Staraya Russa

So we got to Staraya Russa and found a hotel for the night. It was still early about 6:30 so we headed out to walk around town.

We came across their monument to the war with their eternal flame.

Again this town was occupied for a 2.5 years Finally freed and rebuilt after the war.

This old church was rebuilt also.

Saturday was children's day so in the evening they had a concert in victory square. I thought it was children's day but many of the people at the concert were adults and some very drunk.

This beautiful Church was located on the river! Just amazing!

Starya Russa is known for its resort. There is a mineral spring and baths just about what ever you would think of in a resort. We walked around it and took some photos.

They had some exercise equipment outdoors that we tried to figure out, some of them were interesting. It had been a long day though and we were both beat. So after messing around on the equipment we through in the towel for the night.

Woke up on Sunday June 29 and headed out! The goal was Velikey Novgorod only 90 km away, thanks to the 500km the previous day.

On the outskirts of Staraya Russa was this Memorial with a tank and a bunker that had been blown up in the fighting.

The tank was on a huge pedestal, I am 6'6".....

We saw the sparkle off this new copper roof from a ways off so had to stop. unfortunately it was still under construction so couldn't see much

I caught something out of the corner of my eye as we headed down the road. Turned around and it was this monument. To those same Yakutia boys from earlier I guess they fought a **** of a fight. This monument is about 350km from the other!

Further down the road was this old HUGE church the neighbors said had been torn up in the war then, since religion was looked kindly upon in the Soviet Union nobody fixed it up. Nobody had an idea on the year it was built though.

Some of the paintings were still visible on the inside.

"Ok Monty I know its a staircase going into the bell tower but look the whole corner of the building is missing are you.... ohh where did you go?"

you cant see it in the picture but the bottom right hand corner of the bell tower was blown out.

Finally an overview.

All morning was beautiful weather with the sun shinning away!!! We made it to Velikey Novgorod around lunch time. Found a hotel that let us store our bags and took off around the city.