Vladivostok: Static and Slightly Terrifying
okay, so, 487574 and 1643011077. seriously? what is this, a lottery number? i’m pretty sure it’s just a random string of digits, but it’s stuck in my head now. and the temp is -17.76 feels like -23.14. like, really cold. i’m shivering just thinking about it. the pressure is 1021, humidity 86 - feels like stepping into a damp wool blanket. i’m currently huddled in a tiny, aggressively pink cafe called ‘Polar Bear’s Sigh’ and trying to figure out if this whole trip was a colossal mistake.
Vladivostok. it’s… gray. aggressively gray. like, the sky is permanently contemplating a drizzle. the buildings are gray. the pavement is gray. even the *sea looks gray. it’s not unpleasant, exactly, just… profoundly unremarkable. i’m a touring session drummer, so i’m used to chaos, but this is a different kind of chaos. a quiet, persistent, bone-deep cold chaos.
I stumbled upon this place almost by accident. a last-minute flight deal, a vague recommendation from a guy who claimed to know ‘things,’ and here i am. i’m pretty sure someone told me that the local dumplings are legendary, but i haven’t found them yet. i’m relying heavily on Yelp - it’s currently showing a 3.2 rating for ‘Boris’s Fish Shack’ - someone told me that Boris is a former competitive eater and a surprisingly philosophical man. i’m skeptical.
I spent the morning wandering around the Russky Island, which is connected by a ridiculously long bridge. it’s… vast. and empty. mostly. i saw a guy fishing with a net the size of a small car. it was unsettling. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
My gear list is a disaster, as usual. i’ve got three pairs of socks, a half-empty tube of hand cream, and a drumstick that’s seen better days. i’m pretty sure i forgot my toothbrush. standard. i need to invest in a proper travel kit. maybe a small, waterproof backpack? that’s on the list. after i finish this coffee - it’s surprisingly decent, considering the location.
I overheard gossip at the cafe about a strange ritual happening at the Svetlany Bridge every full moon. something about chanting and offering vodka to the spirits of drowned sailors. i don’t know, it sounded a little intense. i’m not really into ghost hunting, but i’m also not actively avoiding it.
Vladivostok isn’t a place you do. it’s a place you are. it’s a feeling. a persistent, slightly melancholic feeling. if you get bored, Khabarovsk* is just a short drive away, apparently. i’m not planning on going, but i’m sure it’s… something.
I’m thinking of checking out the Railway Station - it’s supposedly one of the most beautiful train stations in Russia. i saw a picture online. it looked… imposing. and cold. like everything else here.
I’m starting to think this trip was a mistake. but then again, maybe mistakes are just opportunities in disguise. or maybe i’m just sleep-deprived. or both. i need more coffee. and maybe a blanket. and definitely a new playlist.
Here’s a link to TripAdvisor for Vladivostok: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g298492-Vladivostok_Primorsky_Krai_Federal_Subject_Russia-Vacations.html
And Yelp for Boris’s Fish Shack: https://www.yelp.com/biz/boris-fish-shack-vladivostok
Finally, a local forum for Vladivostok: https://www.reddit.com/r/Vladivostok/
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