The Scottish Lemon 2.0

Perm (or sometimes Permm) – things psychologically turned around for me in this stop.  Having crossed the Ural Mountains, which took us out of Siberia and into the European part of the country.  I’ve never been much for landscape photography so finding myself in a more urban setting really got my creative juices flowing.

From the train station we caught our transfer to our hotel, Mikos.   We had read the write up of the hotel in the guidebook we had along and it had been rated a 4 star and was considered a businessman’s hotel.  Not sure why they described the hotel that way.  Maybe it’s because of the tray on the desk that contained a selection of tiny liquor bottles, chocolates and biscuits (for a fee of course). 

The hotel wasn’t much to look at from the outside and was located on a very busy intersection.  But the staff at reception were extremely friendly and patient with the 4 of us arriving and looking very much bedraggled I’m sure. Typical of many European hotels (not just the Russian ones) there was no lift but lucky for us our rooms were only up one flight of stairs. 

You gotta love the décor; I swear the sheets on my bed had spaceships on them. The mattress was severely lacking in support and was a bit lopsided.   But anything is an improvement over sleeping in the top bunk of a moving train.

Once we dropped off our bags and freshened up a bit we wandered back down to reception to get an idea of where we were in the city and how to get to anything interesting, i.e. the touristy bits.  There is a bus stop just around the corner and down the block a bit and we’re told this will take us into town.  There is a museum we’re aiming for, if we actually manage to get there or not is where the adventure of travel comes in.

Using public transport is always a most interesting experience when you don’t know the language and don’t really know where you need to get to, only a vague idea.  Unlike the buses here instead of paying the money (exact change) into a box in front of the driver they have ticket conductors.  We have a map that the hotel gave us and we point and say the Russian word for Museum (I think) and she shakes her head in agreement that the bus will take us there.  As we travel we try to follow the route on the map to get our bearings.

This feels a very industrial city, but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s more just how Russian cities look rather than have anything to do with industry.  Communist architecture tends to lean towards function rather than fashion or aesthetics.  Everything is dirty, dusty and in much need of repair. But this is a very busy busy city.  The bus is jam-packed and there is lots of traffic on the road.

We get to what we believe is our stop and we are just about to step off when the ticket conductor is waving her hand saying ‘Нет, Нет’ (pronounced niyet) to indicate this isn’t our stop yet.  By the time it is our stop we’re the last people on the bus and when we get off and look at the building we are standing in front of the Permm Museum of Contemporary Art.  Not what we were aiming for but this is right up my alley so I’m excited and the bonus is for a change the admission is free and you’re allowed to take photographs!

There is an Alexander Brodsky exhibition on and I am completely in my element.  Not sure what the others thought (I think they are more into the classics) but this was totally working for me.

After about an hour 2 of the girls had experienced their fill of this modern art stuff so we decided to split up. 

The museum is spread over 2 floors, the Brodsky exhibition was on the main floor and upstairs was a smaller display area.  There was one room that was blocked off and seemed to have an opera company practising (amazing acoustics).  The upstairs bit didn’t seem to have any English signage (not a complaint, just an observation) so I couldn’t figure out who the artist or artists were but enjoyed what I saw regardless.

When we were done it was a stunning day outside with blue sky and sunshine.  The museum is located on the bank of the river Kama and seems to have a pedestrian walkway following it.  In the process of exploring the area we stumbled upon the other 2 that had stopped for lunch next door. 

Looking at the sign I would have expected the menu to be fish & chips but in reality it was more of a kebab shack.  Attempting to order a small portion ended up being a challenge involving much laughter on both sides.  In the end the 2 of us ended up sharing 1 large portion and it was more than enough.  No idea what it was but it kind of tasted like sausage meat with a sweet/spicy chutney and then 3 different ‘slaw’ type salads (carrot, cabbage & onion).

We eventually found the Perm State Art Gallery, which was our original destination, and it’s a nice wander in there.  Not too big, the rooms are laid out chronologically. The room I most enjoyed was the one displaying Russian Icons from the 16^th century (as you can see from the below photo).

Why do I always get scolded when taking photos in museums ;>p

Exploring the city in the sun it started to feel more like the Russia I wanted to find.  The grand plazas with their monuments and government buildings. 

Eventually we were making our way back towards our hotel but there was quite a bit of ground to cover.  Ever attracted to the sight of beautiful onion domes sparkling in the sun we stopped at this cathedral.

Between the 3 of us we only had one headscarf so we were going to take turns going in.  As I was waiting outside an older gentlemen attempted to strike up a conversation with me.  Difficult as I knew very few Russian phrases (hello, good bye, please, thank you, vodka and most important… please may I take your photograph).  This got quite the chuckle out of him and eventually I understood all his pointing was to tell me there was a smaller chapel downstairs that had a basket of scarves as you walked in that I could borrow.  This was Vladimir; don’t let the stern look fool you that was just for the camera.

For dinner myself and another of the group decided to get adventurous and headed off to find a Japanese restaurant and try some sushi.  Again gotta love the girl at our hotel reception she gave us 2 recommendations and hand drew a map.  It was a long walk but we managed to find it and the fact that we had to wait about 15 min for a table because the place was packed seemed like a good sign.

Of course I can’t remember the name of the place, nor did I take any photos but man oh man was the food good.  The only downside is we could not decipher the drinks menu to order some sake and when we attempted to ask for it the waitress had no idea what we wanted.  I guess they don’t do sake in Perm.

On the walk home we stocked up at the grocery store with some bread, deli meat, cheese, water etc.  When we arrived back at the hotel the guy at the hotel desk flagged us over, as apparently we needed to decide now what we wanted for breakfast.  Not an easy thing to do when you’re stuffed to the gills on raw fish and rice.  So we know where to go he also shows us where the breakfast room is as it is in the basement of the hotel.  It looks like the bat cave complete with faux rock wall and indoor trickling waterfall, hilarious!

Tomorrow it’s back on the train to Moscow…

As we head further west our trains seem to be improving in quality.  But we still can’t seem to escape the green colour scheme.

We had a fabulous car attendant this leg of the journey.  She didn’t speak a lick of English but she had a real Motherly way about her and she seemed to enjoy looking after us girls.

She caught me attempting to take some abstract shots of the trains Samovar and tapped me on the shoulder and made a motion for me to follow her.  She took me to a spot inbetween two cars to what was probably the only clean window on the whole of the train so I could take photos out the window.

I didn’t have the heart to tell her I wasn’t interested in landscapes.  I graciously thanked her with a Спасибо and then when she’d left I turned away from the view and took this photo.

Next stop Perm at a more respectable 11:03 arrival time.

Who decided arriving anywhere in the middle of Siberia at 06:07 was a good idea?

I’m not a morning person at the best of times but the fear of missing ones stop so early in the morning can ruin what little chance I had of getting a good nights sleep. 

Arriving in what seems to be the middle of nowhere (with a jarring minty green paint job that is the station) being bombarded by very eager taxi drivers I was extremely glad we had prearranged our transfer to out hotel.  However, looking out the window as we were travelling I couldn’t help but think to myself “why did we decide to stop here again?”

Our hotel was, um… interesting.  I felt like I was stuck in a vortex cira 1972. 

The lounge area on each floor complete with vinyl sofa and plastic plants and once again mint green paint on the walls of our room.  If I wasn’t awake when I arrived, I certainly was now.

Apart from the shockingly bright wall colour and dated decor the rooms themselves were very comfortable and spacious.  The view was a bit lacking

 But we had a hot shower, a bed that didn’t rock violently from side to side and free wi-fi in the hotel restaurant.  Surprisingly we were permitted to grab breakfast after check-in even though we were only staying one night.  Yay! 

After taking a much needed shower to perk up and then filling up on breakfast, our group parted ways to explore this strange place called Omsk. 

Old wooden buildings can still be found in parts of the city and are in stark contrast to the 20th centure post modernist structures or just plain boring concrete blocks that are the epitomy of what we think of as the Russian urban landscape.

(notice that green paint again)

The Cossack Nikolsky Cathedral was built from 1822 - 1840 by Russian architect VN Stasov.

The ‘banner of Ermak’ (a legendary pioneer and the first Russian to explore thoroughly) was kept in the cathedral until it disappeared in the 1920’s during a failed coup d’etat.  The cathedral  had been used as a warehouse and later a concert hall during the Soviet era and was only returned to the Russian Orthodox church in the 1990s.

As Omsk is the 2nd largest city east of the Ural Mountains it also meant there was a decent sized grocery store from which to stock up for our next stint on the train.  One of the things I love to do when in a different country/culture is to check out the local grocery store.  I could easily spend an hour just wandering up and down the eisles looking at what’s on the shelves.  And when the language is in a completely different alphabet, guessing at what is inside of the packaging is also a fun game (what can I say, I’m weird).  I purchased a packet of what I am assuming is dehydreated beet borscht as a souvenier.  Half the fun will be attempting to make it at home not being able to understand the directions.

We did come across this lovely little cafe on a semi-main street called The Berlin Cafe.  Walking in it felt completely normal, softly piped in ambient music in the background, large BW photos on the walls of Berlin, modern furnishings, comfy leather sofas in the corner and complimentary wi-fi.

For our 2 days in the city this quickly became our main meeting point.

Three of us went into the Omsk State Museum of History, an interesting experience.  We managed to get our tickets without too much fuss.  We were directed to the basement which was where the cloak room was and a very strong smell.  The Museum also has a small interior zoo like space with an odd assortment of live animals in appallingly small cages with no access to fresh air or natural sunlight.  It broke my heart to see the conditions and I didn’t last long.

Upstairs one level and we start to enter a room only to be told ’Нет’, our tickets are scrutinized and then we are directed up one more level.  Best we can figure out is that the area we walked into was for school groups.  The upstairs has some interesting displays, no English translation though so I’m guessing.  It seemed to move in chronological order starting with old stuff that was dug up (bones, arrowheads etc).  Then moved into the settlement of the country and then into the various revolutions.  I spent a bit more time in the area that covered the Left-wing uprisings against the Bolsheviks from 1918 - 1922.  It didn’t look like it ended well.

The 2nd part of the level we were in went into the multicultural make up of the country and then ended with lots of dead, dusty stuffed animals and bugs.  There was one bit that seemed really odd.  As per usual we were followed from room to room by the unsmiling gruff room attendants as I guess we just looked like we were up to trouble.  But then we came to one display that had a painted scene with cut outs for heads and the attendant insisted that we pose and have our photo taken (not my camera so I can’t show you the end result).

For dinner we checked the guide book for a reccomendation that wasn’t too far away from the hotel and also on a street we could actually find and came across a place that sounded interesting.  However, once walking to the address it seemd to be closed.  Back tracking we went to a place that seemed full of locals (usually a good sign).  This meal would end up being one of the best stories from the trip.

As previously mentioned between the 4 of us we only had one phrasebook and it was ancient.  So translating a menu is usually just a matter of finding out which section has the mains and then each of us pointing to something different and see what we end up with (hey, it’s worked so far).  However, our host seemed genuinely concerned that we were not aware of what we were ordering so he muttered something to the waitress who went back into the kitchen and then reappeared with ‘Ta Da’ an English menu!

Perfect :) 

We passed it around, made our choices and then pointed to what we wanted.  One minor problem… the menu was ONLY in English, no Russian translation meaning the waitress still didn’t have a clue as to what our order was.  So again we went back to the Russian menu and tried to explain that we didn’t really care what we got, just as long as we all got something different.

More frowns and shaking of heads.  The waitress again disappears to the kitchen and comes back a few minutes later talking on a mobile and then thrusts the phone at us and says ‘my friend, she knows little English’.  We all burst out laughing.  So eventually a 3 way translation occurred and the girl on the phone explained what we wanted and off the waitress went to place our order.

I should mention at this point that I managed to order a bottle of red wine without too much fuss as the various grape varieties look very similar in Cyrillic (phew!)

At this point I can’t remember what we all ended up getting other than someone got fish, someone else I think got pork and perhaps someone else got chicken?  I ordered vegetarian and was presented with a lovely stew of tomatoes, mushrooms potatoes and onions.

We don’t get back on the train until 17:32 on the 19th so we’ve still got most of the 2nd day to explore more of the city side streets.   Once again I always find myself drawn to urban rather than the landscape.

Unsure of how long it will take to get a taxi we end up arriving at the train station a bit early so we’ve got lots of time to kill.  The Russians do believe in posh when it comes to the decor.

And here comes the 17:32 Train 55 which will take us to Perm.

I’d like to tell you that everything was wine, roses, romance, adventure and excitement.  But being on a train for a stretch of 2 nights and a day was anything but (granted this is just my opinion). 

There are 4 of us in a narrow carriage.  I’m on the top bunk which hangs down low enough that I can sit up without hitting my head on the roof but the bed itself is narrow which makes for harrowing nights as you are thrown too and fro as the train jerks from side to side.  And should the trail slow down suddenly, you need to grab onto something fast as the guard rail (if there is one) isn’t all that big.

But what to do for 2 nights and a day?  This isn’t like a hotel room where you get a TV with a movie channel or in-room broadband.  There are no plugs in the carriage either, although there are 2 in the hall but always seem to be in use by someone recharging a mobile.  We’ve all brought books along, mp3 players, a few games but after a while one starts to get a bit stir crazy from being in a confined space with no means of escape.

Did I mention that the heat is always on and pumping out?

There is the dining car which may have a small TV but as I don’t understand Russian so that provides limited amusement.  I remember feeling disappointed that the dining car wasn’t more of a communal meeting place for other travelers.  Most often I had the place to myself.

The one communal space seemed to be the narrow hall that extended the length of each railcar.  Everyone just standing at the window wistfully looking out at the barren landscape that never seemed to change.

The train does make periodic stops along the way (as trains do) but there is much confusion and uncertainty as to how long a stop is for (5 min, 15? 30?).  The guide book we have is assuming you are traveling in the summer and heading towards Vladivostok.  Whereas we are travelling in spring (if you can call it that) and going in the opposite direction, so the schedule isn’t the same.  So getting off to explore the platform is a bit of a risk.

Our last full day on the train provided some entertainment as we all decided to have dinner in the dining car.  You’re limited as to how much food you can bring with you as you’ve no fridge to keep perishables. 

Here were our dinner choices:

With one outdated phrasebook we managed to figure out what was soup vs mains.  But often we’d point at something only to be given a shaking of the head and waving of hands to be told no.  Eventually we all managed to order something and it was all wonderfull (apparently I ordered fish).

As the sun sets behind the birch trees our next stop will bring us to Omsk at something crazy like 06:07.

We say goodbye to Listvyanka and Lake Baikal after breakfast and catch our transfer back to Irkutsk where we will once again continue our journey across Siberia. Our train doesn’t depart until 4:30ish so we’ve got the whole day to explore the city.

Our guide has provided us with a simple map and points out a few places of interest for us before dropping us off in Kirov Square.  We are close to the river Alva and there are 2 churches near by.

Spasskaya Church (2 Sukhe-Batora street) built between 1706 and 1710, architect Moisey Dolgikh.

It is the oldest stone church in Eastern Siberia. You can’t see it very well from the above photo but the church has paintings on its external walls — a rare feature which is not found anywhere else between the Urals and the Pacific Ocean. In 1960 under the direction of Moscow architect G. Oranskoi restoration work was begun although it doesn’t really look it from the worn and weathered exterior.

The sanctuary is very small but the surrounding walls and iconosis are full of beautiful paintings of gold and vibrant colours. Again is strikes me that this is a way for the people to speak out against the bleak colourless landscape they are surrounded by.

Across the street is Bogoyavlensky Cathedral (2 Nizhnyaya Naberezhnaya street) built between 1718 to 1746. The cathedral’s decoration is a mix of old Russian motifs and baroque elements This style of construction was eventually named Sibenan Baroque.  It is unique for its multicultural tiles, presenting flowers and mythological animals. Between 1967 and 1985 it was restored by the architect Oranskaya.

The inside is much smaller than what the outside seems so I’m guessing there are more rooms hidden in the back somewhere. There is scaffolding everywhere and the main sanctuary bit is roped off as it is going through another restoration.

I do find it a bit strange that in these churches there is always the wee shop either off to the side or in a back corner where you can purchase your own icon, candles, crucifix etc. I am reminded of the scene of Jesus throwing out the money lenders from the temple but maybe if its selling religious iconography is ok as long as the profit is furthering the work of the church? No idea, but the ladies that work behind the counter have so far been what I would sterotipically call babushkas with their kerchief on their heads and aprons over their dress looking very serious and sombre.

When coming out of the church there is some kind of procession that goes by with men in uniform on horses. Very impressive.

No real idea where we are at this point but have a vague idea of what direction we need to go. On our way we came across the Irkutsk state gallery and decide to give that a look as it will get us out of the cold.

I should say at this point that it is a beautiful sunny day with no wind (I had forgotten that days like that can exist after living in Scotland for 3.5 years). But the temp is cold, the river is still about 50% frozen so it is warming up, but not enough to crack out the shorts.

The gallery is selling a photography permit for 100 rubles so I pay this and take my Nikon with my trusty nifty 50mm f1.8 lens. It is a good combination for taking photos in what I am going to assume will be low lighting conditions.

I’ve got a bit of an ongoing project in the works as when I wander through museums and galleries often I am more taken with the space the art is hung rather than the art itself. Don’t get me wrong, I love looking at paintings, sculpture etc but I’m intrigued by the space itself. Sometimes museums are purpose built, other times the building used to be something else. How a space is utilized is something I find fascinating and interesting to document.

Having said that my taking photos of this strange subject matter has resulted in me getting some strange looks, the odd reprimand or in this case my being followed the whole time. After this particular shot I could tell the little old lady that was the room attendant really had no clue what I was up to and had a look of worry and concern on her face so I walked up to her and showed her the shot (the joy of digital). I’m not sure if this helped my cause or if she now just thinks I’m seriously deranged J

After the museum we continue to make our way in the direction of the train station. We stop for a snack break in a park where a human teapot comes over and tries to make friends. It was a bit of a surreal experience. The teapot was very enthusiastic. in a country that does not have a strong economy you often find that you will not get proper change back as they won’t have any small currency denominations. So it’s hit and miss as to if you come out of it a little ahead or a little behind. I figure it all evens out in the end.  For the record I enjoyed a lovely bowl of beet borscht and something that I’ve no idea what it was. It was mince, rice and herbs in a filoish pastry. Very yummy indeed and cheap cheap cheap , always a bonus.

Continuing we make our way to the river where there is a park with two seperate wedding parties were getting photos. They do like lots of frills and flounce in their dresses here. The park had a path that followed the river and it seems everyone was out enjoying the sunshine. I was happy to find an abandoned chair to add to my photography collection.

Before we board the train again lunch is on the list of things to do.  The snack with the teapot wasn’t all that substantial.  Our dining experience occurs in what looks like a generic fast food joint. It was a buffet type place and we managed to order by pointing to what we wanted but paying the bill was more of a challenge.

Anytime you are Anytime you’re in a country that does not have a strong economy you’ll often find that you will not get proper change back as they won’t have any small currency denominations. So it’s hit and miss as to if you come out of it a little ahead or a little behind. I figure it all evens out in the end.

For the record I enjoyed a lovely bowl of beet borscht and something that I’ve no idea what it was. It was mince, rice and herbs in a filoish pastry. Very yummy indeed and cheap cheap cheap , always a bonus.

Back on the train again for the next leg which will be 2 nights.

I’d forgotten what real cold feels like but it all came back to me soon enough.  Listvianka would be our brush with winter in Siberia. The snow covered mountains, a completely frozen Lake Baikal, crystal clear blue sky and ice crystals in the air.  The temperature itself wasn’t in the extremes, probably something like -17 C.  But when the wind would kick up it was the -32 wind chills that brought back memories of winters in Edmonton and Toronto.  When it hits your face it stings your skin and you quickly feel  numb.

Walking down to the main road from the chalet I came across this guy poking his head over the fence and gave us a friendly wave.  He happily agreed to my taking a photo and gave a big smile. 

 F and I were off in search of an old wooden church our guide had told us about.  We snaked our way through the frozen muddy streets looking at the weathered looking wooden houses.   We found the church eventually and it’s tiny and painted a peach colour. My thoughts on the choice of bright colours we’ve seen in Siberia are it’s a way for people to balance the gray/brown bleakness of the surrounding area.  Either that or they’re trying to look like a Russian version of Miami.

We wander around the building and take some photos of the exterior.  I notice one elderly lady walking across the church yard and go inside.  I put my camera away (you’re not allowed to take photos inside) and slowly open the inner door that leads to the sanctuary.  I open it about 6 inches and much to my horror I look inside and see before me an open casket, the priest and 3 mourners all looking back towards me.  Seems there is a funeral in process, oooops L  So much for seeing the church. 

We quickly exit outside just as C&M arrive and we break the bad news.  Didn’t have much planned for the day apart from that to be honest.  Seems like a good a time as any to find the bakery that we’d been told about and warm ourselves with a steaming cups of espresso and pasteries that were still warm they were so fresh.  I had something like a banana Danish, extremely yummy.

 Listvianka is a very small village but the idea of a frozen lake was a new experience for the friends I was travelling with.  They found it so strange to see trucks driving along it’s surface.  You could also see past ice fishing holes that had since frozen over when  no longer in use.   Goofed around taking some silly shots jumping up and down on the surface. 

We walked around a bit more and C wanted to go back to the cafe as she was trying to load iTunes on her het book and there was a wi-fi connection next door.  It was around this time that I noticed the lens cap was missing from my camera.  I parked C at the cafe and I decided to try and retrace my steps back to the church as that was the last I remembered putting it on.  As I started back walking through the snow covered path this little ball of fur came happily bounding after  me. 

 I’m pretty sure he was a stray as his fur was looking a bit matted but he was so cute and he just decided to start walking with me.   When I got to the church he stopped at the steps and then sat down looking at me as if to say, I’ll wait here.

I once again slowly opened the door and this time there was no dead body or mourners to be seen so I took the opportunity to take a look around.  The walls were white washed and there was much artwork in guilded frames hanging but it the overall look seemed subtle and understated.  I came out and my new found companion was standing there waiting for me wagging his tail.  Walking back I’m happy to report I did find the lost lens cap.  When I got back to my starting point the puppy then looked up at me and tilted his cute head as if to say it’s been fun and then off he went to sit on some steps in the sun as I walked back to the bakery to collect C.

We wandered along the main street and found the market area where many of the stalls were selling dried Omal fish.  A few other stalls had handicrafts but as it’s not tourist season yet many stalls were empty.  We got to the end of the road and there was a large gate that was open so I wandered in and took a few photos.  Shortly afterward I heard some harsh words that I’m guessing would be translated into something like “hey, what are you doing, you’re not allowed in here”  Ooops again J  I think the resulting shot was worth it though.

Back to our chalet for another wonderful home cooked meal and conversations with the mother/daughter we had met on the train.  This is our last night as tomorrow morning we go back to Irkutsk for the day before boarding the train for the next leg of our journey.

Our train arrived in the city of Irkutsk where we were met on the platform by a guide that would transfer us to the village of Listvyanka on the shores of Lake Baikal.  Much to our relief he was standing there with a sign that had one of our parties name on it and when we gathered around we discovered he spoke excellent English (phew!).  In fact one of the first things he said was “does one of you need to pick up luggage from the airport?”.

Our travel agent had got in touch with the transfer company and had arranged for us to stop at the airport enroute to Listvyanka.  Surprisingly the airport was in town, or at least it felt like it.  The guide came in with me and acted as translator which made the whole process painless and fast. 

Once again reunited with my stuff all was right with the world.  The drive to Listvyanka was about an hour through the birch forests or Taiga as they call it (just like my goretex coat).  Our guide gave us each a small map for our orientation in the village with some suggestions of what to see and even where the local bakery was should we wish to partake in the local pastries.  He is quite chatty with interesting facts about the area and the history which is all very interesting.

We are staying at the Baikal Chalet.  Our booking is for 2 nights including breakfast but our guide has just informed us we can include dinner for a flat 300 rubles.  We all quickly agree as it is just one less thing to think about.  The Chalet is up a little valley from Lake shore (i.e up a long hill) and then up what seem like 600 steps but was probably closer to 50.  The area looks run down but has a quiet charm to it.  However, all I’m really thinking about at the is point is how badly I need a shower and clean underwear.

The rooms are chalet-esque with a stunning view down towards the very frozen lake.  I guess all of us had the same idea about the shower, it had been 3 nights on the train without one after all and the last one in didn’t get any hot water :(  Oh and the shower door came off (but I fixed it the next day).

Dinner was spectacular with fresh grilled Omul fish, yummy potatoes with onions and LOTS of butter, a vinegar coleslaw (yes it is possible to make the stuff without any mayo)

and for dessert Pfeffernusse spice cookies.  For an additional 50 rubles (or 1.21 GBP) we could have a 500ml can of Russian beer.  Such a deal :)

The idea was to play some cards after dinner but we ended up spending the evening chatting with 2 Brits we had just met on the train (the Mother and Daughter) and drinking far too much tea, coffee and nibbling on those cookies.

By the time I got back to the room I was exhausted and very excited to be sleeping in a bed that did not require me to climb up a skinny ladder that was moving nor have any risk of being flung off it in the middle of the night.

Bliss.

The last time I was on a sleeper train was back in 1975 I think.  Our family moved from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Westbank, British Columbia.  At the time my Grandfather was still employed by Canadian Pacific Railway so was able to get my Mother and I the cheap family discount and we took the train as far as Salmon Arm, British Columbia while my Dad drove the family car across the country in the middle of winter.

My memories of that experience are a bit vague as that was 35 years ago.  However, I do remember the amazement I had as a child when in the evening our seats were magically transformed into beds.  I think we were doing the 3rd class thing so the carriage is a communal dorm at night with curtains pulled to separate each sleeping birth.  I could be wrong but I think I got a top bunk.

As we boarded our train in Vladivostok the 4 of us are sharing a 2nd class (Kupe) which means we are all in the cabin like thing.  Two sleep on the bottom and two of us are up top.  The top bunks fold up easily enough so we’ve got more head room during the day.  The bottom beds have storage space underneath for our bags (well all except mine which is somewhere between Vladivostok and Irkutsk).

There is a large window which is splattered with mud so not great for taking photos.  A small table which can fold down at night is in the middle attached to the far wall, is big enough for perhaps 2 place settings for dinner but not much else.  This will be our home for the next 3 nights.  I’m already feeling claustrophobic and we haven’t even left the station.

It’s already dark by the time the train pulls out. There is some confusion amongst us all as it is unclear if we are to pay for bedding or if it’s included (it is, phew!).  The base of the beds are kind of like a hard foam with a vinyl covering, not very soft.  But there is a bed roll that gets placed on top which helps slightly.  In our bedding pack we are given 2 sheets, a pillow case and what I think is supposed to be a hand towel but it has more of a tea towel feel to it.  The pillows are square in shape and feather in construction (my least favorite) and there is also a heavy wool blanket.  Very basic but functional.

In the train carriage there are 2 bathrooms, extremely basic but functional as well.  Stainless steel in construction there is a plastic mesh mat on the floor and there is a drainage hole in the middle which you can see (and hear) the track below.  The toilets also flush straight onto the track via a foot peddle on the floor.  We were prepared for this so the group came armed with many packets of wet wipes, toilet roll and tissue.

There is a large boiler type contraption called a Samovar at one end of the car for hot water.  This will be added to countless cups of tea and soup packets.  Any cold water is not drinkable but we were prepared for this as well and had purchased a large bottle of water when we’d done the grocery run.

Each carriage also has 2 attendants or provodniks/provodnitsas.  Ours has both a male and female one.  From what we can tell they seem to alternate days.  Their duties entail checking your tickets when you board, maintenance and cleaning of the carriage, providing bouncer duties when a seeming friendly, harmless, albeit slightly drunken Russian just not want to leave our cabin.  They also seem to have a small side business selling snacks and tea from their cabin.

The first day was spent exploring our surroundings.  For many of the passengers the pastimeof choice is to look out the window.  Many of the other cabins are closed as most people just tend to sleep.  This is understandable to me as the countryside doesn’t really change all that much and other than the odd small village there really isn’t much to see.

I think I am surprised by the lack of wildlife.  Perhaps due to the frozen tundra out there, the critters are still in hibernation but the land just seems so empty and dead.  I find it quite depressing.

Amusement over the few days is usually in the form of the dining car.  I go there to get some space as there is no other communal area on the train.  Unlike the journey from my childhood there is no observation car here.  Ordering my first meal (breakfast) was a bit of a challenge.  I was given a menu but it wouldn’t be until day 2 that I realized there was English in the back (doh!).  One of our guide books has some menu items translated phonetically so I manage to order eggs, ham and bread.  I’d already mastered coffee  as the Russian word is кофе which funny enough sounds pretty close to coffee :)

When my breakfast comes its a colesterol feast of 3 yummy fried eggs, sunny side up with runny yolks (yum!).  The eggs have been cracked into the pan which had some smoked ham in it, then lots of fresh dill has been sprinkled on top.  The bread is dark, fresh and perfect for soaking up the egg yolk.

The guide book had said the food was mediocre at best but I found it to be more than fine.  But what surprised me was that often I was the only person there. 

I was disappointedthat there wasn’t more opportunity to interact with other people on the train.  Other than people milling around the corridor, or shuffling back and forth to get hot water for tea everyone pretty much kept to themselves.

The afternoons seem to be chore time for the attendants.  They done their working clothes and the music starts to play on the carriage speakers.  The rugs and cabins all get vacuumed and the bathrooms get scrubbed.  The one attendant comes into our cabin to wipe down the top edge of the seats but looking at the colour of the rag I’m not sure that’s helping as I don’t think it’s ever been washed.

Halfway through day 2 I was starting to get massively stir crazy.  I can only sit for so long and I don’t want to be sleeping all the time.  A few of us had brought some games (cards, scrabble and M taught us how to play Mahjong) but its the fact that there is no where to move that’s driving me insane. 

And it’s so flipping hot on the train.  I know it’s cold outside, but why does the heat have to be blasting?  Some of the men are in just a pair of shorts and no shirt, and the girls are in tank tops.  At night it’s almost unbearable, heat rises and I’m on the top bunk.  There is no vent for air flow and our window doesn’t open.  For security we have to close/lock our door at night so that just adds to the stuffiness.

There are no bathing facilities on the train other than the small sink in each of the 2 bathrooms.  Wet-wipes only do so much and by the third day we are all feeling more than a bit manky.  With my missing luggage I’ve only got the one pair of trousers and they are in desperate need of a wash.  We are all looking forward to getting off in Irkutsk so we can grab a much needed shower.