Happy Traveler's Diary. North Caucasus. Part two

VYRUBOVA, "EAGLE NEST" AND THE FOUR-LEGGED LOVER OF NARZAN. THE COSSACKS

Elena Valeryevna and I arrived in Kislovodsk, where we settled in the former villa of the maid of honor of the Russian Empress.

I was under a lot of stress the day I arrived, but everything ended well.

The first part can be read here, and I'll start with the second.

september 1, 2026

I'm writing tonight.

I woke up in the morning and remembered that today is the Day of Knowledge.

And now in my constituency, as a deputy of the Petrozavodsk Soviet, I must stand at school on a solemn line and say something edifying.

And I lie in Kislovodsk at the Eagle’s Nest hotel and I am happy for the students who: “a” – go on a journey today for new knowledge and “b” – will not hear my parting speech today.

In fact, neither they nor I need it. I mean my speech.

Why did I lie with Elena Valeryevna in the Eagle’s Nest this morning?

Because this little hotel has an interesting history. I knew about it in advance, so I really wanted to live here.

Here's the story.

In 1908 in Kislovodsk settled beloved lady-in-waiting of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, wife of Nicholas II, an ardent admirer, friend and favorite of the "Holy Bes" Grishka Rasputin, Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova. She built the Eagle's Nest villa.

Villa of prominent Russian obscurantism of the beginning of the last century is in a very good place.

Beautiful, surrounded by woods.

After the revolution, Vyrubova’s house – she herself fled to Finland from the Bolsheviks, where she died in Helsinki in 1964 – housed all sorts of institutions.

After the war, a departmental hotel was opened there, which - after the collapse of the Union - "went to hand" and, in the end, went to a wonderful woman Olga Fedorovna, who, with the help of her children and a very small team, now manages the "Eagle's Nest".

I wrote about it yesterday. A wonderful woman!

But the building.

It's very interesting.

All this in the alpine style: turrets, balconies, verandas, terraces are wide.

Preserved on the territory even a gazebo with columns, in which drank teas maid of honor.

From our room, by the way, through two French windows you could go to a wide cozy terrace, where this court lady walked in her time.

Living here in silence is a great pleasure.

Only here the hotel itself is located, although almost on the top of the mountain, but in such a hollow that... On the one hand to the entrance you need to climb a steep stone staircase, on the other - to go down no less steep stone stairs.

And Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, as we know, was a fat aunt, and besides, she was very limp. How did she climb these steps? No other way to wear it.

"Eagle's Nest" is located a stone's throw from Kislovodsky Lenin Avenue - a very beautiful pedestrian zone, as I could see today.

Next to us are such famous sanatoriums as the "Palace of Narzans", the name of Kirov, the name of Dimitrov.

Early in the morning I went for a walk and looked around.

Found a trail in Kislovodsky Park, as I was told, the trail leads directly to the cable car station, the carriages of which take those who wish to the very top of the park.

I came across a wonderful buffet in which the fourth Essentuki, Narzan and Slavonic are poured.

Already at half past eight in the morning there are a lot of people who do not want to miss the morning watering hole.

It is interesting that among these people there is a cheerful black and white dog. He runs among the thirsty and waits for someone to pour him life-giving moisture.

Treat the puppy with pleasure and even give a snack. Who's a sandwich, who's a piece of cake.

Good people...

I introduced Elena Valeryevna in the avenue somewhere closer to lunch.

She especially liked the pavilions, where they brew wonderful coffee and bake right in front of you fragrant delicious chicks.

Mm-hmm-hmm...

We have already figured out - until preliminary - where we will go and what we will see. We found a spa dining room, a couple of nice cafes.

I can't help but kicking the crappy meteorologists again. They predicted cold and rain, and here it is warm and sunny.

Elena Valeryevna is angry that she did not take any light summer dress because of these meteoroshamans.

Okay. See you tomorrow!

september 2, 2026

Today we have our first trip outside Kislovodsk. We're visiting the Cossacks. Judging by what the manager told us about this trip, it will be fun.

I'd like to go back...

I'll write tonight...

... We drove, therefore, to the banks of the Bugunta River, along the mountain range of Borgustan. And we climbed to a height of 950 meters.

There, where the village of Borgustan is located, which was founded on March 14, 1825.

It was founded by the Cossacks of the Terek Cossack army, who defended the Russian North Caucasus from the raids of the mountaineers. The Highlanders were not yet "reconciled." But here's the interesting thing. It wasn't founded here. The village was founded elsewhere. Sixteen kilometers from Kislovodsk on the banks of the river Podkumok. But when the fighting life of the Terek army became easier - there were no more such cruel raids, the Cossacks asked to move their place of residence to the Borgustan ridge, where the land assigned to the village was located. It still stands there to this day.

The Cossack Borgustan met us with bread and salt. Uh-hmm. That is, a moonshine and a sandwich with local lard and cucumber. Tradition, though. But she's kind. It's a nice tradition, warm.

And then they lead to a real Cossack hut of 1904, but very well preserved.

There is a story about the Cossack life and history of the Cossacks of the Terek army from the beginning of the XIXth century to the present day. It's very interesting!

Yes, in the Cossack hut of 1904, the construction almost exactly recreated the life and atmosphere of the Cossack family of the middle hand. Even in the basement you can go, even in the summer it is very cool, so that without damage and spoiling all sorts of food to store and store for the winter. The basement is empty now. Only empty rods and old dishes on the shelves.

Our Cossack hostess told us why the bridesmaids in the village families tried to sit on the chest with the dowry of the girl. Why did the Cossacks call their husbands exclusively by “you” and by name? Interesting question: did Cossacks beat their wives with whips? Turns out not. It was a shame for a Cossack to hit his woman.

By the way, even in the XVIII century, the Terek Cossacks often married Chechen and Dagestani women captured in campaigns. First, of course, they were baptized. They lived unmarried for a while, and then... In interethnic marriages, very beautiful and brave children were born. They called them "hawks." "Yasyr" are captured prisoners as trophies. It wasn't like that in the nineteenth century. The Cossacks tried to marry their own. Although these are the daughters and granddaughters of the lyrics. There is so much more to learn on this trip.

It is interesting that the local residents of Cossacks showed and told us all this. They have their own creative team, who came up with this whole project, so to speak, educational. We received a grant and... they succeeded! People go to Borgustan in whole buses.

Hospitable hostesses lead them to the summer hen. at the table.

Treat here directly from the heart: boiled potatoes with squarks, lard - necessarily! - smoked meat, salted cabbage and much more. And, of course, something to all of this.

The Cossacks always made their first toast to Russia. I report that we have not departed from tradition.

At the tables began to get acquainted and then it turned out that one of the guests is a Ukrainian and barely got out of there to meet her man, who lives in Russia. This is Santa Borgustan Barbara.

All this happened to wonderful and incendiary Cossack songs. And then... And then we were presented with the Cossack ceremony of matchmaking of the bride. And the main characters - the bride and groom - were chosen from among the guests. Lord, they applauded, laughed so much that their hands and stomachs hurt.

Some of the hotheads kept breaking up here and spending the night. But as soon as everything was eaten and drunk, and the bride was bred, we were politely but firmly escorted to the bus.

We returned to Kislovodsk - thank God! - in full force late in the evening. But Elena Valeryevna and I still have the strength to walk along the wonderful almost night Lenin Avenue.

That's how we live. Good night!

CONTINUATION TO FOLLOW...