Water Ways of the Czars 8/26 - 9/6/2007

Travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow was by boat - 1,600 km, with a side trip of 150 km (one-way) to Kizhi Island. Images include scenes on the boat and along the way. Sometimes called the "water ways of the czars," rivers and lakes are connected by canals from the River Neva in St. Petersburg, to the Volga in Moscow.
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The "Ivan Bunin (Vatchenko)," approaching the dock at night in Yarolslavl, after refueling. (Gassing up took a long time and we shivered waiting too long on the dock; dinner was late.)
The Ivan Bunin, docked in St. Petersburg, where our cruise began. It accommodates 239-285 passengers in 140 cabins. Operated by Orthodox Cruise Co., the Bunin was built ~1990 and renovated in 2004-07. Length: 423 ft (129 m); staff and Crew: 125. It has two restaurants in the stern and two bars facing the bow, offering a nice view of waterways while cruising.
Betty on stern of the Bunin with Russian flag.
Sterns of tour boats, tied up two abreast.
Roger in front of our cabin door.
Betty in front of cabin door.
The cabins were quite small - barely big enough for two. Beds were more like cots suspended from the walls and they folded-up if needed. Storage of personal items was in shelves over the bed.
Inside the cabin there was a small fridge at the end of Roger's bed and a closet for clothing.
View from the window of our cabin - notice the trees on the bank of the waterway.