The train arrived at Volgograd 1 station at 3:00 p.m. I walked a little further and called a taxi to take me 2.5 km to the bike post, Oleg’s house. By 4:00 p.m., I was already settled in a house with a particular charm. All the walls were covered with souvenirs, gifts, or stickers from bikers who had passed through. Around 800 people usually stay here during the summer. Oleg had prepared a room with six rudimentary bunk beds, covered in stickers and car and motorcycle number plates. They were small, like many I had seen in hostels along the way, but it was better than sleeping on the street and would help me save money on a hotel.

Around 6:00 p.m., Vera, a neighbor and friend of Oleg, arrived to cook and eat with us. She brought along Sochu, her English cocker spaniel. After she left, we stayed up until 10:00 p.m., waiting for a friend of Oleg’s traveling south from Moscow in his car. He made a quick stop to regain his strength before continuing his journey south.

Exploring the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad

The sun rose at 6:30 a.m., but I stayed in bed until 8:00. When I looked out the window, I saw nothing but thick fog. The city is surrounded by the Volga River, and I hoped not every morning would look like this. As visibility was poor, I decided to postpone visiting Mamayev Kurgan and instead went to the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad, which was nearby.

The museum’s ground floor was divided into eight sectors, with a small assembly hall at the center. Around the hall, there were four dioramas, and at the top, a 360-degree panoramic diorama. The museum had an audio guide and QR codes for more information about each room. I spent approximately three hours in it. Several school trips and even military groups visited, despite it being a blank holiday.

A walk alongside the Volga river

After leaving, I walked down to the seafront and visited a small Memorial Park with two ships on display, one enclosed in a glass case. Continuing towards Lenin Avenue, I noticed the planetarium was not far away and decided to see it from the outside. Since it was not a museum, I was unsure whether they had information in English. It appeared to be more of a show experience, so I decided to leave it for another day.

I returned to the bike post around 4:00 p.m., where Vera joined us again for dinner. She brought pancakes that we filled with fish eggs. Oleg prepared stuffed peppers, which we accompanied with a salad made by Vera. Later, Maxim, an eye surgeon and friend of Oleg, arrived. We stayed at the table until I decided to go to bed. Oleg had prepared a bed for Maxim, but in the end, he did not stay overnight.

Late in the morning, the same man who had passed by in his car the previous night returned, this time traveling in the opposite direction. It seemed like a long trip to do in such a short time, but I did not ask for the reason.

The weather improves

Once again, the sun woke me up too early. This time, however, the sky was clear, and there was no fog. I found Oleg sitting at the table and began to wonder what he did for a living. He never went to work, never put down his phone, and spent the day calling friends and acquaintances, especially women. Yesterday, he had already introduced himself as a ‘milf hunter’. Today, I found him assembling keychains, which he seemed to sell online or to guests.

Since the weather was better, I set out earlier. From the bike post, it was about 4 km to the center of Mamayev Kurgan, a memorial park commemorating the Soviet victory over the Nazis in February 1943. In 1961, ‘The Motherland Calls’ was considered the tallest statue in the world. When it was built, it stood 107 meters high, with the figure of the woman at 85 meters and the sword at 27 meters. The statue is made of cement, the sword of stainless steel, and has barely any foundation holding it in place.

Visiting Mamayev Kurgan

I arrived at the Pantheon just in time for the changing of the guard and then continued walking through the park to the cemetery behind it. On my way back, I walked along the promenade and passed a small amusement park similar to the one I had seen in Darkhan, Mongolia. Here too, the season had ended, and the only functioning ride was the Ferris wheel. I grabbed a quick bite at a food stand facing the Ferris wheel before continuing my walk.

When trying to buy a new USB cable, I noticed I only had large 5000-ruble notes (€50), which were nearly impossible to use in street shops. I returned to the apartment to kill some time before visiting the ‘White Horse’ bar, where Oleg wanted to take me.

Around 8:00 p.m., we set off. At first, we were alone, and I quickly realized that the 5000-ruble note was a problem, even in a bar. Eventually, more people arrived as the bar hosted a karaoke night. It seemed like the same singers performed regularly. One girl sang mostly in English, accompanied by another guy, and they both did it very well.

By 10:30 p.m., I was tired and getting bored. Oleg, as usual, was constantly on his phone or calling someone. In the bar, the poor signal reception made it difficult to use the translator, adding some frustration to the evening.