18 May 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I am leaving on
July 9. My plans are uncertain at this time. After some traveling
inside the Russia I plan to go to "Silk Road" starting from
the former Soviet Central Asian Republics.... full
message |
10 June 2001 
Alex Mumzhiu: These of you who
think that I am an adventurous person, please read attached
report. It is written by Geoff Wilson (Australian), a man
whom I met in Laos last year. Geoff is riding his bike through
Africa, from North to South. It is so amazing to read his
report especially here, in insured and bonded America....
full message |
2 July 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: When I wrote to you
about my plans to go to Central Asia, I was not sure about
anything and was not sure if I will go there at all. But I
received so many letters with your enthusiastic support that
now I feel obligated to go. I cannot resist the temptation
to quote some of responses I received.... full
message |
21 July 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: The first stop on
my way to the Silk Road happened to be Tallin. When my plane
approached Helsinki, there was a strong electrical Storm.
Lightnings were all around. Passengers in the plane all were
in panic. I thought about my children, who finished colleges
and both work. My wife's business is getting in shape. I can
die in peace, I decided and I was quiet.... full
message |
23 July 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: My friends here,
advised me to visit some new exhibitions or concerts, but
for me the main attraction is the city White nights are officially
over, but what is left is still pretty good. Windows of apartment
I rent, look at Neva River and I can watch both sunset and
sunrise across it. The light from blue-green-yellowish at
sunset change to fine rosy-blue-grayish at sunrise..... full
message |
28 July 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: As I promised, I
send you example of St. Petersburg fashions, it will be more
later. The Bromptonians may notice that my handle bar is not
native. It was broken almost 2 years from the purchase time.
If Brompton do nor want to see more pictures with foreign
bar, they may sent me the new one..... full
message |
30 July 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I already wrote to you how the memorial tables at my native
Vasilevsky Ostrov (Basil Island District) - influenced my
mentality during my childhood. The Basil- Island is not
a fanciest part of St. Petersburg, but the number of memorial
tables here far exceed a number of them in any other part
of city. Yesterday I visited a home of my childhood at 22, 9-th
Line, Vasilevsky Island..... full
message |
7 August 2001 
Alex Mumzhiu: Idea of crossing
Finnish border had been in my mind for a long time. Finland,
was the only free, capitalistic country bordering Russia and
it was so close to Leningrad, that the temptation was almost
irresistible. I even train myself to ski a long distance on
the ice and sleep on a snow in preparation for crossing Finnish
bay. But eventually I had chosen more convenient way to get
out of socialism..... full message |
15 August 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Mc Donald's at Sennaya
plaza can serve as an illustration to the popular book "marketing
miracle" A large Mc Donald's's full of people; lines are long
in spite that attendants works very fast. People in line loudly
read these not understandable words like "big Mac", "bacon
egg and cheese" written with letters of Russian alphabet....
full message |
15 August 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Some more pictures,
World sports fans be aware. Sign in Russian on first picture
means "World's championship on gorodki". A dictionary
does not have translation for word "gorodki". It
describes gorodki as a kind of skittles... full
message |
26 August 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Oh Moscow, Moscow,
at the train station it is still the same incredible mixture
of homeless, nicely dressed women, smell of urine (mocha),
babushkas with cloth bags and bunch of exhausted travelers
sleeping on the floor. I came in Moscow on bike for the first
time... full message |
30 August 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I am in Odessa.
My love to Odessa started in 1947 when my mother brought me
to Odessa for the summer vacation. After gloomy and cold Leningrad,
still not restored after the war, the Odessa looked like the
fantasy land... full message |
3 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: The Krim is the
pearl of Black Sea. After visiting Cancun, Cosumel, Rio-De
Janeiro, Hawaii, Florida, Goa, Phukett, Akaba, Sharm-el-Shake,
Amalfi Coast, Buenos Ires, Montevideo, Nizza, Virgin Islands
and other famous coastal places, I should state that the Crimea
is one of the best.... full message |
5 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: How to board a cruise
ship without ticket? The Crimea and the Caucasus were two
major backpackers destination which were connected by several
cruise lines. Few methods of boarding ships were developed
by backpackers. I will describe you the simplest one, which
I used with my wife Natalya.... full
message |
7 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Dogs are not running
the major streets of Yalta. That episode with dog happened
on the dark small street on the outskirts of the city. I took
a gondola lift to the hill above the Yalta and ride down to
the city already well after the sunset and get lost in the
small suburban streets. Today I visited Foros.... full
message |
11
September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Dear all.
I heard that terrible news while sailing along Kara Dag.
It looks like one of these horror movie about New York,
materialized. My son saw from his office window as airplane
hits the Pentagon. I hope all of you are OK. Sent me
E-Mails.
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13 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Reaction of ordinary
people talking in the public buses, watching TV through the
windows of cafe and restaurants was always sympathetic with
Americans. I did not hear a single voice of joy, like in these
fucken Arab countries, as we watch on TV. Russians feel the
camaraderie (tovarishi po neschastiu) with Americans as they
are suffering from the terrorist attacks from the Chechnya
for a long time.... full message |
19 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I am in St. Petersburg,
Russia on my way home. My flight is on Sept. 24. If I hadn't
spent so much time in St. Petersburg and Crimea on my way
to the Silk Road I would be in Pakistan by this time. I had
done in advance my usual home work. I have the map of Islamabad
in my Lonely Planet book... full
message |
29 September 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: My dear friends
and subscribers, I decided to continue my trip. It was a difficult
decision. Even while the President Bush asked us to continue
to live the normal life, I would feel uncomfortable in such
times to do something what can be classified as a leisure
or pleasure... full message |
12 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: While I was in Russia
I watched the Russian news. Now in Mongolia I watch CNN. I
noticed a considerable difference in a way of news coverage.
Russians show a lot of news from Northern Alliance. Interview
with fields commanders. All of them speak Russian. Or they
learned Russian in Moscow Military Academy or they fight Russians
in Afghanistan, but now they are friends of Russia, the same
way as Vietnamese are friends of America now. Many interview
with Russian correspondents in Afghanistan at Northern Alliance
territory also was shown. Not much of this was shown on CNN...
full message |
18 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: My friend from the
St. Petersburg Yrii K. wrote to me: "Hi Sacha ! Is very glad,
that these ZASRANCI have not hindered to continue to you traveling."
- Thank you Yrii. It is difficult in such times to be away
from the home, and every news looks even more scary from the
distance. However, while I am still traveling I am going to
share with you, my subscribers, all my findings. These ones
are from Mongolia... Ulan Bator, Mongolia is the most convenient
crossing point between the Europe and South East Asia... full
message |
20 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Little hijacking
incident. Mongolia was for a long time under Soviet control
and it acquired some Socialistic hobbits. The main Socialistic
rule is this: It should be some sort of shortage, if not it
should be created... full message |
28 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Hi, I am in Hong
Kong, a miracle city. I came here on a train from Beijing,
but I have to write, eventually, proper chronological description
of my travel. Here it is: I started from St. Petersburg, Russia
Sept. 29 2001 by train... full
message |
29 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I do not remember anything interesting in Ulan Ude except
for unusually pushy personnel in hotel Baikal where I stay.
I would like to add few words about Russian, or more proper
to say Soviet service. I told my friends in St. Petersburg
how surprised I was, when I did not see many Russians in
Crimea... full
message |
30 October 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: My previous big trip to Himalayas,
Nepal, India was going exactly as it was planned. This
trip was not. I am in Hong Kong now. I will fly home Now
19. So, I have 20 days left, which I would like to spent
in Southern China.... full
message |
1 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I am in Guangzhou. I read in a tour books and heard much
fuss about Guangzhou and did not understand what is so special
about this city until I found out that it's former name
is Canton. Oh, Canton, it is different story, Canton opera,
Cantonese food...
full message |
4 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: In my last letter I promised to tell you what food I
selected. I always like to order "the
specials". "Today special" was a juicy young
baby snake, just 88 yanes per half a kilogram. ($9,99/lb)... full
message |
8 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Living in paradise...
First I should thank my son Daniel for getting in this paradise.
As you know I am a big fan of "Lonely Planet" tourbooks.
But because my son Daniel already purchased "Let Us Go"
tourbook I decided to give it a chance. "Lonely Planet"
is better in all aspect except for one.... full
message |
15 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: Chinese Socialistic
Achievements... Everybody who visited China notices the great
progress this country made in the last years. Huge country
with breaknecking speed rush to the Modern World. Western
observers with carefully selected words, prize the great achievements
of Chinese people. But this is the achievements of Socialism!
... full message |
16 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: It was before the
September 11 events, I read the article called "samoletopad"
airplaine-o-fall in the Russian newspaper. An author of this
article addressed unusually high number of airplanes which
fell in Russia in previous month. He said, in the Soviet time
in the special secret camps the professional aircraft engineers
teach the large number of freedom fighters, Muslim extremists...
full message |
22 November 2001
Alex Mumzhiu: I am at home, already
for 3 days. I am sorry, I did not sent this, my last Travel
Note, earlier. At home I have more responsibilities then just
traveling and sending notes to you. On attached map... full
message |
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