Been to Novosibirsk? Gimme some tips!

[Kuna]

I might be in Novosibirsk for a week on business in late July/August.  If I go I want to do something other than work so I'm looking for some tips.

It's a relatively new city from what I've read (established 1893) so I can't imagine there's much history (real history -  not like Australian or American recent history).   

I've looked for Orthodox Churches and again there appears to be nothing globally significant (Not that every church isn't globally significant - I've just not seen anything about a local Lavra, Monastery or any historical locations) .  Not really into zoos when alone - but I might be wrong... and there doesn't seem to be "much" notable architecture in Novosibirsk from what I've seen.

Apart from eating shashlik and drinking beer I'm not sure what else I could/should/would be doing while there.

I have seen some photos of the Altai Mountains about 600 km south, but not much specific info on getting there or staying overnight if needed.  I guess I could get a private car and a driver (or two) but I wonder if anyone has made it there???

Pics for those similarly inclined to find new "out of the way" places...  http://picasaweb.google.com/rem662001r/ALTAI?feat=directlink#

I've been refining my photography skills and from some of the locations I've seen I would love to be able to spend a sunset and sunrise there...  but it might all be a pipe dream if it's too difficult to get there in such a short period of time.

So...  if you were going to be in Nsk and had a few days free - what would you do?

Wife won't be coming unfortunately.  We don't want to take the boys for such a long trip over such a short period.  If the trip goes well we're likely to be doing a few trips a year for a couple of years.

So...  ideas?

Thanks!

Kuna

[The Natural]

I have seen some photos of the Altai Mountains about 600 km south, but not much specific info on getting there or staying overnight if needed.  I guess I could get a private car and a driver (or two) but I wonder if anyone has made it there???

I haven't been to the Altain mountains but took the train from Novosibirsk to Slavgorod. It was a dusty, 36-degree hot with no possibilities to open the windows and a 15-18 hours (don't remember exactly) ordeal. The following year we took a bus which was a little better but still tiresome. Might be a much better and comfortable solution to hire a car and driver.
 

So...  if you were going to be in Nsk and had a few days free - what would you do?

How about just sitting down and watch some of the wonderful small pieces of female modern architecture walking around? 

[GoodOlBoy]

I don't know how you feel about JOOKY.
But I think Novosibirsk is his operating base, IIRC.
He would probably have the skinny on what to do around there?
 
GOB
 
PS....Mods where is that "I dunno" icon?

[n_lalala]

I live in Novosibirsk, so I can tell you about some nice places to see.

As you have already noticed, there is nothing really interesting, but here is my list:

1) The center of the city. Here you will find our Opera House (the biggest in Russia), two small parks, some monuments...and some more typical stuff. I also recommend you to walk along streets that adjoin Sovetskaya st., because though they are short, but you can really feel the history there. While walking there you can also watch Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, it is really beautiful.

NB : Not all the girls look like those you'll see in the center. (just remember this fact so that you will not tell your friends (who want to have a RW) not to go to Nsk.  ).

2) Akademgorodok. This is a research center of Russia. Here you will find many research institutes, one of the best universities of Russia (NSU), some crazy scientists, parks, Technopark...well, Akademgorodok is worth seeing. The bad thing is that it is about 20 km from Novosibirsk, but you can use taxi (recommend you NOT to use busses if you go to Akademgorodok)

3) Since there are two banks of the river on which the city is situated, you may also go to the left bank, but there is nothing interesting to do unless you want to get in trouble (appartments are cheaper there, so there are many people of less than middle class, and if you decide to go there...just be careful).


What I also want to say is that there are not many people who speak English (even basic), so if you don't speak Russian you should be ready to face some problems.


Altai is a really nice place, and even if you have only 2-3 days to spend there, that will be cool. Private car and driver... nice idea, but you should do that before coming to Novosibirsk, because it will be difficult to find somebody here "round the corner".

Have fun:)

 

[GoodOlBoy]

  to RWD N_lalala.
It is nice to have another RW posting here on RWD!
My wife is from Omsk, not to far from you.
 
GOB

[n_lalala]

Thanks:)
I had been reading many interesting discussions here for about 2 months, but when i saw a question about Novosibirsk, i thought "Ok, it is time to create an account!"
By the way, i am not actually a russian WIFE. Yet

[Gator]

Altai is a really nice place, and even if you have only 2-3 days to spend there, that will be cool. Have fun:)

 
 
I have heard many good comments about the Altai from  RW who love the outdoors.  Somewhat like America's Rocky Mountains with high alpine lakes, etc.  However, beware of ticks (Encephalitis).  One RW told me we would have to do body searches each evening for ticks.  That is what I call an icebreaker.
 
 
 
lalala,     while you are not yet a wife, I appreciate your helpful attitude.  You seem like a good person.

[n_lalala]

Thanks a lot, Gator:) It's so nice to hear (read:) ) such good words.


Actually, ticks are not the problem of Altai only. Everytime I come home after taking my dog outside, I check my dog's body, and mine too . It's a problem of the whole Siberia (I am not sure about the whole Russia, but who knows).

By the way, Kuna, there are many ticks in Akademgorodok since it is considered to be the "greenest" part of Novosibirsk. Be careful!

[Maxx2]

   n_lalala


What kind of dog do you have?

[I/O]

Kuna: Been in and out of Novosibirsk many times but to be honest, I've never spent more than a few hours at any one time in the place. I commute pretty quickly between the airport and train station. What I've seen of the central areas look interesting enough. It's interesting to go back to these places as a married man  Which way are you flying in?

[n_lalala]

Maxx2 , are you really interested in it?

I have a 1 y.o. dachshund Fenya.

[SFandEE]

I like this photo

[n_lalala]

Haha nice clothes

[TwoBitBandit]

 I spent two weeks in Novosibirsk last summer and I'm going again for two weeks starting this Friday.


I recommend buying tickets for whatever is playing at the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre.  It's right in the center of the city.  The performances are dirt cheap (I paid like $15 a ticket to see the ballet) and were world-class quality.


I'm not sure how to respond to the suggestion about Akademgorodok earlier in the thread.  I went there with some Russians and saw the botannical gardens.  It was kind of charming but there really isn't much there if you're not already "plugged into" the culture there somehow.   The architects of Akademgorodok make an effort to leave nature in place so there are lots of bushes and trees there, and hence lots of friggin' mosquitos.  Plus, it's a PITA to get there and back... I took a 45-minute ride on a marshrutka.  I'd skip Akademgorodok unless you have something specific that you really want to see.


The zoo in Novosibirsk is worth seeing and you can easily spend several hours there.  I've been to other zoos in the FSU and thought they were gay and depressing... but Novosibirsk really did a good job with theirs.  I highly recommend it.


A walk along the waterfront is worth doing.  You can take the metro there.  There's also a boat ride you can go on that lasts for about one hour that is worth doing.


Every Russian city has some kind of memorial to World War II.  Novosibirsk's is on the far side of the river.  You can take the metro to Karl Marks square and walk from there.  Here's where it is http://maps.google.com/maps?q=map+novosibirsk&hl=en&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Novosibirsk,+Province+of+Novosibirsk,+Russia&gl=us&sqi=2&ll=54.988375,82.878671&spn=0.014084,0.037122&z=15 .  There's a bunch of soviet-era tanks and artillery units to look at that I found interesting.


There's a couple of art museums along Krasny Prospect between the theater and the river that were interesting if you're into art.

You may have some problems registering your visa in Novosibirisk.  I know Jooky IRL and we talk about Novosibirsk when we get together.  Neither one of us has successfully registered our visa in Novosibirsk.  Your chances are higher if you are traveling on a tourist visa than on a business visa.  Just be prepared with a backup plan if you run into this problem yourself.


As always, don't drink the samogon (home-brew vodka)!  lol.

[n_lalala]

TwoBitBandit,
How did you survive in marshrutka to Akademgorodok? i use it every day to get to my university, and i cannot imagine a foreigner using this type or transparation
I think your advice is better than mine because many things are usual for me, and i do not find anything special in them (zoo, for example), but you see smth new in them.

I know some foreigners here, and what they 100%  adore is a picnic on the roof of my house, because the building is one of the highest in the city. Though not only foreigners like the view

[Gator]

I spent two weeks in Novosibirsk last summer and I'm going again for two weeks starting this Friday.

That sounds like good news!  Followup meetings?  Or new or combination?  Instead of no tears, how about lots of smiles?!  Bon voyage. 

[Maxx2]

Maxx2 , are you really interested in it?

I have a 1 y.o. dachshund Fenya.

That is nice. I had when growing up a dachshund named Heidi. She had three pups, two browns and a black.

[TwoBitBandit]

 

TwoBitBandit, How did you survive in marshrutka to Akademgorodok? i use it every day to get to my university, and i cannot imagine a foreigner using this type or transparation

 


I admit that the first time I rode on a marshrutka it was a bit of a culture shock.  Now I've done it many times.  I also speak fluent Russian, which helps me navigate and figure out what's going on.  I'm now a hardened FSU traveler.

That sounds like good news!  Followup meetings?  Or new or combination?  Instead of no tears, how about lots of smiles?!  Bon voyage.

I'm chasing Galina, one of the girls I met last year ( http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11863.msg234964#msg234964 ).  Over the winter we met for ten days in Paris and had a pleasant and enjoyable time together.  I considered writing a trip report about it, but after a couple of days of writing it was pretty clear it was too personal for the internet... and if I sanitized it, it wouldn't have been interesting.  What would such a trip report be like without some context of the emotional undercurrent?  Since she doesn't know about my participation on these boards it seemed inappropriate for me to post such a trip report.

[n_lalala]

Maxx2,

these dogs are the best! my previous dog died last spring, she spent 12 years with me and my family...but in 6 months i was ready to have a new one, so now she makes me happy.



TwoBitBandit,

Fluent Russian is the thing you need to survive here.
Have fun in Novosibirsk though i can't wait to leave this city in july.

[Faux Pas]

   

I'm chasing Galina, one of the girls I met last year ( http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11863.msg234964#msg234964 ).  Over the winter we met for ten days in Paris and had a pleasant and enjoyable time together.  I considered writing a trip report about it, but after a couple of days of writing it was pretty clear it was too personal for the internet... and if I sanitized it, it wouldn't have been interesting.  What would such a trip report be like without some context of the emotional undercurrent?  Since she doesn't know about my participation on these boards it seemed inappropriate for me to post such a trip report.

I agree with you here TBB. That declaration isn't very conducive to encouraging TRs but, I find those TR without the emotional information extremely boring yet, I question those who put everything on display. A double edged sword for sure. Like you I made that same decision a few years back.


Newbies, especially those fresh in the boat need those logistical fundamentals of arrangements and travel and they need to read them here from the horse's mouth (so to speak) but, posting intimate emotional thoughts and/or details strikes me personally as TMI for future relationship building.

[Gator]

I'm chasing Galina, one of the girls I met last year ( http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11863.msg234964#msg234964 ).  Over the winter we met for ten days in Paris and had a pleasant and enjoyable time together.

 
Splendid news.  I wish you the best.
 

I considered writing a trip report about it, but after a couple of days of writing it was pretty clear it was too personal for the internet... and if I sanitized it, it wouldn't have been interesting.  What would such a trip report be like without some context of the emotional undercurrent?  Since she doesn't know about my participation on these boards it seemed inappropriate for me to post such a trip report.

Your trip reports are excellent; however, I agree that much of what happens in the relationship development stage is too personal to report.  Yet, don't wait until you are selecting baby names.

[Anotherkiwi]

TwoBitBandit,
How did you survive in marshrutka to Akademgorodok? i use it every day to get to my university, and i cannot imagine a foreigner using this type or transparation ...

I must confess that my first time in a marshrutka was a culture shock, but not an unpleasant one!  I've now used them plenty of times and, even though my Russian is pretty basic, I've never ended up anywhere except where I wanted to go.  Seriously, travelling that way and by long-distance train is the quickest way to meet real Russians (or Ukrainians)!  My longest trip in one was Nikolaev to Odessa - luckily it had well-padded seats!

[n_lalala]

Well, sometimes marshrutka is a cultural shock even for me 

You are lucky if you've never ended up anywhere except where you wanted to go:)
I moved to Novosibirsk from a small town, and a couple of times i ended up somewhere i did not want to go to, and then it took me a long time and many tears to get back home.

[Kuna]

Thanks for all the tips... got some ideas now.  After scouring Google Earth I've also located a monastery on the northern outskirts which looks interesting.

Thanks especially to n_lalala for coming out of the shaddows and sharing some on-the-ground knowledge.

Whilst it won't be a TR in the true sense of the word (or at least one of the ones that is loved so much here) I'll try to get some pics and post something during or after the trip.

Not sure if I'll have time to get down to the Altai Mountains so I think I'll play it by ear.



I/O:  I'll be going via KL and Bangkok before landing in OVB because I'll take the opportunity to drop into offices up there on the way.  Probably 3 days in KL,  2 in BKK and then onto OVB for a week.  Coming back I'll probably go direct to BKK and then home.

From what I've seen flying from one of the hubs in Asia on S7 seems like the best way to get there anyway.

Interesting about the registration of Visa's in Novosirbirsk.  I wasn't going to stay in a hotel but that may be the easiest way around it.


Any other reflections would be appreciated.

[n_lalala]

I also recommend you to find a chapel on Krasnyi prospekt. It was considered to be the center or Russia, but it was destroyed in 1933 (documents say that citizens asked to do that because they wanted to improve the look of the city). But then it was rebuilld in 1993.  It is really beautiful.