Saiga's Notes

For the lovers of sightseeing and fresh air, I woud advise the following: Kremlin (Кремль). First place to feel NN spirit. Besides, many of regional architecture diamonds can be seen from here. Verchne-Volzskaya Naberezhnaya (Верхне-Волжская набережная). Close to Kremlin; Nizhne-Volzhskaya Naberezhnaya (Нижне-Волжская набережная); Naberezhnaya Pheodorovskogo (Набережная Феодоровского). Yarmarka (Ярмарка, ярмарочный комплекс). If you will have possibility to get to travel more, you can visit Gorodets, Makaryevo Nunnery (Макарьевский монастырь), Diveevo Nunnery (Дивеевский монастырь), Bolshoe Boldino (Большое Болдино). These objects are outside the city, but all can be visited through guided tours.

Photos play the main part in making an impression about new place, don't it? Some later I will definitely make my own gallery of Nizhny Novgorod views. Now just 5 shots for the beginning. Why I haven't done it till now? Just because I don't want to make a replica of the popular public galleries - besides, one of my previous posts contented two links at such galleries. My project will contain Unknown Nizhny Novgorod and nearest places - Balakhna, Gorodets, Makaryevo etc. 2 upper photos: Kremlin of Nizhny Novgorod is the second biggest in Russia after Moscow Kremlin and one of the biggest world fortresses. Here are two shots made from the middle of the Volga. 3 following photos - Makaryevo Convent (or Nunnery). It is 90 km or about 60 miles down the stream from Nizhny Novgorod and the place of Makaryevo Fair that was the forerunner of the Nizhegorodskaya Yarmarka (Nizhny Novgorod Fair) of XIX century. No more comments - just fe el the spirit of the place.

NN is divided on two parts by the river Oka. One part is low and is called 'Zarechje' (on the left shore). Upper part is called 'Nagornaya' (on the right shore). It is situated on high-lands called 'Dyatlovy Gory' (Dyatlovy Hills'). 3 bridges connect parts, and that's our main problem - traffic through bridges. The best sight is lower shore from the opposite. The best local sightseeing is Kremlin, churches (a plenty in different parts of town), Rozhdestvenskaya str. with the houses of merchants, Bolshaya Pokrovskaya str., Verchne-Volzskaya Naberezhnaya. There are 7 districts. Nizhegorodsky - the oldest. Most sight seeing is located here. Business and administration centre of the city. Sovetsky - new district. Nearest to Nizhegorodsky. Nothing interesting. Good to live in. The same goes to Prioksky. These are three right-shore districts. Now about left shore. Kanavinsky. Second the oldest. Some good sightseeings, including ancient Fair...

Here I give two good galleries of NN: http://www.admcity.nnov.ru/references/views/index.html http://www.unn.runnet.ru/rus/volgovy...nizhnov/nn.htm

If you have been to Moscow, NN's climate is much the same, it's humid continental. The difference is that we have 1-2 weeks longer winter and a bit more snow. We've got two large rivers, the Volga and the Oka, and a large hydroelectric reservoir 50 kilometers from the town, named Gorky Sea. Climate makes possible the following outdoors: skiing (there are 3 big ski parks in the city and lots of other facilities in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast), mountain skiing (there are about 5 or 6 equipped facilities in the region), boating of all kinds, biking. Hilly right bank of Oka  makes possible mountain skiing and rocky biking just in the centre of the town. There are some large forestlands, mainly pine-trees and fur-trees.

Now about culture. Except sightseeing, you can visit art museum ( http://artmuseum.r52.ru/ , http://www.unn.runnet.ru/rus/volgovy...izhnov/museum/ ) pretty good one. There are a plenty of pictures of famous russian and european artists. It will take about half a day to go through all the pictures. Now local theatres and more. Ballet Theatre - not bad, though can't be compared to Moscow or St. Pete theatres. Drama Theatre - plays classical (Hello Dolly, Mack the Knife) and of modern russian authors. Comedy Theatre - I don't quite understand it's speciality, though this one is the most fashionable. Young Spectator Theatre (Tyuz). While touring, most of Moscow troupes give performances here. Interesting local event is annual 'Ads Eaters Night'. Puppet Theatre. For kids mostly, though a lot of adults get much of pleasure at the performances. Conservatory. Classical music. Chamber theatre. I never was at. Kremlin Concert Hall. Base...

Now some words about Nizhny Novgorod fitness and sports centres. As I can judge, there are a lot of dance schools throughout the city. The choice you make depends on the area you live or work and your own preferences. Listing local yellow pages, I counted about 50 schools teaching all known kinds of dance. The most well-known fitness centres are 'World Class' ( http://www.worldclass.nnov.ru/ru/ ) and 'Jogy' ( http://www.joggyfitness.ru/ ).