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Published: November 1st 2006
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Well I have left the comfortable surrounds of Casa Del Gregory and am now back on the road to head east for home. A wonderful introduction to a new city I had almost forgotten what it was like to negotiate public transport with all my stuff with me, and after getting past a scary Russian immigration lady I then had a local bus to the metro, two metro lines and a 15 min walk to my next destination in St. Petersburgh. No trouble except for nearly getting my backpack stuck in the bus door on the way. I am also back to the internet cafe search so forgive me if this time I just run through what i've done really quickly.
St. Petersburgh Hermitage museum which is in the Winter Palace provided 4 hours of looking at paintings and art etc. which was a good thing as it rained a lot outside. The Russian museum also for lots of paintings. A climb to the top of St. Isaacs cathedral for an amazing 360 degree view of the city. A look at the outside of the church of Spilled Blood (think that's what the name was) which is similar to
St. Basils in Moscow. Sunday seemed to be the busiest day in the city with lots of people out for a stroll despite the weaather. The place I stayed at had a very weird front bar that looked very like a sauna and was about the same size.
From here onto my first train for an overnight trip to Moscow.
Moscow Arrived in Moscow to minus 5 degree weather and some snow in the air. To Red Square to look through St. Basil's cathedral which was surprisingly very small inside. A tour through the Kremlin complex including the armoury museum. The highlight of this museum for some was the faberge eggs, for some the carriages of Catherine the Great, for me it was learning that the Russians so disliked one of their former Tsars that when he died, they cremated him, put his ashes in a cannon ball, and shot him in the direction of Poland (where he was from)!! Very pointed I thought. Viewed the embalmed body of Lenin. Went souvenir shopping and managed to drop one of those dolls that has a million parts and break a few things- luckily the shop lady said it
happens all the time! Had coffee in a coffee shop where they mucked up our order, tried to overcharge us, suddenly lost all ability to speak english and when we all left we were fully expecting the police to run around the corner and arrest us all. Also in Moscow a very expensive lunch in a food court in a shopping centre with security getting annoyed that we had moved a table!!! Must have been some sort of threat to national security..
Train After all the excitement of Moscow it was onto the TransSiberian train for 4 nights, 3 days heading to Irkutsk. The train was lots of fun even if it felt very weird to do all your sightseeing through the windows. One day was spent lying in my cabin with the vodka hangover from hell, the rest of the time chatting, reading, buying food from the Babushkas on the platforms which was all sorts of homemade goods as well as chips and beers etc., and listening to the drunken songs of the robust russian male passengers! Also weirdly enough planning toilet stops very carefully coz the ladies that looked after the carriages locked them for stations
and border stops. Sometimes for a very long time!!
Irkutsk,Listvyanka,Lake Baikal In Irkutsk it was straight on a bus to the nearby town of Listvyanka next to Lake Baikal ( holds 20%!o(MISSING)f the worlds fresh water) where we stayed in a house with a local lady who spoke german at a mile a minute. Looked through the local market, the museum (very small and with some sad looking seals in a boring tank all by themselves), then had a home cooked dinner which was great after all that time on the train.
In Irkutsk we were in t-shirts on a scorcher of a day at 10 degrees! A very nice place with a river, lots of churches, nice coffee shop but the slowest restaurant ever for dinner.
From here it is onto another train and into Mongolia, and who knows what I may find there.
My time has nearly run out in this computer place so I leave with some more disturbing things and a promise to add to this blog soon.
Things I find disturbing chapter 9:
Maybe it's the weather but noone here seems to smile. And when
you try to ask a question you get a shoulder shrug and a look that says ' I really don't give a shit, go ask someone else'
When Russian people on a train insist that you join them for drinks, you really don't get much choice in the matter.
"Surprise food" - Every meal was a challenge and a bit of a surprise. Things like bread rolls that looked plain were filled with onion, things that looked like they should contain filling didn't. You order in a restaurant and they give you the english menu and then you point at what you want but the waitresses can't read english so they just write down what they feel like and then half of that may actually make it's way to the table! Interesting all round.
Leather fashion is all the rage, big leather coats, big leather hats, big leather boots, and lots of fur!!!
The scary russian train lady elbowing poor Mel out of the way in the carriage aisle as she was in the process of throwing up.
The Russian word for juice is 'cok'. It's pronouced 'sock' but that's not what a lot of
people were asking for.
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Rachel
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Hi Julie
Nice to find your website (and Godfrey's). Bizarre to see you photos up - especally the ones I remember taking! Happy travelling.