J.A.M. La ViDa

We took a bus from the Vladimir central station where you can purchase train or bus tickets to other satelite towns/cities/other states in Russian Federation. It was cheap but I do not remember the exact price though.

During our short 1 hour break, waiting for the bus to Suzdal, the moment for unforgettable! Some brought snacks, cheesecakes and even hot baverages to share. Just at the right time, my inviting stomach welcomed a piece of cheesecake and a cup of hot chocolate drink!

In a blink of an eye, we were on the bus again. The journey lasted for an hour. When we arrived at Suzdal, we knew it from the sight of more cathedrals. So, upon arriving, our tour guide Yi Xiong, showed us the Market Square.

For centuries it functioned as the capital of several Russian principalities. It forms part of the Golden Ring.

During the time of the Soviet Union, nearly all of Suzdal's economy was planned around its tourist potential. As a result, very few modern buildings were constructed in Suzdal (by law there are no structures more than 2 stories high except cathedrals). Also, a number of wooden structures from other parts of Russia were transported here, and the whole city was converted into an 'open-air museum'. Unfortunately, Suzdal's dependence on tourism also meant its economy nearly came to a standstill when tourists stopped coming after the fall of the USSR. The town's tourist trade now appears to be revitalizing itself however, mostly due to an influx of Russian tourists from Moscow and elsewhere.

Suzdal retains a rustic atmosphere. You will not find any McDonalds restaurants or any trace of Western chain shops or hotels here. Livestock wandering the streets and elderly women washing clothes in the river (and tourists wielding digital cameras) are regular sights in Suzdal.

In my very own opinion, the houses and shops seen in Vladimir somewhat resemble our Kampung houses back in Malaysia.

As you can see, the restaurants are quite traditional and very homely too.

The Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius is a monastery in Suzdal, Russia.
The monastery was founded in the 14th century, and grew in importance in the 16th and 17th centuries after donations by Vasili III, Ivan IV and the Pozharsky family, a noble dynasty of the region. Among the buildings erected during this period were the Assumption Church, the bell tower, the surrounding walls and towers, and the seven-domed Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour. The cathedral was built in the style of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir-Suzdal. Its interior contains restored frescoes by the school of Gury Nikitin of Kostroma, dating from 1689. The tomb of Dmitry Pozharsky lies by the cathedral wall.
The monastery also contains a prison, built in 1764, which originally housed religious dissidents. The prison continued in use during the Soviet period, and among its better known prisoners was field marshal Friedrich Paulus, who was incarcerated here for a time after his surrender at Stalingrad. The prison now houses a museum about the monastery's military history.