Russia proper. Moscow, St. Petersburg, gorgeous women, deadly flower pots and the service from hell. So much happened in such a short time that it's best just to give snippets from the journal... The Good -fried meat thing on the train -first class for three days -Baltika beer -borsch -"Old Boy" -pre-Soviet monuments and buildings -Red Square -Russian churches (waaaaaay too many but all beautiful) -'Roman Hunt Salad' (greens, cranberries, crutons, veal, wild mushrooms, garlic/olive oil/basil salty dressing) The Bad -Russian bureaucracy and rules -the s [View Full Entry]

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From my journal... After an uneventful and smelly journey on the train I devoured the book "Day of the Jackal" (for lack of any other entertainment than torturing Ross) and made fun of typical Russian style/behavior at train stops. (more on that later) Being the intellectual, college educated individuals we are, Ross and I spent my remaining turgut (Mongolian money) on apples, grapes, tea, bad coffee and beer, and therefore had nothing substantial to eat for two days. Tom, a fellow traveler and former JET, happened to be sharing our car and managed to coax some rubles from a cash machine. [View Full Entry]

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Next set coming up! [View Full Entry]

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Za....as they say here. I'm in Mongolia! Have to add commentary later! Internet is mezurashii yo! [View Full Entry]

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Was too pressed for time to add these before but here are the missing pics/account from China and the Great Wall crawl. [View Full Entry]

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Overstaying your VISA in one country then coming to another isn't the usual way of going about things. Normally they toss you in jail and fine you out of your travel savings. Fortunately I chose Japan as my target and managed an escape to China, where I am now. (thank god for the US-Japan relationship...) Today's Beijing is not the one I remember. For one the air is cleaner, the streets are tidier and there seems to be a lack of those charming old men who show you their bellies when it's hot. (well, during the day anyway) This can all [View Full Entry]

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