The first week in July was the first week it was really hot here in Kazan and I couldn't help but notice that the streets seemed quieter than usual and in the morning the traffic out of town was similar to that of a typical late afternoon. I asked my Russian friend to explain and they told me that, when the sun shines, everyone who can takes off to the countryside to spend the weekend at their Dacha. I was invited along that very weekend to see how the Russians enjoy their leisure time.

We caught a train from Kazan at 10AM with lots of other people heading out to the West to a district a few miles from the city where many people have small single storey wooden holiday homes in their own little gardens. Each one is a little escape and breathing space for people who live in the city all week.

From the moment you get off the train you can almost taste the atmosphere of fun and relaxation. The small Produkti shop by the station does a roaring trade in beer, dried fish, snacks and other little essentials which everyone stocks up on, before heading out to their Dacha. Here in Kazan we are lucky to be on the banks of the Volga so once the bags are unpacked we can head down to the small sandy beaches to pass a relaxing day in the sun with friends before returning at twilight to have a barbecue and chat until the early hours. Many Dachas have little gardens with fruit trees so you can wake up in the early dawn and go out into the open air and breakfast on cherries or raspberries straight from the tree before making tea and planning the next day's lazy activities.