MrKiwi's rambunctious ramblings

[MrKiwi]

Finish country side






At one stage a bug flew up through my slightly open visor into my eye.


But the eye settled down again within a few hours

There were some long stretches of road works


Early afternoon I pulled into a cafe near a river and spotted another transalp. I bought him coffee and we chatted for a while. He was a local.

[MrKiwi]

Eventually I made it to our accommodation for the night. As I got near to it, I passed some old fortifications.







I've been meaning to look these up on google to find out more about them but haven't done so yet

The night's accommodation. It was quiet, clean and well priced.

[MrKiwi]

Tomorrow I will update this with our time in Russia. Visiting St Petersburg was number two on my bucket list in my time up their in 2017, riding over Stelvio Pass was number one (but more on Stelvio Pass later).

[LadyDraco]

[MrKiwi]

The dawned cloudy but no rain and we were on the road in time to make the border crossing at the time it opened.

It took about an hour to get through which was not too bad. I had to turn off my GoPro though

The paperwork was confusing, but border officials were helpful, just in a completely humourless way. Nevertheless, I thanked them for their help. They were surprised to see someone from New Zealand at the Finnish/Russian border.

Approaching the border - notice the landscape, it is flat as you head to St Petersburg from Finland


As we drive into Russia from Finland the driving on the roads changed dramatically. One moment riding on some of the safest roads in the world to 'Welcome to Russian Roulette!' Their main roads have wide verges and you need to use them as the centre line is the passing lane used even when traffic is coming the other way. So you quickly learn to look in your rear vision mirrors and pull over to get out of the way of the Russain speedster dorks!

Stopping at a petrol station to refuel and discuss if we will use the toll road to speed up getting into the city. It was a Sunday and some in the group wanted to visit the Hermitage Museum. In Europe, museums are closed on Mondays so we hightailed into the city.



The accommodation was behind locked gates which meant our motorbikes were safe. The rooms were large, clean and comfortable.

[MrKiwi]

A video of riding onto the toll road

[MrKiwi]

Having arrived we walked the 3 km into the city centre.

This was my first experience of Russia. I had not realised it until later that day that we had arrived the day before Russia day. We learnt the some protest were likely, Putin is not that popular among the masses. You could feel the tension around the place, it was palatable. I could never relax.

Nevertheless, the buildings, history and scenery blew me away. Normally I'm not fussed about cities, I prefer heartland rural areas and back country remote wilderness. But this city is, at least to me, an exception.

Bernard and Mense's wife went into the Museum while Bernard's girlfriend, Mense and I walked around the buildings and tried some of the local pubs. The food was nice. I found food cheap, but beer not so cheap.



One of the buildings I had come to see was this, the Church of the Split Blood. This Cathedral was amazing to look at from the outside, but even more so from inside.


PLease excuse my poor videoing

[MrKiwi]

What is even more amazing is when you realise every piece of artwork on the walls and ceilings are mosaics

[MrKiwi]

Some images of the city




Tempted but no I didn't order this

[MrKiwi]

And to finish off this section, never seen before video I have just up loaded of me in the centre of the square prattling on about how amazing this place was. The horse and cart I arranged just for LD

The music in the back ground is the band practicing from celebrations the next day, which we did not come to. There were protests which were brutally shut down by the local police.

As it turned out I strained my back on the Monday and spent the day in bed on pain killers while the others walked around places not expecting trouble. By the evening I was able to move a bit more and the next day I could ride which was just as well because were leaving.

[MrKiwi]

Tuesday 13 June, St Petersburg to Mustvee, Estonia.

The day dawned cool but fine. An early start to get to the border control. We said goodbye to the German B&B accommodation manager and headed out the secure gates onto the Russian roads again. Our aim was to ride past the summer palace and then down to the border with Estonia.

Our route accidentally took us to the entrance of a Russian military area. Hmmm, they were not amused . Get out, go back now. Yes sir, right away! We turned around and speed off . After a safe distance I gave them a

Crossing the border was straight forward, almost. The border officials on the Russian side were humorless, but helpful, until that is they looked in my first aid kit. I have a strong allergic reaction to bee stings so I carry an EPI Pen for administering adrenalin should I need it. They must not have ever seen one, as they fussed over this item for some time. Eventually they gave up and showed me the gate to Estonia.

On the Estonia side the welcome was friendly, very friendly. It felt like we had just returned home.

I have to say, while I enjoyed our visit to St Petersburg, I could not ever really relax when out on the streets. As I noted above there was a tension in the air, and that tension was very palatable. We were in St Petersburg during their national day celebrations, which we avoided. Their were protests, which were shut down brutally and quickly by the authorities. Meanwhile we were two kilometers away from this action in an Irish pub having a very nice meal.

Don't get me wrong, I was very pleased to have visited Russia. And one day I might go back. The experience was worth every cent I spent on getting there.

[MrKiwi]

From Russia we headed to Mustvee.

The trip down to Mustvee was straight forward. Mustvee is on the shore of Lake Peipsi, a very large fresh water lake between Estonia and Russia. It is very large.

Mustvee appeared to be a summer holiday destination town. The lake was scenic and the vening passed away over a few beers, dinner and accompanied by the odd thunder storm.

Some pics


Passing thunder storms


Not sure this tree will be growing form much londer


The boys and their beers. I had organised accommodation for our stays in the Baltic States and there was a lsight hiccup when we arrived in Mustvee. The Hotel we had booked, two months previously, had been over booked. So they put us in a house around the corner. We were pleased this was much better.

[MrKiwi]

The evening melted away to dusk and I took a walk to enjoy the sights.

Saw a lot of this traveling through this part of the world


Views of Mustvee, a small holiday town on the edge of a very large fresh water lake

[LadyDraco]

[diogenes009]

I've been putting off reading this thread for a while because I knew it would take some time to go through. I'm glad I got a chance to take the time today. Thank you for putting it up.

Looking forward to the rest of your adventures.

[MrKiwi]

OK, sorry for the very long time between now and last post, but 2018 has been a shit of year to date. Since end of Jan I have been consumed by work, bereavements of family (my elderly father passed away peacefully after a period of illness, sad but a blessing he is no longer suffering) ill health.

It is May in a couple of days and only now am I seeing light at the end of the tunnel. So with a bit of spare time helped by a wet autumn day (I can't do anything outside) this Sunday morning I am sitting down to complete this trip report.

[MrKiwi]

From Mustvee we planned to head to Riga, Latvia. My friends knew someone who lived and worked in Riga and we planned to stop for two nights. The route took us south west cutting more or less a straight line from Mustvee to Riga. A little to much motorway for my liking but we had a fair distance to go.

The day dawned bright and sunny in Mustvee as I waited for the others to get ready, a theme well established and played out most mornings on the trip. We agree a time, I would be ready 30 minutes before hand they well after the agreed time! I chilled out waiting under a picnic shelter



Not long into the morning we stopped for a coffee break at a fancy cafe. Prices were eye watering!


Before crossing the border from Estonia into Latvia we road past a large church we saw out of the corner of our eyes, set a little way back. We turned around and checked it out.




Lucnh time loomed and we headed off the main road down a side road through forestry following a sign to a cafe. We eventually found it and had a great lunch. The owners could not speak any English but their children were home from school that day (public holiday) and English is the common language of the EU. So all purchasing was done through the interpretation of the children. We tipped the boy who helped several Euros as we left and that absolutely made his day.


Home made sausages


Along the way we passed an unusual looking tower, so again we stopped for a look. We got blocked by a barrier arm so viewed it from a distance.


Even crappy cell phone zoom capabilities help to get closer


We crossed the border into Latvia, and once again entered a country on their national day. Riding through Cesis a cyclist, who had consumed too much vodka (we presume) was riding up the wrong side of the road and had to avoid my friends in front of me. Sorry for the bad GoPro, I was learning and I had the cam set to low. Wait until the end and you will see the humorous incident.



We arrive in Riga late in the day and find our accommodation. It has secure parking around the back of the hotel and I was allocated a nice bedroom overlooking the bike parking area.

[MrKiwi]

That evening we met up with the Latvian locals my friends new and went out for dinner.

I learned a little of Latvian history that night. After WWII, the Russians took over Latvia and occupied it as part of the the USSR regime. In 1948 and again in 1952, Russia shipped 200,000 Latvians at a time to Siberia, not to the concentration camps, but as a relocation programme to establish a viable community in Siberia. It was harsh and cruel, many did not service, but to this day there is a strong Latvian presence in parts of Siberia.

The thing is, those 400,000 Latvians accounted for 50% of the country's population at the time. Not a single family was left unaffected by the cruel and harsh politics by the Russian occupiers.

That is why, today, Latvia cherishes the NATO alliance so much. They fear Russian occupation again.

Having said that, many of the wealthy Russian business people own expensive houses just out of Riga on the coast of the Baltic Sea.

[MrKiwi]

Some pictures of the city of Riga

Restaurant for dinner on the first night


The very photogenic bridge in the heart of the city



Some old buildings



The old part of Riga has a similar architecture to that of Vienna

[MrKiwi]

The next day was a non bike day, so we set off on foot to explore the old part of Riga, the central zone. It was a hot fine day and by the end of the day we were all exhausted. We had walked miles. Fun though.

Some pics from the day, they can do the talking.










Of course all this walking worked up a thirst and appetite




Then more walking






Personally I am fond of a bit of good brick work






And inside that church (which was undergoing renovations)...