Russian cities

		RUSSIAN CITIES - VOLGA JOHN SLOAN These photos were taken from the cruise ship during two cruises along the Volga. - in 1998 and 2003. For more pictures see the sections for each individual town. For the description of the entire route please see Volga.
	Link	Description
		The Pallada, our cruise ship in 2003. An excellent smaller ship especially suitable for charter by a small group.
		The Feydor Chalyapin cruise ship - home while touring the Volga River in 1998. One of the nicest of the larger river cruise ships with a very fine and attentive staff. The ship carries over 200 passengers, so we went with Russian tourists as well.
		Boris Gudunov comes out of the Uspenski after his coronation and is confronted by the 'wise fool' - depicting Feyodor Chalyapin in his greatest role - mural in the lounge on the cruise ship bearing his name.
		The Moscow northern river port building.
		We board our cruise ship, the Fyedor Chaliyapin at the Northern River port of Moscow. Here we see two of the half dozen or more other cruise ships awaiting tourists.
		At the beginning of our cruise on the Volga we leave the Northern river port of Moscow and enter the Moscow-Volga Canal. Here we are passing the northern suburb of Moscow where local people are enjoying a dip in the canal at 23:18 at night. Plenty of daylight here on 19 July.
		Here we are approaching the first lock on the Moscow-Volga Canal, #6 as they are numbered from the other end. As you can see it is 23:12 but still daylight. We cleared the other end having been lowered about 8 meters, at 23:33.
		Decorative statues atop one of the towers at the upper end of lock #6, the closest lock on the Moscow-Volga Canal to Moscow, thus the first lock we pass on our journey down the Volga. We approach the lock and enter it at 23:13 at night.
		Here farmers are cutting hay using ancient methods with a scyth. It is 23:19 and we are stopped in the lock #6 on the Moscow -Volga canal.
		At 23:16 we are now firmly inside the lock and approaching the downstream gates.
		It is 23:19 and we are here looking over the downstream gate of the lock #6, the closest one to Moscow, on the Moscow-Volga Canal. Note the large drop (over 8 meters) we will have before the gate is opened. This is a single lock. That means that the barges waiting there to move upstream will enter the lock after we pull out. Then the lower gate will close and the lock will fill with water, raising them to the level of the canal upstream. Note that the downstream gate is a swing gate because it operates above the level of the water when being opened.
		Here we are at the lower gate of lock #5 waiting for the water level to drop. It is 1:03AM but still quite light.
		Close up showing the mechanism that raises the rear gate on the canal once the ship has entered preparatory to lowering the water level in the lock.
		Close up showing the mechanism that raised the rear gate after the water level has fallen nearly to that of the next lower part of the canal. The forward gate that can open above water when the level in the lock has lowered to that of the lower section of the canal can swing open. But the gate that must be closed on the upper end, when there is high water in both the lock and the upper side of the canal cannot swing due to water pressure, it must be raised vertically by means of this chain hoist over the large drums on each side.. Note also that the water level has now fallen even below the bottom level of the gate itself.
		Looking back at the upper gate at a lock on the Moscow- Volga canal after we have been lowered to the next level. In the darkness at the bottom of the gate one can discern that we are now below the lip of the gate itself. It is now 1:17 AM.
		The lock gates swing open for our passage to the lower level of the Moscow-Volga canal. It is now 8:49. We entered this lock at 8:32.
		The dam on the upper Volga near Dubna as we pass through the lock next to it. The dam raises the level of the upper Volga where the Moscow-Volga canal joins it. It is the first of several dams we pass between here and Samara. Not far down the Volga from this dam we reach Uglich.
		Now the upstream gate for the lock has been raised and the water will now be drained out of the lock to lower our chip to the next level. Here we are at lock #1, on the Volga river with Uglich just ahead of us.
		In a lock on the Moscow - Volga canal going downstream. Note the very large drop - 8 meters - from the level in the lock to the canal further on.
		View over the bow of the Pallada as we approach Kalyazin.
		Approaching the drowned church at Kalyazin. Note the large antenna in the far background.
		All that remains of the town of Kalyazin drowned by the creation of one of the Volga River dams, is this bell tower.
		Church along the Volga
		The bell tower of the former cathedral in Kalyazin.
		Ruin of a church on the upper Volga
		Another lonely church on the high right bank of the Volga.
		Church on the right bank of the Volga
		Village on the right bank of the Volga.
		Church along the Volga
		Church on the Volga southeast of Yaroslavl.
		Church on the right bank of the Volga between Yaroslavl and Kostroma
		An abandoned church on the right bank of the Volga between Yaroslavl and Kostroma
		Barges moored near Purezh on the Volga. In summer 1998 there was not a lot of traffic on the Volga but many barges and tugs anchored along the banks.
		A lonely church on the right bank of the Volga near Puchesk, between Plyos and Nizhni Novgorod.
		A church and fighter plane monment to the Russian hero pilot, Chakalov in the town renamed for him on the right bank of the Volga not far from Nizhni-Novgorod.
		The huge paper plant at Balakh'ha on the right bank of the Volga. This plant provides most of the newsprint for Moscow newspapers.
		Hydrafoil water taxi on the Volga near Gorodetz. These hydrofoils are all along the Volga and serve as local transport for many local villages that are not accessable otherwise, or are along a stretch of the river far distant from bridges across it.
		In the distance the island on which Sviyazhsk is now located since the flooding of the Volga valley. This town was built as a fortress by Ivan III close to Kazan in preparation for the conquest. It contains several interesting churches but is very difficult to reach. As can be seen the bank of the Volga is in the forground and the water beyond it is very shallow
		Another view of Sviyazhsk through telephoto lens while passing down the Volga.
		The left bank of the Volga at Togliatti, the large industrial suburb of Samara.
		Large tug on the Volga.
		Working on the Volga.
		The Togliatti suburb on the left bank of the Volga.
		Here we are in the lock on the Volga River itself near Togliatti - near Samara (Kuybishev) that creates an immense lake out of the Volga upstream. This is the upper gate prior to its being raised and closed.
		The upper gate of the lock at Toglattii after it has closed and the water has fallen to the next lower level. Note how much below the level of the bottom of the gate itself we now are.
		New church being built north of Toglattii - Samara on the left bank of the Volga
		Just before sunset on the Volga it is well after midnight and the view is well to the northwest.
		Sunset on the Volga
		Passing an interesting church on upper Volga.
		The most frequent sight on the river is a tug with barges of sand or gravel.
		Evening on the river, passing another church.
		Passing another rural setting with several lone churches.
		A section of the Volga with low banks.
		Going upstream early in the morning. Here the lock is being flooded through and under the upper gate.
		Now the water is really boiling as it churns its way into the lock.
		Approaching the lower gate of a lock while traveling upstream.
		The water is flowing fast as it fills the lock.
		The water is just beginning to flow into the lock.
		A busy river port with two cruise ships and a tug with barge. Note the large number of cranes.
		Several of the large river ships that go betweeen Moscow and St Petersburg, here tied at the Moscow river port
		Passing one of the very large cruise ships.
		Another view of a large river cruise ship.
		Another isolated village along the Volga.
		A lonely church.
		Sunset on the upper Volga in July is well after midnight. Here we are passing Tutyev.

RUSSIAN CITIES - VOLGA

JOHN SLOAN

These photos were taken from the cruise ship during two cruises along the Volga. - in 1998 and 2003. For more pictures see the sections for each individual town. For the description of the entire route please see Volga.

Link

Description

The Pallada, our cruise ship in 2003. An excellent smaller ship especially suitable for charter by a small group.

The Feydor Chalyapin cruise ship - home while touring the Volga River in 1998. One of the nicest of the larger river cruise ships with a very fine and attentive staff. The ship carries over 200 passengers, so we went with Russian tourists as well.

Boris Gudunov comes out of the Uspenski after his coronation and is confronted by the 'wise fool' - depicting Feyodor Chalyapin in his greatest role - mural in the lounge on the cruise ship bearing his name.

The Moscow northern river port building.

We board our cruise ship, the Fyedor Chaliyapin at the Northern River port of Moscow. Here we see two of the half dozen or more other cruise ships awaiting tourists.

At the beginning of our cruise on the Volga we leave the Northern river port of Moscow and enter the Moscow-Volga Canal. Here we are passing the northern suburb of Moscow where local people are enjoying a dip in the canal at 23:18 at night. Plenty of daylight here on 19 July.

Here we are approaching the first lock on the Moscow-Volga Canal, #6 as they are numbered from the other end. As you can see it is 23:12 but still daylight. We cleared the other end having been lowered about 8 meters, at 23:33.

Decorative statues atop one of the towers at the upper end of lock #6, the closest lock on the Moscow-Volga Canal to Moscow, thus the first lock we pass on our journey down the Volga. We approach the lock and enter it at 23:13 at night.

Here farmers are cutting hay using ancient methods with a scyth. It is 23:19 and we are stopped in the lock #6 on the Moscow -Volga canal.

At 23:16 we are now firmly inside the lock and approaching the downstream gates.

Here we are at the lower gate of lock #5 waiting for the water level to drop. It is 1:03AM but still quite light.

Close up showing the mechanism that raises the rear gate on the canal once the ship has entered preparatory to lowering the water level in the lock.

Looking back at the upper gate at a lock on the Moscow- Volga canal after we have been lowered to the next level. In the darkness at the bottom of the gate one can discern that we are now below the lip of the gate itself. It is now 1:17 AM.

The lock gates swing open for our passage to the lower level of the Moscow-Volga canal. It is now 8:49. We entered this lock at 8:32.

The dam on the upper Volga near Dubna as we pass through the lock next to it. The dam raises the level of the upper Volga where the Moscow-Volga canal joins it. It is the first of several dams we pass between here and Samara. Not far down the Volga from this dam we reach Uglich.

Now the upstream gate for the lock has been raised and the water will now be drained out of the lock to lower our chip to the next level. Here we are at lock #1, on the Volga river with Uglich just ahead of us.

In a lock on the Moscow - Volga canal going downstream. Note the very large drop - 8 meters - from the level in the lock to the canal further on.

View over the bow of the Pallada as we approach Kalyazin.

Approaching the drowned church at Kalyazin. Note the large antenna in the far background.

All that remains of the town of Kalyazin drowned by the creation of one of the Volga River dams, is this bell tower.

Church along the Volga

The bell tower of the former cathedral in Kalyazin.

Ruin of a church on the upper Volga

Another lonely church on the high right bank of the Volga.

Church on the right bank of the Volga

Village on the right bank of the Volga.

Church along the Volga

Church on the Volga southeast of Yaroslavl.

Church on the right bank of the Volga between Yaroslavl and Kostroma

An abandoned church on the right bank of the Volga between Yaroslavl and Kostroma

Barges moored near Purezh on the Volga. In summer 1998 there was not a lot of traffic on the Volga but many barges and tugs anchored along the banks.

A lonely church on the right bank of the Volga near Puchesk, between Plyos and Nizhni Novgorod.

A church and fighter plane monment to the Russian hero pilot, Chakalov in the town renamed for him on the right bank of the Volga not far from Nizhni-Novgorod.

The huge paper plant at Balakh'ha on the right bank of the Volga. This plant provides most of the newsprint for Moscow newspapers.

Hydrafoil water taxi on the Volga near Gorodetz. These hydrofoils are all along the Volga and serve as local transport for many local villages that are not accessable otherwise, or are along a stretch of the river far distant from bridges across it.

Another view of Sviyazhsk through telephoto lens while passing down the Volga.

The left bank of the Volga at Togliatti, the large industrial suburb of Samara.

Large tug on the Volga.

Working on the Volga.

The Togliatti suburb on the left bank of the Volga.

Here we are in the lock on the Volga River itself near Togliatti - near Samara (Kuybishev) that creates an immense lake out of the Volga upstream. This is the upper gate prior to its being raised and closed.

The upper gate of the lock at Toglattii after it has closed and the water has fallen to the next lower level. Note how much below the level of the bottom of the gate itself we now are.

New church being built north of Toglattii - Samara on the left bank of the Volga

Just before sunset on the Volga it is well after midnight and the view is well to the northwest.

Sunset on the Volga

Passing an interesting church on upper Volga.

The most frequent sight on the river is a tug with barges of sand or gravel.

Evening on the river, passing another church.

Passing another rural setting with several lone churches.

A section of the Volga with low banks.

Going upstream early in the morning. Here the lock is being flooded through and under the upper gate.

Now the water is really boiling as it churns its way into the lock.

Approaching the lower gate of a lock while traveling upstream.

The water is flowing fast as it fills the lock.

The water is just beginning to flow into the lock.

A busy river port with two cruise ships and a tug with barge. Note the large number of cranes.

Several of the large river ships that go betweeen Moscow and St Petersburg, here tied at the Moscow river port

Passing one of the very large cruise ships.

Another view of a large river cruise ship.

Another isolated village along the Volga.

A lonely church.

Sunset on the upper Volga in July is well after midnight. Here we are passing Tutyev.

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