Roberto Fierro: "Russia is so vast and marvelous"

 The story is as follows.

    Our fellow Konstantin Minkin has made an acquaintance with Italian boy Giuseppe by means of internet. The young boy invited Ural man to Mondovi town, 80 km from Turin. K. Minkin willingly agreed. Giuseppe introduced Kostya to his friends, among who there was Roberto Fierro, a desperate velo-tourist. :-)  

 - I want to go to Russia, - he told his dream.

 - Bravo! K.Minkin approved his idea. Only, please, include the Urals, Sverdlovskaya oblast in your itinerary. Note, that there is frontier of continents near Pervouralsk,  the Europe-Asia frontier.

    This argument or all "yes" have influenced to choose itinerary in Russia: after the Urals the velo-traveller heads on Vladivostok. The frontier of continents Roberto has crossed on 8 may (Kostya has met him on the road from Chelyabinsk).

   Our acquaintance with R.Fierro took place on a holiday day -  9 may. Sitting comfortably near fountain we took interview. Occurred that there is no need for translator Kostya Minkin, Roberto spoke a nice Russian. In advance, i knew that Italian guest is 24 years old, economist by profession. Graduated from university and after the journey he is going to work for a firm in Turin.

Therefore we started the interview without a visiting card.

J.  Do you cycle since childhood?

R.F. No, no, not long - only 7 years. Before that, i was doing everything, made athletics, played football. But when i've sat on a bike i've got that it's "mine" And now "Bianchi" is my second me.

J. I know that this is your second journey. What countries have you been to in previous journey?

R.F. Spain, Portugal, down to Iceland. I’ve made o lot of photos. And now I’m shooting a lot.

J. When have you started your journey and what places you have been to?

R.F. I’ve departed from Mondovi on 17 march. I was going north of Italy. Moved from Venice to Greece by a ship. Then, on my bike I was going to Bulgaria, Plovdiv, then Moldova and Ukraine. I’ve been to Volgograd, then to Bashkortostan, south Urals. And now I’m here.

J. How many hours a day do u cycle? Do you feel comfortable and where do you take a rest?

R.F. I cycle 7-8 hours a day. I go easy, on a main road. I usually rest in hotels. But when there are no rooms I stay at inhabitant’s houses. Besides, as a rule, people don’t take money. They say: you are a guest of our country.

J. So one of your impressions about Russians is hospitality. What else?

R.F. The greatest impression is the size of your country. Russia is so vast and marvelous, the nature is so manifold. Toilers are your people. I was observing people working in gardens. The snow is just gone and people already dig. Your children are very friendly and curious.

J. You have learned about the way of life of Russians. What do you especially like?

R.F. Russian sauna is a rapture! In cookery I especially like borsh (soup), pelmeni and sour cream.

J. Roberto, you said you are making a lot of photos. Don’t you think about writing a book?

R.F. You are just reading my mind. Yes, I want to write a book exactly about this Russian journey!

J. Have a safe journey Roberto, and may your dreams come true!

After conversation Roberto, together with Pervouralsk people, was watching 9 may parade. And then he’s made a tour in the town and outskirts in company of a friend Kostya Minkin.

Today 13 may, Roberto Fierro is proceeding his journey to Vladivostok.

j.  Albina Filatova