In Astrakhan - the southern city of our country, I got completely accidentally: was sent to a working business trip for several days.
The trip was formed absolutely spontaneously and I barely managed to collect things, so there was absolutely not enough time for the twisting plans for the pastime. In this regard, I first decided to take advantage of the tour desk, being not abroad. I will say right away that I was satisfied with the work of the guides: everything is clearly, on time and very competent. Since the business trip was still a worker, I managed to visit only a few excursions.
Astrakhan Kremlin
This is the face of Astrakhan, the pride of the city and just a very beautiful construction. It is certainly possible to come here, but with the prepared and professional guide it is still better and more interesting. Since I do not like to pop up and push, and indeed, in general, I treat organized crowded excursions skeptical, I decided to go to an individual excursion. It fell to me in 1000 rubles. I think that a half-hour historical story is expensive, but it turned out. The Kremlin is really impressive. This is a real monument of architecture ancient Russia.
The construction transmits all the impressivity and severity of those times, but at the same time with asceticity of the Kremlin, it makes some calm and peace. Keep in mind if you buy an organized excursion to the Kremlin: there are several museums on the territory, but they are not visited large groups, but everything is much easier with the individual guide. You can go through all museums, to climb on narrow corridors of an ancient majestic structure, and simply insulating silence and solitude. Surprisingly, the fortress of the walls is such that even after many centuries, the Kremlin is a full-fledged military fortification.
Sightseeing tour of Astrakhan (on foot)
I marked about "foot" specifically, because there is another car, but my visit fell on the summer, so it would be just a crime. By the way, it is better that this tour is the first, and visit the Kremlin by the second number, because the Kremlin, though the pearl of Astrakhan, but to penetrate the spirit of this old city better on the visor. This time it was not possible to avoid the praisement, but it's good that all the same people were not too much - a little more than ten people. According to the result, everyone paid about 400 rubles.
As well as for any walk here is just a comfortable shoe. In addition, some city streets are paving a paving, on which not even too high heel is contraindicated.
The excursion program provides for visiting the Kremlin, but very superficially. Then we went to the oldest street of the city, who changed the mass of titles for their history.
Today is the Soviet street. Walking along the old Astrakhan, between merchant houses, it is impossible not to admire the quality of the former construction. Every house with his face, with his charisma. Guide's work again above all praise! About all Armenian, Indian and even Persian houses, about museums, city history, about monuments and temples Guide told with such inspiration, with such knowledge of the material that the whole life of the city as if he lived in her eyes. The time spent on the sightseeing excursion flew unnoticed. But this is as many three hours! Three hours to keep the attention of diverse, although small, but the crowds, it is necessary to possess what professionalism you need to possess, and most importantly - to love your city so much, which can be excited, without a stop talking about his far and recent past.
The time remained in the edge, so there was a row on the holy for Buddhists to visit the capital of the capital of a powerful state called the Golden Horde, I chose the second.
Excursion to the capital of the Golden Horde - Sarai Batu
This city was founded by grandson of Genghis Khan - Khan Batym. Of course, the time and people did not spare the blooming city, but thanks again the guide could have imagined what powerful it was a city.
One of the attractions of this and without a remarkable place - built in 2010 decorations for a feature film with the speaker name "Orda".
The buildings absolutely do not look like newwakes and are so colorfully inscribed in a common landscape that it seems from all sides on you from the empty winds of the windows to the Tatar-Mongols.
The excursion trip turned out to be absolutely not budget and, I would say even expensive - 6,000 rubles for an individual trip. I think that with a competent approach, it will be much cheaper yourself, but I did not have time to prepare, so I had to pay.
I liked the trip! More than six hours spend on Earth, which day after day gives the archaeologists their new secrets. The advantage of an individual trip is the opportunity to visit the real archaeological excavations. To see the ancient ceramics, which for many centuries did not bother and did not lose color, touch the brickwork of those distant times ... The trip is very memorable.
For a few days spent in Astrakhan in a working business trip, I had time to do a lot, but so much remained not covered. For myself I decided that I would definitely come back here, but I will already be engaged in an independent study of this wonderful and spiritual city.