I was born on the banks of the Volga in Tolyatti (that's where AvtoVAZ makes our Kalina, Granta, and other cars). And it so happens that I still live right by the Volga. It's truly beautiful!
I'm strolling along our embankment and thinking about how many people spend huge sums of money on vacations in our country—like Sochi or Anapa... Two weeks there cost the equivalent of two salaries. And here, Tolyatti, our city seems modest, but it's so beautiful! It's hard to understand why they don't develop tourism. The prices are affordable, the accommodations are more than adequate. There's plenty of entertainment. And the nature is just amazing!
This is a simple photo of the embankment. View from the forest:
There's plenty of fish in the Volga—we're always catching tons of perch and pike-perch! We also catch catfish, roach, and crucian carp. And we can pick mushrooms, strawberries, and blackberries. We have plenty of those too! Although many people complain about the river's fish disappearing and the mushrooms in the forest disappearing—but that's just people sitting at home gossiping.
The Volga's banks are rocky in places. But there's also plenty of sand. The water, as you can see, is crystal clear. Only in the summer heat (August) does the water begin to bloom, but not always.
We live in an ecologically clean area called Komsomolsky. There are almost no factories here, lots of greenery, and a forest with water nearby.
And here is our embankment (5 minutes walk to it):
It's so interesting, but there aren't many people. And on cloudy days, it's quiet, not a soul in sight. The area is small, but everything is beautifully furnished! It's a mini-resort, and everything is free.
Just above or just below the embankment are sandy beaches. The views from them are also breathtaking:
And in autumn, the Zhiguli Mountains in the distance become multicolored: red, yellow, orange, and green! It's a shame I didn't save the photo.
These are the Volga expanses that surround us every day. Sadly, no one pays any attention to it now. Everyone's tired of this beauty. Many want Turkey. But for me, it's a hundred times better here! And you don't have to spend any money.