Disappointment when realised that we will not see Lake Baikel, largest fresh water lake in the world, as it will be dark! Only 1825 train time but 2230 local time so it will definitely be dark. Never mind.
I have been reluctant to take too many photos of train in Russia as even though there are no longer photo restrictions past history makes you wary. But at Zima we were stretching our legs on the platform when one of the giant Russian freight trains came powering through behind a triple electric I couldn't resist taking a photo. In Eric Newby's book "The Big Red Train Ride" about a trip on this train in the early 70s he tried to wave at the drivers but never go a response. Today was different, the driver sounded his horn gave a friendly wave and I waved back. Made my day. Things are definitely improving in Russia!
The other challenge in Russia is the Cyrilic alphabet. The name on the side of the coach above our head is "Rossiya" in Cyrilic.
Passed lots of isolated communities. Wooden log cabins with greenhouse and outside privy. Mostly well kept with their own water well and some even a bus stop! Life must be hard here but children still wave at The Rossiya as it speeds through as children wave at trains the world over. In some villages they had athe luxury of a stand pipe with tap. I was surprised that it seemed to be the men who were collecting the water-I don't know why just imagined that would be the woman's job in this macho state.
Many factories are derelict no longer supported by government. Goodness knows what the ex employees now do for money. Timber production seems still prosperous even though the sawmills are a blot on the landscape. Some coal mines seem to struggle on. But The Rossiya presses on, passing these by, as nothing must stop it.
Timber is in plentiful supply here with mountains of cut timber in each village. Farmers on horseback rounding up cattle,
a Dachshund in another village, a herd of goats in another village, a woman struggling to carry a carpet home on the local train.
Well I can see the moon reflecting off lake Baikel but too dark to see it in all it's glory.
Before the railway opened in 1898 it could take 3 years to travel from Vladivostock to Moscow for most people using a mixture of river passage, tantalus (sleigh) and walking along the Siberian post road. There is a story of a woman who left Vladivostock with no children and arrived in Moscow with a toddler and a babe in arms.
Sonia got off at Irkusk as planned and we are now the only English on the train. A French couple are in the next compartment everyone else is Russian.
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| Ice Cream on the platform |
I have been reluctant to take too many photos of train in Russia as even though there are no longer photo restrictions past history makes you wary. But at Zima we were stretching our legs on the platform when one of the giant Russian freight trains came powering through behind a triple electric I couldn't resist taking a photo. In Eric Newby's book "The Big Red Train Ride" about a trip on this train in the early 70s he tried to wave at the drivers but never go a response. Today was different, the driver sounded his horn gave a friendly wave and I waved back. Made my day. Things are definitely improving in Russia!
.jpg) |
| Russian freight at Zima |
Passed lots of isolated communities. Wooden log cabins with greenhouse and outside privy. Mostly well kept with their own water well and some even a bus stop! Life must be hard here but children still wave at The Rossiya as it speeds through as children wave at trains the world over. In some villages they had athe luxury of a stand pipe with tap. I was surprised that it seemed to be the men who were collecting the water-I don't know why just imagined that would be the woman's job in this macho state.
Many factories are derelict no longer supported by government. Goodness knows what the ex employees now do for money. Timber production seems still prosperous even though the sawmills are a blot on the landscape. Some coal mines seem to struggle on. But The Rossiya presses on, passing these by, as nothing must stop it.
Timber is in plentiful supply here with mountains of cut timber in each village. Farmers on horseback rounding up cattle,
a Dachshund in another village, a herd of goats in another village, a woman struggling to carry a carpet home on the local train.
Well I can see the moon reflecting off lake Baikel but too dark to see it in all it's glory.
Before the railway opened in 1898 it could take 3 years to travel from Vladivostock to Moscow for most people using a mixture of river passage, tantalus (sleigh) and walking along the Siberian post road. There is a story of a woman who left Vladivostock with no children and arrived in Moscow with a toddler and a babe in arms.
Sonia got off at Irkusk as planned and we are now the only English on the train. A French couple are in the next compartment everyone else is Russian.
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