Chalk and cheese! The differences were so shockingly blatant I thought I had traveled to another country. As I've mentioned before Nastya has been on a business trip for the last two weeks in Khabarovsk. Life without moya golubka has been trying and so last weekend I decided to take the 12 hour train trip to K-town and see Nastya. The official capital of The Far East, I had heard varying reviews of the city and so wanted to check the place out for myself.
The two lords of the East are 1000 km away from each other, geographically quite close by Russian standards, however worlds apart when it comes to just about everything else.
The two sibling cities share a certain affinity with each other as they are stuck out here in the East, isolated for the rest of Russia. They are roughly about the same size and are both ports, Khabarovsk being a river port and Vlad a sea port. And that's where the similarities come to a screeching halt!
Cars actually stopped at pedestrian crossing! Streets were litter free! Buildings were actually maintained! K-town at first resembled an old Soviet city caught in a time warp. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of hectic Vlad. The main street Muravieva-Amurski is gorgeous and well worth strolling its length from Lenin Square to the mighty Amur River. I was enraptured, I'd fallen in love with K-towns quaint boulevard, I was converted , I want to move here.
Hang on did I say quaint, let me rephrase, bloody boring. All that cleanliness, that politeness and that maintenance of Khabarovsk was suddenly washed away as I reached Naberezhnaya, (the waterfront) and the mighty Amur. This was the place where everyone was supposed to hang out. Naberezhnya in Vlad is a people watches paradise, but here not a sole was seen. Don't get me wrong it had potential, beautiful location, view and plenty of benches to sit and down a brew. But I was the only one there! That's right in a city of nearly 1 million, I was the only cruiser in what should be cruiser's paradise.
Khabarovsk is beautiful, just a little slow and boring. Restaurant service was painstakingly slow and no one seems to mind if you have to wait 45 min for a slice of cheese cake.
The nightlife however was a different story. K-town local Alexei, whom I met on the train, took Nastya and I to one of the most amazing clubs I've ever seen. "Nebo" or "Sky" is a 3 story club with a glass roof and aeronautical decor. It is literally set in the sky. Very cool place and once again the boy to girl ratio was learning heavily to the feminine side.
Arriving in Khabarovsk.Yes, that is snow and there is only one more month until Summer!!!???
Beautiful Muravieva-Amurski Street.
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