Pilgrimage on holy sites

the Report on foot tour on cave cities, monasteries of Crimea 6 - on June, 11th 2010.
In general, we have decided to go somehow to a campaign (I and my husband Eugene). I.e. I have solved, and the husband has made over itself heroic effort and with words: «Well it is fine, well», - has started to prepare, so to say morally.

It is necessary to give to it due, it the person thorough, therefore though it was our first campaign, clothes, the equipment, all it was as much as possible easy and practical. Thanks big, favourite! And also many thanks, to Cyril, for well stated and clear councils for beginners (anything superfluous did not take).

Now about a campaign. Prepared for the worst. Eugene - because it the person not sports. And I - because was going to drag in advance 15 kg uphill and to listen to compliments in the address apropos «well why to you is not sat at home?!». Has managed :) Day the first.

Have met at station. At once obznakomilis with fellow sufferers, with meal which needed to be born. And, certainly, with a mountain guide. Have reached to Bakhchisarai without adventures and were unloaded near the Hansky palace. Have come inside, have looked, have admired a garden, have made memorable photos. We move further.

And further moved to the Uspensky monastery, by rocks in which dwellings are hollowed and till now there live people. What practicality! (Three walls instead of four) Podymaemsja to the Uspensky monastery, a backpack behind the back, by drive cars. - Well also you will think, so everyone can! And would try here so on heat, with a backpack, upwards and thus to smile in all 32! In general, this beginning, energy the car and the small cart, from ears climbs adrenaline. ALL is wonderful!!!

Have recovered the breath after lifting, have seen enough of beauty of a monastery, waters for the future, and again forward to the cave city of Chufut-Kale have got drunk. Near to a city there is a cave depth 50м (well can a little has invented), with the spiral staircase which has been cut out directly in a rock, and at the very bottom a well. If there is no claustrophobia, forward.

The Karaimsky cemetery, five more kilometres and place of our first spending the night of Beshik-Tau. The first thought to fall, relax. But you understand that it is not necessary, attentively we listen to mountain guide instructions, concerning that, how it is necessary to put tent where to take water etc. the Spring flows hardly-hardly so to type waters in a kettle, it is necessary somewhere half an hour. We leave a kettle, we go to settle down.

It is observable, as Anton makes a supper (by the way, it is tasty prepares 5 + for our mountain guide). Then all it is eaten. We have made supervision later, the more be tired, the is it would be desirable less. And then children show ingenuity miracles, in style how to wash fat ware after six persons and two kettles, by means of the rests of tea, hardly current spring, a grass, leaves, soap and a toilet paper. We then all travel so had a good time, by turns, twice a day.
Day of the second.

Morning. It is raining. The sky has tightened clouds. To get out of tent categorically it would not be desirable, but it is necessary. It is necessary to make a breakfast and I ask a question, whether there is a technology of kindling of a fire in the rain. I go to Anton to learn «what to do?». We decide to wait half an hour. The rain has almost ended, precisely according to plan, accurately on a breakfast preparation time. We have breakfast under a canopy (well that it is), the wind blows, from the sky something drips, directly in a plate and on a nose. Syro that is why all so very vigorously and quickly gather, and we stamp further to a cave monastery of Kachi-Kalon. On road have seen enough such landscapes - Van Gogh has a rest.

In this monastery there was any special atmosphere, however, logically not explainably, but for some reason from all seen further, the strong feeling raised remains from it. Monks were quite friendly and completely absorbed daily employment. The system of watering towering over a track; mountain steps, of the km pair, made of tyres and filled by stuff, - in general, work is done the huge! Good fellows!

We go from a monastery on a track downwards. On those steps. We go down long enough, the sun in zenith and ahead of same long and a steep slope to a grotto, but we while do not know about it, that is why we look around, we admire kinds, we rejoice lives.

lifting Then begins, the sun scorches, a track abrupt and narrow, stones are underfoot showered, eyes are filled in with sweat, the backpack pulls downwards, runs into shoulders, disturbs coordination, in a throat has dried up, suffer and think, «well when we will already get». Nervous snickers Then begin, we stick to a mountain guide with questions - «the break can?» And «long still?». Anton patiently informs, - «that not so long, and a halt to do there is no sense, will get upward then we will have a rest».

Have crawled to cells in rocks, have arranged a halt. The most proof through pair minutes (i.e. all little girls and a mountain guide - without insults boys, we love you) have gone to examine a grotto and the wonderful kinds opening from height.

Later there was an extreme descent. Ahead some km on highway. Have fallen with edge from a line, gaining strength, absorbing water and a road dust, getting pebbles and prickles from footwear. The bus, in five seconds, all as if on command was suddenly drew, have appeared inside with backpacks and put.

Day has stood out sated, bathing in the Bashtanovsky water basin, lifting to Alimovoj to a beam, camp in a rock grotto.
Day the third.

Long travel, promote sound sleep (it appears, at night there something flied, shouted etc. … nothing heard) Have gathered in a cave monastery of Chelter-Koba. On the way our gallant mountain guide, has got us in narrow gorge, it is a little polazit and to tickle nerves.

And further long transitions, pleasant weariness, it was replaced by wooden muscles on hands and feet, but we went further, and it became easier, then it is again heavy. At any stage you are involved, and there comes "tone", you feel all muscles when you go, but this condition not painful, is faster pleasant, go - and take pleasure in movement (I speak for itself because my husband in this question does not support me, considers that it is simply tiresome, but after all all people different, and you know yourselves much better so basically can approximately predict the reaction).

I Can tell, running forward that the campaign has not deceived my expectations. I have received that approximately and expected. Certainly, if to count on walk against beautiful landscapes and picnics, is not that. Though as far as I know, there is there such option "support" when it is not necessary to pull anything on itself. But if you a few adventurer also be desirable adventures, a physical discharge, and completely to distract and be switched from the daily thoughts - it.

One more plus - landscapes which usually you see at yourself on the monitor, you observe alive every day a похода. A minus - a paranoia about pincers and spiders (the first especially persistently search, than to have a snack). But, eventually, if you are careful and follow mountain guide councils, all will be OK! Well, will pull out the tick, but will be what to remember. Well I know, what not all with me will agree. But, same, only my opinion. If do not agree, write the response

would go down in a valley weather like to spoil, even has sprinkled a little on a skin. We dress, we remove, again we dress, raincoats and covers on backpacks. Has got even! Soars, we begin plavitsja. A thunder-storm already nearby. We go quickly and with concentration, glancing at the sky. The downpour begins. We hide under firm "Оболонь" tent (thanks, have started up). We fall on gravel, we extend feet, rasslablenno it is observable behind a thunder-storm.!

When a rain it has ended, has appeared that the soil slides underfoot, especially it is felt, when try to rise upwards on mountain on an abrupt track. About itself has noticed that trekkingovye sticks now at all would not prevent me and there was nothing, to show off, when the husband suggested them to buy (well aloud I, of course, it has not told). Have gone on «less abrupt track». I will fairly tell, it was one of the heaviest liftings. Went on a stream upwards. Waited lagging behind.

Was glad that on me sports sandals. Those who went in krossovkah have risen in wet and dirty footwear. At me feet, but pure were wet only. And then they have quickly dried up. The clothes stuck from a dust and sweat. While Anton vigorously ran, searching in vicinities for more suitable place for parking, we exhaled lifting. It would be desirable to have a rest, the earth and branches wet after a rain. To sit syro. From trees drips. Have crawled to parking. Crawled not so because of weariness, as that all around slid at hand and feet. Have put tents, have kindled a fire. Has plunged into a font, rodnichkovaja vodichka invigorates, whether 9°С know. The basic extreme was to return pure to camp, without having stretched anywhere on the way.
Day the fourth.

Night has gone right. Our camp a little under a bias, how much try, a horizontal surface you will not find. Tents stood under a bias and the sleeping bag together with contents, methodically slid off on karematu downwards that I did. I have woken up accordingly in a tent corner, having curtailed by a ball in a sleeping bag.

For the fourth day backpacks became absolutely easy and it is possible to tell have grown together with a back (partially because of that that we ate on the way that that bore, and were simply involved). Went much so, have seen many beautiful places, have seen enough of half a year forward.

To a lunch break otmokali in the New Ulyanovsk water basin also went further to the cave city of Mangup-Kale. It was tiresome", but is fair, it is that costed, the kind which opens from top bewitches (10 points).

Parking was on a grass, under several tens billions stars, the accompaniment, the chirring grasshoppers, croaking frogs and more someone there (they have not wished to be presented).
Day the fifth.

Have left Anton with things, have gone on investigation in Mangup-Kale. Very fascinating show: a fortress, a cave grotto, dwellings in a rock, cells, prison. That it is prison, has explained us our mountain guide looking at the made photos, later. We by the naivety and illiteracy have made the assumption that it something like a hostel for monks.

Have gone down to Eski-Kermensky lake in Hadish-fat village. Dreamt of a sweet cherry! And a miracle! Here it at road! Fur-trees, without removing backpacks as real tourists, being afraid that now there is a grandfather with a gun and will ask to leave. Day was roast, in the sky clouds. Have bathed, have eaten our usual lunch diet. Who has relaxed, who has simply overheated. The prospect to stamp seven-eight more kilometres with backpacks on heat has ceased to be iridescent. Having taken pity on us, Anton has agreed, and us prokatili on a jeep to a parking lot. Not fairly certainly, but it is cheerful.

Have thrown things. And as soon as before eyes the reality has ceased to blur, have gone to examine local sights. Went on a beam the Circassian-kermen, by a halt of primitive people. Something in those places has reminded films about Indiana Johns. It wanted adventures. Have climbed in a cave, in a minute have been driven, very angry and serious uncles rescuing careless tourists. Have risen to a temple of Aid donors. And more went much, crept and climbed up, before have returned by the evening to the camp.
Day of the sixth.

Returning in a civilisation.

Thanks: Olja, Dima, Larissa! Thanks big children that you so, by the way, have appeared at this time and in this place! With you it was really cheerful!

And, certainly, separate thanks, you Anton! That with patience concerned our tricks, moaning, changes of mood and other, other. That did not give in on provocation and has not run away, when we threatened to adhere you to a fortress. For sense of humour and maintenance of good mood! We have remembered that it is not necessary to concern words seriously: «Yes it is fine, the children, ten more metres upwards, and then on the equal.», or «three hundred More metres and we on a place.». As concepts of distance, time, an inclination and space - are very relative.

We with understanding will always concern now people with backpacks behind the back which sit on the earth, with absolute indifference to on what they sit as they look, and that all about it think the others.