

After the gigantic walk though of deer, with multiple families, we drove back to Vlad. This was actually quicker. I timed it both ways, so it's not just "you think it is quicker on the way back" no it was legitimately quicker on the way back.

Russia.

See you around the globe!

C-56 Submarine!

One day after class Svetlana/SRAS took us to see the C-56 submarine. It was used in WW1 and theen retired.

It is a must go if you like military history, however, be prepared to not understand anything if you don't speak Russian.

Still fun to explore!

We HAD to pose with Stalin!

I was too tall for the bed!

See you around the globe!

Botanical Garden Exploration!

Svetlana, the woman who works in the international office and is wonderful and helps us with everything, invited me to go to the Botanical Garden with her and a few of her friends.

I figured Russians + pretty fall colors = photo session! And I was glad I guess that, because that was exactly what this was!

It is easy to get to the botanical garden, all you need it to take a bus and it drops you off right outside. Cost 100 RUB to get in.

But regardless, it was super fun to walk around and see all the pretty flowers, I won't over load you here, but you can check out Travel By Cassidy's FB page for more pictures!

I got in on some of the photo action!

This little girl watched us take pictures on the steps, then told her mom she wanted pictures on the step. 

See you around the globe!

"Close of Biker Season 2014"

SO there is this thing here called "Close of Biker Season Day."

1) There is a biker season? (Y'all I grew up in FL, if you want to ride your bike in January, you ride your bike in January

2) The commemorate the close of a "season"?

3) bikers in Russia?

4) why not?

Ok, let's go!


I met up with Elena again and we went to "Close of Biker Season 2014" which she had never been to.

It was interesting to say the least. A BUNCH of bikes all lined up, and people just walking around

TOUCHING THE BIKES. Touching OTHER bikers bikes. Sitting their children on the bikes.

If you know anything about American biker culture, you will understand how utterly confused I was about this. Elena stated that at a show like this, why wouldn't you be able to touch the bikes? (To avoid getting your hand broken?) Apparently that isn't a thing in Russia. So now you know!

We also saw a biker wedding. I wondered (1) how she wasn't cold and (2) how did she ride the bike in that dress?

Afterward we went to Cinnamon Cafe where I had pizza. Now this was close to regular pizza, but still wasn't "pizza."

See you around the globe!

Tiger Day!

Vladivostok's mascot is a Tiger. So, of course, they have to have Tiger Day holidays!

There was a parade of school children in the morning, followed by a  bunch of performances from adults and children. There was, of course, a small market to buy stuff as well as food. Then at night, they had a free concert of B-2/Б-2 a pretty famous Russian rock band. I didn't listen to anything they did before the concert, but free + concert +Russia = of course you go!

Pictures from the day!

I was the only one who wanted to go see the parade.

The cool costumes people wore!

School children performances.

The concert

lead singer

 See you around the globe!

Day in Vlad!

Today I wondered around Vlad after a yummy stop in a cafe with a new Russian friend- Elena!

We went to Chololadnita Cafe...guess what they excell at? Chocolate drinks! They had them in Moscow and Petersburg, but those didn't have a sit down menu, at least not that I ever saw!

I had an Ice Oreo drink, which, while not made with real Oreos, was still delish!

Then we wandered around the sea front of Vlad and, of course, took pictures. A day out with Russians, always involves pictures.

Har Krishna is a big thing here. They like to go around singing just "har krishna"

 After than fun, I went to a free Korean Cultural Concert.

OH MAN WAS IT AWESOME!

 The singers/performers were amazing! My favorite part was the traditional v. K-pop dance that they did! (which of course didn't turn out in a single picture!

See you around the globe!

Russian House

The Russian House is a cultural house where you can experience a Russian Tea plus see traditional clothing that women and men wore. As well as play with traditional toys.

The SRAS Americans went with a Japanese group that was on a study holiday.

This place was totally cool.







They first served us with bread and salt. Which sounds really weird, but totally works. Didn't hurt that the bread was absolutely yummy!

Then we had tea, black of course. But the funny thing here was that those traditional Russian glass tea cups with the metal handles?

Those are only for men. Women weren't supposed to served tea in those. We got dainty teacups.

Then they showed us traditional costumes from different eras while playing classical Russian music.

Then the funny thing happened. They had Alek and a Korean girl get up and get dressed in traditional clothing, without telling them what was going on.

Well apparently they were getting "married"!

This is about when they realized it.

One of the cute traditional toys was a cow that walks. I of course had to buy it. I can't stop giggling when I watch this wooden cow walk down a wooden plank. Don't ask why. Probably has to to with "It's Russia"

Just so you can understand the adorableness how crazy I am.



See you around the globe!