Post by Annie on Oct 7, 2005 12:29:54 GMT 3
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Safin got behind the wheel and made a road trip Moscow-Kazan
On Wednesday Marat Safin visited the Tatarstan capital Kazan. A private visit of the tennis player and his father Mubin, who received an invitation from the President of the Republic Mintimer Shaymiev, wasn’t widely advertised. That is why there was no glamorous airport meeting, no master classes and no numerous interviews. All Marat did was get acquainted with the town, take photos and sign authographs.
Moscow-Kazan Roadtrip
They were waiting for Marat and his Dad on Tuesday, it was expected that he would visit a last hockey game of his friend Ilya Kovalchuk, who is leaving for the States. But the Safins never turned up at the stadium. They were nowhere to be seen amongst passengers of the evening Moscow-Kazan flights. But it was worth a wait. Correspondents of Sovetskiy Sport met father and son in the new spors stadium “Kazan 1000”, where the guests arrived accompanied by the Tatarstan Minister of Sports Marat Bariev. His namesake Marat Safin carefully studied brand new 10 thousand seat stadium and gave an interview to our newspaper:
M.: “I have been meaning to come to my historical motherland for a very long time now. I have never been here before and I am ashamed of it. I was invited for the 1000 years celebrations and I would have loved to come but I had to go to the States, I am a working man. But now since I am injured I got this opportunity…
SS: “Here you are introduced as a personal guest of the Republic’s President…”
M: “And I feel very flattered. I feel very welcomed in Kazan”
SS: “ We never got to see you at the airport. When did you fly in?”
M: “ We came by car (according to Marat’s Dad Marat drove all the way from Moscow to Kazan himself). The road is great, beautiful scenery. Unfortunately when we arrived in Kazan it was dark, but we’ll probably head back in the morning, so will get a chance to enjoy the nature”.
SS: How are you feeling?
M: “I am getting treatment. For now I still need to rest”
SS: “Did you like Kazan?”
M: Very much! We are staying in the very centre of the town in a little house it’s fantastic! (the Safins are staying in a hotel complex called “Tartar village”, which really speaks for itself with the name: little cottages, water wells, fountains and fences) And this new stadium is great. Ilya Kovalchuk also told me that in Kazan everything is very decent”.
SS: “Where are you off to now?”
M: “Honestly? I have no idea (smiles). They take me around, showing me the town and I just smile”.
Koran for good luck and happiness
Second stop in Marat’s programme is Shamil Tarpischev’s tennis academy. Here the journalists are already awaiting the celebrity. Having taken a look at open air courts Marat signs autographs for the next-door school (how on earth did they find out about Marat’s arrival?) God knows, what Marat didn’t put his signature on. Sheets of paper, newspapers, tennis balls, racquets… The bravest ones ask Marat for a photo together. He never refuses. Only after that a short interview for Kazan TV station. It all takes about 20 minutes. Then he hits the road again.
Suddenly the car procession stops near Kirov dam close to a chapel dedicated to warriors, who died in the war. A magnificent view on the Kazan Kremlin, which is on the other side, lies beneath (for those who ever drove into Kazan from Moscow know what I am talking about).
Marat gets out of the car with a camera, behind him – all those who accompany him. Altogether we break road laws and run across the road in the wrong place. Marat Bariev tells his namesake the story of the chapel, after that Safin starts taking photos (Marat manages professional photo equipment as skillfully as a tennis racquet). We’re not lucky with the weather though: very foggy, you can barely see the Kremlin.
“In the evening, when the lights are on, it will be better”, - someone advises Marat. “Yeah, we should come back when it’s dark”, - Marat agrees.
Marat shoots ten or so photos and again we are at risk of getting caught by police. While we’re all waiting in the middle of the road for the cars to pass I notice that drivers are curiously looking at our group. Looks like some of them recognise Marat. But neither the ones behind the wheel, nor the people walking alongside “The Pyramid” (an entertainment centre in Kazan) and taking photos of Kazan disturb Marat with their attention.
In “Basket Hall” the tennis player also manages to avoid attention despite the fact that it’s packed with people: everyone is preparing for an annual Harvest Fiest. Having a look at both halls, Marat agrees with the President of Tennis Federation of Tatarstan Rinad Zagidullin that “Basket Hall” is capable of hosting Russia Tennis Cup (Kazan already applied for this position).
After lunch in “Tartar village” the guest is shown to the heart of Kazan – the Kremlin. First and foremost – Mosque Kul Sharif. Marat listens to an Islam Priest with great attention and just as everyone takes off his shoes before stepping on the prayer carpet to take a look around. While saying goodbye the priest presents Marat with a Koran and says, “Let it bring you luck and happiness and we’ll be praying for you”.
“Who is this young man?” – some women ask, they are teachers from a small town of Baltasey, who came to Kazan for their professional holiday. When they find out he is a famous tennis player, they get hold of Marat right away. And now a photo with Safin will decorate family albums of teachers from a Tatarstan town in the middle of nowhere.
And in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin Marat is recognised by school kids. Children are spontaneous and ask for autographs with eager rivalry. Despite the fact that Marat should have been at at the President’s reception a while ago, no kid leaves without a souvenir.
After a meeting with Shaymiev Safin went to Kazan University, sat at the desk of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) and sent his regards to all the readers of “Sovestkiy Sport”.
Vodka as a Present
Yesterday morning Marat Safin visited tennis complex “Tsaritsino”, which is situated on the outskirts of Kazan. There he chatted with kids and got a 5 litre bottle of vodka as a present.
“Are you gonna drink that?” - one of the journalists asks.
“Yes”, - Marat replies bluntly.
“Aren’t you gonna feel sick?”
“No, my organism has been tested”, - jokingly or seriously strikes back Marat.
With this Kazan programme of the best tennis player in Russia was almost finished. In the end Marat and his Dad were supposed to be shown a skiing resort “Kazan” and Raif Male Monastery. After that the guests planned to return to Moscow.
Safin got behind the wheel and made a road trip Moscow-Kazan
On Wednesday Marat Safin visited the Tatarstan capital Kazan. A private visit of the tennis player and his father Mubin, who received an invitation from the President of the Republic Mintimer Shaymiev, wasn’t widely advertised. That is why there was no glamorous airport meeting, no master classes and no numerous interviews. All Marat did was get acquainted with the town, take photos and sign authographs.
Moscow-Kazan Roadtrip
They were waiting for Marat and his Dad on Tuesday, it was expected that he would visit a last hockey game of his friend Ilya Kovalchuk, who is leaving for the States. But the Safins never turned up at the stadium. They were nowhere to be seen amongst passengers of the evening Moscow-Kazan flights. But it was worth a wait. Correspondents of Sovetskiy Sport met father and son in the new spors stadium “Kazan 1000”, where the guests arrived accompanied by the Tatarstan Minister of Sports Marat Bariev. His namesake Marat Safin carefully studied brand new 10 thousand seat stadium and gave an interview to our newspaper:
M.: “I have been meaning to come to my historical motherland for a very long time now. I have never been here before and I am ashamed of it. I was invited for the 1000 years celebrations and I would have loved to come but I had to go to the States, I am a working man. But now since I am injured I got this opportunity…
SS: “Here you are introduced as a personal guest of the Republic’s President…”
M: “And I feel very flattered. I feel very welcomed in Kazan”
SS: “ We never got to see you at the airport. When did you fly in?”
M: “ We came by car (according to Marat’s Dad Marat drove all the way from Moscow to Kazan himself). The road is great, beautiful scenery. Unfortunately when we arrived in Kazan it was dark, but we’ll probably head back in the morning, so will get a chance to enjoy the nature”.
SS: How are you feeling?
M: “I am getting treatment. For now I still need to rest”
SS: “Did you like Kazan?”
M: Very much! We are staying in the very centre of the town in a little house it’s fantastic! (the Safins are staying in a hotel complex called “Tartar village”, which really speaks for itself with the name: little cottages, water wells, fountains and fences) And this new stadium is great. Ilya Kovalchuk also told me that in Kazan everything is very decent”.
SS: “Where are you off to now?”
M: “Honestly? I have no idea (smiles). They take me around, showing me the town and I just smile”.
Koran for good luck and happiness
Second stop in Marat’s programme is Shamil Tarpischev’s tennis academy. Here the journalists are already awaiting the celebrity. Having taken a look at open air courts Marat signs autographs for the next-door school (how on earth did they find out about Marat’s arrival?) God knows, what Marat didn’t put his signature on. Sheets of paper, newspapers, tennis balls, racquets… The bravest ones ask Marat for a photo together. He never refuses. Only after that a short interview for Kazan TV station. It all takes about 20 minutes. Then he hits the road again.
Suddenly the car procession stops near Kirov dam close to a chapel dedicated to warriors, who died in the war. A magnificent view on the Kazan Kremlin, which is on the other side, lies beneath (for those who ever drove into Kazan from Moscow know what I am talking about).
Marat gets out of the car with a camera, behind him – all those who accompany him. Altogether we break road laws and run across the road in the wrong place. Marat Bariev tells his namesake the story of the chapel, after that Safin starts taking photos (Marat manages professional photo equipment as skillfully as a tennis racquet). We’re not lucky with the weather though: very foggy, you can barely see the Kremlin.
“In the evening, when the lights are on, it will be better”, - someone advises Marat. “Yeah, we should come back when it’s dark”, - Marat agrees.
Marat shoots ten or so photos and again we are at risk of getting caught by police. While we’re all waiting in the middle of the road for the cars to pass I notice that drivers are curiously looking at our group. Looks like some of them recognise Marat. But neither the ones behind the wheel, nor the people walking alongside “The Pyramid” (an entertainment centre in Kazan) and taking photos of Kazan disturb Marat with their attention.
In “Basket Hall” the tennis player also manages to avoid attention despite the fact that it’s packed with people: everyone is preparing for an annual Harvest Fiest. Having a look at both halls, Marat agrees with the President of Tennis Federation of Tatarstan Rinad Zagidullin that “Basket Hall” is capable of hosting Russia Tennis Cup (Kazan already applied for this position).
After lunch in “Tartar village” the guest is shown to the heart of Kazan – the Kremlin. First and foremost – Mosque Kul Sharif. Marat listens to an Islam Priest with great attention and just as everyone takes off his shoes before stepping on the prayer carpet to take a look around. While saying goodbye the priest presents Marat with a Koran and says, “Let it bring you luck and happiness and we’ll be praying for you”.
“Who is this young man?” – some women ask, they are teachers from a small town of Baltasey, who came to Kazan for their professional holiday. When they find out he is a famous tennis player, they get hold of Marat right away. And now a photo with Safin will decorate family albums of teachers from a Tatarstan town in the middle of nowhere.
And in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin Marat is recognised by school kids. Children are spontaneous and ask for autographs with eager rivalry. Despite the fact that Marat should have been at at the President’s reception a while ago, no kid leaves without a souvenir.
After a meeting with Shaymiev Safin went to Kazan University, sat at the desk of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) and sent his regards to all the readers of “Sovestkiy Sport”.
Vodka as a Present
Yesterday morning Marat Safin visited tennis complex “Tsaritsino”, which is situated on the outskirts of Kazan. There he chatted with kids and got a 5 litre bottle of vodka as a present.
“Are you gonna drink that?” - one of the journalists asks.
“Yes”, - Marat replies bluntly.
“Aren’t you gonna feel sick?”
“No, my organism has been tested”, - jokingly or seriously strikes back Marat.
With this Kazan programme of the best tennis player in Russia was almost finished. In the end Marat and his Dad were supposed to be shown a skiing resort “Kazan” and Raif Male Monastery. After that the guests planned to return to Moscow.
