11.08.2019: The Gateway to the Orient

This is how Kazan is referred to, and it's true. Here, cultures come together - seemingly peacefully. Orthodox churches and mosques shape the cityscape. As the local guide assured us, the capital of Tatarstan, and Tatar people in particular, exude confidence.

Kazan is truly beautiful, despite the grey weather. The white Kremlin bears witness to the times of Ivan the Terrible, splendid streets indicate the city's historical prosperity, while modern or alternatively, vintage-style palaces testify to the abundance of money here even today. The Tatar quarter has also been beautifully renovated.

There is a world of difference between Kazan and the eastern Siberian cities we have visited. Kazan could easily be somewhere in Western Europe.

The only downside is that the craving for a delicious Tatar dish is growing. We're still waiting for it, even though it's on every menu here.