The muddy Volga wiggled between groves of scrub-like trees that were no more than 25 feet high. The dwarf-like hardwood forest of apparently infinite size displayed solid green to the horizon. No houses, no onion-domed steeples, no Stalin-built apartment monoliths.

Two small ships --- a tanker followed by some kind of work boat --- preceded the MS Viking Kirov carrying me and 80-odd other tourists. Because of the many bends to the river, the ships ahead slowly angled, offering views of one side, then the other, starboard in the shade, port-side brilliantly lit by the slanting sunlight, starboard again, followed by port, metaphorically a view of this voyage so far. . . CONTINUE

More photos of Russia

Photo © Ellie Hilferty 2001