After the Elabuga Trip

I had talked before-hand with some of my co-workers about visiting the new Bavarian restaurant in Chelny and we had all planned to go that evening. Since the drive to Elabuga took us through Chelny, I figured I would have the driver drop me off there and we would meet up and go to the restaurant. The timing was impeccable, the van dropping Ric and I off at the bus stop at precisely the same time as Chris and Mike arrived from Nizhnekamsk by taxi. We jumped into another cab and took it to the restaurant. The restaurant was superb, with two levels, a brewery and seating on the lower level (where it was quiet for conversation). We had sausages, sauerkraut, Bavarian pretzels and two beers apiece. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in traditional Bavarian outfits. We would not have known we were in the middle of Russia. Later on we went to the central plaza, decked with hundreds of chairs and tables for outdoor seating, and enjoyed a Lowenbrau on tap. Off to the side was a huge nightclub with disco. The sound and light show was very impressive. We returned to Nizhnekamsk in a Volga taxi about 1:00 am. It was a very enjoyable evening.