Russian Journal 2013 - Day 11

Day 11 - Wind and Waves

Our aim to get up early this morning didn't quite work out. I awoke from a weird dream about 9.00. In this dream I was living in a different house with many rooms. One room had a mysterious past. Unearthly goings on had been going on there. Well, one day I descended down into this lost room and opened it up to find a series of cadavers. Cadavers who started to talk to me about how they had been killed. They told me not to tell anyone else or something unsavoury might be attracted to the house. I agreed but over a period of time just couldn't resist telling everyone I met. And inviting them down to the room for a chat with the dead people.

For some reason, the next thing I remember I this dream is I'm a member of Manic Street Preachers!! And we are performing a huge outdoor gig somewhere. Well, not far into the set I get bored and wonder off looking for my dead friends. Instead I find a TV that is showing an old film. In the dream I recognise the film as one I've known for a long time. It's a creepy unnerving chiller about a house where all the occupants are murdered mysteriously under very weird circumstances. I come to realise, while watching this film that its actually set in the very house that I live in! Yikes.

It's at this point that I wake up but there was something very familiar about that film. I swear I know it.

With Tales Of The Unexpected over. I ate my breakfast, watched a morning episode of Dr Who with the lad and we were ready to roll.

We took a taxi from Gelendzhik to Praskoveyevka (the place we had visited a couple of days ago by boat). The taxi ride took about 30 mins.

Today was a bit blustery but still scorchingly hot. So the sea was not so clear as our previous visit due to silt and sediment being disturbed by waves breaking in the shore.

After a swim. Me, max and Vlad headed down to have a closer inspection of the stone monolith that towers over the shore line up the coast. It's called "Sales", for the very reason that its thin and looks like a ships sail. Seeing it up close really does give you an idea of the scale if the thing. There is a little whole just up from the bottom and if you feel adventurous you might like to climb up the conveniently placed tree trunk to this window and sit there and have your photo taken. If you fall though, you might end up splitting your head open on the rocks below.

For lunch Ira took me and small Treadwell to a safe bet. A save bet from contracting food poisoning from any of the private eateries on the beach. I'm sure they are all fine and Ira is just being over cautious. The safe bet is a government funded canteen which serves standard Russian fare. That being, soup and then today, pork and pasta with salad and a warm glass of dried apple juice with sugar. Not very appetising prospect, suffice to say that me and Max left hungrier then when we arrived.

Next we rested a while, then Me, Ira and small Treadwell went to see the "Sail", second time around it had lost none it's grander, even when you are carrying a four year old on your shoulders for the entire journey. More photos were duly taken.

Later on Vlad's school of swimming continued with little Max. It's an on going programme of master classes given by the man, to the boy, in which carefully constructed lesson plans are related to Max in order for him to progress in a safe and familiar way.

Sessions usually start when Vlad tries to entices Max to go for a dip. "Come Max come!" Max, being sensible usually declines, "Nit Nit!!"

On this occasion I take Max into the sea. As the waves are bigger than normal I gently ease him in a step at a time. He had a floatation ring so he's not going to sink. He's enjoying it. He likes the waves. He's laughing.

Vladimir, then determined to give Max the benefit of his years of swimming excellence crashes into my softly softly approach by grabbing Max and thrusting him into an on coming wave. Vladimir's tough tough approach then consists of pushing Max further and further out into the sea.

Max is distraught. He's calling out. He struggles to get ashore. The waves are pretty big for him and they crash over his head. He's not happy. I quickly head over to help him and doing so fall onto a sharp stone on the sea bed cutting my knee.

All in all a pretty successful attempt from Vladimir at giving Max some kind of sea swimming phobia for the rest of his life.

I know it's a different generation and methods differ but you would think old Vlad would get the message when it just doesn't work after the tenth attempt.

With us all swam out. We pack up and grab a quick kebab from one of the beach eateries before catching a bus back to Gelendzhik. The journey is pretty shaky at 45 mins and one change, but it gives you a real appreciation of the terrain.

Tomorrow is our final full day. So we best make the most of it.