Travel Tips

Introduction

I did not hesitate to put this story here on the VT pages, as all of you (I believe) are real travelers and you never restrict yourself with what travel agency proposes to you.

This story is about very small village in Smolenschina, so small that it has disguised itself here on VT among many other villages with same name. Alexino (or as it is spelled here Aleksino ). If you click on the hyperlink above you will find 39 Aleksinos on the world map, 37 in Russia and 2 in Ukraine and Yugoslavia accordingly. And what is even more than strange - 6 of them are in Smolenschina (Smolenskaya Oblast'). I have tried to identify my Aleksino by analyzing "Destinations in & around 'Aleksino'" but failed, as I did not find any known name. That is why I place it here in the travelogue of Smolenskaya oblast'.

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What happened is very modern "internet" story. When we started preparation to our trip to Smolensk I asked all of my companions to find out any interesting destinations that we could see in Smolensk and region. Alexey (you can see him on the next photo second from the right) was champion in gathering tons of information about Smolenschina. And was the most helpful he found in Russian Internet many travelogues from auto-tourists. They described not only interesting locations but the way how to get their by car and condition of roads. This is very important for Russia as local roads are still in bad condition, though they are rapidly improving for last 5-10 years. (Russia is too big to fix it at once :-) Nevertheless all major highways are now good).

We have debated our plans for the whole day, but nothing was decided. So, we printed out all of the pages and took them with us.

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Chapter 1. Unknown Destination

We arrived to the motel "Oasis" earlier than we have planed as there was nothing interesting to see neither in Gagarin (museum was closed on hollidays :-( !!!) nor in Vyatka.

So, sitting somewhere "in the middle of nothing" we looked through those internet pages and were ready to consider that our holidays are spoiled.

Alexey found again Aleksino in the travel notes and began to urge us to go there. Day before we rejected this, as there was not clear how get there and what is it at all. Now it was absolutely no difference in what direction to move and we have a lot of time as we have already checked in and could return to the hotel at any time.

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Alexey was our guide and from his words we must return back towards Moscow for 20 km, turn right and then it will take us 5-10 min to reach the place. There we will find beatiful parks, an old estate of Baryshkins family conventionalized as a medieval castle.

20 km apeared to be 40; 5 min have changed to 30. Plus to that we have only travelers legend and there were no direction signs at all. Two times we missed our turn, but russian saying states that "the tongue will lead you to Kiev".

We began to hesitate about the castle. Finaly, the sign "STUD FARM" (KOHE3ABOD) shows that we are at the place.

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Chapter 2. Enthusiastic Guide.

As you already guessed there was not any castle in a field of vision. Five or ten poor houses located on one side of the only street and an old church - on an opposite.

Church was almost in ruins and there was a deep forest around it. We parked our three cars nearby it and notice that people began to spy on us from their windows.

Even unpracticed eye could see that this was very beautiful building in the past: massive classic columns, correct proportions. You can see it at the very fist photo. We walked around it and notice a couple walking in the forest with a big dog.
- Good evening. Would you be so kind to tell us where is the park?
-O-oh??! Here it is, - said man and moved his arms around.
-O-oh??!, - our turn of surprise.

Now we noticed that forest is not just forest. There were remains of parapets and stairs between the trees and sometimes big trees grew just in the middle of something that was definitely path in the past. There was no doubt that trees grow here for at least 50 years.

- Are you tourists?, - after a pause he continued - You can look the church and the estate on the opposite side of the park.

We noticed that vodka in the morning and our appearance making him more and more enthusiastic.
- The church is closed but I can open it for you. We just yesterday took a photos of the barin's grave for the local newspaper. Let's go.

For those who do not know: barin is a landlord in Russia. So, it was strange to hear as we know that barin died for at least 80 years ago.
After 10 min it appears that other guy took keys and nobody knows how to find him.
- This is not a problem. I know a hole in the basement. If you help me we could straighten out the piece of iron that covers it and we will be in.

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Chapter 3. Dangeon.

We spend the whole date to get here, so, we have nothing to loose. Now I wonder that we did not even hesitate to trust that strange garrulous man. Two of us returned back to cars to take torches. Others did not wait them and rushed to the church.
With mutual efforts we have straighten out something that was used to cover basement windows. German shepherd dog of our guide was the first to squeeze into the hole – it seemed that this way was known to it. I followed the dog, second was my son Anton and others followed us. Our guide was the last. He continuously speaks something but I did not listen. Anton was slightly frightened and held me by the arm. As we moved deeper into the basement there was less and less light. At last I see nothing ahead.
In a second I felt no foothold underneath and fell down in a deep delve. At the same time I heard bloodcurdling cry of my son and voice of our guide: “Be careful, there is an open grave on the right side.” Delve was rather deep – about 1,2m – but I had no any physical injuries. Friends helped me to get up. I was really happy to feel myself safe. Anton said: “Papa, I was so frightened when you disappeared in the dark…”

When Max was back with a torch and we managed to look around there were really nothing interesting except four or five sarcophagi decorated with intricate stone engravings.
What for we went on such a risk? I do not know even now.
Small comment to the picture. Anton just showing with his finger to the open grave in which I flet down just two minutes ago. In light of photo flash everything is bright. In reality it was absolutely dark. You see how Max is lighting ahead with a tourch.

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Chapter 4. Estate.

After this remarkable adventure we were absolutely happy. Our holidays just began, but there were something to remember afterwards!

Deep in the park we’ve found main building of the estate. There were some evidence of restoration work there – new tin at the roof, new porch, and some recently changes windows.

An interesting fact: during WWII there was a partisans' base with a hospital in this building. You can imagine of how deep is this place in the forests, that Nazy SS troops did not find it and did not destroy it during 3 years of occupation.

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Chapter 5. “Medieval Castle”.

Back facade of the estate looks towards a pretty artificial lake. On the opposite lakeside there is something that was "Medieval Castle" in the past. Really it is household buildings (stable, granary, etc.), which originally were actually conventionalized as a medieval castle. But time pass, buildings were used as a part of stud farm "Alexino" in soviet times, and many buildings were changed, some new, ugly ones, appeared.

It is still possible to imagine how it looks like from the windows of the upper floor of estate. Baryshnikov has good taste! (I hope pool and stable will be restored as well)

Now it was time to return. Sun was going down. We were hurrying back, as it is not pleasant to drive along bad road in the night. Way back was not very interesting. Holes in asphalt, which we drive around at daylight, painfully beat cars. My heavy “Volga” with its 15-inch wheels easily passed them, and I heard voice of Max from trailing “Tipo” via walkie-talkie: “*;-O*%$@&**!!! Couldn’t you alert in advance!!!”

About 11 p.m. we were back in “Oasis”…

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Epilogue

Later on after our trip to Smolensk I have found a lot of interesting information about Aleksino. Aleksino is not just estate of a rich Baryshnikovs family. I. S. Baryshnikov that bought this land in 1764 served famous Duke Orlov. And it was actually he who established here one of the best stud farms in Russia and breed famous horses - Orlov's Trotter.

Last "barin" was well known by his philanthropy. He has open school here for children of peasants. That is why peasants did not burn this estate in 1917. These photos show how it looks like in 1920.

And last good news from internet - Smolensk regional government decided to organize National Preserve in Aleksino and appropriated funds for restoration (not much, but better then nothing). So, I hope that our next trip to Aleksino (I am sure we will do) will be less adventurous.