My planne

Ek wil Rusland toe ry. St Petersburg toe. Die ou stad was vir lank die Russiese hoofstad (1712 - 1918).

Sedert sy stigting is St Petersburg al drie keer vernoem. Konstruksie van die stad het in 1703 begin. Dit is toe deur Pieter die Grote Saint Petersburg genoem. Na die uitbreek van die Eerste Wereldoorlog is die Duitse naam na Petrograd verander. In 1924, na die dood van Stalin, is die naam toe na Stalingrad verander. In Junie 1991, ses maande voor die amptelike einde van die Sowjetunie, is dit weer terug verander na St Petersburg.

Net suid van die stad is 'n stadjie met die naam Pushkin. Dit was 'n residensie van die Tsaars tot in 1917. Dit is na die Russiese digter Aleksandr Pushkin vernoem.

My trekpleister is in Pushkin, nl. die "Catherine Palace".

In die paleis was een van die grootste kultuurskatte, nl. die "Amber room". In Duits is dit die Bernsteinzimmer. Dit is gemaak van 'n versteende boomgom wat die pragtigste helder geel-rooi kleur het en uitstraal. Tydens / Na die Tweede Wereldoorlog het een van die magte die kunsskat geroof. Tot vandag toe is dit weg.

Ek het die voorreg gehad om in 1993 Pushkin te besoek. Ons is deur die indrukwekkende paleis geneem, gevul met van die wereld se grootste kunsskatte. Toe kom ons in 'n kamer, en al wat die gids gese het, was: "Hier war das Bernsteinzimmer." Hier was die "Amber Room.

Die kaalheid van die kamer het geskok na die pronk van die res van die kasteel.

Ek het in 1995 weer die kans gehad om Pushkin en die paleis te besoek. Tot my grootste vreugde was die Russe besig om die Amber Room na sy oorspronklike toestand te restoureer. Slegs een derde van die kamer was klaar, maar dit was toe reeds een van die mooiste gesigte wat ek ooit in my lewe gesien het.

Ek het myself toe voorgeneem dat as dit die Here se wil is, ek die kamer nog een keer wil sien as dit voltooi is.

Dit is nou voltooi. En daardie "Eendag" kan nou in Junie 2008 wees, in die saal van my KLR.

My fiets moet nou gediens word, nuwe bande ens. Ek gaan seker so teen volgende naweek begin ry. Dit gaan 'n lang en vinnige ry moet wees, 'n vinnige 5 000 km. Ek gaan deur 'n paar van die ou Oosblokstate ry wat opsigself baie interessant gaan wees. Ek gaan ook in St Petersburg die sogenaamde Wit Nagte beleef. Dit word nooit werklik dan donker nie omdat die stad so naby aan die Noordpool is.

En dan draai ek en die KLR terug Duitsland toe om betyds die vliegtuig te haal wat ons gaan terugbring na die land van sonskyn en braaivleis, hopenlik met 'n paar foto's van die Amber Room in my tas. Ons kom in Kaapstad aan. Van daar is dit nog 'n goeie 1 600 km terug huis toe, Naboom toe.



My plan is to ride all the way to Russia, to Saint Petersburg. This old city was the capital of Russia for more than two centuries (1712 - 1918).

Saint Petersburg has been renamed three times since its founding. Construction of the city began in 1703. Peter the Great named it saint Petersburg after his patron saint. After World War I broke out in 1914 the city's German name was changed to Petrograd. In 1924, upon the death of Stalin, its name was changed to Leningrad. Finally, in June 1991, six months before the old Soviet Union was dissolved, the city got back its original name, Saint Petersburg.

Just south of St Petersburg is a city with the name of Pushkin. It remained a residence of the Tsars until 1917. It was named Pushkin after the Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin.

In Pushkin is the Catherine Palast, which is the reason for my visit.

In one of the rooms of the palace was the Amber Room. Amber is a fossil resin, exuded from the now-extinct coniferous trees. It has a yellow-brown colour. During or after the Second World War one of the armies stole the Amber Room panels. Since then it was never found and is still missing today.


In 1993 I had the privilege of visiting Pushkin and the palace. We walked through the palace with world-known art. Then we entered a room, which was, in comparison to the rest of the palace, shocking empty. Our guide, a Russian lady, only said: "This was the Amber Room."


The empty room left a deep sad feeling inside me about wars with no winners, especially not the arts.

In 1995 I visited Russia and Pushkin again. To my biggest surprise and joy the Amber Room was in the process of being renovated to its original glory. Although only one third of the room had been restored, it was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.

I promised myself that, if God will, I would return to see the room restored to its full glory one day.

That one day could be in June 2008, on a Kawasaki KLR.

The bike must get a good service now, and new tyres. I should start riding next weekend. It will be a long and fast ride, nearly 5 000 km. My route will take me through a few of the old East Block countries, which will be very interesting. In St Petersburg I will also experience the so-called White Nights, because it never gets dark due to the proximity to the North Pole.

And then the return journey starts, back to Germany to be in time for the flight that will bring the KLR and me back to South Africa. The flight will take us to Cape Town. From there it will be another 1 600 km or so back2Naboom.