Russian Trip ~ May 2001 by Ed Hoak
In May of 2001, Ed Hoak made a trip to Russia to visit Saratov and the ancestral villages of his grandparents in the lower Volga Region. This was a second trip for Ed. The first was in 1997 with wife, Charlotte, also as part of a John Klein arranged tour. Ed's main interest was the birth villages of his grandparents, Holstein and Stephan and other villages within the Galka and Stephan parishes. The group all met at Kennedy Airport in New York City for a Finnair flight to Helsinki.
In Moscow the group was met by Irena of Intourist. She was the same guide as the previous trip. She took the group on a short tour through Moscow from the International Airport to the domestic airport. The domestic terminal in Moscow is under renovation and is being nicely done. It now looks like any other western terminal.
The flight to Saratov was on Saratov Air, Saravia. The flight was much improved from last time with cleaner planes, more friendly flight attendants and a very good meal. The flight arrived about 10:00 PM and everyone went to the hotel where dinner was waiting. It was good, with bierocks, stuffed pork, French fries, a cucumber salad and a hot fish dish. This time the group stayed at the Slovokia Hotel by the Volga River Bridge.
The group toured Saratov, Trinity Cathedral, around town, Lenin (theater) Square, and WWI Monument. It is very meaningful to Saratov residents, many who lost friends and relatives during the war. The bus dropped the group off at the market, and we then walked along German Street. The market is very well stocked and crowded. The produce looked especially good.
The evening included a visit to a resettlement village. Pavel, a farmer who relocated from Kazakhstan, hosted the tour group in his newer brick home. His wife prepared a dinner with an excessive amount of food, which was all good. His daughters and son plus son-in-law who operate a brewery were there. The manager of the resettlement project came to make comments. The house is small but new and well kept. The family has a sizable garden space. Pavel is a farmer and appears to be successful.
On May 19 at 9:00 AM, prearranged cars with drivers and interpreters were waiting for individual trips to the villages. Dick Kraus and Ed were in one car driven by a man named Yura Bartenev and an interpreter, Elena Oginskya. We went southward on highway P-228 toward Kamyshin, which is about 180 kilometers away in the Volgograd Oblast. The road is paved, two lanes, and is rough although the driver maintained a speed of 120 to 140 kilometers per hour for the most part.
