Moscow to Yeketerinburg

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So......I left Moscow on March 30th headed for Yeketerinburg. Back on the trans-siberian train, this one number 26. Wasn't going to be as plush as the last (number 1)....they get worse the higher the number. Another overnighter, got on at 16:20 and arrived next day 18:58 Moscow time (20:58 local).

The roomies this time weren't as cheery as the drunken army fellas from the last train. They were a 70 year old couple with 3 and a half tonne of luggage. Sweet couple, I only had to scream "SHUT THE FCUP I'M TRYING TO SLEEP" once.......what is it with oldies and 5am starts. Maybe me dad can answer that.......dad?

Anyhoo, back to Yeketeringburg (or ekaterinburg.....depending which sign you're looking at). This place got its name because of one of the the "greats"....Peter the Great got St Petersburg, Catherine the Great gets this place.

As far as being a tourist destination, there's not oodles to do or see (unless you still haven't had your full of cathedrals or places of worship). But it is a nice city. Not big like St Pete's or Moscow, more like Adelaide size which is why I think I liked it. People were actually getting in the way of each other trying to help me out when they realized I jumped on the right number tram heading the wrong way when I first got here. The equivalent group of people in Moscow wouldn't piss on me if I was on fire.

Its famous for two things really, the Romanovs (Tzar Nicholas, his wife Alexander, 4 daughters and one son) were slaughtererd here in 1918, and it's the birthplace of Boris Yeltzin. There is a memorial to the Romanovs called the Church of Blood.......wasn't as spooky as the name suggests, its just another church really.

A big plus for this place had to be the weather.......been travelling well into the minuses since I left London, had to get the the Urals on the border of Mongolia for a decent bit of sun.....13 degrees I think it was yesterday and pushing double figures again today. Probably doesn't sound too inspiring to the Oz readers of this....but thats about a 20 degree turnaround from what I've been in.

So even though there's really bugger all to see or do here, its a great place to break up the trans-Siberian train journey for a couple of days and have a wander around.

Stayed at a place called Meeting Point Hostel run by the hostess with the mostess Ekaterina. Its basically a one bedroom flat with a few beds here and there but Katia was a great host.....she knows plenty about the city, tea and breaky ready for you in the morning. She will even go with you to the train station to help book onward tickets if you haven't already sorted them out (this in itself is worth the price of admission......no bugger will speak English at the ticket windows).

Righto, catching the number 2 train at 01:43 tomorrow morning......excellent. Painfull wait coming up for me at the leper colony that is the train station tonight. Next stop.......Irkutsk.


oooooroooooo,
Shane,
Space Adventurer.

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Photos

Church of the Blood
This is the site where the Romanovs were murdered. The actual building was torn down by Yeltsin and this erected as a monument

The Big Man
Lennin

Vey Small Cathedral
This was only about 3m square....but tall

Ekaterina
Even does the dishes

Another Church
Thery're redeveloping this one by the looks

Little wooden Chapel
This was buile in the 1980's as a memorial to Alexander II's sister in law that was also murdered (thrown into a well)

Hostel
This is Katias parents extra apartment that Katia runs as hostel

Roomies
Not a craker of English.....except the word Kangaroo

Stops
at each stop there are loads of peopl selling all sorts of food and rubbish

Inside the train.
its about a shoulder width...just

No its not an atom splitter
This monstrosity manages to deliver a steady stream of hot water......and thats it.

Comments

[Dean Lewis]

Ekaterina - strong name!
You must be struggling in those train corridors! First golf weekend sorted - Bournemouth Pat is taking the place of Bucky