This page was begun 26 June and revised 14 July 2001 -- rak.
Galka still sits on the banks of the Volga, the views of which are simply
breathtaking from many different vantage points. This first picture shows
the village when you first approach it. 
You also have a nice view 
from the cemetery. The Volga is so dominant it is almost impossible for me
to think of the village without thinking immediately of the river. This is
the view of the river from the northern end of the village. 
And just to the left of that view you can see a dredge at work. My guess
is they are putting in or renewing a big dock. 
We were immediately directed to a German lady who lives in a German-built old
house. 
You can see Elena our interpreter talking with her. She, in turn, directed
us to her parents' home. 
It is the house on the right in that last picture. Here is a detail from
their garden 
gate. And here are the couple, Lena and Karl Maier, with Ed and Elena standing among their fruit
trees. 
Fortunately, our driver had not come in with us, so I took the picture, proof
positive that we talked with Germans! Llena and Karl had come to Galka in
1971.
When we first approached their house, Karl was not at home and no one answered the knock. Then I noticed that a woman was working out in their extensive garden, so Elena went back and approached her there. Later I had occasion to go out into the garden to see what she had been doing. She a an about 1-quart jar half full of liquid into which she had been putting potato bugs. So when I got back to the house, I told her that I since we had interrupted her work, I would help her pick potato bugs -- that I was very experienced, having help my grandmother do that for years when I was a kid. She got a big kick out of that, laughed heartily and declined my offer. Guess she didn't think I was serious. But I was ... at least half!
The sharp eyed will have noted that there are some very large two-story
houses in Galka. The old couple told us they were built with funds from
Germany or from a German bank. One of the projects of that operation was
to build a "motel" which is still there. 
This is just one end of it with its sign still in place, although we were told
the venture has folded and the units are now provide permanent housing to
families. Nevertheless, as you can see, the sign is still in place. 
It says Aker Inn in German; Aker Hotel in Russian. Evidently theGerman money no longer is flowing and the couple were
relieved by that since they felt what was done with the money made it harder for
them as Germans to live there peaceably.
The sharp-eyed will also have noted that there are large, usually insulated, pipes running all over the place around the houses. Galka, like some other villages and all cities in Russia, has central heat. It is generated by one central plant and piped above ground (in the villages) to each house. You will also have noted that all of the villages I visited had electricity and, usually, television.
As we left Galka, we had an Adventure, click on it to share it!
To go on to visits to other villages, click here.
To go back to the main Galka page, click on it.