Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Walkthrough. Mysterious places in Poland

Let’s say that six months have already passed since the moment when the doors of the institute opened for the freshman. One of major events is the first session. They say that you become a real student only after passing the first session, which is why most first-year students are scared. The Unified State Exam is one thing, exams for university teachers are quite another. Is the session really that scary?

Don't neglect your studies

Studying in the first semester may seem like a mess, so many first-year students start skipping classes, i.e. they do not absorb the information that the teacher gives to the students. Such freshmen think “Yes, I’ll pass everything, just today I’ll sleep/play on the computer/go to the club,” etc. Due to missed classes, students' academic performance decreases. This should not be allowed, because students are allowed to the session only if all tests have been passed, as well as completed and defended term papers in disciplines of a certain semester.

Check out the session schedule

As a rule, the session schedule is approved by the rector, and then brought to the attention of teachers and students a month before the start of the exams. The schedule is drawn up in such a way that at least 3-4 days are allocated for preparation for each exam, which is quite feasible for each student. The session schedule is usually posted in the same place as the schedule for the academic semester.

Get ready

Preparation is an important stage. You must take several pens and paper with you to the exam so that you have something to write on and on what + permitted technical devices (for example, a calculator). It is recommended to put your phone on silent mode so that it does not distract anyone during the exam. For active brain activity, it would be nice to take a chocolate bar and something to drink with you - usually this is not forbidden during the exam.

The student is also required to have a document called a “grade book” with him, which he will present to the examiner at the very beginning of the exam. You can carry it with you during the session, or leave it in the dean’s office - whichever is more convenient for you. The examiner puts the test number on the report sheet. After entering the grade for the exam into the report, he can open the record book on the required page to enter the grade into it. Just in case, find out whether the examiner brought the report. If he did not bring it, then the exam is considered illegal. Although this usually does not happen, teachers are still competent people.

As a rule, exams are conducted on tickets in oral or written form. Yes, examiners can ask students questions beyond the ticket, as well as tasks and examples on the discipline program - usually this is done in order to “pull out” the student.

Conclusion

In general, we can say that with careful preparation for exams, the session is not as scary as it seems at first glance. I remember one method of getting rid of fear - to meet it halfway. The most terrible moment is a collision with a session. As soon as the student takes the ticket and sits down at the table, he will be incredibly scared, but after that it will become much easier for him (if he studied the material). Most people are intimidated by their own ignorance of the material, so the conclusion is - learn, learn and teach again!

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On Yaroslavl direction traffic opens on track 5 (updated)

From Monday 13 January traffic opens on track 3 of the Mytishchi - Losinoostrovskaya section and track 5 of the Losinoostrovskaya - Moscow Yaroslavskaya section.

Additional on weekdays 27 trains are assigned(13.5 pairs) from/to Mytishchi, Bolshevo, Monino, Pushkino and S. Posad - both regular and express (REX). There will also be the schedule and/or stops of 31 trains have been changed.

21 trains to Moscow (including 9 express trains) will have an additional stop in Severyanin(on some express trains instead of Losinoostrovskaya). Some trains to Moscow also have stops at Losinoostrovskaya, Yauza, Malenkovskaya and/or Moscow-3

Three trains to Moscow, which are being transferred from track 1 to track 3, have had their stops on pl. Taininskaya, Perlovskaya, Los (due to the lack of a platform on track 3). One evening train to Moscow has a stop at Zavety Ilyich.

All scheduled for currently changes in the schedule are taken into account on Tutu.ru, with the exception of changes in the routes of existing trains - this will be made on Sunday.

Besides, the procedure for passing trains on the Moscow - Losinoostrovskaya section will change.

Regular trains to the region will follow track 2 (formerly 4), which was used by accelerated trains to the region until January 12. On pl. Moscow-3, Yauza and Severyanin depart from platform 2 (and not from 1, as before January 12), along Losinoostrovskaya - from platform 3 (and not 2), along Malenkovskaya the platform will not change.

Accelerated trains to the region will follow the adjacent 4 (formerly 3) track, along which accelerated trains to Moscow ran on the Severyanin - Moscow section until January 12; the departure platform along Moscow-3, Severyanin and Losinoostrovskaya will not change.

Thus, all trains to the region (regular and accelerated) in Moscow-3, Yauza and Severyanin will depart from platform 2, and in Losinoostrovskaya - from platform 3 . Until January 12, only accelerated trains were sent to the region from these platforms, but from January 13, all will be sent.

Regular trains to Moscow on the Mytishchi-Moscow section will mainly follow track 1 (as before), individual trains will follow the adjacent track 3 (on the Losinoostrovskaya-Moscow section this is the former route “from Moscow”) without stops along pl. Taininskaya, Perlovskaya, Los due to the lack of a platform on track 3. Accelerated trains to Moscow will mainly follow route 5, some along route 3.

Due to changes in schedules and turnover, the departure routes of some trains at the Yaroslavl station, as well as the Mytishchi station, will change. Don't forget to look at the departure route on the board!

We remind you that from December 9, travel on the Kursk, Riga, Belorussky and Savelovsky directions will again become paid.

You can, as before, purchase one-time and season tickets by train at the same rates (and also use previously issued subscriptions), but without a free transfer to the metro.

Or you can use new ways to pay for travel (except for express trains, as well as the Rabochiy Poselok - Usovo section) with a free transfer to the metro and, as a rule, at more favorable rates:

1. Directly at turnstiles (validators) with a Troika card(only within the Chekhov - Novoierusalimskaya and Dmitrov - Kubinka/Zvenigorod sections).

You need to activate (recode) the Troika card once ( the card is automatically activated upon replenishment of any amount after November 21, with the exception of very old cards that do not support work with the MCD) and then simply apply it to the turnstile or validator before starting the trip and after its completion(even if there are no turnstiles at your destination). Exit validation must be completed no later than 5 hours after entry.

You just need to make sure that you have a sufficient amount on the “Wallet” of your Troika card; you don’t need to issue tickets at the box office. Tariffs for Troika between specific stations can be viewed in our schedule on the website and in mobile applications.

A free transfer from the MCD to the metro (and/or from the metro to the MCD) is provided within 90 minutes from the moment of first entry (or entry into the MCD boundaries).

Previously planned ticket for remote areas of the Moscow region ( further stations Novoierusalimskaya, Chekhov, Dmitrov, Kubinka-1)“The one-time complex ticket “Far Suburbs + MCD” will not be issued yet.

2. By subscription " Unified MCD".

Subscription to the MCD "Unified MCD" ( other names - "Unlimited ticket for 1/3 days of the MCD", "Unlimited ticket for 30/90/365 days of the MCD", "Ticket for 60 trips of the MCD") acts not only as a subscription to the MCD, but also as a “Unified” subscription to Moscow public transport.

Thus, with the same subscription you will be able to travel both by train and metro (and other public transport in Moscow).

If you travel to the MCD only within Moscow(no further than the stations Shcherbinka, Volokolamskaya, Mark, Setun), a regular “Unified” metro subscription is enough. Moscow students and schoolchildren can travel to the MCD within Moscow using discounted metro passes issued on a social card.

If you travel, including in the Moscow region, but within the limits of the MCD (sections Podolsk - Nakhabino, Lobnya - Odintsovo), then it is necessary to issue a subscription "Unified MCD Moscow Region". This ticket can also be issued at ticket offices and metro machines.

If you travel along the MCD and beyond, You can issue a “Unified MCD” subscription from/to your station at the suburban ticket office, and it, in addition to travel on electric trains, will also give you the opportunity to travel on the metro and other transport in Moscow.

More details about this subscription and other tickets can be found in the carrier’s Rules.

You can find out which passes are available on this route and their cost at full version website in the schedule between stations in the section "MCD on Troika"

As of the evening of December 8, 2019, new subscriptions have not yet been issued at suburban ticket offices.

For the “Dalnyaya without validators” tariff zone (where there is no one-time Troika tariff), the cost of MCD subscriptions is indicated on the website in the “Tickets and subscriptions” section (top right in the screenshot).

To use the "Unified MCD" subscription, you also need to activate the "Troika" card. To activate, just top up the “Wallet” of the card (after November 21) and sign up for a new subscription. Or you can contact the metro ticket office. .

All information provided is preliminary and subject to change.

Mark Semenovich Efetov

The train is coming

Vitya was about to travel on a train for the first time. He was very afraid of being late. That’s why Vitya and his father arrived at the station earlier than other passengers.

First of all, they went to the large board with the train schedule and checked what time their train left.

In the first room, where the schedule hangs, there are many small windows. These are the cash registers. Tickets are sold here.

Vitya’s father handed the cashier the money, and Vitya heard something slam behind the window: “clap-clap.” After that, they were given two tickets: one for Vita’s father and the other for children’s tickets for Vita. A composter was slapping at the ticket office - an iron dog that bites through the train number and the date on the ticket when the train departs.

Having received the tickets, Vitya and his father went to another hall. There were many passengers, porters, and peddlers. After all, thousands of people come here every day and every night, who then need to move on. They are called transit passengers. They have to change from one train to another. It happens in the city: you take one tram, and then change to another. But you only have to wait a few minutes for the tram, and several hours for the train, and sometimes the whole day. All this time, transit passengers live at the station.

Previously, before the revolution, there were three classes of halls for passengers at the station: landowners and factory owners sat in soft chairs in the first-class hall, the poorer ones sat on hard benches in the second-class hall, and the poorest sat right on the floor in the third-class hall.

Now at the station all the halls and rooms are the same: beautiful, bright. The best room was given to the children. It’s called “children’s room”.

There are more than a hundred different rooms in the big station.

On the way from the ticket office to the train, Vitya and his father passed by a book kiosk, a restaurant where passengers had lunch, and a children's room where the children of passengers played. They also passed the storage room where passengers' belongings are stored.

Vitya and his father walked past the controller, who was checking tickets and letting passengers onto the platform.

The train arrives directly at the platform. The station duty officer monitors order on the platform, listens to what he is told by telephone, gives orders and checks by the clock to ensure that each railway worker completes his work on time. The voice of the duty officer through a large megaphone can be heard throughout the station.

When Vitya and his father approached the carriage, the loud voice of the duty officer came from the speaker:

Attention! The train leaves in five minutes...

All the passengers heard these words and hurried to the train - from the restaurant, from the hairdresser, from the children's room, from the storage room...

Vitya and his father approached the carriage. Here they were met by a guide. They gave him their tickets and went into the carriage. Before the train departed, the conductor asked the mourners to leave the carriage, and he himself stood on the platform.

The duty officer raised his hand high with a folded flag. This means: “You can go.” But still, it is not he who gives the command to the driver, but the chief conductor. The inspectors and the lubricant had already reported to him that everything was in good order. The chief looked along the train - all the passengers were in the cars, all the conductors were in place. And after that he whistled: “You can touch it.”

After the chief conductor’s whistle, the driver started the car and pulled the horn handle: “I’m coming!”

The huge wheels slowly turned: the locomotive moved the long train from its place. Now the locomotive is breathing more and more often: “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.” And the wheels started talking: “Run, run, run.”

The driver looks out the window of the locomotive to see if the path is clear. An assistant takes care of the car. The fireman breaks up large pieces of coal and then throws them into the firebox. And the firebox of the locomotive is so large that a passenger car could easily fit in it.

Throughout railway Special signals - traffic lights - have been installed. They show the driver the way with multi-colored eyes. They say: is it possible to drive, how to drive - fast or slow, where to stop. Along the way there are also columns indicating where the turn or climb begins, how many kilometers we drove from one station and how much more to go to the next.

The driver must be very careful all the time.

The train is traveling on the right track. And other trains are coming towards you - along the left track.

When the trains meet, the driver blows his whistle as if greeting an oncoming train: “Hello!”

The passenger train in which Vitya was traveling also heard the horn of oncoming trains in response.

Sihanoukville - amazing city Cambodia, beach resort and just an atmospheric place. Due to its advantageous location, this city has access to both beach holiday, so leisure- excursion trips to the sights of not only Sihanoukville, but also the entire kingdom of Cambodia. That is why the lion's share of tourists who come to Cambodia flock here. In this review, I want to talk about the attractions around the resort, which you can visit on your own by bike, taxi or on a tour.

How to get to attractions and some subtleties when purchasing excursions

There is no public transport in the city, only tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis and taxis. Tuk-tuks are located literally on every corner, the cost of moving around the city is standard - 1-2 dollars, don’t give more, to attractions you should agree on the price right away, just don’t forget to bargain. To feel more free, I recommend renting a bike or car. This can be done at any hotel, guesthouse, restaurant, and even from the same taxi drivers. The average cost of renting a motorbike such as Honda or Suzuki is $90-110 per month, daily rental will cost you $5. Daily rental car - 20-50 dollars (depending on the car), monthly rent - from 150 to 550 dollars (Daewoo Tico and Tayota Land Cruiser, respectively). Bicycle rental is also common here, which is very popular among foreigners - after all, the resort is small and you can easily navigate the center by bicycle. The cost of renting for 1 day is 1-2 dollars, you can rent it in the same place as a motorbike. If you rent a car for a day or two, then you can ask the lessor to be your driver and part-time guide - the locals know every corner of Sihanoukville.

You can easily get to all the attractions of Sihanoukville on your own by bike, having first studied the map and set up navigation in your smartphone (we didn’t have one and we easily managed it with the help of one map, road signs and tips from local residents). Well, if you don’t want to go yourself, then a tuk-tuk or a taxi will help you. Riding a tuk-tuk outside the city (for example, to a waterfall) will be uncomfortable - red dust, road noise, heat, small pebbles flying in your face. Most the best option in this case, take a taxi that will take you straight to your destination, wait and bring you back. Prices are set on site with the taxi driver, but the approximate cost of a trip to the attractions of Sihanoukville, which are located outside the city (Kbal Chhay waterfall and National Park Ream), will be 25-30 dollars.

If you are a fan of traveling on your own, then you should know that the cost of 1 liter of gasoline is 1 dollar. In Sihanoukville you can explore everything on your own, except for the National Park - there it is better to buy an excursion on the spot or arrange with a guide who will show you the most beautiful corners of this place. Group excursions in Sihanoukville you can only buy for the National Park; for all other surrounding attractions you can negotiate with one of the local guides, because excursions are not sold.

As I wrote earlier, public transport Not in the city, buses run only between cities. Buses are very different - both double-deckers, and like our “Ikarus”, and sleeper basses (it’s like econom-class train trains, bus only: paired or single sleeping places are separated from the aisle and from each other by a screen). The bus route depends on the carrier, of which there are about 6 in Cambodia. you can go on an excursion to Siem Reap on a sleeper bus, or you can take a regular minibus - it depends on which tour operator you buy the excursion from (different tour operators work with different carriers). Naturally, its comfort depends on the level of the bus. But even the oldest ones have primitive air conditioning, and the driver's assistant hands out a bottle of water to all passengers (you can ask for a refill).

From Sihanoukville you can get to the most “tourist” and famous corners of Cambodia - Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and national parks (there are 7 of them in the kingdom), the village of Kampot and nearby islands. A transfer to the island (they are located nearby, the prices are identical) will cost you 25-35 dollars, but some travel agencies offer packages sightseeing tours, which includes visiting several islands at once. We once witnessed such an excursion to the island to the well-known Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky.

Also, on beaches where there are piers (Victory Beach, Serendipity Beach, Hawaii Beach), you can arrange with the boat captain for a certain time to take you and pick you up from any of the islands. This pleasure will cost 20-30 dollars.

The village of Kampot, which is located in the neighboring province of Sihanoukville, is famous for its French colonial buildings, Bokor National Park, Tyk Chhu and Popokville waterfalls, cave temples pre-Angkorian period, as well as the fishing village of Kaep. Various tour operators can offer you an excursion to Kampot and a tour of all its attractions for $70-90. The excursion is usually one-day, you leave Sihanoukville early in the morning and return before midnight.

Siem Reap is famous, first of all, for the fact that Angkoro, the capital of the ancient Khmer state, is located in its vicinity. Also here are the majestic temples of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preakhan, Nikpean, Tasom, the Rolous temple complex, the Banteay Srei temple, the Banteay Samre citadel, Phnom Kulen (national park, Mount Kulen, temple, jungle).

Phnom Penh is the capital of the kingdom, during the period of French colonization it was the most beautiful city Asia and now it is not inferior in beauty to many Asian capitals. A must visit here National Museum, Silver Pagoda, Royal Palace, central (main) and Russian markets, village of artisans, ancient capital Oudong, Genocide Museum, Killing Fields, Independence Monument, Blooming Lotus Temple, Ounalom Temple, Wat Phnom. In Sihanoukville, literally at every step you can be offered excursions to all these and other places in Cambodia.
All these excursions can be both group and individual, and you can also order just a transfer to the point you need, and buy the excursion on the spot. Excursions, depending on the intensity, can be one-, two-, or three-day with hotel accommodation and meals. Be sure to discuss all these subtleties with the seller. One day we almost got scammed. We went to a travel agency that offered excursions to Angkor for $19.

We were embarrassed by such an unnatural low price, and after 5 minutes it turned out that this company only offers a one-way transfer to Angkor, and the excursion must be purchased on the spot and get back on your own. So be careful and careful. Normal prices are approximately as follows: overview one day excursion in Pom Penh will cost 50-70 dollars, a small circle of Angkor - 60 dollars, a larger room of Angkor (3 days and 2 nights) - 150 dollars, etc. The cost of many excursions may include lunch, water and other necessary items that a tourist may need. But, again, discuss this when purchasing an excursion.

Russian Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, as I have written many times, is an attractive city for Russians. There are a lot of not only Russian vacationers here, but also Russians who organize their own businesses, open hotels, and develop infrastructure. One of these companies, founded by our compatriots in 2002, is Snake House, which is located in the Hawaii Beach and Victory Beach area. It is a complex with a hotel and a mini-zoo, in which different types of snakes live, a mini-crocodile farm, various birds and insects. Some terrariums are stylized as tables, and if you are not squeamish, you can dine in the company of creepy crawlies.

The Garage bar and restaurant is located on Hawaii Beach (Victory Beach) in the Oceania complex - a long white three-story building that rents out apartments and floors. By the way, it is located not far from the “Snake house”; if you drive down the road from this place, you can see this large white building.

To get to the Garage, you need to drive into the territory of this complex. The “garage” occupies one of the wings of this building and is notable for the fact that it is a “biker” place. It is stylized exactly like a garage; inside there are expensive famous bikes (Harleys, Enfields, Phantoms) as exhibits; there is also a scene inside with musical instruments, where jam sessions and all sorts of performances take place, and above the entrance hangs a “real-life biker” on a Harley, wearing a leather jacket and grinders. The owners of this establishment organize regular promotions and events.

Here you can get help not only in obtaining/purchasing/repairing a bike, but also any other help (consultation).

Wat Krom, Wat Leo, St. Michael's Catholic Church

The road to all the sights of Sihanoukville always began the same way for us - from Dolphin Junction (a large intersection near Victory Beach, in the middle of which there is a monument with two dolphins). If you go uphill from there about 700 meters along Ecchorage Road (Ekareach Street), then when you reach an intersection where the road turns sharply to the right towards the bus station, you can get to the LHR gas station. It is located at a crossroads where you can get anywhere from Sihanoukville.

If you turn right near this gas station, then literally after 50 meters to another? On the side of the road you can see a sign in Khmer and English, which translates as “Catholic? temple of the city of Sihanoukville. To get to this temple, should you pass under this one? sign?, and after 300 meters you will see the Catholic? the parish is a large white building with a high roof, making the structure resemble an Indian wigwam.

To the left of it there is a small siend, where the church’s work schedule and announcements about ongoing events and promotions hang. In the territory catholic church There are several buildings, the largest and most richly decorated of which is, naturally, the temple itself. The place where parishioners gather and where Khmer Catholics perform their religious rites is located a little further from the temple and is slightly larger in area. Is this building equipped with two staff rooms and a stage? in crosses.

In addition, on the territory of the temple there is a small chapel, turned into a columbarium, where the remains of deceased Catholics are buried after burning. Their ashes are housed in attractive burial urns, which in turn are arranged in neat rows on either side of a multi-colored image of Jesus? watercolors by children. As far as I understand, here are the remains of not only Khmer Catholics, but also people of other nationalities who professed Catholicism and died in Sihanoukville. The temple territory itself is located on a large observation deck, from which? the waters of the Gulf of Thailand are visible, active? Port of Sihanoukville, founded? by the French in 1955, nearby islands, as well as several piers. On the territory of the temple, in addition to the priest's house-palace, prayer building and chapel, there are several more, not so conspicuous, houses of Khmer Catholics with beautiful and picturesque squares near each of them, made in the Japanese style.

This church was built in 1960 by the French Catholic priest Agadobery together with the Khmer architect Vann Molyvann. As the name of the church suggests, it was built in honor of St. Michael, the patron saint of sailors, and therefore maritime motifs were very well reflected in the architecture of the building. According to the architect's idea, the church is a ship, and the roof is a sail. Interior decoration quite austere, there is no place for excessive pomp and rich decorations, there are no benches, there is only a small altar, a crucifix, modest paintings on the walls and flowers.

It is quite spacious and on Sundays the entire Catholic flock of the city of Sihanoukville gathers here. This church is one of 2 religious buildings that survived the rule of the Khmer Rouge in 1975-1979. (at that time religion was outlawed and 71 of 73 churches and temples were destroyed). During this “bloody” period for Cambodia, St. Michael’s Church was used as a prison or stable, and it was reopened only in 1993 with the help of the UN organization.

On Mount Sihanoukville, from where a wonderful panorama of the city opens, there are two Buddhist temple- Wat Leo and Wat Kraom.

Wat Leu is located at the highest point of this mountain and is called the Upper Pagoda.

This weather was built in honor of Prince Chowrn Nat - the Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia, whose merits include the fight for the preservation of the Khmer language, nationality and culture. He is also the author of the Cambodian anthem, as well as one of the authors of the explanatory Khmer dictionary. His contribution to the development of the country is truly enormous. In one of the pagoda buildings (we were not allowed into this building, it is closed) there is a boat that is an annual participant in the Royal Races in Phnom Penh, which take place during the Return of the Waters festival. Traveling doctors, healers and gurus also often stop here. I would like to note that Wat Leo is a functioning monastery where Cambodian monks live, study and learn the secrets of existence.

Our route first lay in Wat Leo along highway No. 4 to Phnom Penh, along which we drove 8 km to the Cambodia brewery, turning right near the Wat Leu sign. After this turn, you should drive about 1 km more and you will come to the “black” entrance of the Wat Leo temple. There we left our bike and went for a walk around the temple territory, which occupies about 20 hectares.

What is surprising is that on the territory of this temple complex There is a small village where the most ordinary Cambodians live. In the mini-village there is a golden-colored Buddha statue. Having walked around it, a long staircase appeared in front of us, which leads to the territory of the temple complex. The staircase is decorated with two five-headed cobras, whose bodies acted as railings.

There is a wonderful view from the stairs.
The main temple is located in the middle of this temple area and is very difficult to miss.
We arrived just at the moment when the temple was under reconstruction - active internal work and “cosmetic repairs” were being carried out. We really liked these paintings on the walls.

And this, directly, is the altar itself.
At the exit of their temple you can see portraits of the Dalai Lama and Chourn Nath.
This is the view from the temple terrace.
And these buildings are classrooms where monks practice.
And this is the monastic “teacher’s room”.

A very beautiful flowering tree and the composition around it. You can see heavy, large pink flowers hanging from the tree, which exude a fragrant, pleasant aroma.
On the temple grounds there is this cute artificial lake. By the way, monkeys love to swim in it.

View of Sihanoukville.

On the right side you can see a one-story building where the monks practice. A little further there is a small building, to which a ladder leads. Having climbed it and getting closer to the doors, we saw an inscription that says that this is “The Fund for Helping Children whose Parents Died from HIV and AIDS.” Here on the terrace there is a fantastic view of Sihanoukville.

This temple is notable for its controversial architecture: Buddhist and Hindu styles are surprisingly intertwined here.

Wat Krom is located at the bottom of the mountain, between Independence and Victory beaches and is called the Lower Pagoda.

Like Wat Leo, Wat Krom is also a working monastery, although it is dedicated to the goddess Ya-Mao (“black woman”), with whom many legends and myths are associated, and the Khmers have an entire cult dedicated to her. According to local legends, Ya-Mao is a woman who lived in the 19th century on the island of Kampong Som, whose husband was a sailor and went to Hong Kong. She waited for him for a year and decided to go after him, equipped a ship, but a storm overtook her and she drowned, but her spirit remained alive. Since then, she has become a deity for all taxi drivers, sailors and representatives of other professions whose craft is connected with the road. That is why here all the tuk-tukers, sailors and taxi drivers, before starting the journey, ask Ya-Mao for blessings and present her with phallic-shaped gifts - bananas, incense sticks. And on route No. 4 near Mount Pitch Nil there is a chapel dedicated to her. All the residents of Sihanoukville want to appease Ya-Mao, since she is considered the cause of many troubles and misfortunes (accidents, illnesses, etc.), but, naturally, men fall out of favor (because of her negligent husband, in fact, she died ).

For local residents, this temple plays a big role - Buddhist festivals are held here, as well as high-ranking officials and important people of Sihanoukville are buried here. When we found an apartment and settled in it, we did not know that this temple was located nearby, but when the first Buddhist holiday arrived, we experienced all the delights of such a “neighborhood.”

It is located near our Dolphin Junction, opposite the 5 Men bar. The temple area is small; on the territory there is the temple itself, a sculpture garden, an observation deck, various buildings in which monks are trained, and the homes of the monks themselves.

The cemetery I wrote about above is chaotic here. This means that the “graves” and monuments are located in random order and you can understand whether it is a monument or just a sculpture by the presence of inscriptions on the tombstones.
Sculptures and tombstones.

We did not ignore such sculptures. The fact is that they very much reminded us of characters from Indian mythology (here you can see prototypes of the god Shiva, Ganesh, Durga on their war animals).

Ream National Park

Ream National Park, also known as Pre Sihanouk National Park - favorite place recreation not only for tourists, but also for local residents. It was founded in 1993 and is one of 7 national parks Kingdom of Cambodia. It is located 18 km from Sihanoukville.

The territory of this park covers 200 sq. km and there are 2 islands, the mouth of the Prek Tuk Sap River, mango forests, jungles, wild beaches and underwater reefs. You can buy a tour of this wonderful place, you can ask for the help of a guide right on the spot, or you can enjoy the beauty of this protected place on your own.

Don’t forget that they charge money for transport here. The tariff is as follows: motorbike - 2000 riel ($0.5), car - 8000 riel ($2), bus or minibus - 10000 riel ($2.5). Here you can be offered 2 types of excursions - water and walking.

The cost of a guided walking tour is 5-10 dollars (the price will depend on the route you choose). However, the most popular are boat trips along the Prek Tuk Sap River, on both banks of which you can see mangroves and stilt houses of local fishermen.

The cost of this type of excursion will depend on the duration and route chosen. For example, a 2-hour boat ride to observation deck, where Mount of Worship is located, will cost 30 dollars, to the island of Koh Runk (there is a very beautiful nature: two waterfalls, jungle), Koh Runk Samloem (a paradise for divers), Koh Trang (there is a freshwater lake and healing thermal springs) - 25 dollars, and an 8-hour trip to Koh Ses island will cost you 70 dollars.

We drove to Ream National Park from our wonderful LHR gas station (which, by the way, is the cheapest in Cambodia). We filled the tank full - 3 liters - and drove along highway No. 4 towards the airport (you can see it on the map). Drive approximately 18 km in a straight line without turning.

On the way you will see the familiar Cambodia beer factory, near which there is a turn to the Wat Leu temple, we reached the airport (you can’t help but notice it) and saw a blue sign “ National Park Ream" with an arrow pointing forward. We went there, but first we decided to go around the park and see if there were other entrances besides the main one. To tell the truth, we liked this bypass and the beauty that opened up from it even more than the park itself. I have never seen so much greenery like here before, although our trip to the park took place during the driest period of the season, I can imagine how the vegetation is raging during the rainy season.

To the right were huge green mountains, to the left were plains, on which the shacks of local residents could sometimes be seen. After driving about 10 kilometers, we arrived at a beach called Ream beach.

They were like deserted people here quiet places, and places full of local shakes. During one of these shakes, we were offered a trip to any of the islands (except private ones) for $25 - they pick us up in the morning, take us to the island and then pick us up at the agreed time. We really liked the idea and decided that we would definitely take advantage of this chance, especially since the price, compared to the price offered by any tour operator, is almost two times lower. Few people know about this beach, and there are no people here at all, only local residents lazily lying in hammocks, drinking coconut juice while waiting for crowds of tourists.

Out of curiosity, we went to one guesthouse (in truth, there was really only one there), which was located right on the shore of Ream beach and asked about the cost of housing. The cost of a room for 2 people for 1 day is 20 USD. By and large, this is very good price: quiet, own kitchen, security and right outside the threshold - the sea. I repeat, this part of Sihanoukville is still very quiet, there are practically no guesthouses, no hotels, and the fishing village, called Koh Kchang, is very small (the houses of the local aborigines are scattered chaotically along the coast), but the land here is being sold at a rapid pace. I think it will be quite crowded here soon.

After watching this part National Park Ream, we drove back and noticed several “side” entrances, and we went into one of them. The jungle with rich vegetation is a very beautiful and rich place. Of course, having savvy information in advance, we decided to inspect and study everything ourselves. Unfortunately, there is active deforestation here; there are a lot of paths. Be sure that you will not regret this trip: huge trees, bizarre vines, sharp and almost invisible animals (maybe we saw a wild boar, maybe a wild dog, or maybe even a bat).

The protected area is home to about 200 species of birds, many of which are listed in the Red Book, and Lake Tonle Sap, which is one of the largest in Southeast Asia and provides most the population of Cambodia with fish and fresh water, and rare dolphins. Of course, there are a lot of monkeys here who are already accustomed to tourists and are not afraid of them at all. The “test shot” for us was the Mount of Worship, from where a magnificent panorama opens over the entire park.

The Kbal Chhay waterfall first became known as a national treasure since 1963, when the Khmer Rouge established their main camp-type base there. Until this time, it (together with the lake) supplied the Sihanoukville Reservoir with water, which met Sihanoukville's needs for fresh water. water. Since 1998 it has developed as a tourist destination? is the attraction private? companies? Kok An Company, which created a small tourist infrastructure there: parking lots, walkways, crossings, ladders, retail outlets and parking. A little bit later " National treasure"was returned to the government authorities of the kingdom. Currently plays a role as a source of drinking water? fresh? water for the city of Sihanoukville, as well as a tourist attraction and place for recreation.

Is there another way to leave there? road, which after 3 km, a fairly steep descent, will lead you to the intersection with the upper? old? Sihanoukville? dear?. If you turn right on it, then after 2-3 km you will come to the LHR gas station - our starting point.

There we focused on greens? a sign that showed us 2 directions: Victory Beach and Phnom Penh. To get to the beaches, you need to turn left, and if you want to get to the Kbal Chhai waterfall, then you need to go right, towards Phnom Penh, straight following the sign. After driving 11 kilometers, on the right side you will see a stone stele, on which? It is written in Khmer and English that this road leads to the Kbal Chhai waterfall.

Halfway along the path, right on the road, there is a blue wooden chicken coop, an impromptu checkpoint, in which two young Khmers are sitting and demanding payment for visiting the waterfall. But we were information savvy, and I had never seen information that visiting the waterfall was paid, and besides, we didn’t have a penny of money. Having turned out our pockets, demonstratively showing that we had nothing, we moved on.

Having passed this “checkpoint”, almost immediately you will find yourself at a lake with incredibly blue waters. fresh? water?, the end and edge of which is invisible. If you turn left behind this lake and drive to the far shore, you will find the most secluded place for contemplating the wonderful beauty. and untouched? nature.
There are also many creeks and swamps here.
After driving another 4 km and being soaked through with red? dust, we came across a parking lot in front of the waterfall.

By the way, at this parking lot there is local fast food (quite exotic for us - shellfish, chicken feet, etc.).
Leave yours there vehicle and walk along the wooden bridge to the waterfall itself for about 100 meters.
Kbal Chhay waterfall is the confluence of two rivers, which form several picturesque cascades that merge into the lake.

With one? On the sides this lake has huge boulders, a kind of natural stone dam, consisting of several rapids. We counted four “floors” at this threshold: the top two, not very large in height, are platforms with a difference? about 2-3 meters in height, through which water flows in several gentle streams, between which, sitting on one of the boulders, you can arrange to cover a beautiful “clearing” with food, which, in fact, is what some of the visitors do? Kbal Chhai waterfall?.

The lower floors of the waterfall are located 20-30 meters below the upper ones. Getting there on slippery rocks is quite dangerous, but if you decide to go down there, you will not regret it, an amazing sight will open before you: a small stone plateau on which you can sunbathe, and a grotto in the rock, the entrance to which? hidden by those falling from the big ones? heights with streams of water, having bathed in which the fatigue from the road is like your hands? will remove.
The plateau itself offers the most wonderful place for sunbathing. On the topmost “floors” there are specially equipped places for relaxation, which are... wooden canopies with mats under the “fifth point” and hammocks, and a large number of sheds selling souvenirs, water, blinders and food? all sorts of?-all sorts of things?.

How we visited the Kbal Chhay waterfall not in best time- the height of the season, when everything “dries up”, we did not find it in full beauty. To do this, you need to go here in August-September, when the munmun (rainy season) ends and the waterfall literally overflows with seething streams of water.

As a conclusion, I may repeat: Sihanoukville - perfect place for lovers of a varied type of recreation.

Here you can relax on one of the beaches (according to your taste, you can choose either a well-equipped, expensive, private paid beach or a “wild” one with bounty palm trees), go for a day to relax in the cool waters of the Kbal Chhay waterfall, or if you want something... something new and unknown - you have a direct road to Ream National Park or to one of the islands, of which there are plenty here. If you want to join the local culture, go to one of the temples and learn more about the life of the monks, talk to them, they will probably tell you a lot interesting details about local shrines. Not both

Every trip to High Tatras- this is something special.

Background

A year and a half ago I came to Zakopane for the first time to see the High Tatras. Then my friend and I, two young students, wanted to see the mountains and chose one of the most famous routes Tatra National Park. Our impressions were so strong that as soon as we began to think about where we would go this year, we immediately decided that it would definitely be the Tatras. Over the course of several months, we began to plan our trip, found cozy accommodation in Zakopane and began to think about what we should see. To my surprise, it turned out that there are so many hiking trails that even 5 days is not enough to see everything. The Koschelinska Valley is part of the Tatra National Park and is the second largest. There are about 14 trails on its territory alone. We chose it because we came across the crocuses blooming.

Unforgettable journey

We chose the green route and moved straight forward, getting closer and closer to the peaks and gaining altitude. As soon as we entered the territory of the Koschelinskaya Valley, I wanted to shout: “How beautiful it is here!” And as soon as we walked 200 meters and found ourselves in a huge clearing, behind which we could see snow-capped peaks, I shouted: “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life!” It was beautiful, just like on postcards, just like in dreams, when the sun is shining, it’s warm, small crocuses are blooming on the ground, and there are massive and beautiful mountains in the distance.

To be honest, I would never have thought in my life that such beauty could be found in Poland. Sometimes I felt like we were teleported to Canada. What I like most about the Tatras is that you feel close to nature. You just walk along the paths, among the trees, mountains, hills. You feel absolutely safe and somehow special. And with all this, you don’t need to be physically fit or a climber; there are quite a lot of families with children and elderly people here. Many routes do not require strenuous physical activity.

It is very easy to find your way around the National Park. There are route signs everywhere, each route is marked with its own color. The signs indicate the time of ascent. It is quite accurate, since the calculations took into account both the height difference and the difficulty of the climb. There are also quite often tables where you can stop, have a snack and drink hot tea from a thermos. Our green route took us up to the Ornac mountain hut. From there we turned onto another path and climbed to Lake Smrecinski, reaching an altitude of 1126 meters. I admit honestly - it was the hardest and most dangerous climb of my life. But what beauty awaited us ahead.

Mountain lakes are always extraordinarily beautiful: there is forest all around, silence, and mountains can naturally be seen in the distance. After this wonderful adventure and no less dangerous descent, we warmed up and rested in the Ornac shelter. And towards sunset we chose the route to the Mentusier Valley and came across an incredibly beautiful alpine meadow. There are mountains on all sides, silence, practically no people. At that moment it seemed to me that this was every girl’s dream. I wanted to cry with admiration, and no amount of fatigue can spoil such moments. And before we were about to say goodbye to this beautiful valley, Deer came out of the forest to us. It was my dream. I felt the happiest and most peaceful then. And I really want to pass this on to others and tell them that absolutely everyone can see and feel this. Especially in a place like the Koschelinskaya Valley.

Travel notes

• The Tatras have their own dialect. It would seem that people also speak Polish, but the speech is different. It's just like Ukrainian language. Many people know that in the western part of Ukraine speech is different, and many words have different meanings. If you are planning long journey in Poland - try to listen to speech and recognize dialects;
• here in the Tatras they serve potato pancakes everywhere;
• The weather in the Tatras is very changeable, precipitation falls here on average every three days, and in one day you can see the summer sun, then experience torrential rain, and by the evening find yourself ankle-deep in snow;
• The snow melts from the peaks only towards the end of August;
• every April there is a crocus blossom festival;
• take a closer look at the vegetation - there are plants here that you will not find in other places.

1. I would advise going here in summer and autumn. In summer it’s quite easy: there are no difficulties on the routes. Autumn brings the most beautiful and varied colors. If you want to see snow but don't want to deal with the rigors of climbing, come here in late fall - late October or early November. The trails are not yet covered with snow, but there is already snow on the peaks. It’s also beautiful here in winter, I would even say it’s a place for a perfect Christmas, plus they open ski resorts, however, moving around the national park is more difficult. We were here in April and were upset - many routes are still closed due to the fact that water is always flowing under our feet as the snow melts from the mountains;
2. DO take trekking poles with you;
3. Pay attention to the color of the route. Not many people know that color is not only for navigation, but also carries its own symbolism. Of course, they say that in Poland color does not mean the difficulty of the route, but it didn’t seem that way to me. The green route is considered to be the easiest. This was the case with the route we chose. He didn't dial high altitude, and any grandmother can pass it. Red is the most interesting and passes through the most important places in the mountain range. However, this could also be a path along a rocky pass. You should be prepared for this. Black is the most complex and short. And it seemed to me that this was true. Our climb to the lake was so sharp and slippery that sometimes it seemed like I was going to fall;
4. Get ready for weather conditions, this especially applies to shoes and raincoats;
5. Take a snack with you, a thermos of tea, but also don’t deny yourself the pleasure of having a snack on hot potato pancakes in the mountain pass;
6. Be sure to agree on the start and end times of your route. Minibuses to the entrance to the National Park go from the bus station, where the bus schedule is posted. At first glance, it seems that nothing is clear, but don’t panic, below under the signs * or ^ it is written that given time valid from such and such date to such and such date. It's simple - look for the time of year in which you arrive, take pictures of the schedule and leave at the chosen time;
7. Be sure to note that local public transport runs ONCE PER HOUR. Therefore, be sure to take a photo of the city bus schedule so as not to spend two hours waiting for a bus. Also, be careful - check what time the last minibus leaves from the National Park. Spending the night in the forest is no fun.