View from train window - snow!!!Merrill, Alan and I visited Lenin’s Mausoleum in Red Square. We couldn’t take large bags or any photographic equipment inside and we could not talk. It is quite dark and you are not allowed to stand for any length of time. Outside there are markers for other great dignitaries but the only one we could make out was Stalin. We wanted to find a supermarket to buy provisions for our train journey, but the shops didn’t open until 11.00a.m. so we made our way back to the hotel. Fortunately we found a little supermarket close to the hotel.
Our Mini Bus arrived at 2.30p.m. and we left for the Kazan Railway station to begin our epic journey to Ekaterinburg. We will be on the train 25 hours.
We are in coach 10. There are four berths so we are sharing with Joan and Merrill. Laziz and Patrick are next door sharing with a Russian Police Psychologist, Going to be some interesting conversations there.
The beds are quite comfortable. There is a toilet at each end of the carriage, but we have been told not to put any paper down them. I wouldn’t like to be the Provotniza. She has the job of keeping everything clean and tidy. She even has a vacuum cleaner that she uses to clean the carpets in each compartment. On the table in our cabin there is a tea pot and four cups and saucers and a selection of tea and coffee and a packet of biscuits. Laziz says that they are not complimentary, but we have our own so there is not a problem.
The Provotniza came round with a selection of souvenirs and we bought a set of coasters. They have the logos of all the trains that start from Ekaterinburg, going in different directions. We bought a set for 400 rubles, about £8.00.
At the first station that we stopped at there were people on the platform selling various items. We expected them to be sweets, food and drinks but no they were stuffed animals, large vases and chandeliers. I didn’t think I could get a chandelier in my luggage so we didn’t buy anything.
Before we settled down for the night Alan had his pot meal of mashed potato and chicken. The carriage is kept at a constant temperature of 20’C and is air conditioned so it doesn’t get too oppressive.
Wet wipes come in very handy as it is not easy to get washed in the cramped toilet area. We have also got plenty of sanitised hand gel. We have got used to cleaning our teeth with bottled water.
During the morning it starts to snow and I mean snow. We really know that we are now in Siberia.
We arrive in Ekaterinburg at (5.45 Moscow time) 7.45 Ekaterinburg. It is going to be very strange because when we get back ion the train in two days time we go back to Moscow time, as all the trains run on Moscow time.
We went to our rooms and dropped our luggage off and then went for a meal in a local restaurant. It was buffet style but we still had to ask Laziz what everything was. I had Chicken and Saute potatoes and Alan had pork, boiled potato and broccoli. Back to the hotel and a good nights sleep.
Our Mini Bus arrived at 2.30p.m. and we left for the Kazan Railway station to begin our epic journey to Ekaterinburg. We will be on the train 25 hours.
We are in coach 10. There are four berths so we are sharing with Joan and Merrill. Laziz and Patrick are next door sharing with a Russian Police Psychologist, Going to be some interesting conversations there.
The beds are quite comfortable. There is a toilet at each end of the carriage, but we have been told not to put any paper down them. I wouldn’t like to be the Provotniza. She has the job of keeping everything clean and tidy. She even has a vacuum cleaner that she uses to clean the carpets in each compartment. On the table in our cabin there is a tea pot and four cups and saucers and a selection of tea and coffee and a packet of biscuits. Laziz says that they are not complimentary, but we have our own so there is not a problem.
The Provotniza came round with a selection of souvenirs and we bought a set of coasters. They have the logos of all the trains that start from Ekaterinburg, going in different directions. We bought a set for 400 rubles, about £8.00.
At the first station that we stopped at there were people on the platform selling various items. We expected them to be sweets, food and drinks but no they were stuffed animals, large vases and chandeliers. I didn’t think I could get a chandelier in my luggage so we didn’t buy anything.
Before we settled down for the night Alan had his pot meal of mashed potato and chicken. The carriage is kept at a constant temperature of 20’C and is air conditioned so it doesn’t get too oppressive.
Wet wipes come in very handy as it is not easy to get washed in the cramped toilet area. We have also got plenty of sanitised hand gel. We have got used to cleaning our teeth with bottled water.
During the morning it starts to snow and I mean snow. We really know that we are now in Siberia.
We arrive in Ekaterinburg at (5.45 Moscow time) 7.45 Ekaterinburg. It is going to be very strange because when we get back ion the train in two days time we go back to Moscow time, as all the trains run on Moscow time.
We went to our rooms and dropped our luggage off and then went for a meal in a local restaurant. It was buffet style but we still had to ask Laziz what everything was. I had Chicken and Saute potatoes and Alan had pork, boiled potato and broccoli. Back to the hotel and a good nights sleep.
