FF2: Filling in the Suburbs

[krigl]

Today we cross the border from Russia to Narva in Estonia, and then head back again to visit the nuclear power station at Sosnovy Bor…

Kingisepp, near the border.


Ivangorod.


Narva lies ahead. We have to get through the border check first.


There are actually two castles here, one on each side of the river. This is the Ivangorod Fortress on the Russian side.


Hermann (or Narva) Castle is now an art museum. Must have been fun serving as a soldier in a castle within shouting and gesticulating range of a castle belonging to another power. They are literally just a hundred metres from each other.


Time to stand and deliver.


And find somewhere to sleep. We’ve got another nuclear-flavoured assignment tomorrow.


Narva in the early morning.


Time to get gone.


Maybe there will be time to check out the art another day sometime.


Back in Russia, heading for Saint Petersburg.




This time we’re not going to the ring road yet – the nuclear plant is to the west of the city, in the countryside, at a place called Sosnovy Bor (Pine Forest). Well, actually there’s a city of 65,000 people there, but you know..


Here we are. I had to get a special permit for this job, not everyone can just walk in and out of this… city.


Severoatom… nice logo, I appreciate the work of SCS in making up company names and logos. Sometimes I feel myself preferring real companies, but it’s interesting and sometimes amusing to see what SCS has come up with.


It’s good they take staff recreation seriously here, but I’m not sure they need that many swimming pools.


They really nailed it here. The Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. I’ve just read the Wikipedia article on it. Sounds like the neighbour of your dreams.


The Gulf of Finland is right nearby.




Passing under the Ring Road (A118) – the western half, which crosses the bay to Kotlin Island, where the Kronstadt naval base lies. Saint Petersburg is a fascinating city, I’d love to visit one day.


Container terminal.


Time to get up onto the ring road and head south east to the delivery point.


Another great model from the Volvo DLC.


Most of the journey was on the part of the ring road we’ve already covered.


That’s it for now. Next time we’ll be taking the Western Diameter up through the centre of the Saint Petersburg ‘clock face’. Looking forward to it!
Anni

[krigl]

Today we’re going to explore the Western High Speed Diameter, a road that cuts through the centre of the Saint Petersburg ring road as it is represented in the game.


Before that we need to deliver this cargo, though.


Dropping it off at the HKX Rail Logistics yard.


And we changed our skin to a Russian flag, as we’re in Russia, and got some sleep at this typical hotel nearby.


Now we’re all ready to set off for the airport.


Here it is on the right. Just a jobsite.


Need to turn around here.


And very soon we’re on the Western Diameter. It’s a bit of a confusing name for me, as it sounds like it should be the western half of the ring road, but instead it goes through the middle. Not sure how that works… perhaps it is actually the western half of the ring road, and the thing you see on the map going across the water to Kotlin Island isn’t actually the ring road? I dunno, whatever.


You’ve got to pay a toll to use this road. Apparently it’s the most popular road in Russia. It’s supposed to make it possible to cross Saint Petersburg in 20 minutes, which sounds great considering how horribly congested the city is. Whether it actually works like that or not, I don’t know.


In any case, the most important thing about the road is that it’s aesthetically unique – no other road in ETS 2 or ATS looks quite like it, thanks to those awesome lampposts, and it offers great views, as well as two fancy bridges between the islands on which the city is built.


It is just very, very cool, basically.


There’s the first bridge, which is supposed to be reminiscent of a drawbridge, which is apparently one of the symbols of the city – there are 22 of them which open in order to let shipping pass through.


This bridge, however, is just a normal bridge – it can’t be drawn. Except using a pencil. Ha. Ha. Ha. That’s a sewage farm on Belyy Ostrov (White Island, I think).


Approaching the bridge, which crosses the Korabelny Fairway.


It’s a little strange to see the towers leaning inward. Just like the lampposts that arch overhead, they create a feeling that I can only describe as oppressive. Interesting, though.


Off one bridge, on to the next.


It amazes me how such a simple thing as the design of lampposts can have such a radical impact on the way a road looks.


The second and final bridge is the Vantovyy Most crossing the Petrovsky Fairway.





From the bridge you can see the Lakhta Center, which looks like someone not only created a beautiful, futuristic skyscraper concept, but actually built it. An amazing building. It’s 462 meters tall, which makes it the tallest building in Europe.


That’s a lot of cables!




Coming off the bridge, one can view the Krestovsky Stadium (Gazprom Arena). The in-game version looks even more like an alien mother ship than the real one.


Almost time to leave the Western High-Speed Diameter now.


Out towards the ring road and the motorway to Vyborg.


And this is where our journey on this unique road ends, at the Ladoga car plant.
Anni

[Bernhard_]

Thank you for your recordings. I especially liked the pictures with the trees!

[krigl]

Thanks Bernhard, plenty more pictures with trees coming up in the next few sets, the Baltic region is full of 'em : )

Today we'll spend one more set checking out the roads of Saint Petersburg, this time the western part of the A-118 ring road, which yet again has a different vibe to the other parts I've covered, due to the fact that it is mainly on a causeway/flood-protection dam crossing over the Gulf of Finland where it narrows to create the Neva Bay - the city lies around the bay and looks a tiny bit like Pacman with its mouth open to the left. In the middle, like a power pellet waiting for Pacman to devour it, lies Kotlin Island with the town/naval base of Kronstadt.

Leaving Ladoga with some automotive products.


Entering the causeway from Gorskaya on the northern side of the bay.


Part of the flood protection equipment of the dam/barrier/causeway structure. Looks awesome.




One of the artificial islands on the causeway. Kronstadt lies ahead.


On Kotlin Island, with part of Kronstadt visible.




This is another unique road in the game. Despite the absence of a proper centre, Saint Petersburg is a very cool place in-game.


Now on the second half of the causeway, with the container terminal visible ahead.


Just love the colours.




Time to deliver the deliverables.


Decided to check out the nearby marina.


Hmm. Not a marina, a boat factory. Okay. Not going to take the Queen today, though.


We're going to pick up some logs at the village/town of Malaya Izhora. That's "Little Izhora", I guess, not the former name of the Malay peninsula.


We're basically done with the Big City of Saint Petersburg now, so the rest of this little portion of Russia (soon to be massively expanded in the Heart of Russia DLC) will be mainly smaller towns and villages.


This time we're packing an owned logging trailer.


We'll pick up the cargo soon, please bear with me.


Got them at Baltomorsk.


Our journey south to Luga passes through Sosnovy Bor.


No accidents today, please.




Passing through Opol'ye again.


The village of Moloskovitsy.


I had mixed feelings about this image, but decided to post it in the end.


Ostrogovitsy village. Next time we visit Saint Petersburg's third neighbouring town of Luga.
Anni

[krigl]

Today we’re continuing our little jaunt down to Luga, south of Saint Petersburg.

Still in the village of Ostrogovitsy.




Between Ostrogovitsy and Sabsk.


Crossing the bridge in Sabsk.


Sabsk to Sitenka.


Sitenka bus stop. Imagine you are standing there, a bus comes into view and you wave to call it over so you can get on, and then as it pulls up you look inside…


…er…sorry, my mistake, I was just shaking my arm because it felt a bit stiff.
Not sure who’s the scariest, but my vote probably goes to the woman just visible behind the man in the middle of the picture.




Driving from Sitenka to Luga.




Arriving in Luga.








The next morning, we went to pick up some hydrogen in Luga.






Then we headed back north to Saint Petersburg for the last time to drop it off at HKX.






The eastern road is a bit more direct than the western option we came to Luga on. Still some nice sights to see, though.








This is the village of Vyra.


That’s it for today!
Anni

[Bernhard_]

I hope to come to the Balticum again. First I have to learn to drive again. I started the simulation and "did a lap". One accident after another or damage because I got stuck everywhere. The safety of more than 10 years no longer seems to exist. I'm trying to reactivate this old security so I can start posting again and I hope I can.

[krigl]

Hi Bernhard, I always kept hitting things when I first started 'driving' in ETS2 back in 2013 or whenever. You'll get back into it again, I'm sure. It's good to have something to take your mind off less pleasant things.

Added in 27 seconds:
Today we will travel from Luga south to Pskov…


But first we need to complete our delivery to Saint Petersburg. Here we are still passing through Vyra.


En route from Vyra to SP.






Back on the south part of the SP ring road.


Dropping it off at HKX.


Just a nice bit of AI near HKX. And that’s it from Saint Petersburg for this thread. I expect we’ll be back when I tour Heart of Russia in the next thread. Knock on wood. If we could just avoid the apocalypse, that would be nice.


Now to start the trip to Pskov from Luga. We’re picking up a bevy of concrete pipe sections from Home Depot today.


Leaving Luga.


Heading south




Entering Pskovskaya oblast…


…while leaving Leningradskaya oblast at the same time. That’s what I call multitasking.


Yes, the stretch between Luga and Pskov is indeed relatively bland.


It does have the scenery town of Feofilova Pustyn, though, with this cool ruin.




And we’ve arrived at Pskov. It’s pretty large, the second most impressive town in the main Russian region after SP. Today we’ll finish off by delivering the cargo and having a look round half of it.




A bit of countryside between the two northern ‘horns’ of the city.




And we’re entering the city the second time via the north western ‘horn’.


‘Cake’ is also popular in Pskov, or at least someone wants it to be.




Like a BAT out of Hell. Farewell Meat Loaf. Not my favourite artist by a long chalk, but still sad to see another legend go.


This is the more drab and industrial part of Pskov, I guess. Other areas are more pleasant. We’ll visit them another time. And that’s it for now. We came down the eastern route, so next time we’ll take the western route up to Kingisepp, which the SP – Narva road passes through.
Anni

[krigl]

Today we take the western road north from Pskov to Konigsepp with a car transporter trailer and then make a tour of the nicer part of Pskov. Tons of really great scenery this time.


Getting out of Pskov.


The village of Elizarovo.


It has a lot of elegant buildings.




And some quaint old cottages, of course.


This is the Spaso-Elizarovskyy monastery complex.






Further along is Spitsino, with a fine church and cemetery.


That’s Lake Peipus in the background, not the Baltic Sea. Peipus is a pretty big lake along the border between Estonia and Russia. And by ‘pretty big’ I mean about 100 km long!




Between Spitsino and Dobruchi.


Dobruchi. A small village.




Travelling through the ‘tunnel of trees’, I saw the white patch ahead in the road, but not the railway. Then I heard the train, and wondered where it was. And then I was like… Whoa! That’s… that’s… DANGEROUS.


Kingisepp. The journey continued via Narva, but no need to repeat that here, so let’s finish the set by checking out the nicer side of Pskov.


To get to the Nicer Side you have to cross the river.


This place has no shortage of tower blocks.


But there are some cool things to see too. Like the Northern Fortress. Shame you can’t see the kremlin there.




The railway station.








The obelisk of glory, and another beautiful church.


It’s getting late in the day, and we have to get up early tomorrow. Let’s go and find a hotel.


It’s just down this country lane…

Next time we take the long straight route southwest past a ton of picturesque villages into Latvia and visit the ProMods-improved city of Rezekne.
Anni

[krigl]

We’re going to Latvia today. Getting an early start.


Starting up in the hotel car park.


Striking a pose, there’s nothing to it.


Picking up a crane at Baltomorsk. They want it at another Baltomorsk in Rezekne.


Leaving Pskov behind.


It’s a long, straight road down to Latvia.




Passing that iconic Pskov sign yet again.


First village: Cheryekha. Looks like another war memorial coming up.




Classic village of Stremjitka.




The town of Ostrov.




Caught out by an unmarked police car.




There’s not much to the village of Vyshgorodok, but it does have beehives and a ruin. This is no doubt the first of many shots of beehives coming up, as the next tour will be Utah.






Out of Vyshgorodok now, and heading for the border.


Getting our paperwork done on the Russian side.


Now for the Latvian part.


And we’re in Latvia.

Apart from a brief trip back to Pskov, we’re moving on to the final part of this tour – the three Baltic states, but not everything as I already toured them back in February 2019. You can view the main Baltic States tour here:

https://www.promods.net/viewtopic.php?f ... 2&start=20

…if you like. It’s mixed in with ATS, but otherwise paints a very thorough portrait of this beautiful SCS DLC.
Anyhow, we’re not going to tour the three states again for a third time. What we’re going to do is try to visit all the ProMods additions to the states since 2019. It’s hard to work out where all the changes are, but I’ll do my best to cover most of them.


Rezekne has apparently been improved by ProMods, but I don’t know what they’ve changed. Still, we’re on our way there now.


Bus stop on the edge of Rezekne.


We’ve arrived… and need to drop off our cargo at Baltomorsk.


And that’s it for today. Next time – Rezekne, Dricani, Balvi, and Aluksne. A really nice area.
Anni

[krigl]

We toured some great ProMods scenery in Latvia this time.


Rezekne.




Great city, not sure what ProMods have changed but it’s all good.






Off to pick up something new.


Driving from Rezekne to Dricani.


Dricani.




Dricani to Balvi. Balvi is a completely new ProMods place, and it’s awesome.




Balvi. We won’t be back, so here we go with a serious ‘portrait’.










I can almost smell the wet grass, and see the dragonflies darting over the water.








Leaving town.


Parting glimpse.


On the way to Aluksne.


Aluksne.




Next time we’ll head along this country road and back through a piece of Estonia to the border with Russia, return to Pskov one last time, and then continue our re-tour of the Baltic states, starting with Valmiera and Valka in Estonia.
Anni