Cold summer dvetyschisemnadtsatogo we walked the Kenai Peninsula.
Alaska - a very large staff. Not so, of course, great as he is painted on our usual distorted maps where Greenland the size of Africa. And as great as on the globe, where Africa is almost twice as Russia, Kazakhstan less than Greenland, and the United States and Canada is almost the same size.
With such huge amounts the state has only three cities with more than thirty thousand: Anchorage, Juneau Feyrbenks and capital to which it is impossible to reach by land. In other towns and villages, "the final frontier" is not reached even ten thousand inhabitants.
2. Homer on the Kenai Peninsula - one of those towns.
3. Though visually town almost nothing himself not remarkable, going locals and tourists in his huge crowds.
4. Because Homer's middle name - "Capital of the World halibut" and here flock all State fishermen with their boats, boats and motor boats.
5. Nowhere we have not seen so many bands and such traffic on the slip.
6. High-quality typical fishing boat. Two motors not only for power but also for insurance on the high seas.
7. The people with back catch. It is clearly seen a variety of boats.
8. But they rule, of course, professionals from the commercial rights to the production network.
9. In the final state, we finally realized his mistake: after all, it was necessary to carry bicycles with them.
10. Along the paths established neat columns with signal flags. For general education of pedestrians.
11. This flag represents the letter P (Dad) and signals "ready to sail" or "My Network stuck". Which of these options is available in view, determined, apparently, a special sailor flair.
12. On the pier there is a special place for cutting fish. Still, when she was caught in such quantities: a family - more than a hundred of these big fish.
13. The new building on the shore of the ocean. Variety of colors - all that designers become generous.
14. Near mobilhomov park. Fishermen do not melochatsya, come at once for the whole weekend or even a week.
15. The surroundings of the allowable landromata rest.
16. Local attraction - saloon "salted dude." This cottage was built in 1897, just after the town foundation. For twenty years she has been the post office, railway station, grocery stores and office of a coal mine in one person. The second extension later became a school and home.
17. Many years ago, someone pinned dollar nail on the wall, thus paying for his friend, who was supposed to come later. The tradition has taken root.
18. They say that hanging on the walls of the saloon a few thousand dollars. With the autographs, though. Fun here, crowded, noisy, in such places is a sin not to drink a beer or viskarik.
19. We love the atmospheric and original places.
20. In the meantime, those who do not have a boat, too, found something to do. The rush of water fills a specially dug a swimming pool, which comes and curious fish.
21. For this fisherman there are no restrictions. Caring for people with disabilities - one of the strongest sides in the country.
22. Souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants. Able to cook fish.
23. The people running, walking and having fun, but the summer mood nowhere to be taken - the cool breeze, the sky is gray, why, and gray pictures.
24. Beach holidays in the north. The very moment when we miss Hawaii.
25. But also have their own methods of Alaska to fall in love, and she copes with it perfectly well, without any of the tropics.
26. We stopped in Nikolaevsk, the village was founded in 1968 Russian Old Believers.
27. It emigrants still revolutionary and post-war era, which came through China to South America, and from there to the United States. Losing on the road settled, we moved further to the north - through Oregon and Washington into Canada and Alaska. The climate, the most similar to the native Siberian.
28. Today there live about three hundred people, the village is half-empty, frequent abandoned houses.
29. This is a case when the people are absolutely not steamed, it looks like their house and yard. Neighbors seem to also not complain.
30. Why neighbors? Because in good areas of local government can not permit to build a house, do not fall into the general trend, put in front of the house garage, parked old cars and so on. Because it affects the prestige of the area that has a direct impact on property values. In Nikolaevsk with this case easier.
31. Moment and Shark remember a time when Russian fishermen out in the cold waters of the Gulf of Kochemak.
Generally this village textbook has been written a lot. Alexander Belenky macos with all the details and with good pictures, for example. Who are interested in the life of the Old Believers in Alaska, I recommend.
I, frankly, the Old Believers life is not interesting. Not because it is they have some fresh (and it is), but because they are conservatives. Primitive people who deliberately do not want to study, develop and invest in the development of their children, instead preferring selfish and hypocritical "to get away from the world." At the same time, however, continuing to quietly enjoy the benefits of secular civilization, steeped in sin and going to hell. Amish, Lykovs and K °.
Googol but he says that there is Nikolaevsk Samovar Cafe, and that there may treat tea, maybe even with pancakes. I vividly: cheerful samovar on the wood with a teapot on top, cozy upper room in the old Russian style, floating pancakes with sour cream and tea from a saucer, maybe even a Russian stove with pots and caught hold on ... Let's go!
32. Samovar Cafe we were met by a veranda, littered with colorful plastic trash with a slight touch of schizophrenia.
33. In the hallway hang a robe scary that note purchase.
34. "Comfortable room" turned out to be a warehouse-show the most dubious achievements of the Soviet-Russian consumer goods and homebrew rukozhopiya. Nina hostess met us businesslike and cool, then issuing a general price list for everything from shooting schizo-porch to the ability to sit down at the table.
- I'm here by appointment only, if you want to sit on a chair - $ 20 per person and you can eat at the table and get a tour of the house and yard.
- And that someone buys? - I ask timidly.
- And then! And my husband is sick, cases of throat once to me. I think fifty or even a hundred dollars to take. Soup, dumplings, pies will?
- Yes, we are not hungry. And the pancakes do you have?
- no Blinov.
- A samovar? Samovar something there? - himself did not believe the questioner.
- Yes, there's an electric, but I do not use them for a long time, tired of messing around. So, the tea will be the bread and jam of rhubarb?
- Well, let's tea.
35. Sipping herbal tea from a paper cup in prikusku with mediocre-tasting bread, standing to examine the room and listen to Nina. Woman with a difficult fate, once having been at the peak of fame of journalists and TV crews from various countries, was unwell star disease and so since then and has not recovered.
36. Resistant to withstand the first twenty minutes of her feigned arrogance and contempt for the light to us, simple tourists, we still Breaks through the weak defenses and begin to melt the heart is not very welcoming hostess: listen attentively, ask the right questions. Soon, Nina finally thawed, told us about his life, allowed to shoot, and even took a free tour of the yard.
37. In the yard was not found anything interesting, except for Nina painted with the brush of absolutely everything, from the meter to the house wall to the rocks and stumps scattered throughout the territory.
38. And this locker. Probably not such Alaskans who do not smoke fish. We tried - vkusnoten.
In short, in Samovar Nina us, to put it mildly, did not like. It's a pity. It could be a unique place with the memory of the once Russian Alaska. It was possible to recreate the atmosphere of imperial Russia and acquaint tourists with Russian culture, treating them with homemade bread from the oven, and kvass soup. Yes, at least all that stuff to throw away, leaving elektrosamovar dryer and embroidered with icons, and would've been better. But Nina chaos, pseudo-market and a caricature that sad and a little ashamed, because some Americans believe that having been in this house, they touched the Russian soul and culture, about which they write in a review. Not always positive, by the way. Some so directly and say: there dumb, run out.
Interestingly, the Russian Americans, like us, is also strongly recommended to come here for the same reasons that I described: blunt attitude, high prices for everything, to impose service, mediocre food and kitsch, which is not in any way affiliated with any of the old Russian nor modern. In comments to the reviews on tripadvisor so Nina writes: "The sun shines on everyone equally, but not everyone is enjoying his warmth." That's for sure. Alaskan Sun, it's so cool.
39. Temple in Nikolaevsk decayed, and a new still can not finish building, no money. Nina, by the way, in his cabinet of curiosities, too, with donations to the temple with the push of hints.
40. And the cemetery. Though people have gone to Russia on foreign land hard road to a better life, but as the last resting place is at home - under the cross in the weeds.
41. Another small town of Seward, three and a half thousand inhabitants.
42. Here, as in Dawson and many other old towns, the walls keep the history.
43. Little is small, and the seventh-profit fishing port in the country.
44. Like Hawaii, Alaska has a lot of islands, between which runs a barge.
45. Ship guards.
46. ​​There is also a huge number of fishermen, and they also do not want to drive home the tripe.
47. When a small barge is filled, it is output to the bay on the depth and empty.
48. Colorful sailor clearly and confidently raspanahivaet salmon. A couple of cuts, Whack, and took off the fillet. Cleaned up, I turned - for two fillets. On Rybin still a lot of meat, but it flies in the water.
49. In the end, the heart of Alla could not stand, and she went for kulechkom "soup Navara, what good to disappear."
50. Young fishermen approve this decision.
51. And we race with Alaskan walking and a real train back home.
52. Soon to travel to Fairbanks.