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A final statue.

Monday, February 15th, 2010

It is rather fitting that the last piece of real sightseeing that we will complete in Russia is to go see the trans-Siberian Builder’s monument. There was a pleasant surprise on our return to the Downtown Hostel. Anthony had returned early from his tramping around Baikal. The weather forecast had not been good to want to be out of doors. Certainly the conditions this last day in Irkutsk was encouragement to head south. [read on]

Womble Town

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

  While I freely admit to having a bit of a boner over trains, being forced to take a bus really makes you realise why.  My poor cycled out knees ache when forced to stay in one position for too long and with seats this tight I cannot even get into my usual sleep sitting up position.  Maybe this love of the locomotive stems back to when I was a kid and our family won a trip in the cab of a steam train.  Or that there are so few trains back home which is such a shame as they really are the best form of transport.  It just feels so much more civilised than being herded into some metal tube.  Another advantage that trains have is that once you board at a usually central station it just goes.  None of this tedious getting out of town through traffic and intersections just two rails pointing in the direction you want to go.  Even just boarding is fun.  Stand on the platform as a mighty piece of engineering pulls in.  The immaculately presented providnista’s stand ready to welcome everyone aboard.  Once underway there is so much more freedom to move around and looking out the window is far more accessible than a bus and more interesting than a plane. [read on]

The Artist and the Dictator.

Thursday, May 7th, 2009
One of the most prevalent questions encountered so far has been Moscow or St Petersburg, which do you prefer?  As the title of this post alludes to one is based on the premise of beauty and the other power.  One ... [Continue reading this entry]

Sleeping Beauty & Assorted Animal Abuse.

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
With all the hostel dramas it was quite an effort to force ourselves to get out and explore a little bit and make some use of the day remaining.  A major incentive was the Sunday only market which Ivan informed ... [Continue reading this entry]

Police raid nightclub, detain dozens, no reasons given.

Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Welcome to Russia and awesome newspaper headlines. The title of this entry was just below the fold on the free English paper that you find around town. Others beauties include Police Bust Estonian Vodka Pipeline Gang, an article ... [Continue reading this entry]