Going to the Big "V"

Last weekend I took a train to Vladimir, where I spent last year teaching English at the American Home. I found that little had changed. The Golden Gate is still where it used to be:

The Coffee Bean, the best coffee shop in Russia, is still open:

Sara is enjoying her year as "lead teacher," pictured here at said cafe:

Cafe Pizza is still in business:

Went to visit Nina Petrovna.  Her cats are as crazy as ever:

  Also, her blinni are as delicious as ever.

The only noteworthy addition is a large statue of Vladimir, the founder of the city, I guess.  Perhaps it is a different Vladimir:

In all, people haven't changed much, it was nice to see and talk with the people I knew from the American home and around town.  I have to admit, that even though I was only there for two days and the weather was horrible, I felt no small amount of nostalgia for my little slice of the "real" Russia.