Southern cities: Rostov-on-Don-Derbent

Russia is known for its Red Square in Moscow, the Aurora in Murmansk, the ski resorts in Sochi, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and Lake Baikal in Irkutsk. Southern Russia also has its own unique charm and exotic customs. Rostov-on-Don is the largest city in southwestern Russia and the tenth most populous city in Russia. Rostov-Na-Donyu is the capital of Rostov Oblast. It is located on the banks of the Don River in the southeastern part of the East European Plain. It is also the hometown of Mikhail Sholokhov, the author of the famous Russian novel "Quiet Flows the Don". It is a very beautiful city. It is not very cold in winter and has brassy sunshine and cool evening breeze in summer. It is a place where you can spend some quiet time. At that time, I took a train from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don. Since the final stop was Grozny, more than 80% of the people on the train were Chechens. The Chechen old lady sitting opposite me was warm, friendly, simple and kind. Her three children all work and have started families in Moscow, and she returned home after visiting them. Most people in Grozny are kind and friendly. The biggest regret of this trip to southern Russia is that I didn’t go to Grozny. When taking a bus from Rostov-on-Don to Derbent, we passed Grozny. This city is unique in both architecture and culture, and is one of the cities in southern Russia that is worth visiting. When you go to Rostov-on-Don, you must try the local Cossack cuisine, which is very different from traditional Russian food. On the way from the city center to the suburban B&B (Дача), I happened to take a taxi and met a Cossack with a long beard. Cossack songs were playing in the car, and the bearded old man sang along. His voice was distant and free. If you go to Rostov, you must visit the Cossack market town of Staroy Cherkassak, which is also the earliest gathering place of Cossacks. It is 30 kilometers away from Rostov. There is a Cossack Museum in the center of the town. As a nomadic people in Russia, the Cossacks have clear likes and dislikes, are free and unrestrained, and their culture is very interesting. Bolshaya Sadovoy Street, in the center of Rostov-on-Don, is one of the oldest streets in the city and is a great place for shopping. The Don River embankment is also a must-visit place. You can take a walk here to appreciate the tranquility and beauty of the Don River, with seabirds flying by from time to time. I took several wrong taxis before I finally found the "Paramonovsky Warehouse", a typical grain warehouse from the mid-19th century and a federal historical and cultural monument. I sat alone under the abandoned warehouse, admiring the afternoon sun, and traveled into the world of Ingmar Bergman's films. Derbent is the second largest city in the Russian Republic of Dagestan and the southernmost city in Russia, located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. In Derbent, some women wear headscarves, and there are almost no women walking on the streets after 8 o'clock. Of course, a must-see when visiting Derbent is the Naryn-Kala Fortress, which is one of the most important strongholds on the Silk Road. In 2003, UNESCO recognized the historical sites of Derbent as a World Heritage Site. Standing on the Derbent Castle, you can overlook the entire city and see the scenery of the Caspian Sea. The citywalk in the small town of Derbent is also very interesting. The local citizens are very simple and honest.