Kaliningrad (Калининград) 1

🛬 Airport: My friend and I flew to Kaliningrad with a transfer in Moscow. Due to the Baltic countries banning Russian civil aircraft from their airspace, our flight had to detour via St. Petersburg and then approach Kaliningrad over the sea. 🏙️ Square near the train station: After a long flight, my friend was exhausted 😫, so I went out alone to buy water and took a quick photo. Locals seem to love "McDonald’s" (Вкусно и точка) – it was almost 11 PM, but the store was packed! The self-service ordering machines were даже не работали (out of order). 🥟 White Tiger Restaurant (Белый тигр?): Forgot the exact Russian name, but we tried their dumplings or wontons? 🤔 The taste was okay, with a slight Russian twist on Chinese food. 🟤 Amber Museum: A landmark worth visiting. The amber souvenirs in the gift shop are a bit expensive, so I wouldn’t recommend buying them. In the underground exhibition area, there’s a small stall selling owl-shaped pouches or toys? 🦉 brushed with amber acid or some spice – it smelled like caramel, and I couldn’t stop sniffing it all day! 😆 🏰 Old gate (King’s Gate?): The three statues on the gate: left is a Bohemian king, middle is Albrecht, the last Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, right is related to the Elector of Brandenburg. The museum inside isn’t worth visiting – nothing much to see. 🚪 Another old gate: The Russian lady at the ticket office was super friendly 🥰! Worth exploring a bit. The river in p8 looks great in photos but smells terrible – a perfect example of "Instagram vs. reality." 😅 🕍 Synagogue in the city center ⛪ Königsberg Cathedral (Wait, it’s Königsberg! Not Kaliningrad! 😉) 🪦 Kant’s Tomb (Kant woke up and found himself Russian 😂) 🌊 Baltic Sea (Where’s the pineapple? 🍍 Just kidding!) 🏘️ Svetlogorsk Town: I personally loved it! You can take a train from Kaliningrad (tickets can be booked in advance on RZD’s website or app 🚆). 🍽️ Restaurant in town: Named "Local." A bit pricey – the grilled eel made my wallet cry (650 RUB/100g 😭), but it was delicious! The bread and fries were also great. Avoid their cheap steak made with minced meat – my friend regretted it. 😬 #TravelDiary #ExploreRussia #Kaliningrad ✨