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Author Topic: Vladivostok - Владивосток  (Read 41911 times)

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Offline AnfieldRiot

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Vladivostok - Владивосток
« on: December 30, 2009, 12:43:31 AM »
I don't wanna mess up the clean presentation that Mendy has going on above in his different threads so I thought I'd just put this here.   Is there a chance I can get a  Mendy 101 about the city of Vladivostok ?

Before I got my head into this FSU search I was planning on going to Japan for two weeks. I've been thinking about doing it again and also thought why not jump over to vladivostok. It's not too far off from Sapporo which makes the trip over to Valdv- even easier.  Plus it would be pretty cool to take the short trip south to the border... be nice to say I was at the border of China and North Korea... certainly make for an interesting pic and story.

I love geography and history and unbeknownist to Mendy, you've been my geography teacher on here so any info on Vladivostok would be appreciated

Offline skiingandrunning

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Re: vladivostok
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2009, 09:48:38 AM »
AnfieldRiot,

Another option would be Petropavlosk-Kamchatskiy or better known as P-K.  If you head that direction I can hook you up with a lady who works for the Regions tourism bureau as she has also sent me a lot of pics about climbing Volcano's and Glaciers and have been very tempting.

Offline ECR844

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Re: vladivostok
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2009, 09:56:40 AM »
"Anfield,"

Get in touch with "Jooky," as he lives there for part time out of the year, and has a business venture there (non-FSUW related) he can fill you in on a lot of things in that AO and probably answer alot of questions you may have.


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: vladivostok
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2009, 10:56:09 PM »
Will do! I have a nice collection of photos--just need to put them together.

Offline AnfieldRiot

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Re: vladivostok
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2009, 11:07:10 PM »
Will do! I have a nice collection of photos--just need to put them together.


  You know... I was hoping you would say that. :king:

  As always, your insight and time is most appreciated.

Offline mendeleyev

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Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2010, 03:06:18 PM »
Vladivostok (Владивосток)



ila_rendered



Vladivostok is Russia's largest port city on the Pacific Ocean and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai. It is situated at the head of the Golden Horn Bay not far from Russia's border with China and North Korea. It is the home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet.







Lets be completely honest--this isn't a pretty city, and in general think in terms of Vladivostok as "Pittsburgh with an ocean view." Yes, its that ugly. (You could substitute Cleveland or Detroit if the idea of Pittsburgh is offensive.) But there is beauty to be found in Vladivostok and its an incredibly interesting place to explore once you get past the rust, industrial smokestacks and cramped building styles with no apparent regard for civilized construction codes or public safety.

Much of the ugliness of the city is a remnant of the Soviet era. The Soviets seemed to love sterility, rust, smoke, dilapidation and dirt. If asked to designed a logo for a reconstituted Soviet state I'd suggest they incorporate all those things in the design. It would be fitting.



Bird pays appropiate tribute to Soviet heritage.



So is there really beauty in Vladivostok? Yes, and it's not all in the women either, although...






There is beauty but you must be willing to search it out and find it.



ila_rendered



For most Westerners, Vladivostok is seen briefly thru the eyes of a train stop. Too bad, because there really is more than meets the eye, but you have to make time to get out and explore a bit.

Vladivostok serves as the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Most travelers arrive here at the end or the beginning of a trip on the Trans-Siberian; as such, allotting time to explore Vladivostok is usually an afterthought to making the next connection in the journey. But it has enough attractions and atmosphere to support a couple of days, and it'll likely be your first or last glimpse of solid ground for a while, so use it well.







Above: Trans Siberian near city.

The Vladivostok Train Station is built in Russian architectural style of the 17th century, modeled after the Yaroslavsky Railway Station in Moscow (the beginning of the Trans-Siberian Railroad - the world's longest railway). You will see the last milestone of the Trans-Siberian Railroad with the inscription on it: “Here is the terminus of the Great Trans-Siberian Railroad. Distance to Moscow is 9288 km.” This is where the railroad ends, and those willing to continue their travel can take a boat from the marine terminal just across the tracks from its railroad counterpart.







Vladivostok was a closed city during the Soviet era – even Russians needed permission to visit friends and relatives who lived there. It opened up to tourists in 1992 and since then there has been a slow but steady increase in numbers. For travelers arriving from Japan, Vladivostok is a great place to start your Trans-Siberian trip and the start of the longest single train ride on the planet as Moscow is 9,288 km from Vladivostok.



Inside train station

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2010, 03:09:38 PM »
Vladivostok is a starting point from the East to many places. The Trans-Siberian Railway runs between Vladivostok and Moscow, with stops in major Russian cities like Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and Ekaterinberg. Fares are from $200 single. Trains to Harbin, China take around 30 hours and cost $50.

Vladivostok International Airport (IATA: VVO, ICAO: UHWW) is located near Artyom, some 50 km from the city centre, has two airfields with four paved runways, and is able to receive most major types of aircraft, except very large ones such as Boeing 747 or Boeing 777. The main terminal (domestic) recently underwent a major renovation, making it the most modern airport building in the Russian Far East.







ila_rendered



Closed to outsiders (including Russians) during the Soviet period, Vladivostok is home to the Russian Pacific Fleet.











Russia's Pacific Fleet is parked in the waters off the coast of Vladivostok, in Golden Horn Bay. A walk along the waterfront on Korabelnaya nab offers the closest views; to get any closer, you'll have to enlist. Photographs with an average-sized camera shouldn't attract any trouble, but be mindful of your surroundings lest an enterprising police officer invent a fine for you to pay.











The construction of Vladivostok was the culmination of Russia's long drive to establish a major naval presence in the Pacific Ocean and help solidify its hold on the eastern portion of its empire. The land it the city is built on was previously claimed (but, many say, never effectively ruled) by China. It was sparsely populated by Chinese and indigenous peoples when the region was transferred to Russia via the Treaty of Aigun from the Chinese Qing Empire in 1858 at Russia's request. Russia had already moved troops and settlers into the region and the Qing Empire, then relatively weak, felt it had little choice in ceding the territory.











After the treaty, the area was absorbed into the Russian empire as what would become the Primorsky Krai (often translated as "Maritime Province"), named largely for its naval importance. Vladivostok was founded in 1859 as the most important of ninety five settlements established on the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula between that date and 1882 to solidify Russia's claim to its new land.

The peninsula's namesake was Count Muravyov-Amursky, a naval admiral who led the settlement efforts and who is credited as personally founding Vladivostok. The name of the city loosely translates to "rule the east," indicating that the city was intended to to establish Russia's military presence in the East in much the same way that Vladikavkaz had helped establish Russia's presence in the Caucuses.



Must be sailors nearby.  :chuckle:

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2010, 03:09:51 PM »
There is simply no question that Vladivostok has historically been a military outpost.













Above: Monuments to the Great Patriotic War (WWII).




















Last May during the Victory Day celebrations a Russian Navy ship accidently blew up a Vladivostok hillside apartment building when the shells fired turned out to be "live" instead of dummy ammo. Oops. Fortunately no one was killed (except for Russian pride) and President Medvedev chewed some serious tail after the episode.

That past incident is exactly why ole Mendeleyev would flat out refuse to live in the top floor of the apartment pictured below. With that big gun parked outside, there is way too much risk given the Russian Navy's track recent record.  :laugh:





Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2010, 03:10:06 PM »
Being so far East (you can see Sarah Palin's house from Vladivostok), it gets cold. Very, very cold and there is lots of snow too. It is Siberia, after all.







ila_rendered



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Happy New Year from Vladivostok!





Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2010, 04:25:02 PM »
Only because of pressure from the West, the Soviets left one, just one, church open during the Soviet period...as a token show of "freedom" of religion. So its no surprise to find that churches are popping up everywhere in Vladivostok as part of the current religious revival Russia is experiencing in the under 35 year old demographics.

As the Soviets destroyed so many churches, most in Vladivostok are new, many of the newer ones designed to replicate churches from the city's past.















Mendeleyev's first trip to Vladivostok years ago included a visit to that sole functioning church when it was still the only one in operation. There was a long line of several hours wait with parents and babies to be baptized and the scene was nothing less than a baptismal "mill" with so many to perform on that single day. On the other side of the church group weddings were being conducted, performed in groups because there were so many couples waiting in line.











Above: Church on the harbor.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2010, 04:25:17 PM »
Did somebody mention that Vladivostok was carved out of the hillside?








Great excerise (don't come if you are out of shape!!!) as you get around by going up...








Then going down.








Hey, you're catching on. First go up...








Then come down!







View from above:


ila_rendered

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2010, 04:25:33 PM »
The water is pretty (but horribly polluted!) and just in case you're wondering, Vladivostok is probably not in competition to become the next resort area anytime soon. Not only the toxic environment, but the topography limits full enjoyment of the water.







Reality.




Wow, look at this swimming area. With a lifeguard no less. Whew, she is hot. Help! I am drowning, need mouth to mouth!








Turns out she works nights too. Still on duty. Dang, overtime pay must be pretty good round these hills!  :chuckle:









Okay, here is a very good find. Finally....some non-rocky beach! Heck, who cares about that electric fence--and get a load of that diving board! This must be the city swimming pool.







Uh, oh. Guess that isn't a "diving board" after all. I hear alarm bells ringing and guard dogs barking. Best to split. Later!





Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2010, 05:08:55 PM »




ila_rendered




















Hmm....a market with a toilet! Men (М) or Ladies (Ж). Rare. And open between 7am to 8pm no less.









Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2010, 05:35:38 PM »
Bridge building, Siberian style:


Let's put a bridge across the bay, right where the spot is circled on this map.



ila_rendered




The we'll invite the Prime Minister out to view the plans. Nice photo opportunity for the local and foreign press, too. Look toward the camera and say сыр! (cheese)



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Bringing in the cement trucks is no easy task--









Local residents come to inspect the worksite--



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Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2010, 05:57:48 PM »
Welcome to Vladivostok!












Offline siberia

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #15 on: January 01, 2010, 09:55:38 PM »
Thank you Mendy for the wonderful photos. Vladik is one of my fav cities and where my first Russian friends came from (well the Far East in general).  The comparison you made of Pittsburgh and Vladivostok might be a valid one but the fact is, most of their citizens equate it with San Francisco  :reading:

You missed an opportunity for one important part of the city, the Fisheries Institute and the sailing ship Pallada. One of your photos might have had her in the distance but I could not tell for sure. She was a wonderful ambassador for the city and Russia prior to the Wall coming down. She was here for the Seattle Goodwill Games in 1990 and returned for the next year also.  Her sailors are students at the Fisheries Institute and met many Americans during her sailings.

Once again, thank you for your very informative postings.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #16 on: January 02, 2010, 12:31:00 AM »
Siberia, thanks and you are right in that Vladivostok residents think of San Francisco as a city of similar qualities. One could even say that San Diego with its hills could also be a potential sister city. San Francisco is much cleaner and as you know, California building and zoning codes are among the most stringent anywhere whereas Vladivostok seems not to worry too much about such things.  :)

Vladivostok shares the latitude with Sapporo, Sukhumi, Almaty, Florence, Marseille, A Coruña, Boston, and Toronto.

It was at Vladivostok that Leonid Brezhnev and Gerald Ford conducted the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks in 1974. At the time, the two countries set quantitative limits on various nuclear weapons systems and banned the construction of new land-based ICBM launchers.

Have you been to the Fisheries Institute? I've not had that privilege yet but would like to someday. It is one of 6 State Universities in Vladivostok. There is also the Marine State University.

I also forgot to mention the current population--over 500,000 as of 2002.  



ila_rendered











Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #17 on: January 02, 2010, 12:41:18 AM »
Apparently Pallada was entered into a competition in California and held its title as the world's fastest sailing ship. Here is a photo of the Russian Pallada which sailed from Vladivostok to San Francisco in July 2005.


ila_rendered

Offline Jared2151

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2010, 11:52:47 AM »

  Pittsburgh ??   >:(

  It is no longer considered "Hell with the lid removed".  Gone are the days of smoke belching steel mills. We like to consider it more of a 'high tech' and medical area now.

just sayin' ....

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2010, 02:13:57 PM »
Sorry, Jared. Next time we'll put more emphasis on Detroit.  :chuckle:

You may feel free to beat me to a pulp in the meantime.  :LIMP:

Happy new year!

Offline Jared2151

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2010, 09:18:18 AM »

  Mendy - no harm, no foul.

  Somebody else will be upset that Detroit was mentioned....lol

  Pittsburgh DID have the reputation that you referenced.  It has since cleaned up its
surroundings and image.

  A blessed and happy new year to you also.   tiphat

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2010, 09:50:18 AM »
Jared, happy new year and many blessing to you this year.



Offline ldelo

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #22 on: January 08, 2010, 12:58:46 PM »
Mendy, thanks! Given that Vladivostok is only a stones-throw away (just skip a rock across the Pacific...), I've long been fascinated by the city.

Offline el_guero

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #23 on: January 08, 2010, 08:40:53 PM »
One word . . .

Cold.

Offline ldelo

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Re: Vladivostok - Владивосток
« Reply #24 on: January 08, 2010, 08:49:05 PM »
Wayne, all of Russia is cold no?? ;D


 

 

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